Gotabaya Rajapaksa Explained

Gotabaya Rajapaksa
Office:8th President of Sri Lanka
Term Start:18 November 2019
Term End:14 July 2022
Primeminister:Ranil Wickremesinghe
Mahinda Rajapaksa
Predecessor:Maithripala Sirisena
Successor:Ranil Wickremesinghe
Office1:Minister of Defence
President1:Himself
Term Start1:28 November 2019
Term End1:14 July 2022
Primeminister1:Mahinda Rajapaksa
Ranil Wickremesinghe
Predecessor1:Maithripala Sirisena
Successor1:Ranil Wickremesinghe
Office2:Minister of Technology
Term Start2:26 November 2020
Term End2:14 July 2022
Primeminister2:Mahinda Rajapaksa
Ranil Wickremesinghe
President2:Himself
Predecessor2:Susil Premajayantha
Successor2:Ranil Wickremesinghe
Office3:Secretary to the Ministry of Defence and Urban Development
Term Start3:19 November 2005
Term End3:9 January 2015
President3:Mahinda Rajapaksa
Minister3:Mahinda Rajapaksa
Predecessor3:Asoka Jayawardena
Successor3:B. M. U. D. Basnayake
Birth Name:Nandasena Gotabaya Rajapaksa
Birth Date:20 June 1949
Birth Place:Palatuwa, Dominion of Ceylon
Citizenship:Sri Lanka (1949–2003, 2005–present)[1] [2] [3]
United States (2003–2019)[4] [5]
Party:Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna
Relatives:Chamal (brother)
Mahinda (brother)
Basil (brother)
Children:1
Parents:Don Alwin Rajapaksa (father)
Dandina Samarasinghe née Dissanayake (mother)
Education:Sri Lanka Military Academy
University of Colombo
Allegiance: Sri Lanka
Serviceyears:1971–1991
Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
Unit:Gajaba Regiment
Commands:1st Gajaba Regiment
General Sir John Kotelawala Defence Academy
Battles:Sri Lankan Civil War
1987–1989 JVP insurrection
Mawards:

    Nandasena Gotabaya Rajapaksa, (Sinhala; Sinhalese: නන්දසේන ගෝඨාභය රාජපක්ෂ; Tamil: நந்தசேன கோட்டாபய ராஜபக்ஷ; born 20 June 1949) is a former Sri Lankan politician and military officer, who served as the eighth President of Sri Lanka from 18 November 2019 until his resignation on 14 July 2022.[6] He previously served as Secretary to the Ministry of Defence and Urban Development from 2005 to 2015 under the administration of his elder brother former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, during the final phase of the Sri Lankan Civil War.

    Born to a political family from the Southern Province, Rajapaksa was educated at Ananda College, Colombo and joined the Ceylon Army in April 1971. Following basic training at the Army Training Centre, Diyatalawa, he was commissioned as signals officer and later transferred to several infantry regiments. He saw active service in the early stages of the Sri Lankan Civil War with the elite Gajaba Regiment, taking part in several major offensives such as the Vadamarachi Operation, Operation Strike Hard and Operation Thrividha Balaya, as well as counter-insurgency operations during the 1987–1989 JVP insurrection.

    Rajapaksa took early retirement from the army and moved into the field of information technology, before migrating to the United States in 1998. He returned to Sri Lanka in 2005, to assist his brother in his presidential campaign and was appointed Defence Secretary in his brother's administration. During his tenure the Sri Lankan Armed Forces successfully concluded the Sri Lankan Civil War defeating the LTTE and killing its leader, Velupillai Prabhakaran in 2009. He was a target of an assassination attempt in December 2006 by a Tamil Tiger suicide bomber. Following the war, Rajapaksa initiated many urban development projects. He stepped down following the defeat of his brother in the 2015 presidential election.

    Rajapaksa emerged as the SLPP candidate for the 2019 presidential election, in which he successfully contested on a pro-nationalistic, economic development and national security platform. He was the first president of Sri Lanka with military background and also the first elected president who had never held an elected office before.[7] During his presidency, Rajapaksa increased his presidential powers through the 20th Amendment and nepotism rose as members of the Rajapaksa family were appointed to several positions of power, and led the country during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Economic mismanagement drove the country to bankruptcy, causing Sri Lanka to declare default for the first time since gaining independence in 1948. This economic crisis caused shortages and inflation, leading to the 2022 Sri Lankan protests and political crisis. The Rajapaksa administration responded by declaring a state of emergency, which allowed the military to arrest civilians, imposing curfews, restricting social media, assaulting protesters and journalists, and arresting online activists. Rajapaksa refused to step down, even after protests became violent, until 14 July, when Rajapaksa fled the country via a military aircraft and began a 50-day self-exile,[8] [9] and officially emailed his resignation letter from Singapore the next day. On 2 September, Rajapaksa returned to Sri Lanka.

    Early life and education

    Nandasena Gotabaya Rajapaksa[10] was born in Palatuwa in the Matara District,[11] as the fifth of nine siblings, and was brought up in Weeraketiya in the southern rural district of Hambantota. He hails from a well-known political family in Sri Lanka. His father, D. A. Rajapaksa, was a prominent politician, independence agitator, Member of Parliament, Deputy Speaker and Cabinet Minister of Agriculture and Land in Wijeyananda Dahanayake's government. His elder brother, Mahinda Rajapaksa was first elected to parliament as a member of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party at the age of 24 in 1970, who gradually rose through the party ranks becoming the Leader of the Opposition in 2001, Prime Minister in 2004 and the President of Sri Lanka in 2005. Two of his other brothers, Chamal Rajapaksa and Basil Rajapaksa, are also current Members of Parliament. He obtained his primary and secondary education at Ananda College, Colombo.[12]

    Military career (1971–1991)

    Early career

    Rajapaksa joined the Sri Lankan Army as a cadet officer on 26 April 1971, when Sri Lanka was still a dominion of the British Commonwealth and was in the midst of the 1971 JVP insurrection. Following his basic officer training at the Army Training Centre, Diyatalawa in its 4th intake, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant on 26 May 1972, in the Sri Lanka Signals Corps. Soon after he was sent for the signal young officers course at the Military College of Signals, Rawalpindi. On his return, he was assigned as the signals officer to the Task Force Anti Illicit Immigration, based at its headquarters in Palaly, under the command of Colonel Tissa Weeratunga. In April 1974, he was promoted to Lieutenant and in October he transferred to the Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment as an infantry officer. In April 1975, he attended the infantry young officers course at the School of Infantry and Tactics, Queta. Returning in June, he was assigned as the battalion intelligence officer at the Echelon Barracks in Colombo and was promoted to captain in April 1977. Following the change of government in the 1977 general election, he was transferred to the Army Training Centre, Diyatalawa as an officer instructor in August 1977. In January 1978, he was appointed Grade III Staff Officer of A branch, handling administration of the Diyatalawa Garrison. During this time he attended the senior staff and tactics course at the Panagoda Cantonment and took part in preparing a report on encroachment of state lands in the north and eastern provinces for the Defense Ministry. Thereafter in 1980, he joined the newly formed Rajarata Rifles as its adjutant under its first commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel V. K. Nanayakkara. Rajapaksa played a major role in establishing the regimental headquarters of the newly formed regiment at Saliyapura. That year he attended the Counter-Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School, Assam and in 1982 he was selected to attended the Command and Staff course at Defence Services Staff College in Wellington in India, gaining the psc qualification and a Master of Science in Defence and Strategic Studies from the University of Madras.[13]

    Gajaba Regiment

    While Rajapaksa was at staff college in India, the Rajarata Rifles were amalgamated with the Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment and the Gajaba Regiment was formed. Having been transferred to the Gajaba Regiment, on his return to the island, he was appointed second-in-command of the 1st Battalion, Gajaba Regiment (1GR) under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Vijaya Wimalaratne, instead of the traditional staff appointment that followed the returning officer from staff college. Following retraining, the 1st Battalion was deployed to the Jaffna peninsula between 1983 and 1984 and again 1985 with the escalation of the Sri Lankan Civil War. During this time he commanded detachments of his battalion based in Jaffna and at Elephant Pass. In 1985 he led an ad hoc unit made up of new recruits that successfully ambushed a LTTE raiding party, for which he was awarded commendation from the President J.R. Jayewardene in the first combat award ceremony. He took part in Operation Liberation commanding the 1GR, the offensive mounted to liberate Vadamarachi from LTTE in 1987. In July 1987, the 1GR was transferred to Colombo and Rajapaksa assisted Colonel Wimalaratne in securing Colombo with the outset of the second JVP insurrection until his battalion was transferred to Trincomalee in October 1987. In December 1987, Rajapaksa appointed a Grade II Staff Officer at Army Headquarters in the training branch under Colonel C. H. Fernando, Director of Training. In 1988, he attended the advanced infantry officers course at the United States Army Infantry School, Fort Benning. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel while in course and returned to his staff appointment at Army Headquarters in January 1989. In July 1989, he was appointed commanding officer of the 1st Battalion, Gajaba Regiment. Soon after the 1GR was moved to Matale and Rajapaksa was appointment as the military coordinating officer of the Matale District at the height of the 1987–1989 JVP insurrection undertaking counter insurgency operations in the district and remained in that capacity until end of the insurrection in December 1989. During 1990, he commanded 1GR in Weli Oya, serving as the military coordinating officer for the Weli Oya sector under the command of Brigadier Janaka Perera and with 1 GR took part in the Operation "Strike Hard" and Operation Thrividha Balaya in Jaffna under the command of Major General Denzil Kobbekaduwa. In January 1991, he was appointed Deputy Commandant of the Sir John Kotelawala Defence Academy and held the position until his early retirement from the army on 1 November 1991.[14]

    Immigration to the United States

    Following his return to civilian life, Rajapaksa read for a postgraduate diploma in information technology from the University of Colombo[15] and joined Informatics, an IT firm based in Colombo as a Marketing Manager in 1992. He subsequently migrated to the United States in 1998 and worked at Loyola Law School[16] in Los Angeles, U.S., as a Systems Integrator and Unix Solaris Administrator.[17]

    Secretary to the Ministry of Defence and Urban Development (2005–2015)

    In order to assist his brother's presidential election campaign, Rajapaksa returned to Sri Lanka from the United States in 2005. He re obtained citizenship of Sri Lanka but kept his US citizenship. Gotabaya Rajapaksa was appointed to the post of Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence in November 2005 by newly elected President Mahinda Rajapaksa. In this capacity, he oversaw the military operation which eventually defeated the LTTE in May 2009.

