Sri Lanka troops demolish main protest campPolice special task force personnel stand guard as demonstrators take part in a protest march against Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe towards the Presidential secretariat office in Colombo on Friday. (AFP photo)COLOMBO: Sri Lankan security forces demolished the main anti-government protest camp in the capital Friday, evicting activists in a pre-dawn assault that raised international concern for dissent under the crisis-wracked country's new pro-Western president. By sunrise, police commandos and soldiers barricaded the complex and the main roads leading to the area were cordoned off. The European Union said freedom of expression was essential for Sri Lanka to transition from its chaos. Political rivalA foreign exchange crisis triggered by the coronavirus pandemic and exacerbated by mismanagement has left Sri Lanka suffering lengthy power blackouts and record-high inflation.

Source: Bangkok Post July 22, 2022 11:25 UTC