A general strike called by hundreds of unions in Sri Lanka demanding the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his government has disrupted public life across the island.
Schools and businesses were closed, public and private transport disrupted and banks partially closed in support of Thursday’s one-day strike, which came amid a growing economic and political crisis in the country.
“This is one of the largest general strikes launched by workers, with more than 1,000 unions supporting the action,” said union activist Wasantha Samarasinghe.
The general strike took place as thousands of people continue to protest outside the president’s office in the capital Colombo for the 20th consecutive day, calling on him and his older brother, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, to resign.
Some of the protesters are also camped out at the prime minister’s residence located two kilometers from the president’s office.
Protests are also taking place regularly in cities across the Indian Ocean island nation, which is on the verge of bankruptcy with huge foreign debts and a currency crisis, causing shortages of essential imported goods like fuel and food.
Meanwhile, the main opposition leader in parliament, Sajith Premadasa, is currently leading a six-day march to the capital on Sunday to coincide with the May Day celebrations.
President Rajapaksa has called all parties to parliament on Friday to study the possibility of forming an interim government.
The entire cabinet except the president and prime minister resigned in early April, and the president invited opposition parties to form a unity government.
But the opposition parties refused to be part of a government headed by the Rajapaksas, who have dominated almost every aspect of life in Sri Lanka for most of the last 20 years.
Sri Lanka is reeling under its worst economic crisis since independence from British rule in 1948. A shortage of dollars to buy fuel, gasoline and medicine has resulted in high inflation and long lines outside shops and petrol stations.
The government has sought help from the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank and countries such as India and China.