Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has confirmed he will resign, the prime minister’s office has said, after tens of thousands of protesters stormed the official residences of both men.
Sri Lanka is in deep financial crisis and the crowds say they won’t leave until both men quit their posts.
The parliament Speaker had earlier said the president would resign on 13 July.
Mr Rajapaksa, whose whereabouts are unknown, has not spoken publicly since his residence was stormed on Saturday.
The president has been blamed for the country’s economic mismanagement, which has caused dire shortages of food, fuel and medicine for months. His resignation was first announced by the parliament Speaker on Saturday, but many Sri Lankans responded with scepticism to the idea that he would relinquish power.
On Monday, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s office said in a statement it had been informed by Mr Rajapaksa that he would step down on Wednesday.
But under Sri Lanka’s constitution, his resignation can only formally be accepted when he resigns by letter to the Speaker – which has yet to happen.
Prime Minister Wickremesinghe had earlier also said he would step down from his position. His house was set on fire during Saturday’s unrest.
At the president’s office in Colombo a huge queue stretches to the end of the road as thousands of people wait to see how their rulers have been operating.
Men, women, children are all going to inside to have a look.
The president’s residence is one of the symbols of power in this country and one of the most protected buildings.
These people believe that they have won – that people power has triumphed in ousting the president and prime minister from power.
But those things haven’t happened yet – even though the president has indicated that he will step down on Wednesday. Unless he resigns formally, it is going to be a long, drawn-out battle.
Source: bbc.com