    With his position, Rajapaksa also pursued projects like the Colombo Beautification Project, which revitalised public centers and parks in Colombo,[18] as well as many other development projects focused on places such as Battaramulla Diyatha Uyana, Ape Gama Park, Wetland Park, Nugegoda, Arcade Independence Square, Weras Ganga Park and Defence Headquarters Complex.[19] [20] [21] [22] In 2011, the Ministry of Defense was renamed to the Ministry of Defense and Urban Development, having absorbed responsibilities related to urban development.[23] Results of his work were remarkable as Colombo became to the top of the list of fast developing cities in the world in 2015 by an annual travel study by MasterCard.[24]

    Assassination attempt

    On 1 December 2006, at approximately 10:35 an assassin attempted to drive an explosive-laden auto-rikshaw into Rajapaksa's motorcade as it traveled through Kollupitiya, Colombo. The Sri Lanka Army Commandos guarding him obstructed the vehicle carrying the explosives before it reached Rajapakse's vehicle and two commandos were instantly killed. Rajapaksa escaped unhurt.[25] The LTTE were blamed for the attack.[25]

    Karuna defection

    Gotabaya is credited with using the Karuna faction effectively during the war to defeat the LTTE. The former LTTE commander Vinayagamoorthi Muralitharan, better known as Colonel Karuna, told British authorities that Rajapaksa was instrumental in arranging for him to be issued with a false diplomatic passport so that he could flee to Britain in September 2007. These allegations were denied by the Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama at the time,[26] and later by Rajapaksa.

    Criticism of the United Nations and western countries

    In June 2007, Rajapaksa was severely critical of the United Nations (UN) and of western governments. He accused the UN of having been infiltrated by terrorists "for 30 years or so", and as a result the UN was fed incorrect information. He also alleged that Britain and the EU were bullying Sri Lanka, and concluded that Sri Lanka "does not need them", and that they don't provide any significant amount of aid to the country.[27] Critics pointed out that in 1990 his brother Mahinda Rajapaksa was caught attempting to bring evidence of human rights violations in Sri Lanka to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights and the evidence was confiscated by the government during which Rajapaksa justified foreign intervention in Sri Lankan affairs. Mahinda Rajapaksa had also demanded western nations to limit and put conditions on foreign aid to Sri Lanka.[28] [29]

    Legal dispute with Lasantha Wickrematunge

    In August 2007, Lasantha Wickrematunge published an exposé on a military contract for MiG aircraft.[30] involving the "duplicitous" purchase of the Mikoyan MiG-27 Ukrainian Fighter Aircraft between Gotabaya Rajapaksa, his cousin Udayanga Weeratunga and the Sri Lanka Air Force.[31] On 18 October 2007, attorney-at-law Ali Sabry (Sri Lankan politician) and lawyers representing Rajapaksa wrote to Wickrematunge threatening to sue him for defamation for Rs. 2 billion (€14 million) in damages.[32] On 22 February 2008, Rajapaksa filed a lawsuit for defamation against Wickrematunge [33] and Leader Publications, charging that the allegations made by Wickrematunge against Rajapaksa were defamatory. Rajapaksa asserted that his role of Defence Secretary "had been adversely affected due to Wickrematunge, creating adverse consequences to the war against the rebels in the battlefield."[34]

    On 5 December 2008, a judge ordered Leader Publications not to publish any reports about Gotabaya Rajapaksa, for two weeks.[35] [36]

    Several weeks later, Wickrematunge was assassinated days before he was to testify and give evidence in court regarding the MiG deal.[37]

    Wickrematunge's daughter has publicly held Rajapaksa responsible for the assassination.[38]

    Alleged human rights violations

    On 3 February 2009, Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa stated to the international media (in reference to the only hospital in the war front being shelled), that everything was a legitimate target if they were not within the government designated No Fire Zone and that all persons subject to attack by the armed forces were legitimate LTTE targets as there were no independent observers, only LTTE sympathisers.[39] [40]

    General Sarath Fonseka who led the war against LTTE had accused Rajapaksa of ordering at the end of the war the shooting of any LTTE leaders who might try to surrender under flags of truce. Rajapaksa is alleged to have threatened to execute Fonseka if he revealed any war secrets.[41] [42] [43]

    In an interview on the Sri Lanka TV channel Ada Derana on 16 March 2015, Rajapaksa stated that he was a citizen of the United States but couldn't travel to the United States because of alleged war crimes charges against him.[44] Rajapaksa however visited the United States in 2016 and two Tamil groups urged the United States government to arrest and prosecute him.[45] Sri Lankan government rejected the call to arrest Rajapaksa by Tamil groups.[46]

    As reported by The Sunday Leader, Major General Prasad Samarasinghe, the former military spokesman and director of the Directorate of Media in the army, has been passing highly sensitive information to the US Embassy in Colombo on abductions. Many of those abducted were believed to have been individuals who had fallen foul of the Rajapaksa trio, Mahinda, Basil and Gotabaya. During her visit to the country, United Nations Human Rights Commissioner Navanetham Pillay expressed her disappointment over "white van" related disappearances reported in Colombo and other parts of the country, which were not covered by the Commission of Inquiry on Disappearances set up by the government.[47] [48] [49]

    Investigations on the 2008 abduction of journalist Keith Noyahr resulted in a White Van being discovered in 2017 March from a house at Piliyandala with connections to an Army Major that was believed to have been used for the abduction. Police believes that the van may have been used for other crimes as well as being part of the operation to murder Lasantha Wickrematunge.[50] A few weeks after the Noyahr abduction in 2008, Namal Perera, a course coordinator at the Sri Lanka College of Journalism, was violently attacked by a gang that came in the same White Van with a fake number plate and attempted to abduct him after attacking his car but was foiled by residents and heavy traffic. Namal Perera identified two of his would-be-killers Duminda Weeraratne and Hemachandra Perera in April 2017.[51]

    Bandara Bulathwatte, a key suspect in the murder of Lasantha, was given a diplomatic post in Thailand at the request of Gotabaya Rajapaksa near the 2010 presidential election. The letter sent by Gotabaya was prepared in haste and even the biodata of Bulathwatte was not attached despite it being a requirement for him to get his visa and have the appointment regularised by the Foreign Ministry. But after the elections, Rajapaska requested his departure to be postponed, claiming an urgent matter regarding national security. Technical evidence and telephone records have placed Bulathwatte at the location where Lasantha was killed and in the places where other journalists were attacked.[52] Investigations on assassinations, abductions and assaults on journalist after the fall of the Rajapaksa government revealed that Gotabaya directed a death squad to attack journalists that was outside the Army command structure. During this time 17 journalists and media workers were killed and others were either assaulted or abducted.[53] [54] [55] [56]

    Nadarajah Raviraj, a well-known human rights lawyer and a parliamentarian, was shot and killed in Colombo on 10 November 2006. At a magisterial hearing in Colombo on 26 February 2016, Liyanarachchi Abeyrathna, a former police officer attached to the State Intelligence Agency, stated that Gotabaya Rajapaksa paid Rs.50 million to an organisation led by Karuna Amman to murder Raviraj.[57] [58]

    On 10 January 2023, Gotabaya and his brother and former president Mahinda Rajapaksa were sanctioned by Canada for "gross and systematic violations of human rights" during the Sri Lankan civil war. In an exceedingly rare move, the former heads of state have been barred from entering the western country.[59] [60]

    Relationship with the media

    Rajapaksa has been accused of threatening journalists on several occasions, including telling two journalists attached to the state-owned Lake House Publications that unless they stop criticising the armed forces "what will happen to you is beyond my control". When asked by the two journalists if he was threatening them, he replied "I am definitely not threatening your lives. Our services are appreciated by 99 per cent of the people. They love the Army Commander (General Sarath Fonseka) and the Army. There are Sri Lankan patriots who love us do and will do what is required if necessary."[61] In April 2007 he was accused of allegedly calling the editor of the Daily Mirror Champika Liyanaarachchi and threatening her, saying that she would escape reprisals only if she resigned.[62] He was also accused of threatening to "exterminate" the Daily Mirror journalist Uditha Jayasinghe for writing articles about the plight of civilian war casualties.[63] [64] [65]

    A 5 December 2008 story from The New York Times quoted his news reporting position as "he insists that journalists should not be allowed to report anything that demoralises the war effort".[66]

