Sri Lanka is seeking a bailout from the International Monetary Fund as it reels from its worst financial crisis since achieving independence in 1948. On Sunday, authorities announced two men collapsed and died while waiting in a line for fuel amid energy shortages and soaring prices, which have driven the economy to record inflation. Millions of school students had their exams canceled due to a shortage of printing paper. Last week, protesters and opposition leaders marched through the city of Colombo to protest the handling of the crisis by the government of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his family. The prime minister and the finance minister are brothers of President Rajapaska. This is one of the protesters.
Srilal Munasinghe: “We didn’t come here asking to develop the country or any such thing. We can’t live anymore. Because of the skyrocketing cost of living, we can’t manage with our salary. We came to remove this government and bring a government that will help us.”