Sri Lanka is facing its worst economic crisis since independence with food and fuel shortages, soaring prices, and power cuts affecting a large number of the citizens…reports Asian Lite News
Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to India Milinda Moragoda on Thursday met National Security Advisor Ajit Doval to discuss the present crisis in the island country and requested India’s assistance in garnering international support for the economic recovery in Sri Lanka.
“The discussion particularly focused on the present economic crisis in Sri Lanka, and the High Commissioner thanked the National Security Advisor for the support that is extended by the Government of India to Sri Lanka to manage the situation,” the Sri Lankan High Commission’s statement said.
The statement further said, “In this context, High Commissioner Moragoda requested India’s assistance in garnering international support for the economic recovery in Sri Lanka, to which the National Security Advisor responded positively.”
During their discussion, a comprehensive review of the status of the bilateral relationship was carried out and priority areas for future cooperation were deliberated upon.
The meeting was also attended by Deputy National Security Advisor Vikram Misri and the Deputy High Commissioner of Sri Lanka in New Delhi Niluka Kadurugamuwa.
Sri Lanka is facing its worst economic crisis since independence with food and fuel shortages, soaring prices, and power cuts affecting a large number of the citizens, resulting in massive protests which culminated in the resignation of former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa last week.
Indians in SL urged to register
India on Thursday asked all its citizens living in crisis-hit Sri Lanka to register themselves at the High Commission.
“Registration of Indians in Sri Lanka: All Indian nationals who are staying in Sri Lanka are requested to register themselves at the High Commission of India, Colombo website www.hcicolombo.gov.in,” the advisory said.
Both Non-resident Indians (NRI) and students have asked to register themselves separately.
“Links for registration are as follows: a) NRIs (other than students)- https:/ /hcicolombo.gov.in /national registration nris b) Students-https: / /hcicolombo.gov.in /national registration students 2. Please write to cons2.colomboamea.gov.in or call +94-11- 2422860 / 2327243 in case of any clarifications,” the High Commission said.
The high commission said they are trying to keep the database updated by informing Indian nationals in Sri Lanka.
“Please note that this is not a new link. We try to keep the database updated by informing Indian nationals in Sri Lanka of the link periodically,” it said. (ANI)
Referring to the enforcement of the law over the attack on the peaceful protest site of ‘Gota Go Gama, Wickremesinghe said that he had made a clear statement in parliament today….reports Asian Lite News
Sri Lanka newly appointed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on Wednesday in a letter to the opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) parliamentarians Manusha Nanayakkara and Harin Fernando sought their support in the formation of non-partisan government.
Wickremesinghe sent this letter in response to the two MPs’ letter where they said that would make a decision on supporting a future government according to the action taken on eight demands, including the action to be taken inside and outside Parliament, to make Gota Go Gama demand of all the people a reality, Colombo Page reported.
Responding to each demand, the Prime Minister said that regarding the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, further action should be taken in consultation with the party leaders in this regard and he also agrees with the decision of the majority.
The PM said he expects to create an executive that will limit the powers of the executive presidency and will also make them accountable to parliament through the speedy adoption of the 21st Amendment to the Constitution, reported Colombo Page.
Referring to the enforcement of the law over the attack on the peaceful protest site of ‘Gota Go Gama, Wickremesinghe said that he had made a clear statement in parliament today.
“As I have stated, I strongly condemn this incident and fully support the police in enforcing the law as instructed by the Attorney General. Further, I requested the Inspector General of Police to inform the Hon. Speaker every two weeks regarding the progress of the investigations being carried out. Accordingly, the progress of the investigations can be reviewed in parliament.”
Sri Lanka’s Premier said that a special committee headed by Member of Parliament Wijayadasa Rajapaksha was appointed regarding the 21st Amendment to the Constitution and said he will take action to get that amendment passed as soon as possible.
Bringing those responsible for the Easter attack to justice, Wickremesinghe said an independent police investigation is underway into the allegations and if foreign expert assistance is required, steps will be taken to obtain that assistance as well.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe in the Parliament on Wednesday said that the island country has received USD 160 million from the World Bank.
However, the money would not be used for fuel purchases, said Wickremesinghe, reported Colombo Page.
