AP

Sri Lankan troops forcefully clear protesters; new PM named

Jul 21, 2022, 8:22 PM | Updated: Jul 22, 2022, 7:27 am

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sri Lankan forces violently cleared the main protest camp of demonstrators outraged by the country’s economic meltdown as the newly elected and deeply unpopular president put army troops in the streets of the capital Friday to maintain order.

Security forces were seen beating at least two journalists during the overnight raid, and the bar association said two lawyers were also assaulted — heavy-handed tactics denounced by the opposition, the U.N., and the U.S. The troops moved in even though protesters had announced they would vacate the site on Friday voluntarily.

Unbowed, the protesters vowed to continue their efforts to change their leadership. A crowd rallied for a few hours outside the main rail station, while some people also gathered as close as they could to the former demonstration site outside the presidential office.

Adding to signs that President Ranil Wickremesinghe would not address the concerns of protesters, he chose a prime minister on Friday with close ties to the political establishment that the demonstrators blame for the country’s collapse.

Sri Lankans have taken to the streets for months demanding their leaders resign over an economic crisis that has left the island nation’s 22 million people short of essentials like medicine, food and fuel. After they stormed the presidential palace and other government buildings earlier this month, then-President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, whose family has ruled Sri Lanka for most of the last two decades, fled and resigned.

Wickremesinghe, who had been prime minister, was elevated to president by lawmakers this week — apparently seen as a safe pair of hands to lead Sri Lanka out of the crisis, even though he, too, was a target of the demonstrations. On Friday, he appointed as prime minister a Rajapaksa ally, Dinesh Gunawardena, who is 73 and from a prominent political family.

After his election in a parliamentary vote this week, Wickremesinghe told lawmakers that the people “are not expecting the old politics from us.” But his recent moves signaled an inclination to maintain the status quo.

On Monday, when he was acting president, Wickremesinghe declared a state of emergency giving him the power to change or suspend laws and giving authorities broad power to search premises and detain people. Overnight, just hours after he was sworn in, he issued a notice under the state of emergency calling on the armed forces to maintain law and order nationwide — clearing the way for the move against the protest camp.

The protesters accuse Rajapaksa and his powerful family of siphoning money from government coffers and of hastening the country’s collapse by mismanaging the economy. The family has denied the corruption allegations, but the former president acknowledged that some of his policies contributed to Sri Lanka’s crisis.

Starting at around midnight, army troops and police arrived in trucks and buses to clear the main protest camp near the presidential palace in the capital, Colombo, where demonstrators have gathered for the past 104 days. They removed tents and blocked roads leading to the site.

The Bar Association of Sri Lanka, the main lawyers’ body in the country, said the lawyers who were assaulted had gone to the protest site to offer their counsel.

In all, eight people, including some protesters, were injured, some badly, according to a government official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to give the information to the media. Eleven people were arrested, he said. They included both protesters and lawyers, according to the Bar Association.

“The use of the Armed Forces to suppress civilian protests on the very first day in office of the new President is despicable and will have serious consequences on our country’s social, economic and political stability,” the Bar Association said in a statement.

The leader of the political opposition, Sajith Premadasa, also denounced the raid.

“A cowardly assault against PEACEFUL protestors, who agreed to vacate the sites today; A useless display of ego and brute force putting innocent lives at risk & endangers Sri Lanka’s international image, at a critical juncture,” he wrote on Twitter.

Hanaa Singer-Hamdy, the U.N. resident coordinator to Sri Lanka, expressed grave concern over the use of force and U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung also expressed concern.

“Actions that stifle protests and the right to peaceful assembly can worsen economic and political instability in Sri Lanka,” Singer-Hamdy said.

Heavy security was present outside the president’s office at midday.

The political turmoil has threatened to make a rescue from the International Monetary Fund more difficult. Still, earlier this week, Wickremesinghe said bailout talks with the fund were nearing a conclusion and talks on help from other countries had also progressed.

The head of the IMF, Kristalina Georgieva, told the Japanese financial magazine Nikkei Asia this week that the fund hopes for a deal “as quickly as possible.”

