Colombo/Male: Maldivians and Sri Lankan expatriates are protesting near Maldives President Ibrahim Solih's house urging the authorities to send ousted Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa out from their country's soil, the Head of the Maldivian TV channel told Daily Mirror.
SL President Rajapaksa fled the country for the Maldives early on Wednesday morning, along with his wife and two security officers amid mass scale protests against him in Sri Lanka, Daily Mirror reported.
The Sri Lankan President arrived at the Velena International airport in the Maldives at 3.07 a.m. on Wednesday and the Maldives capital was under heavy security at that time, sources confirmed to Daily Mirror.
Sources said that former Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed had requested President Ibrahim Solih for the Rajapaksas to land in Maldives and clearance was received.
Rajapaksa is expected to be in the Maldives on transit before flying to another destination which is yet to be known.
Amidst severe public protest and an ultimatum to resign by protestors who took over the President's House in a violent protest on Saturday, Sri Lanka President Gotabaya Rajapaksa left the country secretly, an emigration officer had earlier confirmed to IANS.
The Sri Lankan Police on Wednesday used tear gas to disperse a group of protesters near the Prime Minister's Office at Flower Road in state capital Colombo.
Protests so far on Wednesday around the state capital had been largely peaceful, with demonstrators chanting and giving speeches, the BBC reported.
We call upon our Government Not to provide Refuge or Asylum to Gotabaya Rajapaksa . The people of #Maldives stands with the people of #Srilanka #GotaGoHome pic.twitter.com/ytUgZ3efI3— Ashvaq Fauzee (@Ashvarg) July 12, 2022
We call upon our Government Not to provide Refuge or Asylum to Gotabaya Rajapaksa . The people of #Maldives stands with the people of #Srilanka #GotaGoHome pic.twitter.com/ytUgZ3efI3
An enthusiastic crowd gathered in Galle Face Green early Wednesday morning. Chants of a popular phrase 'Aragalayata Jayawewa', or "Victory to the struggle" in Sinhalese -- which is commonly used at protests -- can be heard in the air, while some wave flags high in the air.
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