Gotabaya Rajapaksa Resigns From Sri Lankan President, Letter Sent From His Escape In Singapore

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's photo via @GotabayaR

JAKARTA - Gotabaya Rajapaksa has officially submitted his resignation from the President of Sri Lanka. The resignation letter was issued by Gotabaya Rajapaksa from Singapore.

Gotabaya Rajapaksa indeed fled his country which was hit by violent riots due to massive demonstrations. Sri Lankans asked him to step down due to the economic downturn.

At first Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled to the Maldives. His next destination is Singapore and he arrived on Thursday 14 July yesterday.

Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that Rajapaksa had entered Singapore on a 'private visit'.

"He did not ask for asylum and neither was he granted asylum. Singapore generally does not grant asylum requests," a foreign ministry spokesman said.

And now from Singapore too, Rajapaksa submitted his resignation. Quoted from Channel News Asia, Gotabaya Rajapaksa's resignation letter will be examined before it is officially announced.

"The authenticity and legality of the email must be checked" before it is officially accepted, said speaker Indunil Yapa's spokesman.

Rajapaksa will be the first president to step down since Sri Lanka adopted a presidential system of government in 1978.

In Sri Lanka, the people are welcoming. They waved the national flag, danced and sang in celebration outside the presidential secretariat when news of his resignation spread.

"This is a monumental victory," said protester Harinda Fonseka.

"But that's only the first step".

Under Sri Lanka's constitution, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe - who is also being asked to step down - will automatically become acting president until parliament can appoint a successor.

Rajapaksa, his wife Ioma and their two bodyguards arrived in Singapore from Male on a Saudia flight.

As president, Rajapaksa enjoys immunity from arrest, and he is known to have wanted to go abroad before resigning to avoid possible detention.