UPDATES:

  • MP died during an armed standoff with workers after firing multiple rounds from handgun into the crowd.

  • Uprisings started in retaliation against attacks by Pro- #Rajapaksa supporters on peaceful protests.

  • Military has been mobilized to defend gov residences.

  • Administrative Secretary Renuka Perera's house has been stormed by a crowd of workers.

  • Curfew put in place.

  • Rumors online circulating about the prime minister attempting to flee.

link to tweet

many communist parties have join and supported the protests

  • Commiejones [comrade/them, he/him]
    ·
    3 years ago

    A coup in the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka? The Prime Minister says his "mistake" was trying to fix the economy without getting hugely in debt to the IMF.
    Mahinda Rajapaksa has been accused of getting Chinese kickbacks. (a common accusation against anti western government officials) I don't think this is a good thing. I think this is a CIA backed Coup to reign in a socialist government. Neo-libs or full on fascists will take their place.

    • Bloobish [comrade/them]
      ·
      3 years ago

      Yeah I'm honestly worried this is possibly a coup or a co-opted coup from legitimate worker concerns that will eventually be suppressed with a fash takeover. Here's hoping it's not

      • Commiejones [comrade/them, he/him]
        ·
        3 years ago

        In the other thread about it someone is saying the BBC is giving this positive spin. If the BBC likes something it goes straight in the "probably bad" bin.

        • Bloobish [comrade/them]
          ·
          3 years ago

          Yeah it could be a coup or could be just western media trying to drum up "communist country bad" news even though the leadership are not communist and there's contention between the main socialist party and the liberal new democratic front party.

    • _metamythical [he/him]
      ·
      3 years ago

      So, Sri Lanka has not been in any way socialist since the 80s. They were one of the first countries to accept IMF "structural adjustment programmes".