According to the Sri Lankan PM, the government has been engaging in discussions regarding the matter with the officials of the World Bank. The Sri Lankan government has even requested the World Bank to allow funds to be used for urgent fuel purchases. PM Wickremesinghe also explained that owing to bad weather conditions in Sri Lanka, the gas shipments need to be unloaded via lorries which will be responsible for the delay.
Sri Lanka is facing its worst economic crisis since independence with food and fuel shortages, soaring prices, and power cuts affecting a large number of the citizens, resulting in massive protests resulting in the resignation of former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. (ANI)
The investigation team recorded the statements of the four MPs following a notice issued by the court…reports Asian Lite News
Sri Lanka’s team of Criminal Investigations Department (CID) officers on Wednesday questioned four MPs, including former Ministers Rohitha Abeygunawardena and CB Ratnayake, over the violence near Temple Trees and Galle Face Green in Colombo, a local media reported.
The inquiry team arrived at the Parliament complex on Wednesday’s morning with the permission of the Speaker to record the statements of ministers. Earlier, they have recorded the statements of Sahan Pradeep and Sanjeewa Edirimanne.
The investigation team recorded the statements of the four MPs following a notice issued by the court, Colombo Page reported.
A team of officers from the CID also visited the Parliament on Tuesday and took statements from several Members of Parliament.
Meanwhile, the Attorney General on Monday instructed the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) in charge of the CID to immediately arrest and produce in court 22 persons, including former minister Johnston Fernando and DIG Deshabandu Tennakoon, in connection with the attack on the peaceful protesters at Maina Go Gama in front of the Temple Trees and Gota Go Gama in Galle Face green in Colombo on the 9th of May, reported Colombo Page.
More than 100 protestors were injured at the Galle Face protest site during violent clashes resulting in a nationwide curfew with the country’s tri forces ordered to shoot at sight all those who plunder public property or cause personal harm on May 12.
Sri Lanka is facing its worst economic crisis since independence with food and fuel shortages, soaring prices and power cuts affecting a large number of the citizens, resulting in massive protests over the government’s handling of the situation.
The recession is attributed to foreign exchange shortages caused by a fall in tourism during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as reckless economic policies, like the government’s move last year to ban chemical fertilizers in a bid to make Sri Lanka’s agriculture “100 per cent organic”.
Amid the political and economic crisis, the leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa who had earlier demanded the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa before assuming Prime Ministership, has written an open letter to the President that he is ready to assume the office of Prime Minister of Sri Lanka if Gotabaya Rajapaksa resigns within a stipulated time after Premadasa assuming office. (ANI)
Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP Harsha de Silva said that among the other MPs, the newly elected Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe also voted against the motion….reports Asian Lite News
A no-confidence motion against Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa was defeated in the parliament on Tuesday after 119 MPs voted against it.
The motion to suspend the Parliament’s standing orders to debate the Motion of Displeasure against the President was moved by the opposition party, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP MA Sumanthiran. Out of the total MPs, only 68 MPs voted in favour of the motion. Thus, it was not taken up for the debate in the parliament.
Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP Harsha de Silva said that among the other MPs, the newly elected Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe also voted against the motion.
“To debate the censure motion against President Gotabaya Rajapaksa by suspending standing orders, Parliament vote was taken. It was defeated from 119 to 68. It is obvious that the #GoHomeGota2022 cry across Sri Lanka is rejected by Podujana Party allies including the new PM. Farce!” he tweeted.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister said that he had informed the opposition MPs that Motion of Displeasure was already on the order books and it would be taken up afterwards. He explained to MP M.A. Sumanthiran that the MPs would defeat a vote to suspend standing Orders as the most pressing issue for them was their house being attacked, an official statement said.
PM said, “The Opposition chose the wrong strategy and proceeded to move a vote to suspend standing orders.”
Following the vote, PM explained to several Opposition MPs that the Government MPs would now use the defeat of the vote to suspend Standing Orders as an opportunity to prevent the Motion of Displeasure against the President from being debated.
He also said that this was a poor Parliamentary strategy and had he been in Opposition, he would still have voted against suspending Standing Orders.
This comes amid the rising demands for the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa soon after former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa filed his resignation.
As the country is facing its worst economic crisis since independence with food and fuel shortages, soaring prices, and power cuts affecting a large number of the citizens, resulting in massive protests over the government’s handling of the situation.