    In an editorial titled "A brother out of control" (16 August 2011), The Hindu raised the observation, "President Rajapaksa would be well advised to distance himself swiftly from his brother's stream-of-consciousness on sensitive issues that are not his business. This includes an outrageous comment that because a Tamil woman, an "LTTE cadre" who was a British national, interviewed in the Channel 4 documentary was "so attractive" but had been neither raped nor killed by Sri Lankan soldiers, the allegation of sexual assault by soldiers could not be true. For this statement alone, Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa must be taken to task."[67]

    In May 2015, The Sunday Leader tendered an unconditional apology to Gotabaya Rajapaksa for a series of articles regarding the purchase of MIG 27 airplanes for the Sri Lanka Air Force.[68] [69]

    Alleged corruption

    Sripathi Sooriyarachchi, assassinated journalist Lasantha Wickrematunge and others had accused Rajapaksa of corruption since 2006.[70] [71] In 2015 Interpol provided further evidence to the Sri Lankan government on corrupt military procurements.[72] [73] [74] [75] In March 2015, a Sri Lankan court imposed a travel ban on Rajapaksa over allegations he used a commercial floating armory as a private arsenal.[76] [77] The travel ban was lifted by the court in December 2016.[78] UNP MP Mangala Samaraweera claimed that Gotabaya's son illegally occupied a house rented for a consulate in Los Angeles and caused millions of rupees in losses to the state.[79] Rajapaksa rejected the allegations regarding occupying a house rented for a consulate in LA.[80]

    Personal life

    Gotabhaya Rajapaksa is married to Ioma and has one son. Rajapaksa had dual Sri Lankan and US citizenship but had to renounce his US citizenship prior to running for president in 2019. His wife and son retain their US citizenship.[81] [82]

    Alleged assassination plot

    In September 2018 Director of the Anti Corruption Movement revealed a conspiracy to assassinate President Maithripala Sirisena and former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa because the duo are against the drug trade. CID of Sri Lanka Police investigated the issue.[83] [84]

    2019 presidential campaign

    See main article: 2019 Sri Lankan presidential election.

    It was widely speculated and even claimed by several politicians that Gotabaya Rajapaksa would be contesting the 2020 elections. However, this was denied by Rajapaksa but claimed that he will accept if he was offered the candidacy.[85] [86] Fuelling speculation even more, Rajapaksa appointed a communications strategist and activist, Milinda Rajapaksha, as his official media spokesperson in August 2018.[87]

    United States lawsuit

    In April 2019, Lasantha Wickrematunge's daughter Ahimsa Wickrematunge filed a civil lawsuit against Gotabaya Rajapaksa in the state of California.Wickrematunge's daughter's lawsuit alleged that Rajapaksa was behind his death.[88] Rajapaksa, who was visiting the U.S. to renounce his citizenship, was served legal documents outside a Trader Joe's parking lot in Pasadena.[89] [90]

    Rajapaksa arrived back to Sri Lanka from the United States[91] and was greeted by his supporters and members of the Buddhist Clergy who came to the Bandaranaike International Airport[92] to stand in solidarity with Rajapaksa. Due to the case filed against him, Rajapaksa's ability to renounce his citizenship was stalled. Rajapaksa alleged that the case filed against him by Wickrematunge's daughter was "politically motivated"[93] by the United National Party to stop him from contesting the presidential election that year.

    On 21 October 2019, the United States District Court for the Central District of California granted Gotabaya Rajapaksa's motion to dismiss, finding that he was entitled to foreign official immunity for acts undertaken while serving as Secretary of Defense.[94]

    On 27 February 2020, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals granted Wickrematunge's daughter's request to vacate the District Court's ruling that Rajapaksa is entitled to foreign official immunity for acts committed while he was Secretary of Defense of Sri Lanka. The Ninth Circuit granted the request to dismiss the case without prejudice.[95]

    On 11 August 2019, Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna led by former president Mahinda Rajapaksa announced that Rajapaksa will be their candidate for the 2019 presidential election.[96] Rajapaksa campaigned on a pro-nationalistic, economic development and national security platform in which he gained 6,924,255 votes, which was 52.25% of the total cased votes and 1,360,016 votes majority over New Democratic Front candidate Sajith Premadasa. Rajapaksa won a majority in the predominant Sinhalese areas of the island which included the districts of Kalutara, Galle, Matara, Hambantota, Monaragala, Ratnapura, Badulla, Kurunegala, Puttalam, Gampaha, Kandy, Matale, Polonnaruwa Colombo, Kegalle and Anuradhapura, while Premadasa gained a majority in areas dominated by Tamil and Muslim minorities, which had been effected by the civil war.

    Citizenship row

    During the campaign, several political parties including then ruling United National Party accused him of having American citizenship and claimed that he stayed and lived in America for more than ten years and revealed that he was not a Sri Lankan citizen. Gotabaya was also pressured to not to contest at the presidential elections because of holding dual citizenship. Further he was alleged to have carried a duplicate Sri Lankan passport with him and court cases were pending against him over the citizenship issue and the issue regarding his passport.[97] Former President and the elder brother of Gotabaya, Mahinda Rajapaksa was also accused of using his executive powers to grant his brother, the Sri Lankan citizenship after commencing his first term as president in November 2005. The judge of the Court of Appeal gave verdict on the former's pending court cases on 4 October 2019, dismissed the petition challenging Gotabaya's citizenship.[98] [99] He was also allowed to contest at the elections but did not take part in the debate among presidential candidates which was held on 5 October 2019, was also historically Sri Lanka's first-ever debate to have been conducted among presidential candidates for an upcoming election.[100] Rajapaksa's name was included in the Quarterly Publication of Individuals Who Have Chosen to Expatriate for Q2 2020.[101]

    Presidency (2019–2022)

    Rajapaksa's inauguration took place at the Ruwanwelisaya in Anuradhapura on 18 November 2019. It is the first elected office Rajapaksa has held and he is the first non-career politician and former military officer to serve as president. Following the assumption of the office of president, he announced intentions to form a new government and taking over the portfolio of defence.[102] On 19 November 2019, following taking over assumed duties at the Presidential Secretariat, he appointed P. B. Jayasundera as Secretary to the President and Major General Kamal Gunaratne as Secretary of Defence, as well as a new Secretary of the Treasury and the Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.[103] [104] On 20 November, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe had agreed to resign for Rajapaksa to form a caretaker government until fresh parliamentary elections can be held after the President can constitutionally dissolve parliament in March 2020. On the same day, the presidential secretariat called for all provincial governors to tender their resignations.[105] On 21 November, he appointed his brother Mahinda Rajapaksa as Prime Minister following the resignation of Ranil Wickremesinghe and the day after appointed a 15 member Cabinet of Ministers.[106] Thus, Sri Lanka became only the second nation in the world after Poland to have a combination of brothers taking charge as president and Prime Minister of a country at the same occasion.[107] Following the protests calling for his resignation, Gotabaya Rajapaksa appointed a new Cabinet to pacify the protests. He took away the power from three of his relatives, ousting two of his brothers and his nephew from the Cabinet. Mahinda Rajapaksa was still the Prime Minister.[108] [109]

    COVID-19 pandemic

    The COVID-19 pandemic in Sri Lanka started in March 2020. Rajapakse at first refused to lock down the country but later decided to impose a curfew when the number of cases began to rise.[110] [111] Rajapaksa dissolved parliament on 2 March. The election was initially put on by Rajapakse on 25 April 2020, was then postponed by the election commission to 20 June 2020.[112] [113] [114] His administration is said to have caused the Sri Lankan economic and food crisis following his policies of tax reduction, money printing, and organic farming.

    2020 Sri Lankan parliamentary election

    See main article: 2020 Sri Lankan parliamentary election.

    General Election was held on 5 August 2020. Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) was able to secure a landslide victory in the election claiming the majority winning 145 seats out of 225 seats. The main opposition party Samagi Jana Balawegaya won just 54 seats. SLPP victory is mainly owing to the predominant success in curbing the COVID-19 pandemic and due to the negative publicity about the UNP-led government, which was accused of a major intelligence failure triggered by the aftermath of the 2019 Easter attacks.[115] [116]

    Environmental Policy and Deforestation

    The Sri Lankan government under President Gotabaya transferred the administration of non-protected forests, known as "other state forests" (OSF), to regional authorities, in a controversial circular,[117] [118] with a view to releasing them for agriculture and development. The move was claimed to be a part of government efforts to boost domestic food production, but has been criticized by environmental activists as government-backed deforestation and implied permission-granting for unregulated logging concessions in high biodiversity areas.[119] [120] [121]

    Agricultural catastrophe

    In April 2021, Rajapaksa "declared that the entire country would immediately switch to organic farming", yet as of February 2022, still "a majority of farmers say they received no training in organic techniques".[122] The 2021 rice harvest failed, leading to a $1.2 billion emergency food aid program, a $200 million income-support program, and "huge sums to import hundreds of thousands of tons of rice".[122] Rajapaksa's "sudden and disastrous turn toward organic farming" was panned in international media and the policies were scaled back before the year was over.[123] [124] By April 2022, the government had reversed its decision and was seeking a US$700 million loan from the World Bank to revive the agricultural sector by providing it with imported agrochemicals following a massive drop production in the "Maha" season.[125]

    Economic crisis and downfall

    See main article: Sri Lankan economic crisis (2019–present) and 2022 Sri Lankan protests.