___

Find more of AP’s Sri Lanka coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/sri-lanka

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              A protester uses an improvised ladder as he prepares to leave the premise in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Thursday, July 21, 2022. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)
            
              A protesting monk shouts anti-government slogans during a protest against military eviction of protesters from the president's office in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)
            
              A man shouts anti-government slogans during a protest against military eviction of protesters from the president's office in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)
            
              Police commandos stand guard at a barricade outside president's office in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)
            
              Protesters wait and watch troops stand guard following an eviction of protesters from the presidential secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)
            
              Protesters sleep before being removed from the site of a protest camp inside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers stand guard after removing the protesters and their tents from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers arrive to remove the protesters and their tents from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              A protester tries to speak with an army officer at the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, early Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              A protester shouts slogans as army soldiers arrive to remove protesters from the site of a protest camp outside  the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers remove the anti government banners from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers stand guard as protesters shout slogans at the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              A protester uses an improvised ladder as he prepares to leave the premise in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Thursday, July 21, 2022. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)
            
              A protesting monk shouts anti-government slogans during a protest against military eviction of protesters from the president's office in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)
            
              A man shouts anti-government slogans during a protest against military eviction of protesters from the president's office in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)
            
              Police commandos stand guard at a barricade outside president's office in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)
            
              Protesters wait and watch troops stand guard following an eviction of protesters from the presidential secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)
            
              Protesters sleep before being removed from the site of a protest camp inside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers stand guard after removing the protesters and their tents from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers arrive to remove the protesters and their tents from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              A protester tries to speak with an army officer at the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, early Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              A protester shouts slogans as army soldiers arrive to remove protesters from the site of a protest camp outside  the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers remove the anti government banners from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers stand guard as protesters shout slogans at the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              A protester shouts slogans as army soldiers arrive to remove protesters from the site of a protest camp outside  the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers remove protesters' tents from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers remove the anti government banners from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              A protester tries to speak with an army officer at the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, early Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers arrive to remove the protesters and their tents from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Protesters and para medics carry an injured protester into an ambulance following a military eviction of protesters from the presidential secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)
            