Due to an acute shortage of foreign exchange, Sri Lanka recently defaulted on the entirety of its foreign debt amounting to about USD 51 billion. (ANI)
As the country is also facing a severe fuel shortage, Wickremesinghe, who assumed office on May 12, said that at the moment, “we only have petrol stocks for a single day”….reports Asian Lite News
Sri Lanka’s new Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has proposed selling off the state-owned SriLankan Airlines as part of efforts to stabilise the island nation’s finances amid the ongoing economic crisis.
In a televised address to the nation on Monday night, Wickremesinghe said: “I propose to privatise Sri Lankan Airlines which is incurring extensive losses. The loss for the year 2020-2021 alone amounts to 45 billion LKR ($129.5 million). By March 31, 2021, the total loss was at 372 billion LKR.
“Even if we privatise Sri Lankan Airlines, this is a loss that we must bear. You must be aware that this is a loss that must be borne even by the poor people of this country who have never stepped on an airplane.”
As the country is facing the worst economic crisis since gaining independence in 1948, the Prime Minister said that the “next couple of months will be the most difficult ones in the lives of all citizens and the country must prepare to make some sacrifices and face the challenges of this period”, reports Daily Mirror.
He said the country, which also witnessed bouts of massive violence last week which led to the killing of nine people and the resignation of former Prime Mahinda Rajapaksa, urgently needs $75 million of foreign currency in the next few days to pay for essential imports.
As the country is also facing a severe fuel shortage, Wickremesinghe, who assumed office on May 12, said that at the moment, “we only have petrol stocks for a single day”.
“Due to the diesel shipment that arrived yesterday (Sunday), the lack of diesel will be resolved to some extent. Under the Indian credit line, two more diesel shipments are due to arrive on May 18 and June 1. In addition, two petrol shipments are expected on May 18 and 28.”
Wickremesinghe said the country’s central bank would have to print money to help meet the government’s wage bill and other commitments.
“Against my own wishes, I am compelled to permit printing money in order to pay state-sector employees and to pay for essential goods and services. However, we must remember that printing money leads to the depreciation of the rupee,” he said.
The island nation’s economy has been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic, rising energy prices, and populist tax cuts. A chronic shortage of foreign currency and soaring inflation had led to a severe shortage of medicines, fuel and other essentials.
In recent weeks, there have been large, violent, protests against President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his family.
The Sri Lankan PM gave a detailed account of the grave economic situation the country finds itself in, saying that the “Sri Lankan economy is extremely precarious.”…reports Asian Lite News
Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe in an address to the nation on Monday gave an account of the grave economic situation facing the island nation and said that the people need to be prepared to make sacrifices.
The Sri Lankan PM’s address came a day after his talks with the representatives of the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), where he discussed the possible course of action to address the economic crisis in the country.
“The next couple of months will be the most difficult ones of our lives. We must prepare ourselves to make some sacrifices and face the challenges of this period,” Wickremesinghe said.
The Sri Lankan PM also said that he did not request to take up the position of the Prime Minister last week, but took over on the invite of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in face of the challenging situation facing the country.
“Last Thursday, I accepted office as the Prime Minister. I did not request this position. In face of the challenging situation facing the country, the President invited me to take up this position. I assumed this duty not only as a political leader, but also as national leader who has benefited from free education at the Faculty of Law of the University of Colombo,” PM Wickremesinghe said.
The Sri Lankan PM gave a detailed account of the grave economic situation the country finds itself in, saying that the “Sri Lankan economy is extremely precarious.”
“In November 2019, our foreign exchange reserves were at USD 7.5 billion. However, today, it is a challenge for the treasury to find USD 1 million. The Ministry of finance is finding it difficult to raise USD 5 million required to import gas,” the Sri Lankan PM said.
Saying that he had no desire to hide the truth from the public, Wickremesinghe prepared the nation for a number of drastic economic steps that his government might take in the coming days to address the economic crisis.
“I have no desire to hide the truth and to lie to the public. Although these facts are unpleasant and terrifying, this is the true situation. For a short period, our future will be even more difficult than the tough times that we have passed. We will face considerable challenges and adversity. However, this period will not be long,” Wickremesinghe said.
“In the coming months, our foreign allies will assist us. They have already pledged their support. Therefore, we will have to patiently bear the next couple of months. However, we can overcome this situation. Doing so will require taking a new path,” he added.
