Special report: Sri Lanka's Rajapaksa family on the run, the family rule ends

Colombo: Sri Lanka's Rajapaksa family has no choice but the face music, it seems.

As it turns out, Sri Lankans no longer want them around in power, and they could be attacked if seen out on the street.

Only days before thousands of angry protesters stormed the President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's residence.

Hours before the crowds entered the palatial residence, Rajapaksas escaped—and there has been no news of their whereabouts since.

Sri Lanka's immigration officials on Tuesday stalled operations as the former minister and Gotabaya Rajapaksa's brother Basil Rajapaksa attempted to leave the country.

Sri Lankan newspaper Daily Mirror reported that officials withdrew from operation in the Silk Route lounge.

The former miniter was reportedly trying to flee to Washington via Dubai, the report says.

Earlier, the news agency AFP reported that President Rajapaksa was taken to an airbase near the main international airport.

Specualtions were around that he might flee the nation fearing attacks from public.

In their efforts to placate the angry mobs, Rajapaksa and the newly sworn in Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe offered to resign, which would not stop the crowds from attacking their residences.

Sri Lankan parliament speaker sought Rajapaksa's resignation and it is learnt that an interim government will take over the power shortly.

Obviously, Sri Lanka's most powerful Rajapaksa family is now a spent force, marking the end to its dynastic rule.

They presided over the fall of the island nation, leaving country to beg for basic needs including food and fuel.

Unconfirmed reports say Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the last of the family's ruling elite, is holed up at a military camp. Some say he has most probably left the country by a naval ship or aircraft.

Staying back in the country means they will have to face angry crowds and possible legal action against them by the upcoming government.

Gotabaya's brother Mahinda Rajapaksa is not in the picture anymore. During the first upheaval of protests on May 9, the former prime minister escaped. Nobody knows where he is.

His brother and president Gotabaya however continued to hold on, sharing power with the Opposition by roping in Ranil Wickremesinghe to the chair of the prime minister.

Days after taking over the position, Wickremesinghe, who is the leader of United National Party, said the nation is in deeper crisis than was previously thought.

The arrangement misfired, leaving Wickremesinghe to the jaws of the public anger.

Rajapaksa family failed to read the writing on the wall, as signs of the public anger in the first phase was enough for them to learn the lessons and step down.

Leaving entire power in the hands of one man, the Rajapaksa family pulled strings from behind.

People were sensible enough to know the tricks of Rajapaksas, they surged to the streets in their thousands.

Before the explosion of protests, calls were getting louder for his resignation which he chose to neglect, believing that he could somehow continue with Wickremesinghe as a façade.

Gotabaya had all his siblings including Mahinda, Basil and Chamal resigned, in order to create the feeling that he could pilot the nation out of the mess.

It was then fuel reserves the nation nearly ran dry, food shortages peaked and schools had to be shuttered. People were at the receiving end of the suffering that made the unruly.

Rajapaksa family enveloped Sri Lanka's social life for the past two decades, despite suffering a humiliating defeat in 2015—they returned to power in 2018-19. That was a momentous return, indeed.

This time their control over the nation was complete inducting into slots of power nearly all family members.

Rajapaksas were everywhere and there was no deterring force to make them accountable, which made the nation suffer in the end.

As many as 40 Rajapaksas held one or other office controlling most of the government's finances.

Mahinda Rajapaksa was the first of the family to come in power in 2004 when he became prime minister under the presidency of Chandrika Kumaratunga Bandaranaike.

Later she reportedly rued the day she made that decision, because Rajapaksa was unstoppable, winning 2005 presidential election.

Subsequently, he led the bloodiest war the nation ever fought against militant group LTTE, wiping out their headquarters based in northeastern Sri Lanka.

His brother Gotabaya, who had earlier served in the Sri Lankan Army, played the key role of Defence Secretary, planning a fool-proof attack on the LTTE.

Wiping out LTTE meant a lot for the ordinary Sri Lankans and Rajapaksa family's importance also grew.

In the Sinhalese south, Mahinda and Gotabaya became god-like figures in the eyes of the majority Sinhala-Buddhist community, according to Indian Express.

After winning the second terms for President he had the constitution amended to remove the two-term condition for the president.

Perhaps he was under the illusion of being the president for life.

Gotabaya was also rising in importance, becoming another power centre, reportedly spreading fear.

The youngest brother of Rajapaksas , Basil became the minister in charge of economic development and the eldest Chamal became the Speaker.

Under their misrule the nation was suffering; the Rajapaksa family introduced and oversaw projects that eventually ran into loss, making the nation an economic backwater.

Eventually the people emerged in protest which is perhaps the most notable thing to happen to a modern democratic nation.