Sri Lanka's Army Chief requests citizens to support armed forces to maintain law and order

Amid ongoing protests, Sri Lanka's Chief of Defence Staff General Shavendra Silva requested all citizens to give their support to the armed forces to maintain law and order in the crisis-ridden country.

"Chief of Defence Staff General Shavendra Silva requests all citizens to give their support to armed forces & police to maintain the law & order in the country," tweeted Daily Mirror.

Meanwhile, Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka has appealed to security forces not to implement unconstitutional and unlawful orders given by the acting President Ranil Wickremesinghe.

He said in a statement that there was rumour that shooting orders have been issued to security forces and that there was a serious danger of creating a clash between the civilians and the security forces, reported Daily Mirror.

He urged the armed forces, as a lawful and disciplined army, not to open fire at unarmed civilians and that their weapons should be directed against corrupt politicians.

He said he was in the struggle and was committed to achieving the victory of the people's struggle.

Further, party leaders decided to request Wickremesinghe to resign forthwith and allow the Speaker to take charge of the country, PTA Leader Mano Ganesan said.

At the party leaders' meeting held a short while ago, security forces discussed if force should be used to protect the Parliament, however, this request was turned down by the leaders present.

Commanders of the three armed forces, joint staff and IGP had also participated in the meeting.

Opposition leaders refused to approve the use of live ammunition against the protesters. Instead as a political solution, the opposition party leaders decided to request Wickremesinghe to resign forthwith and the Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena to take charge of the country until July 20 on the day where the voting for a new president takes place in parliament, reported Daily Mirror.

Almost all party leaders of the Opposition participated while only the Law and Order Minister Tiran Alles from the government side participated, Mano Ganesan said.

Hundreds of protesters have broken the first line of barricades set up outside the Parliament while forces are firing tear gas to disperse the crowds, reported Daily Mirror.

Meanwhile, a 26-year-old protester who was hospitalised after being teargassed outside the Prime Minister's Office in Flower Road today has died after developing breathing difficulties.

The protester was receiving treatment in a private hospital in Colombo.

Crippled by a shortage of foreign exchange, the island nation of 22 million people has defaulted on all of its foreign debt and is in a deep economic crisis, resulting in public outrage.

( With inputs from ANI )