Sri Lanka crisis: Sri Lanka lifts up 36-hour curfew, but state of emergency still continues

The 36-hour curfew, in Sri Lanka amid anti-government protests across the country has been lifted up on Monday. However, the country is still under the effect of a state of emergency.

Sri Lanka on Sunday also restored social media platforms such as WhatsApp, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram after declaring a nationwide public emergency and after a 36-hour curfew amid the country crises. 

Earlier, amid the crisis in country the Sri Lanka government has blocked access to social media platforms on Sunday after authorities imposed a weekend nationwide curfew to contain protests. Reacting on the same Namal Rajapaksa, Sri Lanka’s Minister of Youth and Sports on his Twitter wrote "I will never condone the blocking of social media. The availability of VPN, just like I’m using now, makes such bans completely useless. I urge the authorities to think more progressively and reconsider this decision."

For unreserved Sri Lanka is presently facing a foreign exchange shortage which has led to a fuel, power, and gas shortage, and has sought the assistance of friendly countries for economic assistance. Sri Lanka is witnessing at least 10-hour daily power cuts. Sri Lanka's currency has been also devalued by almost SLR 90 against the US dollar since March 8. Sri Lanka's economy has been in a free fall since the COVID-19 pandemic due to the crash of the tourism sector.