Sri Lanka risks running out of food and fuel and possibly falling into ‘anarchy’, says former energy minister | World News
Sri Lanka could run out of fuel and food in the next month, according to the former Energy Minister.
Udaya Gammanpila was fired earlier this year for criticizing government policy that had brought the country to the brink of bankruptcy.
The former energy minister told Sky News that the economic crisis in his country is reaching a peak that could lead to the collapse of agriculture, health services and industrial production, leading to “a state of emergency”. anarchy”.
He gave a warning in advance Sri LankaPresident Gotabaya Rajapaksa declared a nationwide state of emergency on Friday night, effective from midnight.
It comes amid widespread protests calls for the resignation of Mr Rajapaksa and his brother Mahinda, who is serving as prime minister, in Sri Lanka facing its worst economic crisis in recent memory.
The government announcement said a state of emergency was declared in the interest of public safety.
It is the second time in five weeks that the president has declared a state of emergency, giving him far-reaching powers and allowing him to control protests.
The latest move comes as a general strike across Sri Lanka has brought business and traffic to a halt in the capital Colombo, and has seen police use water cannons and tear gas against them. Protesters.
Gotabaya and Mahinda Rajapaksa have been accused of nepotism, and are blamed by many for the crisis that has dropped Sri Lanka’s usable foreign currency reserves below $50 million (£40 million), causing the country is dependent on the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, and India. and China, for the credit required to import fuel, food and gas.
Sri Lankans call on Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa (left) and President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to step down
The Rajapaksa brothers have faced protests for more than a month amid fuel shortages, soaring food and drug prices, and intermittent power outages to their rationed energy supplies.
Earlier this week, the finance minister admitted the country could barely afford to buy a fuel tanker, making it almost entirely dependent on lines of credit from India for gasoline, diesel and diesel fuel. fire.
Sri Lankan students run from tear gas during a protest outside parliament in Colombo
Sri Lanka is negotiating with the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, as well as with major creditors India and China.
Mr Gammanpila, who was fired in March for speaking out against the government’s monetary policy, said the consequences of the economic crisis could be dire.
“Basically, Sri Lanka currently has no foreign currency reserves,” he said.
“There is a risk of fuel shortages in the near future as in the past three months we have benefited from a line of credit from India, which has supplied Sri Lanka with 500 million worth of petroleum products. dollars.
“That’s currently being used up, so we run the risk of running out of all the fuel. It’s like a man with no blood, a dead body. The situation is terrible.”
Udaya Gammanpila was fired earlier this year for criticizing government policy
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He also warned of food shortages, in part due to last year’s disastrous decision to ban the import of chemical fertilizers. Relying solely on organic products has caused crop yields to plummet, leaving a bountiful island no longer self-sufficient in fruit and vegetables and sending prices for staples including rice skyrocketing.
“Sri Lanka will soon have to import vegetables, fruits and grains like rice and corn for consumption. But due to the scarcity of foreign currency, we cannot afford to do that now. In the coming months. , for sure, there will be a shortage of food.”
After an emergency cabinet meeting, it was reported that the president had asked his brother to resign as prime minister.