    Rajapaksa administration introduced massive tax cuts in late 2019,[126] which lead to a drop in government revenue that was soon compounded with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw the island nation losing its lucrative US$3 billion tourism industry that put 200,000 out of work in 2020 and most of 2021. Although the export sector picked up by 2021 and tourism started picking up, it appeared that Sri Lanka was facing its most severe economic crisis since its independence in 1948 due to the loss of revenue from tax cuts, rampant money printing and unsustainable borrowings. By end of 2021, Sri Lanka was facing a debt crisis with a possibility of sovereign default. In early 2022, the Rajapaksa administration avoided debt restructuring opposing an IMF bailout in favour of a homegrown solution for the debt crisis. This strategy depleted foreign currency reserves and gold reserves in an effort to bolster the Sri Lankan Rupee and repayment of sovereign bonds, the central bank free floated of the currency in early March which saw a 30% depreciation of the Rupee against the dollar in days following major shortages of fuel, food and medicine.[127] [128] [129] According to a poll conducted by Verité Research in March 2022 the government's approval rating had fallen to just 10% as a result of the crisis.[130] The Rajapaksa administration reached out the IMF in March as public protests increased in the face of shortages of electricity, fuel, cooking gas, medicine and food, with an IMF report published in late March reported that Sri Lanka was facing an solvency problem with unsustainable debt.[131] The administration has been heavily leaning on friendly countries such as China and India for cash swaps, credit lines and loans to import essentials and debt service, in turn facing accusations of making strategic concessions to these countries.[132] [133] Following severe shortages of fuel, the state owned Ceylon Electricity Board was forced to implement 10–13 hour power cuts across the island in late March. This triggered popular protests in parts of the island and on the night of 31 March, protesters charged at Rajapaksa's private residence in Mirihana which turned violent, resulting in the police dispersing the crowds and declaring a curfew until dawn.[134] On 3 April, the entire cabinet of ministers resigned and Rajapaksa offered to form a national government with the other political parties in parliament, which was turned down.

    On 18 April, Rajapaksa appointed 17 new cabinet members, selected among his party members. This move was seen as a sign of Rajapaksa's lack of willingness to listen and adhere to the protesters' demands.[135]

    Resignation and exile

    On 9 July 2022, Rajapaksa fled his official residence in Colombo prior to protesters breaking through police barricades and entering the premises.[136] Protesters were seen occupying the mansion, even swimming in the president's pool.[137] Later that evening the Speaker of the Parliament confirmed that the president would resign his office on 13 July 2022.[138] On 11 July, the Prime Minister's Office also reconfirmed it.[139] On 9 and 10 July, Rajapaksa's whereabouts were unknown to the public until Sri Lankan military sources told the BBC on 11 July that the President was on a Navy vessel in Sri Lankan waters.[140] [141] [142] Later that day, the Speaker of the Parliament announced that the President was still in the country.[143] It was later revealed that Rajapaksa and his wife were evacuated from the President's House on the morning of 9 July by the Sri Lanka Navy and had boarded SLNS Gajabahu which then departed Colombo harbour and sailed within Sri Lankan territorial waters allowing Rajapaksa to maintain communications while being safely out of reach of the protesters.[144] On 12 July, it was reported that Rajapaksa was blocked from leaving the country by immigration staff at Bandaranaike International Airport[145] and his visa request for United States was rejected.[146] [147]

    In the morning of 13 July, Rajapaksa left Sri Lanka via an Antonov An-32 military transport aircraft of the Sri Lanka Air Force to Maldives.[148] There were protests in Maldives upon his arrival.[149] While in Maldives, he issued a gazette stating that he is "unable to exercise, perform and discharge the powers, duties and functions of the Office of the President" by reason of his absence from Sri Lanka and appointed Ranil Wickremesinghe as acting president under Article 37 (1) of the constitution of Sri Lanka.[150] However, Rajapaksa was yet to officially resign from presidency on 13 July as he had previously announced on 9 July. On 14 July, Rajapaksa left Maldives for Singapore via a Saudi Airlines flight.[151] [152] [153] Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that Rajapaksa had been allowed entry into Singapore on a private visit, and that he had neither asked for nor been granted any asylum.[154] [155] Later that day, President Rajapaksa sent his resignation letter to the Speaker of the Parliament through email, formally announcing his resignation.[156] Rajapaksa would be the first Sri Lankan president to resign in the middle of his term.

    In his resignation letter which was formally read out at the parliament on 16 July, he had stated:

    Post-presidency

    Return to Sri Lanka

    On 2 September 2022, Rajapaksa returned to Sri Lanka, ending his 52-day self-imposed exile.[157] On his return he was provided with a new official residence and security granted to a former president.[158]

    Conviction of economic mismanagement

    On 14 November 2023, following a case filed by Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL) and other four activists, the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka found Rajapaksa, his brothers Mahinda and Basil and several other officials guilty of economic mismanagement between 2019 and 2022, stating that the respondents breached the fundamental rights to equal protection of the law in terms of Article 12(1) of the Constitution. While no order for compensation was made since the petitioners did claim any compensation, the court ordered that each petitioner was entitled to a legal cost of Rs.150,000 (USD450) by the respondents.[159] [160] [161]

    Honours and awards

    Decorations and medals

    During his 20 years of military service, Rajapaksa has received medals from three Presidents of Sri Lanka, J.R. Jayewardene, Ranasinghe Premadasa and D.B. Wijetunga. These include the gallantry medals, Rana Wickrama Padakkama and Rana Sura Padakkama, service medals and campaign medals. He received the Eastern Humanitarian Operations Medal and the Northern Humanitarian Operations Medal during his tenure as Defense Secretary.[162]

    Ribbon Name Date awarded
    Rana Wickrama Padakkama (RWP) 1994
    Rana Sura Padakkama (RSP) 1994
    1994
    Eastern Humanitarian Operations Medal (with clasp) 2010
    Northern Humanitarian Operations Medal (with clasp) 2010
    1984
    1986
    1987
    1984
    1978

    Honorary degrees

    Gotabaya Rajapaksa received an Honorary Doctorate, a Doctor of Letters from the University of Colombo on 6 September 2009, along with his brother President Mahinda Rajapaksa following public acclaim as a war hero.[163] [164] [165]

    Environmental awards

    In July 2020, he was awarded the Zero carbon certificate for conducting his election campaign representing SLPP in eco-friendly manner.[166] His election campaign became the first zero carbon election campaign in the world.[167]