“Against my own wishes, I am compelled to permit printing money in order to pay state-sector employees and to pay for essential goods and services. However, we must remember that printing money leads to the depreciation of the rupee,” Wickremesinghe said.
The Sri Lankan PM also announced that the government plans “to present a new alternative budget to the development budget proposed for 2022,” adding that the intention is “to present it as a concessionary budget.”
“I am undertaking a dangerous challenge. In the Caucasian Chalk Circle, Grusha crossed the broken rope bridge carrying a child that was not her own. This is an even more difficult undertaking. The precipice is deep and its bottom cannot be seen. The bridge is made of thin glass and there is no handrail. I am wearing shoes with sharp nails that cannot be removed. My task is to safely take the child to the other side. I am accepting this challenge for our nation,” the Sri Lankan PM said in an emotional appeal to the nation.
He said that his government will “build a nation without queues for kerosene, gas, and fuel; a nation free of power outages, a nation with plentiful resources where agriculture can freely flourish; a nation where the future of the youth is secure; a nation where people’s labour need not be wasted in queues and in struggles; a nation where everyone can lead their lives freely with three square meals a day.”
PM Wickremesinghe also emphasized that a national government needs to be established soon in Sri Lanka to address the ongoing crisis.
“This will enable us to discuss with all parties and to arrive at decisions for short-, medium-, and long-term action plans that will enable us to rebuild our nation within a specified time frame,” he said.
Earlier today, the Sri Lankan government announced the imposition of a fresh curfew from 8 pm on Monday till 5 am Tuesday in light of raging violence across the country.
Sri Lanka is facing its worst economic crisis since independence with food and fuel shortages, soaring prices and power cuts affecting a large number of the citizens, resulting in massive protests over the government’s handling of the situation.
The recession is attributed to foreign exchange shortages caused by a fall in tourism during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as reckless economic policies including the government’s last year’s move to ban chemical fertilizers in a bid to make Sri Lanka’s agriculture “100 per cent organic”.
Due to an acute shortage of foreign exchange, Sri Lanka recently defaulted on the entirety of its foreign debt amounting to about USD 51 billion.
The economic situation led to huge protests with demands for the resignation of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, with the former finally succumbing to public pressure and resigning on Monday, soon after the protests outside the Prime Minister’s residence turned violent. (ANI)
The Sri Lankan PM also said that he did not request to take up the position of the Prime Minister last week, but took over on the invite of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in face of the challenging situation facing the country….reports Asian Lite News
Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe in an address to the nation on Monday gave an account of the grave economic situation facing the island nation and said that the people need to be prepared to make sacrifices.
The Sri Lankan PM’s address came a day after his talks with the representatives of the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), where he discussed the possible course of action to address the economic crisis in the country.
“The next couple of months will be the most difficult ones of our lives. We must prepare ourselves to make some sacrifices and face the challenges of this period,” Wickremesinghe said.
The Sri Lankan PM also said that he did not request to take up the position of the Prime Minister last week, but took over on the invite of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in face of the challenging situation facing the country.
“Last Thursday, I accepted office as the Prime Minister. I did not request this position. In face of the challenging situation facing the country, the President invited me to take up this position. I assumed this duty not only as a political leader, but also as national leader who has benefited from free education at the Faculty of Law of the University of Colombo,” PM Wickremesinghe said.
The Sri Lankan PM gave a detailed account of the grave economic situation the country finds itself in, saying that the “Sri Lankan economy is extremely precarious.”
“In November 2019, our foreign exchange reserves were at USD 7.5 billion. However, today, it is a challenge for the treasury to find USD 1 million. The Ministry of finance is finding it difficult to raise USD 5 million required to import gas,” the Sri Lankan PM said.
Saying that he had no desire to hide the truth from the public, Wickremesinghe prepared the nation for a number of drastic economic steps that his government might take in the coming days to address the economic crisis.
“I have no desire to hide the truth and to lie to the public. Although these facts are unpleasant and terrifying, this is the true situation. For a short period, our future will be even more difficult than the tough times that we have passed. We will face considerable challenges and adversity. However, this period will not be long,” Wickremesinghe said.
