People enter president's house - 13th July 2022

Lots of people went into the Sri Lankan president's house at the weekend. Then, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa left the country. Now, he's promised to leave his job.

The people won't leave the building. They want Rajapaksa to resign first. They're angry at the president. The country has no money. They say this is because of the president.

Saku Richardson wants him out.

Saku Richardson: "That should be the happiest day of our life, because he has robbed us. I mean he has robbed this country. Can't you see how many people are walking? We haven't yet won because we can't get his money back, but we are the happiest people. I think if I, I speak for everybody in this country."

People took over the house. They sat in the comfortable furniture. They swam in the pool. They looked through the wardrobes. They want the president's resignation and a new government, says Dela Pieris.

Dela Pieris: "And the president and prime minister have agreed to step down, but they are mention certain dates but so far nothing is concluded. So the demand is very clear. The people are still asking the resignation, and full resignation in a written confirmation. So hopefully we will have this res, resignation - and from the government - including prime minister and president in the coming days."

Sri Lanka was a rich country. But it borrowed $51 billion. Now it can't pay this back.

Sri Lanka doesn't have enough medicine or food. It needs more oil too.

Last year, the president made all of Sri Lanka's farms organic. Now, there isn't enough food to sell to other countries. They need this to get money from foreign countries.

Vishaka Jayaweera: "We have won this battle. And we are very happy that he has to step down! He will and he must step down and we will be very happy."