Sri Lanka Declares State of Emergency Amid Escalating Protests

University students take part in a demonstration demanding the resignation of Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa over the country's crippling economic crisis, near the parliament building in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on May 6, 2022. Ishara S. Kodikara/AFP via Getty Images

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has declared an island-wide state of emergency for the second time since April amid sustained protests demanding his resignation.

The state of emergency was imposed in the interests of public security, the protection of public order, and the maintenance of supplies and essential services, the president’s media division said in a May 6 statement.

The move follows student-led demonstrations outside the parliament building demanding Rajapaksa and his administration resign. The protest began on May 5 after a government-backed deputy speaker was elected in parliament.

According to local reports, police fired tear gas to disperse protesters that were attempting to break through the blockade. Hundreds of protesters remained camped outside the building, hindering members of parliament as they exited the building.

The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) demanded that Rajapaksa explain the grounds for declaring a state of emergency and urged that it be revoked, saying that the declaration wasn’t a solution to the protest.

Under state of emergency regulations, the president is empowered to authorize detentions without a warrant and amend any legislation, except the provisions of the Constitution.

“We reiterate that the state of emergency must not be used to stifle peaceful protests and dissent or make arbitrary arrests and detentions,” BASL said in a statement carried by ColomboPage.

“We appeal to all parties in both government and the opposition to recognize the grave crisis that is facing the country and its people and the urgent need to resolve the political impasse in the country,” the statement reads.

A demonstrator wearing a mask of Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa takes part in a demonstration over the country's crippling economic crisis, near the parliament building in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on May 6, 2022. Ishara S. Kodikara/AFP via Getty Images

This is the second time that Rajapaksa has declared a state of emergency. He declared an emergency on April 1 following a violent protest outside his private residence, which he ultimately revoked five days later.

Protests erupted in Sri Lanka as the public has blamed the government for mishandling the country’s worst economic crisis in decades. The Private Bus Owners’ Association suspended operations on May 6 to join the strike amid diesel shortages.

Chief Government Whip Johnston Fernando said on April 6 that Rajapaksa “will not resign from his position under any circumstances” because he was elected on a mandate given by 6.9 million people.

The country is on the verge of bankruptcy, with its foreign exchange reserves plummeting by 70 percent over the past two years, leaving it struggling to pay for essential imports. The government stated on April 12 that it was suspending foreign debt repayments.

The World Bank has agreed to provide Sri Lanka with $600 million in financial aid to help cover the cost of essential imports.