“In the coming months, our foreign allies will assist us. They have already pledged their support. Therefore, we will have to patiently bear the next couple of months. However, we can overcome this situation. Doing so will require taking a new path,” he added.
“Against my own wishes, I am compelled to permit printing money in order to pay state-sector employees and to pay for essential goods and services. However, we must remember that printing money leads to the depreciation of the rupee,” Wickremesinghe said.
The Sri Lankan PM also announced that the government plans “to present a new alternative budget to the development budget proposed for 2022,” adding that the intention is “to present it as a concessionary budget.”
“I am undertaking a dangerous challenge. In the Caucasian Chalk Circle, Grusha crossed the broken rope bridge carrying a child that was not her own. This is an even more difficult undertaking. The precipice is deep and its bottom cannot be seen. The bridge is made of thin glass and there is no handrail. I am wearing shoes with sharp nails that cannot be removed. My task is to safely take the child to the other side. I am accepting this challenge for our nation,” the Sri Lankan PM said in an emotional appeal to the nation.
He said that his government will “build a nation without queues for kerosene, gas, and fuel; a nation free of power outages, a nation with plentiful resources where agriculture can freely flourish; a nation where the future of the youth is secure; a nation where people’s labour need not be wasted in queues and in struggles; a nation where everyone can lead their lives freely with three square meals a day.”
PM Wickremesinghe also emphasized that a national government needs to be established soon in Sri Lanka to address the ongoing crisis.
“This will enable us to discuss with all parties and to arrive at decisions for short-, medium-, and long-term action plans that will enable us to rebuild our nation within a specified time frame,” he said.
Earlier today, the Sri Lankan government announced the imposition of a fresh curfew from 8 pm on Monday till 5 am Tuesday in light of raging violence across the country.
Sri Lanka is facing its worst economic crisis since independence with food and fuel shortages, soaring prices and power cuts affecting a large number of the citizens, resulting in massive protests over the government’s handling of the situation.
The recession is attributed to foreign exchange shortages caused by a fall in tourism during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as reckless economic policies including the government’s last year’s move to ban chemical fertilizers in a bid to make Sri Lanka’s agriculture “100 per cent organic”.
Due to an acute shortage of foreign exchange, Sri Lanka recently defaulted on the entirety of its foreign debt amounting to about USD 51 billion.
The economic situation led to huge protests with demands for the resignation of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, with the former finally succumbing to public pressure and resigning on Monday, soon after the protests outside the Prime Minister’s residence turned violent. (ANI)
The overconfidence within the higher echelons of NATO in the destruction of Russian capabilities may get tested for accuracy in a relatively short time, writes Prof. Madhav Nalapat
Every event has a trigger. In Sri Lanka, apart from the fall in revenue from tourism because of the Covid-19 pandemic, President Gotabaya’s abrupt decision to ban chemical fertilisers affected crop yields, most significantly in Sri Lanka’s other large source of foreign exchange, tea. While not the only cause, the effects of the fertiliser ban dented the popularity of the Rajapaksas among the Sinhala farming community, till then a reliable base of support. Had the Rajapaksas entrusted either the Prime Ministership to a loyalist outside the family, such as G.L. Pieris, he would have served both as a lightning rod as well as a scapegoat for the policy errors made that caused the present unrest.
The 2019 takeover once again by the Rajapaksa clan of the Sri Lankan government made them the sole owners of the present crisis, and the mood of the protestors is such that even after Mahinda Rajapaksa quit as Prime Minister, chants of “Go Gota” against his younger brother have not reduced in frequency. What practical good that would do is unclear, as the crisis facing Sri Lankans will not be mitigated in the slightest by the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Indeed, such a resignation could put at considerable physical risk the entire family, unless they all leave the country, thereby forfeiting any future comeback, which must be among the reasons why such a move by the Sri Lankan President is off the table.
As for outside actors being involved, that is unlikely to be China, for there are several in the Rajapaksa clan who are exceptionally close to Beijing, which has cultivated sections of the Colombo elite from the 1960s onwards. And although Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa is no friend of India, he cannot compete in the “Close to China” sweepstakes with Basil Rajapaksa, whose linkages with the PRC have long been on display. Alternatively, had there been a US hand in the protests that have turned so deadly for the elected government, there would have been a hero and a villain in the narrative. In common with Bollywood movies, US-inspired efforts at regime change usually involve a “good guy versus bad guy” contest. In the current test of guns and blood playing out in Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy is clearly the hero where the White House is concerned, and Vladimir Putin is in the familiar role of villain.
