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Sri Lankans Protest Ouster of Prime Minister

HeadlineOct 31, 2018

In Sri Lanka, over 10,000 protesters took to the streets in the capital Colombo Tuesday amid an unfolding constitutional crisis on the island. The unrest began Friday, when Sri Lanka’s president ousted Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, then immediately replaced him with former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who has been accused of human rights abuses and corruption. The ousted premier called the move unconstitutional and illegal, resulting in the temporary suspension of Sri Lankan Parliament. Human rights advocates fear the return of Sri Lanka’s former president could put an end to ongoing investigations, including into crimes committed during his rule. At least one man was killed Sunday when a bodyguard opened fire on a crowd of protesters.

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