(9 Jul 2022)
FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: 4387915
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Colombo – 9 July 2022
1. Various of protesters entering the presidential residence grounds
ANNOTATION: Sri Lanka's Parliament speaker says President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has agreed to resign Wednesday.
2. Various of protesters shouting slogans demanding Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to stepdown
ANNOTATION: Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena said he informed Rajapaksa of a decision taken at a meeting of Parliamentary party leaders requesting he leave office.
3. Various of protesters gathered outside Sri Lankan President's residence
ANNOTATION: The announcement came after months of economic protests boiled over and demonstrators swept into Rajapaksa's presidential residence.
4. Various protesters entering and exiting through residence gates
ANNOTATION: It was not clear if Rajapaksa was inside his residence but hundreds of people were seen inside the well-fortified house and on the grounds outside.
ANNOTATION: A government spokesman, Mohana Samaranayake, said he had no information about Rajapaksa's whereabouts.
5. Police outside president's residence UPSOUND of slogans (English) "(President Gotabaya Rajapaksa) Gota, go home"
ANNOTATION: Sri Lanka's economy is in a state of collapse, muddling through with aid from India and other countries as its leaders try to negotiate a bailout.
6. SOUNDBITE (English) (No name given), Lawyer and protester:
"At the moment I think people's struggle is moving successfully. And I wish all the best for the struggle and at the end we will make a good change for our country."
7. Various of protesters entering the president's residence
ANNOTATION: The economic meltdown has led to severe shortages of essential items, leaving people struggling to buy food, fuel and other necessities.
8. Protesters exiting and entering the compound
ANNOTATION: The turmoil has led to months of protests, which have nearly dismantled the Rajapaksa political dynasty that has ruled Sri Lanka for decades.
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Jagath Arnold De Silva, Secretary, Inter Education Union: ++PARTIALLY COVERED++
"Today the people's show the nation and the international community the power of the people. Now, the people have been asking for a number of months for resign Gota (Gotabaya Rajapaksa) to ask Gota to resign and give the power to the people. But what they did was they were trying to be in power using various methods. So today the people who were in the struggle entered the president's house forcibly and took it under control."
10. Various of protesters in the presidential residence swimming pool ++PARTIALLY COVER PREVIOUS SOUNDBITE++
11. Various of protestors enjoying inside the president's house++PARTIALLY COVER PREVIOUS SOUNDBITE++
ANNOTATION: The crowds broke into Rajapaksa fortified residence and are seen in a jubilant mood taking a dip in the garden pool, and some lay on beds.
12 . Various of security forces in street
ANNOTATION: The protesters blame the Rajapaksa family for dragging Sri Lanka into chaos with poor management and allegations of corruption.
13. Various of anti-government protesters gathered in street, tear gas smoke rising
ANNOTATION: Earlier Sri Lankan police fired tear gas at protesters as they gathered in the streets of Colombo heading to the presidential compound.
STORYLINE:
Sri Lanka’s president and prime minister agreed to resign Saturday after the country’s most chaotic day in months of political turmoil, with protesters storming both officials’ homes and setting fire to one of the buildings in a rage over the nation's severe economic crisis.
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