Earlier, in Venezuela, the role of the idealistic hero was played by Juan Guaido, who (the narrative went) was battling to protect human rights and liberty that were under attack by President Nicolas Maduro. The Venezuelan leader was hardly the only target of US-led efforts at regime change within oil producers, a list that include Iran, Iraq, Libya, Venezuela and now Russia. The list of oil and gas producers affected by geopolitical tensions caused by US efforts at regime change is growing. The consequence of each such spat is a rise in oil prices and a fall in supply. Good news for countries that are surplus in oil and gas, but bad for everyone else.
After the Covid-19 shock has come the Ukraine conflict, and this may cause a severe recession in several economies. This could be the case for many countries in Europe, especially Germany. Chancellor Scholz, who is from the SPD, seems intent on slowing down the German economy through his efforts at delinking supply of gas and oil into Germany from Russia. In the US, while a few sectors such as armaments and petroproducts may gain from the way the Ukraine war is being handled by NATO, the overall economy could as a consequence of the dislocations slip into recession and worse. President Biden seems as oblivious to the economic consequences of his strategy towards Russia as Chancellor Scholz. Doing away with the supply of resources from Russia will hobble Europe economically to a degree that would reduce its geopolitical footprint even more than what has already taken place owing to the rise of parts of Asia.
The leaders of NATO are already being blamed by their public for the steep rise in energy prices and fall in economic growth. This is despite the incessant messaging of imminent success for NATO and its Ukrainian partner. Every day the message is the same: that Putin is about to breathe his last, that Russia is beaten, and that Ukraine will win back all the territory it has lost. The Victory Day parade in Moscow was derided for its perceived downscaling. Retired and serving military officers in NATO have been unanimous since the first days of the war that the Russian army has exhausted its capabilities. That Russian Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu may be saving up more advanced weaponry and stocks for what both he as well as President Putin believe will be an inevitable showdown with NATO seems not to have entered such western prophets of imminent Russian doom. They are reminiscent of the Minister of Information in Saddam Hussein’s government. Al Sahhaf, who during the 2003 war spoke every day about the coming defeat of US forces until he was captured by the “defeated” enemy.
President Putin may not wish to reveal in the Victory Day parade some of the more advanced systems that he intends to use not against Ukraine but against NATO. Overconfidence led to disaster in situations in the past where European countries were concerned, and the visible overconfidence within the higher echelons of NATO in the destruction of Russian capabilities may get tested for accuracy in a relatively short time. The cliff edge of direct war between NATO and Russia looks to be close at hand, and the momentum towards it that has been set by the tactics of the Biden-Johnson duo seems unstoppable. Should such a catastrophe occur, several countries in Europe may go the way now being traversed by Sri Lanka. They would not be the only ones. There will be other countries in Asia and Africa that would be collateral damage in this rush in Europe towards disaster.
Premadasa said that among the various demands, people in the crisis definitely wanted a regime without the Rajapaksas…reports Asian Lite News
Sri Lanka’s leader of Opposition Sajith Premadasa in a letter to newly appointed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said that solutions to the economic and political crisis must be found in accordance with the wishes of people.
“The Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) and Samagi Jana Bala Sandanaya (SJBS) are of the opinion that in finding a solution to the most serious economic and political crisis facing our motherland in history, solutions must be found according to the views and wishes of the people on the earth,” the letter reads.
Premadasa said that among the various demands, people in the crisis definitely wanted a regime without the Rajapaksas.
The leader of the Opposition also recalled the meeting that took place with the Samagi Jana Balawegaya and said that they had discussions with all the political parties in the past few weeks to formulate an “all-party program” to overcome the serious challenges facing the country. He also said that he kept the President informed about the same.
Earlier, on Thursday, United National Party (UNP) leader Ranil Wickremesinghe was sworn in as the new Prime Minister of Sri Lanka amid the worst economic crisis faced by the country that has seen violent anti-government protests.
Meanwhile, the anti-government protestors in Sri Lanka established a new protest site at the temple trees near the residence of the Prime Minister of the country to rally against the alleged political deal made between President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and newly appointed premier Ranil Wickremesinghe.