    See also

    Further reading

    External links

    Notes and References

    1. Web site: CT finds Gota's true U.S. renunciation certificate . 1 August 2019 . Ceylon Today . 1 August 2019 . 7 October 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191007081836/https://ceylontoday.lk/news-more/6176 . dead .
    2. News: Police to probe Gota's citizenship, passports . 27 October 2019 . . 10 August 2019 . Colombo, Sri Lanka . 17 November 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191117081134/http://www.ft.lk/front-page/Police-to-probe-Gota-s-citizenship-passports/44-683723 . live .
    3. News: Gota's Lanka citizenship in doubt, candidacy under cloud . 27 October 2019 . . 22 September 2019 . Colombo, Sri Lanka . 24 June 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190624080639/http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details . dead .
    4. News: Singh . Anurangi . Gota's citizenship challenged in Court of Appeal . 27 October 2019 . . 29 September 2019 . Colombo, Sri Lanka . 1 February 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200201133021/http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2019/09/29/news/gota%E2%80%99s-citizenship-challenged-court-appeal . dead .
    5. Web site: People want non-traditional politicians – Gotabhaya Rajapaksa. dailymirror.lk. en. 14 January 2019. 13 February 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200213132415/http://www.dailymirror.lk/article/People-want-non-traditional-politicians-Gotabhaya-Rajapaksa-148495.html?fbrefresh=1547485373. live.
    6. Web site: Sri Lanka: President Gotabaya has officially stepped down. 15 July 2022. Sri Lanka News – Newsfirst. 15 July 2022. 15 July 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220715064557/https://www.newsfirst.lk/2022/07/15/sri-lanka-president-gotabaya-has-officially-stepped-down/. live.
    7. Web site: Sri Lankan President Gotabaya, the first person with military credentials to be elected as President. Al Jazeera. 26 November 2019. 25 November 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191125124304/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/11/sri-lanka-president-military-credentials-191119175813787.html. live.
    8. News: Plane Said to Carry Sri Lanka's President Most-Tracked in World. Bloomberg. 14 July 2022 . 19 July 2022.
    9. News: Sri Lanka: President Gotabaya Rajapaksa flees the country on military jet . BBC . 12 July 2022 . 12 July 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220712222342/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-62132271 . live .
    10. Web site: Know your president : Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa . 21 June 2020. 9 August 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200809180408/https://www.colombomagazine.com/news/know-your-president-mr-gotabaya-rajapaksa/. dead. Colombo Magazine.
    11. Web site: Press Trust of India . Press Trust of India . Gotabaya Rajapaksa: Controversial 'war hero' who ended Sri Lanka's 3-decade-long bloody civil conflict . The Hindu . 19 November 2019 . 17 November 2019 . 26 April 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200426231525/https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/gotabaya-rajapaksa-controversial-war-hero-who-ended-sri-lankas-3-decade-long-bloody-civil-conflict/article29998358.ece . live .
    12. Web site: Meteoric rise of Ananda's patriotic sons. 2 July 2022. archives.dailynews.lk. 5 May 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150505040801/http://archives.dailynews.lk/2009/07/03/Sup.asp?id=s13. live.
    13. http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20080605_08 Who are the Real Traitors ?
    14. News: Ferdinando . Shamindra . Gota survives blast at Mankulam War on terror revisited . 8 April 2020 . Island . 28 June 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130628063638/http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=82009 . live .
    15. http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=a_legend_of_our_times_20120620_04 A legend of our times – Opinion
    16. Web site: Gotabaya Rajapaksa . 24 January 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150128132542/http://www.siww.com.sg/speakers-participants/gotabaya-rajapaksa . 28 January 2015 . dead .
    17. . Retrieved on 9 July 2012.
    18. Web site: Beautifying Colombo. DailyNews. news.lk. 11 September 2016. 19 September 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160919164829/http://www.news.lk/fetures/item/219-beautifying-colombo. live.
    19. Web site: Diyatha Uyana enhanced facilities under second stage. DailyNews. dailynews.lk. 14 August 2016. 20 August 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160820184551/http://archives.dailynews.lk/2013/05/21/news52.asp. live.
    20. Web site: Somarathna . Rasika . President opens Weras Ganga Development Project . Daily News . The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd . 19 September 2015 .
    21. Web site: President opens Arcade Independence Square. Department of Government Information. News.lk. 14 July 2014. 22 June 2015. 22 June 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150622085138/http://www.news.lk/news/politics/item/1679-president-opens-arcade-independence-square. live.
    22. Web site: Shangrila-La investment a case in point, says GR. island.lk. 12 August 2017. 12 August 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170812173939/http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=161453. live.
    23. Web site: Defence Ministry adds UD to its name :::DailyFT – Be Empowered. https://web.archive.org/web/20160329195743/http://www.ft.lk/2011/10/17/defence-ministry-adds-ud-to-its-name/. dead. 29 March 2016. 29 March 2016. 14 January 2019.
    24. Web site: Colombo ranked world's fastest growing city – Breaking News | Daily Mirror. 2 July 2022. Dailymirror.lk. English. 2 July 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220702052352/https://www.dailymirror.lk/breaking_news/colombo-ranked-world-s-fastest-growing-city/108-75051. live.
    25. News: CHRONOLOGY-Attacks blamed on Sri Lanka's Tamil Tigers. Reuters. 8 January 2008. 1 July 2017. 21 May 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20090521231126/http://www.reuters.com/article/featuredCrisis/idUSCOL66488. live.
    26. Web site: Gotabaya 'gave me passport' . 25 January 2008 . BBC News . 3 November 2009 . 24 March 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100324120933/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sinhala/news/story/2008/01/080125_karunajail.shtml . live .
    27. News: 12 June 2007. Sri Lanka accuses 'bullying' West. en-GB. BBC News. 2 July 2022. 4 April 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220404175150/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6745553.stm. live.
    28. News: How Mahinda Rajapaksa Justified Complaining to UNHRC in Geneva in 1990 About Human Rights Violations in Sri Lanka. 8 April 2017. 10 May 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170510134838/http://dbsjeyaraj.com/dbsj/archives/15968. live.
    29. News: Mahinda Rajapaksa went to Geneva frequently during UNP rule and wanted the UN to intervene in Sri Lanka to uphold human rights.. 8 April 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170510095106/http://transcurrents.com/news-views/archives/10768. 10 May 2017. usurped.
    30. Web site: The MiG Deal: Why My Father Had To Die. Ahimsa. Wickrematunge. 8 January 2021. 2 July 2022. 2 July 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220702050626/https://groundviews.org/2021/01/08/the-mig-deal-why-my-father-had-to-die/. live.
    31. News: The anatomy of the MiG deal. Sunday Observer (Sri Lanka). 6 January 2019. 2 July 2022. 1 July 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220701180553/https://www.sundayobserver.lk/2019/01/06/news-features/anatomy-mig-deal. dead.
    32. News: The final nail the Sunday leader apologizes to gota deal. Sunday Observer (Sri Lanka). 21 November 2012. 2 July 2022. 1 July 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220701180603/https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/the-final-nail-the-sunday-leader-apologizes-to-gota/amp/. live.
    33. News: Gota sues Lasantha. Sri Lankan guardian. 26 February 2008. 2 July 2022. 9 July 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220709160916/http://www.srilankaguardian.org/2008/02/gota-sues-lasantha.html. live.
    34. News: What they did to my father and why they did it. en. Daily News. 2 July 2022. 2 July 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220702045654/https://www.dailynews.lk/2019/01/10/features/173827/what-they-did-my-father-and-why-they-did-it. live.
    35. Web site: BBC World Service and Sunday Leader newspaper censored. Reporters Without Borders. 12 December 2008. 1 July 2022. 4 March 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304060254/http://en.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=29654. dead.
    36. News: RSF condemns Colombo's censorship of BBC, Sunday Leader. TamilNet. 12 December 2008. 1 July 2022. 30 June 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220630133021/https://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=27722. live.
    37. News: New details raise questions about whether Sri Lankan president was complicit in the killing of journalist Lasantha Wickrematunge. Committee to Protect Journalists. 6 May 2022. 2 July 2022. 28 June 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220628174338/https://cpj.org/2022/06/new-details-raise-questions-about-whether-sri-lankan-president-was-complicit-in-the-killing-of-journalist-lasantha-wickrematunge/amp/. live.
    38. News: Opinion | My father was assassinated 12 years ago. Sri Lanka's leaders are still denying us justice.. en-US. Washington Post. 2 July 2022. 0190-8286. 16 July 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220716230416/https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/03/02/lasantha-wickrematunge-ahimsa-rajapaksa/. live.
    39. News: CNN-IBN . 'Can't ensure civilians safety in LTTE area'. https://web.archive.org/web/20140707080908/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/cant-ensure-civilians-safety-in-ltte-area/84336-2.html. dead. 7 July 2014. CNN IBN live . 3 February 2009 . 5 April 2015.
    40. News: Ryan Goodman. Sri Lanka's Greatest War Criminal (Gotabaya) is a US Citizen: It's Time to Hold Him Accountable. Just Security. 19 May 2014. 5 April 2015. 13 April 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150413024615/http://justsecurity.org/10537/sri-lanka-gotabaya-us-citizen-war-crimes-accountability/. live.
    41. News: Gotabaya Rajapaksa should be tried for war crimes . Frontierindia.net . 14 April 2013 . 1 November 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131103070011/http://frontierindia.net/gotabaya-rajapaksa-should-be-tried-for-war-crimes#ixzz2dxY2F6lD . 3 November 2013 . dead .
    42. News: Fonseka will be hanged if he spills war secrets: Lanka . https://web.archive.org/web/20131103232314/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-06-07/uk/28275569_1_sarath-fonseka-war-crimes-defence-secretary . dead . 3 November 2013 . 7 June 2010 . . 1 November 2013.
    43. News: Jason Burke, South Asia correspondent . Former Sri Lankan army chief convicted for war crimes claim | World news . The Guardian . 18 November 2011 . 1 November 2013 . 4 November 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131104194450/http://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/nov/18/former-sri-lankan-army-chief-jailed . live .
