'Historic': Sri Lankan Journalist Explains How Frenzied Protests Gripped Nation

Dilrukshi Handunnetti, a senior journalist, spoke to The Quint on why the protests reached a fever pitch.

Sri Lanka erupted in protests on Saturday, 9 July, as thousands of protesters breached police barricades and stormed into the residence of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in Colombo.

(Photo: Twitter/@afidelf)

Video Editor: Pawan Kumar

With the economic crisis showing no signs of abating, Sri Lanka erupted in protests on Saturday, 9 July, as thousands of protesters breached police barricades and stormed into the residence of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in Colombo.

The day also saw the resignation of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, whose house was later burnt by protesters.

A few hours after his resignation, it was announced that Gotabaya Rajapaksa also will resign from his post on Wednesday.

Dilrukshi Handunnetti, a senior journalist in Sri Lanka, spoke to The Quint on why the protests reached a fever pitch on Saturday.

'A Historic Moment in Sri Lankan Politics'

"It's a historic moment in Sri Lankan politics to have large numbers of citizens, activists, politicians, storm into the presidential secretariat and the demand the resignation of the Sri Lankan president," Handunnetti said.

She went on to describe how people were undaunted by the suspensions on fuel distributions and how they traveled from far away places using a variety of means to make it to the protests.

In a scathing criticism of the government, Handunnetti accused it of "failing to provide solutions to the people's multiple problems, whether its food, medical supplies, gas, or fuel supplies."

While Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned from office and Ranil Wickremesinghe took over, "people do not feel there has been any change in governance."

Handunnetti then listed some of the demands that the people have been reiterating:

• A new constitution

• Abolition of the executive presidency

• Democratisation of the political system

• More protection for women and children

• A possibility of a short-term all-party interim government