Team News Riveting
Colombo, July 12
Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Tuesday faced a humiliating stand-off from the officials as the airport immigration staff blocked his exit from the country.
Gotabaya Rajapaksa has reportedly resigned from his post that would be announced on Wednesday, clearing the way for a “peaceful transition of power” following widespread protests against him and his family for plunging the country into unprecedented economic crisis.
The 73-year-old leader fled his official residence in Colombo just before protesters thronged it on Saturday. As president, Rajapaksa enjoys immunity from arrest and has planned to leave the country before stepping down to avoid the possibility of being detained.
He had planned to travel to Dubai. When he reached the airport today morning, the immigration officers refused to go to the VIP suite to stamp his passport. The President was reluctant to go through the public facilities fearing reprisals from the people.
The president and his wife spent the night at a military base near the international airport. They missed four flights to the United Arab Emirates because of airport officials.
Meanwhile, Rajapaksa’s younger brother Basil, who was finance minister and resigned in April, too missed his Emirates flight to Dubai early on Tuesday after a similar stand-off with airport staff. Basil attempted to use the paid concierge service for business travellers, but airport and immigration staff withdrew the fast-track service.
“There were some other passengers who protested against Basil boarding their flight,” an airport official said. “It was a tense situation, so he hurriedly left the airport.”
