24 minutes agoSri Lanka's president is unlocking the airport: Now Aims to Flee From the Sea
Periskopi(4 years ago)
(4 years ago)Sri Lanka's president is considering using a navy patrol tool to flee the island on Tuesday, official sources said. Gotabaya Rajapasa has promised to resign on Wednesday, in order to pave the way for a peaceful “transition of power” following widespread protests against him over the crisis [...]
Gotabaya Rajapasa has pledged to resign on Wednesday, in order to pave the way for a peaceful “transition of power” following widespread protests against him over the country's worst economic crisis.
The 73-year-old leader left his official residence in Columbus shortly before tens of thousands of protesters invaded him on Saturday. He then wanted to travel to Dubai, officials said.
As president, Rajapapasa enjoys immunity from arrest and is believed to want to go abroad before leaving this post to avoid access to detention.
But immigration officers refused to go to the VIP suite to seal his passport, while he insisted he would not pass through public objects for fear of revenge from other airport users.
The president and his wife spent the night at a military base near the main Bandanaic International Airport after losing four flights they could have taken to the United Arab Emirates.
The president and his wife spent the night at a military base near the main Bandanaic International Airport, after losing four flights they could have taken to the United Arab Emirates.
Rajapapasa's younger brother, Basil, who resigned in April as finance minister, lost his flight from Emirate to Dubai, following problems similar to airport staff.
Rajapapasa's younger brother, Basil, who resigned in April as finance minister, lost Emirates' flight to Dubai early Tuesday after a collision similar to airport staff.
Basil, who has US citizenship, in addition to Sri Lanka's nationality, tried to use a pay service for business travellers, but airport and immigration staff said they were withdrawing from the fast-effected service.
“There were other passengers protesting against Basil who boarded their” flight, an airport official for AFP said. “was a tense situation, so he rushed out of the airport. ”
Over the weekend, protesters broke into the president's house in Columbus. This town was calmer Monday, where hundreds of people were seen at the president's residence. The police made no effort to intervene. / REL/
