Here are the latest updates on the ongoing political and economic crisis in Sri Lanka
Here are the latest updates on the ongoing political and economic crisis in Sri Lanka
Senior politician and staunch Rajapaksa loyalist Dinesh Gunawardena on Friday became the third Prime Minister to lead Sri Lanka in the last three months, amid political turbulence sparked by a worsening economic crisis.
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Mr. Gunawardena and an 18-member “continuity Cabinet” was sworn in on Friday morning, in the presence of President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who was elected to the country’s top office through a parliamentary vote earlier this week. While most Ministers were part of the last Cabinet under President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Mr. Wickremesinghe will hold the Defence and Finance portfolios. Ali Sabry, who was earlier Justice and Finance Minister, will now head the Foreign Affairs Ministry.
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The Prime Minister and the all-male Cabinet were sworn in hours after a pre-dawn military raid at Colombo’s main anti-government agitation site, in which at least nine persons, including activists, journalists and lawyers, were brutally assaulted by soldiers, despite protesters promising to vacate the area by Friday 2 p.m.
Latest updates:
12.26 p.m.
Sri Lanka Cabinet discusses ways to normalise situation within one week
Sri Lanka’s Cabinet has met for the first time under newly-elected President Ranil Wickremesinghe and discussed ways to normalise the situation in the economic-crisis hit country within a week by regularising functions of the government institutions such as the Prime Minister’s Office and the Presidential Secretariat, according to a media report on Saturday.
After the appointment of the new Cabinet on Friday, the President called for the meeting, the Daily Mirror newspaper reported.
They discussed that the country should be normalised within one week by regularising functions of the government institutions such as the Prime Minister’s Office, the Presidential Secretariat, and schools, the newspaper said quoting sources.
The Cabinet was informed that fuel sufficient for one month had been secured and therefore distribution under a quota system should be expedited.
The President said that he empowered the security forces to uphold the Constitution and to create an environment for people to live without fear.
The Cabinet also discussed the negotiations with the International Monetary Fund ( IMF) which are underway to secure financial assistance. – PTI
11.34 a.m.
Sri Lankan president urged not to use force on protesters
An international human rights group is urging Sri Lanka’s new president to immediately order security forces to cease all unlawful use of force against protesters who have been demonstrating against the government — for months — over the country’s economic meltdown.
A day after President Ranil Wickremesinghe was sworn in Thursday, hundreds of armed troops raided a protest camp outside the president’s office in the early hours of Friday, attacking demonstrators with batons in a move that Human Rights Watch said “sends a dangerous message to the Sri Lankan people that the new government intends to act through brute force rather than the rule of law.”
Two journalists and two lawyers were also attacked by soldiers in the crackdown. Security forces arrested 11 people, including protesters and lawyers.
“Urgently needed measures to address the economic needs of Sri Lankans demand a government that respects fundamental rights,” said Meenakshi Ganguly, South Asia director at Human Rights Watch, in a statement released early Saturday.
“Sri Lanka’s international partners should send the message loud and clear that they can’t support an administration that tramples on the rights of its people,” she added.
July 22
Xi Jinping greets new Sri Lankan President Wickremesinghe, says will provide support “as his capacity allows”
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday congratulated Ranil Wickremesinghe on his election as Sri Lankan President and offered to provide support as “his capacity allows” to Colombo, amid Beijing’s concerns over billions of dollars of Chinese investments and defaulted loans in the economically bankrupt island nation.
In his message to Mr. Wickremesinghe, President Xi said “he attaches great importance to the development of China-Sri Lanka relations and would like to provide support and assistance as his capacity allows to Mr. Wickremesinghe and the Sri Lankan people,” state-run Xinhua news agency quoted him as saying.
Terming the two countries as “each other’s traditional friendly neighbours” since the establishment of diplomatic ties 65 years ago, he said both countries had set an example of friendly interactions and mutually beneficial cooperation between large and small countries.
Ever since Sri Lanka’s economic crisis erupted with the country running out of its foreign exchange reserves causing a huge fuel and food crisis, China’s assistance to the country was in focus considering it is the biggest investor with over $10 billion investments in the island nation. – PTI
July 22
Sri Lanka’s Election Commission appoints Wajira Abeywardena to MP seat vacated by Ranil
Sri Lanka’s Election Commission on Friday appointed Wajira Abeywardena as a member of Parliament to fill the seat left vacant after Ranil Wickremesinghe was elected president.
July 22
Sri Lanka military assaults protesters, journalists in raid
A large military contingent, along with police, raided Galle Face in Colombo early on Friday, where protesters have peacefully agitated for over three months, resisting the ruling establishment in the wake of a crushing economic crisis. Nine persons, including protesters, journalists and lawyers, were brutally assaulted by soldiers.
Read : ‘Occupy Galle Face’: A tent city of resistance beside Colombo’s seat of power
The military attack on the main agitation site comes less than 24 hours after Ranil Wickremesinghe was sworn in as President, amid political tumult following former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s recent ousting by dramatic mass protests. As Acting President Mr. Wickremesinghe declared an Emergency on Monday, two days ahead of a crucial parliament vote in which he was elected President. – Meera Srinivasan