    44. News: Gotabaya reveals why he can't go back to the US.. https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/EblGAbwo6dY . 21 December 2021 . live. YouTube. 16 March 2015 .
    45. News: Obama administration urged to arrest Gotabaya Rajapakse. Colombo Gazette. 10 March 2017. 12 March 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170312071917/http://colombogazette.com/2016/04/20/obama-administration-urged-to-arrest-gotabaya-rajapakse/. live.
    46. News: Sri Lanka does not support calls for the US to arrest Gotabaya. Colombo Gazette. 10 March 2017. 12 March 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170312072223/http://colombogazette.com/2016/04/24/sri-lanka-does-not-support-calls-for-the-us-to-arrest-gotabaya/. live.
    47. News: A Top Sri Lankan Major General, The US And Gotabhaya Rajapaksa. 1 November 2013. The Sunday Leader. 3 November 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131103074511/http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2012/02/12/a-top-sri-lankan-major-general-the-us-and-gotabhaya-rajapaksa/. dead.
    48. News: Video: Signs of Sri Lanka moving towards authoritarianism-Pillay | Breaking News. 31 August 2013. 1 November 2013. Dailymirror.lk. 20 October 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131020104242/http://www.dailymirror.lk/top-story/34698-signs-of-sri-lanka-moving-towards-authoritarianism-pillay.html. live.
    49. Web site: Opening remarks by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay at a press conference during her mission to Sri Lanka Colombo. 31 August 2013. Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. 6 September 2015. 24 September 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150924114840/http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=13673. live.
    50. News: A van suspected to have been used to abduct Keith Noyahr found. 29 March 2017. 30 March 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170330015506/http://www.dailymirror.lk/article/A-van-suspected-to-have-been-used-to-abduct-Keith-Noyahr-found-126353.html. live.
    51. News: Sri Lankan journalist Namal Perera identifies his would-be killers. 20 April 2017. 21 April 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170421003510/http://www.economynext.com/Sri_Lankan_journalist_Namal_Perera_identifies_his_would_be_killers-3-7768.html. dead.
    52. News: Key suspect in Sri Lanka editor killing given diplomatic post by Gotabhaya. 24 April 2017. 24 April 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170424180838/http://www.economynext.com/Key_suspect_in_Sri_Lanka_editor_killing_given_diplomatic_post_by_Gotabhaya-3-7814-10.html. dead.
    53. News: Ex-leader's brother 'led death squad' in Sri Lanka. 21 March 2017. 21 March 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170321011636/http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/03/leader-brother-led-death-squad-sri-lanka-170320151120965.html. live.
    54. News: Secret military death squad killed journalist Lasantha Wickrematunge, CID tells court. 21 March 2017. 20 March 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170320185654/http://www.colombopage.com/archive_17A/Mar20_1490023831CH.php. live.
    55. News: Another Army soldier arrested for 2008 assault on Journalist Keith Noyahr. 21 March 2017. 21 March 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170321090348/http://www.colombopage.com/archive_17A/Mar21_1490072284CH.php. live.
    56. News: Sri Lanka: Gotabaya Rajapaksa Is Still Dangerous. 29 March 2017. 30 March 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170330001733/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/taylor-dibbert/sri-lanka-gotabaya-rajapa_b_9567574.html. live.
    57. Web site: Gota Paid Karuna Faction 50 Million To Kill Raviraj. 27 February 2016. Colombo Telegraph. 27 February 2016. 5 March 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160305124649/https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/gota-paid-karuna-faction-5-million-to-kill-raviraj/. live.
    58. Web site: Gotabaya has given 50 million for the Raviraj killers. 27 February 2016. Lanka News Web. 27 February 2016. 1 March 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160301234958/http://lankanewsweb.net/news/item/2414-gotabaya-has-given-50-million-for-the-raviraj-killers. dead.
    59. Web site: Canada sanctions Rajapaksa brothers over human rights violations . 2023-04-30 . www.tamilguardian.com.
    60. Web site: Canada sanctions four senior Sri Lanka leaders, including two recent ex-presidents . 2023-04-30 . thecanadianpressnews.ca . 10 January 2023. en.
    61. Web site: Death bells toll for the free media. 2 July 2022. Sundaytimes.lk. 2 May 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220502161057/https://www.sundaytimes.lk/080601/News/news0016.html. live.
    62. Web site: HRC to review recommendations ::: Dailymirror.lk ::: Breaking News. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304110436/http://www.dailymirror.lk/2007/04/19/front/4.asp. dead. 4 March 2016. 4 March 2016.
    63. News: FMM protests Gotabhaya's 'threats'. BBC Sinhala. 5 May 2008. 31 May 2015. 17 August 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150817132654/http://www.bbc.com/sinhala/news/story/2008/05/printable/080505_fmm_gotabhaya.shtml. live.
    64. Web site: Sri Lanka – Annual report 2008. Reporters Without Borders. 31 May 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150531165329/http://archives.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=25690. 31 May 2015. dead.
    65. News: Britain exposes damn lie by the state media. The Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka). 21 April 2007. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20130403032516/http://archives.dailymirror.lk/2007/04/21/front/4.asp. 3 April 2013.
    66. News: Sengupta. Somini. 6 December 2008. Sri Lankan Army Is Pushing for End to 25-Year War Against the Tamil Rebels. en-US. The New York Times. 2 July 2022. 0362-4331. 2 July 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220702050923/https://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/06/world/asia/06lanka.html. live.
    67. News: A brother out of control. The Hindu. 16 August 2011. 20 August 2011. 5 January 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160105064008/http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/article2359597.ece. live.
    68. News: Sunday Leader tenders unconditional apology to Gotabaya. Ada Derana. 6 March 2015. 6 May 2017. 17 May 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170517135602/http://www.adaderana.lk/news/30034/sunday-leader-tenders-unconditional-apology-to-gotabaya-. live.
    69. News: Apology To Gotabaya By The Sunday Leader. Colombo Telegraph. 8 March 2015. 6 May 2017. 15 May 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170515144206/https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/apology-to-gotabaya-by-the-sunday-leader/. live.
    70. Web site: Rajapaksa's brother probed over killings. 2 July 2022. Aljazeera.com. en. 2 July 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220702050923/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/1/18/rajapaksas-brother-probed-over-killings. live.
    71. Web site: 6 December 2013. Academic Exposing Corrupt War Procurement Tender Process Threatened By Rajapaksa Government. 2 July 2022. Colombo Telegraph. en-US. 18 May 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150518155524/https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/academic-exposing-corrupt-war-procurement-tender-process-threatened-by-rajapaksa-government/. live.
    72. Web site: 11 May 2015. MiG Deal: Rajapaksas Paid US$ 10 Million To A Ghost Company: "No Company Called Bellimissa" – Interpol Confirmed. 2 July 2022. Colombo Telegraph. en-US. 18 May 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150518073529/https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/mig-deal-rajapaksas-paid-us-10-million-to-a-ghost-company-no-company-called-bellimissa-interpol-confirmed/. live.
    73. Web site: FCID questions Gotabaya. 2 July 2022. Adaderana.lk. en. 15 July 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220715020837/http://www.adaderana.lk/news/30935/fcid-questions-gotabaya. live.
    74. Web site: 21 May 2015. A Trembling Gotabaya Appears Before FCID. 2 July 2022. Colombo Telegraph. en-US. 22 July 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150722153638/https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/a-trembling-gotabaya-appears-before-fcid/. live.
    75. Web site: 30 May 2015. Gota's MiG Deal: Investigation Finds Secret Bank Account In British Virgin Islands. 2 July 2022. Colombo Telegraph. en-US. 22 July 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150722152251/https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/gotas-mig-deal-investigation-finds-secret-bank-account-in-british-virgin-islands/. live.
    76. Web site: Sri Lankan court imposes travel ban on former defence secretary Rajapaksa . 22 July 2015 . . 10 March 2015 . . 22 July 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150722164216/http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/10/sri-lankan-court-imposes-travel-ban-on-former-defence-secretary-rajapaksa . live .
    77. News: Sri Lanka travel ban for Gotabhaya Rajapaksa over arms ship. BBC News. 9 March 2015. 22 July 2015. 27 July 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150727181008/http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-31794762. live.
    78. News: Court lifts travel ban on Gotabaya and 7 others. Ada Derana. 11 March 2017. 12 March 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170312084653/http://www.adaderana.lk/news/38065/court-lifts-travel-ban-on-gotabaya-and-7-others. live.
    79. News: Mangala levels charges against Gota over LA residence. Daily Mirror Sri Lanka. 10 March 2017. 1 December 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161201153558/http://www.dailymirror.lk/120023/Mangala-levels-charges-against-Gota-over-LA-residence. live.
    80. News: Gota rejects Mangala's allegation on his son. 10 March 2017. 2 December 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161202130242/http://www.dailymirror.lk/120045/Gota-rejects-Mangala-s-allegation-on-his-son. live.
    81. https://www.infolanka.com/news/IL/1509.htm Wedding Bells to son of former defence secretary
    82. https://www.newsdrum.in/international/former-sri-lanka-president-gotabaya-rajapaksa-family-leaves-for-dubai Former president's family leaves Dubai
    83. News: A President Under Threat. 26 September 2018. dailymirror.lk. 26 September 2018. en-US. 26 September 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180926094535/http://www.dailymirror.lk/article/A-President-Under-Threat-155759.html. live.
    84. News: Indian who visited Namal Kumara arrested. 26 September 2018. dailymirror.lk. 26 September 2018. en-US. 25 September 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180925165739/http://www.dailymirror.lk/article/-Indian-who-visited-Namal-Kumara-arrested-155914.html. live.
    85. News: Former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa Meets New Chinese Ambassador To Sri Lanka. 1 May 2018. en-gb. 2 May 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180502064953/http://www.asianmirror.lk/news/item/26997-former-defence-secretary-gotabaya-rajapaksa-meets-new-chinese-ambassador-to-sri-lanka. dead.
    86. News: Former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa Discloses His Readiness to Give Up US Citizenship and Contest Elections If Selected as a Presidential Candidate -Interview With Gagani Weerakoon of "Ceylon Today".. 12 March 2018. dbsjeyaraj.com. 1 May 2018. en-US. 2 May 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180502064525/http://dbsjeyaraj.com/dbsj/archives/58277. live.
