Former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa will return to Sri Lanka, says cabinet spokesperson
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa
Former Sri Lanka President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled the country amid massive public uproar surrounding the ongoing food and fuel shortages. Rajapaksa is currently in Singapore, but a Cabinet spokesperson said that he is “not in hiding” and will be returning to the country “very soon”.
During an interview with Daily Mirror, Bandula Gunawardena clarified that the visit to Singapore was due to “personal reasons” and although he is “not aware of an exact date”, Rajapaksa will not be staying there indefinitely. He added that all proper procedures were followed regarding the visit.
The island nation has been experiencing huge inflation in the recent past and this is the most economic crisis in Sri Lankan history since they gained independence back in 1948.
Following the massive protests around the country, Rajapaksa left for Singapore on July 12 and on the following day, he officially submitted his resignation. He was succeeded by Former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe who was elected after yet another election in Sri Lanka.
While Rajapaksa maintained that his visit to Singapore was “completely personal”, the spokesperson for the Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs also confirmed that he has not applied for asylum.
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“He (Rajapaksa) has not asked for asylum and neither has he been granted any asylum. Singapore generally does not grant requests for asylum,” the spokesperson said according to Reuters.
Meanwhile, a rights group called the International Truth and Justice Project (ITJP) has lodged a complaint for Rajapaksa’s arrest in Singapore for his role in the Sri Lanka civil war.
(With inputs from agencies)