Friday briefing: How one family’s disastrous reign dragged Sri Lanka to the brink
In today’s newsletter: The south Asian country entered a state of emergency this week after ousting the ruling Rajapaksa family. Nimo Omer explains how Sri Lanka got here
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While much attention has been lavished on the chaos of the British government, a more serious defenestration was under way in Sri Lanka this week. The country entered a state of emergency, and its president, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, fled the country after civilians stormed his palace. The videos of people jumping into his pool and petting his pedigree dogs are astonishing.
Sri Lanka’s escalating political and economic crisis has made life on the small island almost impossible. It’s a country on the brink, with no clear sense of what comes next. On one hand this could lay the foundations for radical positive change; on the other it could be the start of a long, bloody conflict between the government and the people.
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