    87. Web site: Gotabaya Rajapaksa appoints official Media Spokesperson . 6 August 2018 .
    88. News: Assassination of Sri Lankan Journalist. Center for Justice and Accountability. 18 April 2019. 2 July 2022. 4 July 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220704143906/https://cja.org/what-we-do/litigation/wickrematunge-v-rajapaksa/. live.
    89. News: Checkmate inside ahimsa Wickrematunge's legal gambit against gota. Sunday Observer (Sri Lanka). 21 April 2019. 16 July 2022. 1 July 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220701162656/https://www.sundayobserver.lk/2019/04/22/news-features/checkmate-inside-ahimsa-wickrematunge%E2%80%99s-legal-gambit-against-gota. dead.
    90. News: Two lawsuits against Gota in US. Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka). 8 April 2019. 2 July 2022. 1 July 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220701170057/https://www.dailymirror.lk/Latest-News/Two-lawsuits-against-Gota-in-US/108-165213. live.
    91. News: Gota returns from US. siyathanews. 12 April 2019. 2 July 2022. 16 July 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220716230413/https://english.siyathanews.lk/archives/13810. live.  
    92. News: gotabaya announces renunciation. Tamil Guardian. 12 April 2019. 2 July 2022. 1 July 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220701163543/https://www.tamilguardian.com/content/gotabaya-announces-renunciation-us-citizenship. live.
    93. News: Gota fires back against lawsuits. FT. 12 April 2019. 2 July 2022. 1 July 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220701144204/https://www.ft.lk/TOP-STORY/Gota-fires-back-against-lawsuits/26-676451. live.
    94. Web site: California district court dismisses case against Gotabaya Rajapaksa – Sri Lanka Latest News. 22 October 2019. Sri Lanka News – Newsfirst. 24 October 2019. 1 July 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220701093057/https://www.newsfirst.lk/2019/10/22/california-district-court-dismisses-case-against-gotabaya-rajapaksa/. live.
    95. Web site: Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Issues Decision In Case Against Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Colombo Telegraph. 3 March 2020. 2 July 2022. 2 July 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220702025641/https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/ninth-circuit-court-of-appeals-issues-decision-in-case-against-gotabaya-rajapaksa/. live.
    96. Web site: Gotabaya Rajapaksa Named Presidential Candidate | Asian Tribune. asiantribune.com. 12 August 2019. 14 September 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190914005503/http://asiantribune.com/node/92966. dead.
    97. Web site: Gotabhaya Rajapaksa's dual citizenship document is a blank document. Newsfirst. 2 October 2019. 6 October 2019. 22 April 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220422195520/https://www.newsfirst.lk/2019/10/02/gotabaya-rajapaksas-dual-citizenship-is-a-blank-document-suren-fernando/. live.
    98. Web site: Court rejects challenge to Gotabhaya Rajapaksa's citizenship. Al Jazeera. 6 October 2019. 5 October 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191005204641/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/10/court-rejects-challenge-gotabaya-rajapaksa-citizenship-191004134534101.html. live.
    99. Web site: Gotabhaya's citizenship petition dismissed. Newsfirst. 4 October 2019. 6 October 2019. 6 October 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191006031222/https://www.newsfirst.lk/2019/10/04/gotas-citizenship-petition-dismissed/. live.
    100. Web site: Gotabaya fails to attend multi party debate. Colombo Page. 5 October 2019. 6 October 2019. 1 May 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220501110038/https://colombogazette.com/2019/10/05/gotabaya-fails-to-attend-multi-party-debate/. live.
    101. Web site: 8 May 2020. Quarterly Publication of Individuals, Who Have Chosen To Expatriate, as Required by Section 6039G. 17 September 2021. Federal Register. 20 August 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210820092823/https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/05/08/2020-09814/quarterly-publication-of-individuals-who-have-chosen-to-expatriate-as-required-by-section-6039g. live.
    102. Web site: President will establish new govt. to execute his policies – Presidential Secretariat of Sri Lanka. https://web.archive.org/web/20210719085049/https://www.presidentsoffice.gov.lk/index.php/2019/11/18/president-will-establish-new-govt-to-execute-his-policies-2/. 19 July 2021. dead.
    103. News: Dr. P. B. Jayasundara appointed Secretary to President . 19 November 2019 . Adaerana . 16 October 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211016011701/http://www.adaderana.lk/news_intensedebate.php?nid=59145 . live .
    104. News: Kamal Gunaratne appointed new Defence Secretary . 19 November 2019 . Adaderana . 22 November 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191122092455/http://www.adaderana.lk/news_intensedebate.php?nid=59146 . live .
    105. News: All governors informed to tender resignations . 20 November 2019 . Derana . 16 October 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211016011703/http://www.adaderana.lk/news_intensedebate.php?nid=59171 . live .
    106. News: New Cabinet of Ministers sworn-in . 22 November 2019 . Derana . 24 November 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191124190106/http://www.adaderana.lk/news/59207/new-cabinet-of-ministers-sworn-in . live .
    107. Web site: Rajapaksa brothers set world record. 21 November 2019. Fox News. 26 November 2019. 24 November 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191124160143/https://www.foxnews.com/world/sri-lankan-brothers-are-now-president-and-prime-minister. live.
    108. Web site: Sri Lanka: President drops 3 relatives in new Cabinet amid protests. 18 April 2022. Deutsche Welle. 18 April 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220418095849/https://www.dw.com/en/sri-lanka-president-drops-3-relatives-in-new-cabinet-amid-protests/a-61502947. live.
    109. News: Gotabaya Rajapaksa: Beleaguered Sri Lanka leader appoints new cabinet. BBC News. 18 April 2022. 18 April 2022. 18 April 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220418061305/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-61138306. live.
    110. Web site: No need for total lock-down: Prez. dailymirror.lk. 21 June 2020. 22 June 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200622093903/http://www.dailymirror.lk/breaking_news/No-need-for-total-lock-down:-Prez/108-185183. live.
    111. Web site: Coronavirus cases climb to 43 in Sri Lanka; no lockdown, says President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Wionnews.com. 26 April 2020. 16 October 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211016024159/https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/coronavirus-cases-climb-to-43-in-sri-lanka-no-lockdown-says-president-gotabaya-rajapaksa-287155. live.
    112. Web site: The Island. island.lk. 26 April 2020. 12 April 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200412160448/http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=221053. dead.
    113. Web site: President Rajapaksa Will Not Refer Matter Regarding Elections to the Supreme Court States Presidents Secretary PB Jayasundara in Strong Letter To Mahinda Deshapriya Reprimanding Election Commission Chairman For Failing to Act Fully Under Sec 24 of Parliamentary Elections Act. 9 April 2020. 26 April 2020. 17 April 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200417104220/http://dbsjeyaraj.com/dbsj/archives/68400. live.
    114. Web site: Politics of Postponing Parliamentary Elections Amid a Pandemic. dailymirror.lk. 26 April 2020. 26 April 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200426083456/http://www.dailymirror.lk/opinion/Politics-of-Postponing-Parliamentary-Elections-Amid-a-Pandemic/172-187187. live.
    115. Web site: 5 August 2020. Explained: Why Rajapaksa clan is likely to win the Sri Lanka parliamentary polls. 5 August 2020. The Indian Express. en. 6 April 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220406143736/https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-why-rajapaksa-clan-is-likely-to-win-sri-lanka-parliamentary-polls-6539119/. live.
    116. Web site: 25 July 2020. Opinion: Sri Lanka ruling party is ahead with 12 days to go for Parliamentary polls. 5 August 2020. EconomyNext.
    117. Web site: 12 July 2021. Forest Circular MWFC/1/2020. Justice.lk. 11 April 2021. en. 18 April 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210418181304/https://ejustice.lk/2020/12/07/forest-circular-mwfc-1-2020/. dead.
    118. Web site: 23 October 2020. Fighting Deforestation in Sri Lanka. 11 April 2021. en. 10 April 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210410204440/https://thediplomat.com/2020/10/fighting-deforestation-in-sri-lanka/. live.
    119. Web site: 11 December 2020. Sri Lanka activists decry downgrade of non-protected 'other' forests by government. Mongbay. 11 April 2021. en. 12 May 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210512175452/https://news.mongabay.com/2020/12/sri-lanka-activists-decry-downgrade-of-non-protected-other-forests-by-government/. live.
    120. Web site: 23 December 2020. Cardinal calls on government to stop deforestation. Economynext. 11 April 2021. en. 10 April 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210410204437/https://economynext.com/cardinal-calls-on-government-to-stop-deforestation-77180/. live.
    121. Web site: 16 February 2021. Veddah Chief's challenge of deforestation will be supported in Court of Appeal on Friday. The Island. 11 April 2021. en. 10 April 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210410204437/https://island.lk/veddah-chiefs-challenge-of-deforestation-will-be-supported-in-court-of-appeal-on-friday/. live.
    122. News: For Canada, organic food is a status symbol. For Sri Lanka, it's a catastrophe. The Globe and Mail. Doug Saunders. O11. 5 February 2022. 17 March 2022. 17 March 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220317061936/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-for-canada-organic-food-is-an-expensive-status-symbol-for-sri-lanka/#:~:text=For%20Sri%20Lanka%2C%20it's%20a%20catastrophe,-Doug%20Saunders&text=Next%20time%20you%20think%20of,the%20people%20of%20Sri%20Lanka.. live.
    123. News: Sri Lanka's Plunge Into Organic Farming Brings Disaster. Wipulasena. Aanya. Mujib. Mashal. 7 December 2021. The New York Times. 7 February 2022. 7 January 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220107014029/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/07/world/asia/sri-lanka-organic-farming-fertilizer.html. live.
    124. Web site: Sri Lanka to pay $200m compensation for failed organic farm drive. Al Jazeera. 26 January 2022. 7 February 2022. 7 February 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220207074158/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/1/26/sri-lanka-200-million-compensation-farmers-organic-crops-drive. live.
    125. News: Wickremasekara . Damith . Govt. seeks US$ 700mn from World Bank to buy chemical fertiliser, revive agriculture . Sunday Times . 18 April 2022 . 18 April 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220418111752/https://www.sundaytimes.lk/220417/news/govt-seeks-us-700mn-from-world-bank-to-buy-chemical-fertiliser-revive-agriculture-480013.html . live .
