Sri Lankan president declares curfew to preempt protests

By KRISHAN FRANCIS
Associated Press

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sri Lanka has imposed a countrywide curfew until Monday morning, in addition to a state of emergency declared by the president, in an attempt to prevent more protests blaming the government for the worsening economic crisis. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa assumed emergency powers amid widespread calls for nationwide protests on Sunday as anger over shortages of essential foods, fuel and long power cuts boiled over into calls for his resignation. The bar association says the emergency decree and limiting people’s voices is not the answer. Sri Lanka faces huge debt obligations and dwindling foreign reserves and cannot pay for imports. On Thursday, angry crowds protested near Rajapaksa’s residence, leading to police firing tear gas and arresting scores of people.