Maldivian Parliament Speaker Nasheed says Sri Lankan Prez Rajapaksa resigns

Male, Jul 14 (PTI) In an unusual move, Maldivian Majlis (Parliament) Speaker Mohamed Nasheed on Thursday announced that Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has resigned and hoped that the crisis-hit country can now “move forward.”

“Sri Lankan President GR has resigned. I hope Sri Lanka can now move forward. I believe the President would not have resigned if he were still in Sri Lanka, and fearful of losing his life. I commend the thoughtful actions of the Govt of Maldives. My best wishes to the people of Sri Lanka,” he said.

Nasheed, the former president, had negotiated Rajapaksa’s escape to the Maldives, sources here said. On Saturday, Rajapaksa had announced to step down on July 13 after thousands of protesters stormed his official residence, blaming him for the unprecedented economic crisis that has brought the country to its knees.

He, however, fled to the Maldives on Wednesday without resigning from his office. From Maldives, he went to Singapore on Thursday. Rajapaksa, who enjoys immunity from prosecution while he is president, fled to avoid the possibility of arrest by the new government.

Sri Lanka, a country of 22 million people, is under the grip of an unprecedented economic turmoil, the worst in seven decades, leaving millions struggling to buy food, medicine, fuel and other essentials. Prime Minister Wickremesinghe last week said Sri Lanka is now a bankrupt country.