    126. News: Cabinet announces massive tax cuts . 14 March 2022 . newsfirst.lk . 15 April 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220415231722/https://www.newsfirst.lk/2019/11/27/cabinet-announces-massive-tax-cuts/ . live .
    127. News: Sri Lanka does not need the IMF at the moment, no default: Minister Cabraal . 11 March 2022 . economynext.com . 15 July 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220715020839/https://economynext.com/sri-lanka-does-not-need-the-imf-at-the-moment-no-default-minister-cabraal-85769/ . live .
    128. News: Sri Lanka to start debt restructuring discussion with IMF – Reuters . 11 March 2022 . economynext.com . 11 March 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220311195241/https://economynext.com/sri-lanka-to-start-debt-restructuring-discussion-with-imf-reuters-91564/ . live .
    129. News: CB chief sees negative fallouts from IMF deal . 11 March 2022 . island.lk . 28 November 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211128073406/https://island.lk/cb-chief-sees-negative-fallouts-from-imf-deal/ . live .
    130. News: Only 10% approve the way current government is working – Survey reveals. Ada Derana. 17 March 2022. 23 March 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220323131255/http://bizenglish.adaderana.lk/only-10-approve-the-way-current-government-is-working-survey-reveals/. live.
    131. News: Sri Lanka seeks IMF bailout amid shortages, rising public anger . 29 March 2022 . dw.com . 3 April 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220403123856/https://www.dw.com/en/sri-lanka-seeks-imf-bailout-amid-shortages-rising-public-anger/a-61154249 . live .
    132. News: India, Lanka close to sealing 3 defence-related pacts to boost maritime security . 29 March 2022 . Hindustan Times . 29 March 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220329043154/https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/india-lanka-close-to-sealing-3-defence-related-pacts-to-boost-maritime-security-101645635108333.html . live .
    133. News: Four Pacts with India Compromise SRi Lanka's Sovereignty . 29 March 2022 . ceylontoday.lk . 27 March 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220327220225/https://ceylontoday.lk/news/four-pacts-with-india-compromise-sri-lanka-s-sovereignty . live .
    134. News: Dozens arrested in Sri Lanka amid protests over worsening economy . 1 April 2022 . Aljazeera . 3 April 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220403112110/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/3/31/tear-gas-as-sri-lanka-protesters-try-to-storm-presidents-house . live .
    135. News: Gotabaya Rajapaksa: Under fire Sri Lanka president appoints new cabinet . 18 April 2022 . BBC News . 18 April 2022 . 18 April 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220418061305/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-61138306 . live .
    136. News: Sri Lanka leader flees as protesters storm home . 9 July 2022 . AFP . France 24 . 9 July 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220709092709/https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20220709-sri-lanka-leader-flees-as-protesters-storm-home . live .
    137. News: Sri Lanka crisis: Protesters swim in president's pool . 9 July 2022 . BBC News . 9 July 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220709164346/https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-asia-62105698 . live .
    138. Web site: 9 July 2022 . BREAKING: President to step down on 13th July . 9 July 2022 . Sri Lanka News – Newsfirst . en . 9 July 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220709231133/https://www.newsfirst.lk/2022/07/09/breaking-president-to-step-down-on-13th-july/ . live .
    139. Web site: 11 July 2022 . Sri Lanka: President confirms resignation, PM's office says . 11 July 2022 . BBC News . en . 11 July 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220711043211/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-62117763 . live .
    140. News: President's whereabouts unknown as protesters engulf Sri Lanka's capital . 11 July 2022 . The Business Times, Singapore . 11 July 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220711100650/https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/government-economy/presidents-whereabouts-unknown-as-protesters-engulf-sri-lankas-capital . live .
    141. News: Namaste India: Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's whereabouts still unknown . 11 July 2022 . ZEE News India . 16 July 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220716230411/https://zeenews.india.com/video/world/namaste-india-sri-lankan-president-gotabaya-rajapaksas-whereabouts-still-unknown-2484012.html . live .
    142. News: Sri Lanka: Protesters 'will occupy palace until leaders go' . 11 July 2022 . . 11 July 2022 . 10 July 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220710220151/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-62111900 . live .
    143. News: Lankan Prez Rajapaksa still in country, says speaker Yapa Abeywardena . 11 July 2022 . . 11 July 2022 . 11 July 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220711123748/https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/sri-lanka-crisis-prez-gotabaya-rajapaksa-has-left-island-days-after-fleeing-palace-report-101657542000500.html . live .
    144. News: The story behind Gotabaya's dramatic escape from Lanka . 18 July 2022 . Sunday Times.
    145. News: Sri Lanka President Gotabaya Rajapaksa hits airport standoff in escape attempt . 12 July 2022 . . 12 July 2022 . 12 July 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220712050203/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/south-asia/sri-lanka-president-gotabaya-rajapaksa-hits-airport-standoff-in-escape-attempt/articleshow/92818226.cms . live .
    146. News: Gotabaya Rajapaksa 'stuck' as U.S. 'rejects' visa request . 12 July 2022 . thehindu.com . The Hindu . 12 July 2022 . 12 July 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220712185527/https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/gotabaya-rajapaksa-stuck-as-us-rejects-visa-request/article65630801.ece . live .
    147. Web site: China missing, West falls short as India stands by Sri Lanka in its Darkest Hour . 23 July 2022 .
    148. News: Sri Lanka: President Gotabaya Rajapaksa flees the country on military jet. BBC News. 12 July 2022. en-GB. 12 July 2022. 12 July 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220712222342/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-62132271. live.
    149. Web site: 13 July 2022 . Devika . Bhattacharya . #GotaGoHome trends in Maldives as Sri Lankan President flees country amid crisis . 14 July 2022 . India Today . en . 14 July 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220714044549/https://www.indiatoday.in/world/story/gota-go-home-trends-maldives-gotabaya-rajpaksa-flees-country-sri-lanka-crisis-1975130-2022-07-13 . live .
    150. News: Gotabaya Rajapaksa appoints Ranil Wickremesinghe as Sri Lankan president . 13 July 2022 . . 13 July 2022 . 13 July 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220713194007/https://www.tamilguardian.com/content/gotabaya-rajapaksa-appoints-ranil-wickremesinghe-sri-lankan-president . live .
    151. News: Sri Lanka President Rajapaksa set to fly to Singapore via Maldives – government source . 13 July 2022 . reuters.com . . 13 July 2022 . 13 July 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220713175618/https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/sri-lanka-president-rajapaksa-set-fly-singapore-via-maldives-government-source-2022-07-13/ . live .
    152. News: Sri Lanka's embattled leader leaves Maldives on Saudi plane . 14 July 2022 . Indian Express . 14 July 2022 . 14 July 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220714072426/https://indianexpress.com/article/world/sri-lanka-president-gotabaya-rajapaksa-maldives-singapore-saudi-arabia-8028501/ . live .
    153. News: Sri Lanka Crisis LIVE Updates: Plane carrying Sri Lankan president Rajapaksa lands in Singapore . 14 July 2022 . Times of India . 14 July 2022 . 13 July 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220713214055/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/south-asia/sri-lanka-economic-crisis-live-updates-july-13/liveblog/92840115.cms . live .
    154. Web site: MFA Spokesperson's Comments in Response to Media Queries on Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa's entry into Singapore . mfa.gov.sg . 14 July 2022 . 14 July 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220714125123/https://www.mfa.gov.sg/Newsroom/Press-Statements-Transcripts-and-Photos/2022/07/20220714-GR-Arrival . live .
    155. Web site: Samuel . Devaraj . Deepanraj . Ganesan . Charissa . Yong . Sri Lankan leader Rajapaksa arrives in S'pore, tenders his resignation as president . The Straits Times . 14 July 2022 . 18 July 2022.
    156. News: President Gotabaya Rajapaksa Resigns – letter sent to Speaker of Parliament . 14 July 2022 . Hiru News . 14 July 2022 . 14 July 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220714134628/https://www.hirunews.lk/english/309987/president-gotabaya-rajapaksa-resigns-letter-sent-to-speaker-of-parliament . live .
    157. Web site: Sri Lanka's deposed leader Gotabaya Rajapaksa returns from exile. France24. 3 September 2022.
    158. News: Gotabaya Rajapaksa: Sri Lanka's ousted former president returns . 20 November 2023 . BBC.
    159. News: 14 November 2023 . Sri Lanka top court rules Rajapaksa brothers guilty of economic crisis . . 14 November 2023.
    160. News: Sri Lanka: Rajapaksa brothers among 13 leaders responsible for crisis. 15 November 2023 . BBC News.
    161. News: Sooriyagoda . Lakmal . Mahinda, Gota, Basil and others responsible for economic crisis -SC . 20 November 2023 . Daily Mirror.
    162. Web site: Daily Mirror – Sri Lanka Latest Breaking News and Headlines. 2 July 2022. Dailymirror.lk. en. 2 July 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220702050923/https://www.dailymirror.lk/2007/07/19/opinion/2.asp. live.
    163. Web site: Gamini Gunaratna, Sri Lanka News Paper by LankaPage.com (LLC)- Latest Hot News from Sri Lanka . Sri Lanka : Sri Lanka President and defence secretary conferred honorary doctorates . Colombopage.com . 6 September 2009 . 6 March 2012 . 10 April 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100410144539/http://www.colombopage.com/archive_091/Sep1252248219RA.html . dead .
    164. Web site: Talk at the Cafe Spectator. 2 July 2022. Sundaytimes.lk. 2 July 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220702050850/https://www.sundaytimes.lk/091220/News/nws_07.html. live.
    165. Web site: Honorary degrees to the President and Gota . 5 September 2009 . Daily Mirror . 3 November 2009 . 21 January 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160121092523/http://www.sl-unlimited.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=10214 . dead .
    166. Web site: President honoured for eco-friendly election campaign. 17 July 2020. Daily News. en. 18 July 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200718151822/http://www.dailynews.lk/2020/07/17/local/223534/president-honoured-eco-friendly-election-campaign. live.
    167. Web site: Sri Lanka : Sri Lankan President honored for leading an eco-friendly Presidential Election campaign. 17 July 2020. colombopage.com. 17 July 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200717091826/http://www.colombopage.com/archive_20B/Jul16_1594910690CH.php. live.

    This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Gotabaya Rajapaksa".

    Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.