Sri Lankans have captured a new symbol of power

With tired faces but smiles on their lips, the demonstrators strolled across the lawn of Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s office. They win and take over the premises. Armed soldiers who had confronted them violently hours before watched the scene in bewilderment.

The Sri Lankans don’t seem to be letting up anymore. Despite tear gas, water cannons and police charges, they managed to invade the country’s capital, Colombo, as a new symbol of power on Wednesday, July 13. On Saturday, after laying siege to the palace and office of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and the official residence of the head of government, they invited themselves to the office of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

In a small room at the back of the building, about 30 people gathered to watch the latest news on a government flat screen suspended in a corner of the room. Some sit comfortably on soft white sofas or beautiful wooden chairs covered in soft blue velvet. Others simply sat on the floor, across.

If Ranil Wickremesinghe’s face appeared on television, protesters would immediately punch him. The middle finger is extended vertically, in the direction of the screen. Then silence falls and everyone listens religiously to his statement. The leader’s words resonate in Sinhala. “Fascists cannot be allowed to take over. He throws. The groups that have come to the Prime Minister’s office are stirring up trouble without any reason to be there. »

Yet within these walls, some demonstrators are busy tying up valuables and snapping historic black-and-white photographs. “They are doing an inventory and then they will register everything to protect these items from the crowd. From tomorrow, many people will want to come and go to the offices.A man in his thirties, devoid of ideas.

The ‘Terminator’ boss is on the run

Interested people who know about the building through social networks or media have already started to flock. Due to severe fuel shortages on the island, many people are walking. Within hours, a long queue had already formed to enter and visit the colonial-era building.

On Wednesday, citizens waited in vain for President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to step down. The latter promised on Saturday to leave power on July 13. But the country woke up to the news of his escape. “The Terminators”As he is nicknamed here, he took off from the Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo, early in the morning, in an Air Force plane.

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