By Karuna Thapa
Kathmandu, April 18
Colombo is in a state of emergency. President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa of Sri Lanka has appointed a 17-member cabinet. Despite opposition demands for Rajapaksa’s resignation, he has named a 17-member government.
Rajapaksa first fired his cabinet and asked for a new administration to be formed by the
opposition. His idea, however, was rejected by the opposition. He has, however, re-appointed some of his party’s members to various positions.
Sri Lanka has been in the midst of the biggest economic crisis in its history since gaining
independence from Britain in 1948. Daily load shedding of 12 hours, a scarcity of food,
medication, and gasoline have all contributed to widespread unhappiness.
