Sri Lanka Crisis: The Sri Lankan government lifted the state of emergency imposed in the country on Saturday. Emergency was imposed two weeks ago in view of the unprecedented economic crisis and government protests in the country. Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa declared a state of emergency for the second time in a month on the midnight of May 6. The state of emergency gives wide powers to the police and security forces to arrest and detain people arbitrarily.
According to Hiru News, the President’s Secretariat said that the state of emergency has been lifted from Friday midnight. This step was taken in view of the improvement in the law and order situation in the country.
,Was not ordered to shoot on sight’
Earlier on Thursday, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe told parliament on Thursday that no order was given to the Defense Ministry to shoot protesters at sight during violent anti-government protests.
The Prime Minister said that the police can use their discretion and can also fire if needed, but for this procedures have to be followed. He said that there was an attack on the property of some members of Parliament last week, but the order to shoot at sight was not issued. Nine people have died and more than 200 have been injured in clashes during pro-government and anti-government protests in Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka is facing the most severe economic crisis
Sri Lanka is going through the most severe economic crisis ever since its independence from Britain in 1948. The crisis arose mainly because of a lack of foreign exchange, which means that the country is unable to pay for imports of staple foods and fuels.
Thousands of protesters have been on the streets across Sri Lanka since April 9, as the government has run out of funds for imports. The prices of essential commodities are skyrocketing. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka’s central bank on Thursday decided to reduce the limit for holding foreign currency by an individual from $15,000 to USD 10,000.
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