Maldives pro-India leader Mohamed Nasheed negotiated Sri Lanka president's escape: sources

EMBATTLED Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa's escape from the country to the Maldives was negotiated by the latter's former president and the current speaker of its parliament, Mohamed Nasheed, sources told the Press Trust of India on Wednesday (13).

Nasheed is considered a pro-Indian leader.

The 73-year-old Rajapaksa fled to the archipelago along with his wife, two security officials and others on a military jet early on Wednesday while public revolt in a crisis-ravaged Sri Lanka peaked. The Rajapaksa administration has been accused of manhandling the island-nation's economy, which has caused severe hardship to its people.

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In a brief statement, the Sri Lankan Air Force said that under the country's constitution granted to an executive president, Rajapaksa was flown to the Maldives onboard an Air Force plane early Wednesday morning.

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President Rajapaksa's escape from Colombo was negotiated by Majlis (Maldivian parliament) speaker Nasheed, sources in the Maldives capital Male said.

The Maldivian government argued that Rajapaksa is still the president of Sri Lanka and he hasn't resigned or handed over his powers to a successor. Therefore, if he wanted to travel to the Maldives, it could not have been denied, the sources added.

In all, 13 people accompanied Rajapaksa to the Maldives. They arrived in an AN32 aircraft, according to TV news channels.

Reports also said that initial requests to land a military aircraft in the Maldives were refused by the Civil Aviation Authority in Maldives, but later the landing was authorised on the request of Nasheed.

On Saturday (9), Rajapaksa announced that he would step down on Wednesday after thousands of protesters stormed his official residence, blaming him for the unprecedented economic crisis.

Rajapaksa, who enjoys immunity from prosecution as a president, fled the country before resigning to avoid the possibility of arrest by the new government.

He is expected to be in the Maldives on transit before flying to another destination which is yet to be known. Rajapaksa is likely to send his resignation letter only after reaching his final destination on Wednesday evening, Sri Lanka's The Morning news portal reported, citing highly placed government sources.

It is learnt that the Rajapaksa's resignation letter would be sent to Sri Lankan parliamentary speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena at around 8 pm Sri Lanka time.

Sri Lanka, a country of 22 million people, is under the grip of an unprecedented economic turmoil, the worst in seven decades, leaving millions struggling to buy food, medicine, fuel and other essentials.

India denies facilitating Gotabaya's exit

India on Wednesday categorically denied "baseless and speculative" media reports that it facilitated Rajapaksa's exit to the

"The High Commission categorically denies baseless and speculative media reports that India facilitated the recent reported travel of @gotabayar @Realbrajapaksa out of Sri Lanka," the High Commission of India in Sri Lanka tweeted.

"It is reiterated that India will continue to support the people of Sri Lanka as they seek to realize their aspirations for prosperity and progress through democratic means and values, established democratic institutions and constitutional framework,” it added.