BREAKING: Sri Lankan protesters storm prime minister's office, demanding he resign after president flees amid economic crisis.
— swimming in the pool, marveling at the paintings and lounging on the beds piled high with pillows. At one point, they also burned the prime minister’s private home.
“We expected him to be behind bars — not escape to a tropical island! What kind of justice is that?” Sithara said. “This is the first time people in Sri Lanka have risen like this against a president. We want some accountability.” Former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa had been living at his home in Colombo after initially taking refuge at a heavily fortified Sri Lankan naval base when he was pressured to resign in May. Basil Rajapaksa, who holds dual U.S. citizenship, resigned as finance minister in April. His own attempt to leave the country wasn’t successful Tuesday. Chamal Rajapaksa, their oldest brother, was the irrigation minister and resigned in April.
The new president will serve the remainder of Rajapaksa’s term, which ends in 2024, and could potentially appoint a new prime minister, who would then have to be approved by Parliament.
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