(AFP Photo)COLOMBO: Troops armed with sweeping powers were deployed in Sri Lanka on Saturday with the near-bankrupt country on edge after the president declared a state of emergency to quell escalating protests against him. Soldiers armed with automatic assault rifles had already been deployed for crowd control at fuel stations and elsewhere when the emergency was declared. In normal times, Sri Lanka’s military can only play a supporting role to police, but the state of emergency gives them authority to act alone, including to detain civilians. The emergency laws came ahead of planned anti-government protests on Sunday, when activists on social media have urged people to demonstrate outside their homes. A police official said authorities were considering a nationwide curfew to prevent an escalation of protests that have blocked traffic in many towns.

Source: Bangkok Post April 02, 2022 20:32 UTC