              Protesters sleep before being removed from the site of a protest camp inside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers stand guard after removing protesters and their tents from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers stand guard after removing the protesters and their tents from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              A protester shouts slogans as army soldiers arrive to remove protesters from the site of a protest camp outside  the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers remove protesters' tents from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers remove the anti government banners from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              A protester tries to speak with an army officer at the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, early Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers arrive to remove the protesters and their tents from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Protesters sleep before being removed from the site of a protest camp inside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers stand guard after removing protesters and their tents from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers stand guard after removing the protesters and their tents from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              A protester shouts slogans as army soldiers arrive to remove protesters from the site of a protest camp outside  the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers remove protesters' tents from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers remove the anti government banners from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              A protester tries to speak with an army officer at the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, early Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers arrive to remove the protesters and their tents from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Protesters sleep before being removed from the site of a protest camp inside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers stand guard after removing protesters and their tents from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers stand guard after removing the protesters and their tents from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              A protester shouts slogans as army soldiers arrive to remove protesters from the site of a protest camp outside  the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers remove protesters' tents from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers remove the anti government banners from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              A protester tries to speak with an army officer at the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, early Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers arrive to remove the protesters and their tents from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Protesters sleep before being removed from the site of a protest camp inside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers stand guard after removing protesters and their tents from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers stand guard after removing the protesters and their tents from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              A protester shouts slogans as army soldiers arrive to remove protesters from the site of a protest camp outside  the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers remove protesters' tents from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers remove the anti government banners from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              A protester tries to speak with an army officer at the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, early Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers arrive to remove the protesters and their tents from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Protesters sleep before being removed from the site of a protest camp inside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers stand guard after removing protesters and their tents from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers stand guard after removing the protesters and their tents from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              A protester shouts slogans as army soldiers arrive to remove protesters from the site of a protest camp outside  the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers remove protesters' tents from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers remove the anti government banners from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              A protester tries to speak with an army officer at the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, early Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers arrive to remove the protesters and their tents from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Protesters sleep before being removed from the site of a protest camp inside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers stand guard after removing protesters and their tents from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers stand guard after removing the protesters and their tents from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              A protester shouts slogans as army soldiers arrive to remove protesters from the site of a protest camp outside  the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers remove protesters' tents from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers remove the anti government banners from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              A protester tries to speak with an army officer at the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, early Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers arrive to remove the protesters and their tents from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Protesters sleep before being removed from the site of a protest camp inside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers stand guard after removing protesters and their tents from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers stand guard after removing the protesters and their tents from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              A protester shouts slogans as army soldiers arrive to remove protesters from the site of a protest camp outside  the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers remove protesters' tents from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers remove the anti government banners from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              A protester tries to speak with an army officer at the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, early Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers arrive to remove the protesters and their tents from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Protesters sleep before being removed from the site of a protest camp inside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers stand guard after removing protesters and their tents from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers stand guard after removing the protesters and their tents from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              A protester shouts slogans as army soldiers arrive to remove protesters from the site of a protest camp outside  the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers remove protesters' tents from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers remove the anti government banners from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              A protester tries to speak with an army officer at the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, early Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers arrive to remove the protesters and their tents from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Protesters sleep before being removed from the site of a protest camp inside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers stand guard after removing protesters and their tents from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers stand guard after removing the protesters and their tents from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              A protester shouts slogans as army soldiers arrive to remove protesters from the site of a protest camp outside  the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers remove protesters' tents from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers remove the anti government banners from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              A protester tries to speak with an army officer at the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, early Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers arrive to remove the protesters and their tents from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Protesters sleep before being removed from the site of a protest camp inside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers stand guard after removing protesters and their tents from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers stand guard after removing the protesters and their tents from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              A protester shouts slogans as army soldiers arrive to remove protesters from the site of a protest camp outside  the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers remove protesters' tents from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers remove the anti government banners from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              A protester tries to speak with an army officer at the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, early Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers arrive to remove the protesters and their tents from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Protesters sleep before being removed from the site of a protest camp inside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers stand guard after removing protesters and their tents from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers stand guard after removing the protesters and their tents from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              A protester shouts slogans as army soldiers arrive to remove protesters from the site of a protest camp outside  the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers remove protesters' tents from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers remove the anti government banners from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              A protester tries to speak with an army officer at the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, early Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers arrive to remove the protesters and their tents from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Protesters sleep before being removed from the site of a protest camp inside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers stand guard after removing protesters and their tents from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers stand guard after removing the protesters and their tents from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              A protester shouts slogans as army soldiers arrive to remove protesters from the site of a protest camp outside  the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers remove protesters' tents from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers remove the anti government banners from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              A protester tries to speak with an army officer at the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, early Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers arrive to remove the protesters and their tents from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Protesters sleep before being removed from the site of a protest camp inside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers stand guard after removing protesters and their tents from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers stand guard after removing the protesters and their tents from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              A man pedals past vandalized walls of the official residence of the president the day after Ranil Wickremesinghe was elected president in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Thursday, July 21, 2022. Sri Lanka's prime minister was elected president Wednesday by lawmakers who opted for a seasoned, veteran leader to lead the country out of economic collapse, despite widespread public opposition. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              In this photo provided by Sri Lankan President's Office, lawmaker Lakshman Kiriella, left, former president Maithripala Sirisena, center and former prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, right attend the swearing in ceremony of  Sri Lanka's newly elected president Ranil Wickremesinghe, in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Thursday, July 21, 2022. (Sri Lankan President's Office via AP)
            
              In this photo provided by Sri Lankan President's Office, Sri Lanka's newly elected president Ranil Wickremesinghe, signs after taking oath during his swearing in ceremony in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Thursday, July 21, 2022. (Sri Lankan President's Office via AP)
            
              Army soldiers remove tents from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers arrive to remove the protesters and their tents from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers stand guard after removing the protesters and their tents from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers stand guard following an eviction of protesters from the presidential secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)
            
              Army soldiers stand guard after removing the protesters and their tents from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers stand guard after removing the protesters and their tents from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              Army soldiers arrive to remove the protesters and their tents from the site of a protest camp outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
            
              A protester waits and watches troops stand guard following an eviction of protesters from the presidential secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)
            
              A protester waits and watches troops stand guard following an eviction of protesters from the presidential secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)
            
              A protesting Buddhist monk stands by a military barricade following an eviction of protesters from the presidential secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)
            
              Army soldiers clear anti-government protest camps after an eviction of protesters from the presidential secretariat premise in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)
            
              Army soldiers stand guard near a barricade following an eviction of protesters from the presidential secretariat premise in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

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Sri Lankan troops forcefully clear protesters; new PM named