Protests in Sri Lanka have continued virtually unabated even as Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned on Monday, followed by the appointment of Ranil Wickremesinghe as the new Prime Minister of the economically devastated island nation on Thursday.
Sri Lanka is facing its worst economic crisis since independence with food and fuel shortages, soaring prices and power cuts affecting a large number of the citizens, resulting in massive protests over the government’s handling of the situation.
The recession is attributed to foreign exchange shortages caused by a fall in tourism during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as reckless economic policies including the government’s last year’s move to ban chemical fertilizers in a bid to make Sri Lanka’s agriculture “100 per cent organic”.
Due to an acute shortage of foreign exchange, Sri Lanka recently defaulted on the entirety of its foreign debt amounting to about USD 51 billion.
The economic situation led to huge protests with demands for the resignation of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, with the former finally succumbing to public pressure and resigning on Monday, soon after the protests outside the Prime Minister’s residence turned violent. (ANI)
The President’s elder brother and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa controversially resigned on Monday after violence erupted across the country…writes SUSITHA FERNANDO
Setting several world records, Sri Lanka’s veteran politician Ranil Wickremesinghe was sworn in as the 26th Prime Minister of Indian Ocean island nation, which has been crippled with its worst-ever economic crisis.
Holding the office for a record-breaking 6th occasion, Wickremesinghe was sworn in as PM by his rival party leader and President Gotabaya Rajapaska. He also becomes the world’s first premier to run a government with just one seat in the Parliament.
Amidst the ongoing crisis, President Rajapaksa invited the opposition parties to join to form an all-party government.
The main opposition United People’s Power, led by Sajith Premadasa and the Marxist party, National People’s Power, led by Anura Kumara Disannayake, refused to form a government until President Rajapaksa resigned.
The President’s elder brother and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa controversially resigned on Monday after violence erupted across the country when a group of his supporters carried out violent attacks on peaceful protesters demanding the government step down amidst the severe financial crisis.
“(British PM Winston) Churchill had only four members backing him in 1939. How he became the Prime Minister because of the crisis, I have done the same,” the newly-appointed PM Wickremesinghe reporters who questioned his moral right to become the PM without a majority in the parliament.
“I will make a government with the participation of all the parties,” Wickremesinghe assured as as he was leaving a Buddhist temple in Colombo after participating at religious ceremonies.
“Do you want to suffer without fuel and gas while engaging in petty politics or find solutions to the current crisis?” he questioned the journalist and said that he would work to overcome the current crisis.
Ex-PM Mahinda Rajapaksa was one of the firsts to wish Wickremesighe.
In a Twitter message, Rajapaksa said: “Congratulations to the newly appointed Prime Minister. I wish you all the best as you navigate these troubled times”.
Wishing the newly-appointed PM, the Indian High Commission in Colombo stated that it “hopes for political stability and looks forward to working with the Government of Sri Lanka formed in accordance with democratic processes pursuant to the swearing in of Hon’ble @RW_UNP as the Prime Minister of #SriLanka. India’s commitment to the people of #SriLanka will continue.”
US Ambassador Julie Chung, in a tweet, said: “Look forward to working w/ @RW_UNP.
His appointment as PM, and the quick formation of an inclusive government, are first steps to addressing the crisis & promoting stability. We encourage meaningful progress at the IMF & long-term solutions that meet the needs of all Sri Lankans”.
Entering politics in 1970 and becoming the then youngest member of the Parliament in 1977, Wickremesinghe became the PM for the first time in 1993 under the then President D.B. Wijetunga, then he was elected the PM in 2001 under Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunge.
Again in 2015 when Maithripala Sirisena formed a 100-day government, Wickremesinghe was appointed the PM. At the subsequent 2015 general election, his party won the election and he was elected the PM. But his alliance with President Sirisena came to an end when Sirisena replaced him with Mahinda Rajapaska for 52 days. But Wickremsinghe sworn in as the PM again after the Supreme Court removed Rajapaksa.
However, Wickremesinghe had not ruled for a complete five year term in any of his previous tenures as PM.
In the 2020 general election, his party divided over leadership dispute and deputy leader Premadasa broke away with a majority of the MPs. Wickermesinghe could not win a single seat at the election but he entered the parliament using the national list seat received based on the total votes his party scored.
