Sri Lanka Crisis | President Gotabaya Imposes Nationwide Curfew From 8 PM To 5 AM

The announcement comes days after the island nation saw violent clashes between pro-government and anti-government protestors.

Motorists queue to buy fuel at a Ceylon petroleum corporation fuel station in Colombo on May 15, 2022. ( Image Source :AFP )

New Delhi: A natiowide curfew will be imposed in the island nation of Sri Lanka from 8 pm today, May 16 till 5 am on May 17, 2022, said the President's Media Division, reported news agency ANI. A nationwide stay-at home order has been issued in the country for week after violent clashes broke out between pro-government and anti-government groups in the country leaving nine people dead and 225 wounded. 

The nationwide curfew was however lifted on Sunday by the authorities for an important Buddhist festival, Vesak but celebrations were muted as the country continued to reel under instability. A two-day holiday was declared by the government and the lifting of the curfew for a day without clearing whether the curfew will be reimposed or not. 

Sri Lanka | Nationwide curfew will be imposed from 8 PM on Monday, 16th May to 5 AM on Tuesday, 17th May, said the President’s Media Division.

— ANI (@ANI) May 16, 2022

Country's new premier, Ranil Wickremsinghe after being appointed as the Prime Minister following Mahinda Rajapaksa's resignation, is finding hard to gain foothold as anti-government protestors demand Rajapaksa's arrest and allege him of having a political deal with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. 

Dilapidated economic situation for the first time since its independence has led towards nationwide anti-incumbent protest in the island nation of Sri Lanka. The economic crisis is attributed to foreign exchange shortage compounded by decline in tourism due to Covid-19 and Sri Lankan government’s decision to ban chemical fertilisers in order to make the country's agriculture “100 percent organic”.