Shoot-on-sight orders in Sri Lanka after deadly violence
Revolt dynamic
I have some matters to attend to, so perhaps the longer form post I would finish today might come way later, or tomorrow morning latest. This will be a short, but important one.
Inside the one above, I wrote “Watch the dynamics in Sri Lanka, because they will play elsewhere”. Sri Lanka has been experiencing growing civil unrest, and massive, as in hundreds of thousands protesters taking to the streets, solely based on the inflation, mainly food cost.
One of the biggest incitement tools in human history is food shortages. The greatest one is actual lack of food, mass starvation. Yesterday, this happened.
Sri Lanka prime minister resigns, curfew imposed after clashes
PM resigns after day of violence
Ruling party lawmaker killed in clashes
Pro-govt supporters attack protesters
Nationwide curfew imposed
Ruling party parliamentarian Amarakeerthi Athukorala died after a standoff with anti-government protesters in the town of Nittambuwa near Colombo, a police source told Reuters without giving details.
At least three others were wounded and the area remained tense with dozens of protesters still at the location, the source said.
A nationwide curfew has been imposed, on top of the state of emergency that Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa - the prime minister's younger brother, referred to as Gota - declared last week in the face of escalating protests.
Today, AFP published the following.
Shoot-on-sight orders in Sri Lanka after deadly violence
Sri Lankan authorities issued shoot-on-sight orders on Tuesday to quell further unrest a day after the island was rocked by deadly violence and rioting.
With thousands of security forces enforcing a curfew, the defence ministry said troops “have been ordered to shoot on sight anyone looting public property or causing harm to life”.
On Monday, government supporters attacked with sticks and clubs demonstrators in Colombo protesting peacefully for weeks over a dire economic crisis and demanding the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
Mobs then retaliated across the country late into the night, torching dozens of homes of ruling-party politicians and trying to storm the prime minister’s official residence in the capital.
Police said Tuesday that in total eight people died.
Protests continued on Tuesday despite the curfew.
A crowd attacked and set fire to a vehicle carrying Colombo’s most senior policeman.
I stand by my previous statement, and firmly believe other countries and people should keep an eye out on the dynamics of the civil unrest in Sri Lanka, because they will play out elsewhere. At what level, how far, I don’t know, but we will have a broader picture the next long form post, about the grain situation.
These are some of the other headlines you will find if you search about Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka: How is an economic crisis affecting people?
Sri Lanka crisis forces 13-hour blackouts, hospitals stop surgery
As prices soar in crisis-hit Sri Lanka, many forced to moonlight
There are other pieces of news that fit the broader picture, but not this post e specifically so I will led it out of this short piece for now.
I hope you all have a nice afternoon !
Thanks for the heads up. 🙏💚
Titanic heading for the iceberg...