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Thousands Swarm Sri Lanka's Presidential Residence

by VOA News

   Protesters in Sri Lanka's commercial capital, Colombo swarmed into
   President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's official residence Saturday and demanded
   his resignation.

   The Daily Mirror, a Sri Lankan newspaper, reported that the crowd was
   not deterred from entering the building by police use of tear gas and
   water cannons.

   Rajapaksa was reported have been removed from the residence Friday for
   his safety.

   The protesters are adamant the president had to resign immediately and
   overnight the courts had ruled they were allowed to protest at his
   residence.

   There have been growing tensions in recent weeks about the
   cash-strapped country's inability to control rapidly rising inflation
   and its inability to import fuel, food and medicine.

   Hundreds of thousands of Sri Lankans have made their way to the
   capital, frustrated by the weeks of crisis. Fuel for cars and trucks
   ran out Friday and inflation is running at 60%.

   One correspondent reports that a can of pears is selling for more than
   $10.