Journalism of Courage
Protesters sleep on the wooden floor, with large air conditioners, inside the Sri Lankan President's office in the Western Province on Wednesday. They broke through a barricade and stormed his office demanding his resignation, despite being tear-gassed. Prime Minister Wickremesinghe has already said he was willing to resign and make way for an all-party government. (Express Photo)
Agitators occupy the President’s large living room and sit on the sofas where he used to entertain guests. Massive protests had broken out in Colombo after it emerged that President Gotabaya Rajapaksha has fled the country without handing in his resignation letter to the Speaker. (Express Photo)
Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has declared a state of emergency as the acting president after President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled to the Maldives on Wednesday, leading to more protests amid an economic crisis. (Express Photo)
The Prime Minister has also declared a curfew in the Western Province, PM Ranil Wickremesinghe's media secretary, Dinouk Colombage, told Reuters. The curfew comes into effect immediately. (Express Photo)
Ranil Wickremesinghe said armed forces and police have been instructed to bring current situation under control .
Protesters inside PM Ranil Wickremesinghe’s office premises on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Gotabaya Rajapaksa has informed speaker over telephone that he will resign today as promised.
Amid the ongoing crisis, the Sri Lankan stock market is closed on Wednesday, July 13, for a holiday. Markets will resume trade on Thursday, July 14. (Express Photo)
According to protesters, the President used to watch TV sitting on the beige sofa. As Sri Lanka waited for President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to resign as promised on Wednesday (July 13), news came in that he had fled the country in the middle of the night, flying to the Maldives in a military aircraft.
The functional kitchen inside the President’s residence which is now being used by the protesters to cook food for them. President Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Wickremsinghe had announced their willingness to resign after protesters stormed the two leaders’ official residences. (Express Photo)
A woman charges her phone in the hallway of the President's residence, filled with wooden chests and drawers. Sri Lanka has been witnessing massive protests for the past few months against the economic crisis, which has ended up affecting foreign exchange and basic imports like food and fuel. (Express Photo)
Meanwhile, the Indian High Commission in Colombo said it “categorically denies baseless and speculative media reports that India facilitated the recent reported travel of @gotabayar @Realbrajapaksa out of Sri Lanka”. (Express Photo)
A wall inside the President’s residence seen damaged after the protesters painted a graffiti on it demanding the resignation of Gotabaya Rajapaksa. (Express photo)
An ice cream seller outside the President's residence. (Express photo)
A graffiti sprayed over Rajapaksa's home by the protesters. (Express photo)
A deserted street in Colombo. (Express photo)
Protesters occupy Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's residence, on Wednesday. (Express photo)
