Amnesty: Creditors should provide debt relief to Sri Lanka

By BHARATHA MALLAWARACHI
Associated Press

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Amnesty International has appealed to international creditors to provide debt relief to Sri Lanka to alleviate suffering as its people endure hunger, worsening poverty and shortages of basic supplies. The London-based international rights group said the country’s grim situation has “stripped away people’s access to their rights.” For months, Sri Lanka has been in the grip of a dire economic crisis and the country has  defaulted on its foreign loans. The government is in talks with creditors on restructuring the country’s more than $51 billion total foreign debt. A preliminary agreement with the International Monetary Fund for a $2.9 billion relief package hinges on other creditors giving assurances on loan restructuring.