Tag: Lanka

Rajapaska imposed island wide curfew to block Sunday’s protests around the country but people got on to the street defying curfew which was in operation…writes Susitha Fernando

With a majority support in doubt in Parliament, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Tuesday late night revoked the state of Emergency which he had imposed amid violent street protests demanding him to quit.

Rajapaksa had issued an Extraordinary gazette proclamation imposing Emergency Law on April 1 following strong public agitation blocking the way to his house in Colombo suburbs. To continue the Emergency Law, which provides sweeping powers to the military, it requires majority parliamentary approval after 14 days. With the major coalition parties comprising 41 MPs of Rajapaksa’s Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) announced to remain independent on Tuesday, there is a possibility of the tough law getting defeated in Parliament.

Soon after the government lost the majority power on Tuesday, Tamil National Alliance (TNA), the main Tamil party representing Tamils from the North and East of the island nation, questioned continuity of Emergency regulation.

Thursday’s protest near the President’s residence amid a major economic crisis with months long queues for fuel, LP gas and 13 hour power cuts and shortage of food and medicine, turned violent with police beating up people and a bus and several other vehicles belonging to the police being torched.

Rajapaska imposed island wide curfew to block Sunday’s protests around the country but people got on to the street defying curfew which was in operation.

With continuing protests against his government, President Rajapaksa got his 26-member cabinet to resign and invited the opposition to join hands to form a government which all the opposition parties have declined.

ALSO READ: Lanka forms advisory group to tackle debt

In violent agitations, people attacked the residence of President Rajapaksa on Thursday night and on Monday evening, they attacked the residence of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa as well, a report by Rahul Kumar

With unending public protests against the government targeting Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, and with the opposition in no mood to support the government, the crisis in the island nation has only aggravated.

Leader of the Opposition, Sajith Premadasa has given a clarion call to do away with the Presidential system. On Tuesday, Premadasa announced in the parliament that it is time to introduce a new electoral system in the country. Speaking in the parliament, he said: “For nearly 20 years every leader promised to abolish the Executive Presidency but only strengthened it… but this time it’s different, it seems the people of Sri Lanka will make sure that it gets done”.

It is President Gotabaya Rajapaksa who has become the face of the Sri Lankan financial and social crisis. On the streets he is the target of the people while in the parliament, the opposition attacks his position, thereby, the presidential system.

Gulbin Sultana, Sri Lanka expert at the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (MP-IDSA), told India Narrative that it is difficult to say how will the political crisis pan out. “As of now, it seems President Rajapaksa will not step down. But his party has lost two-thirds majority in the parliament with allies not supporting it. He has said he will not step down but he would hand over the government anyone who can prove simple majority”.

It is not just the support of allies and party politicians that Rajapaksa and his brother Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa have lost. What they have also lost is the support of the public. In the last few days — since the financial waters reached the neck, people have clearly vented their ire at the Rajapaksa family through personal attacks and slogans — “Gota go back”, “Rajapaksas resign”, “Gota, time to quit” and “Save my Sri Lanka”.

In violent agitations, people attacked the residence of President Rajapaksa on Thursday night and on Monday evening, they attacked the residence of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa as well. After having braved austerity since last year, the masses have finally shown their prowess to the powers that be in the island nation.

The nationwide state of emergency and the curfew have not deterred the harassed people or the students. Riot police with tear gas and water cannons too have not been able to curb the masses from holding agitations at several different places simultaneously.

The spontaneous protests that broke out in foreign countries against the food and fuel crisis in Sri Lanka have also targeted the Rajapaksas.

How does the country get out of the financial crisis that it has walked into over the past few years. Sultana says that though Sri Lanka has been able to take many loans, it will have to repay all of these to the IMF, China as well as other loans. “Only if the financial assistance comes in the form of grants will it help the country, or if the lenders support by restructuring debt”.

(The content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com)

ALSO READ: Lanka forms advisory group to tackle debt

The division, on Wednesday night, said that the members of the advisory group have already held discussion with the president on maintaining regular communication with the IMF….reports Asian Lite News

 Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has appointed an advisory group on debt sustainability composed of economic and financial experts, the president’s media division has said.

The members of the advisory group include Indrajit Coomaraswamy, former Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, Shanta Devarajan, former Chief Economist with the World Bank, and Sharmini Coorey, former Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Institute for Capacity Development, Xinhua news agency reported.

The division, on Wednesday night, said that the members of the advisory group have already held discussion with the president on maintaining regular communication with the IMF.

The advisory group is entrusted with holding discussions with Sri Lankan officials involved in negotiations with the IMF, and providing guidance on overcoming the current debt crisis, officials said.

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The Sri Lankan government statement emphasized that the closure of the missions would not affect the bilateral relations of Sri Lanka with the countries….reports Asian Lite News

Amid the ongoing economic crisis in the country, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka on Tuesday has decided to close its embassies in Norway and Iraq along with the Consulate General in Sydney, Australia with effect from April 30.

“Following a recent decision by the Cabinet of Ministers, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has initiated action to temporarily close down the Sri Lanka Embassy in Oslo, the Kingdom of Norway; the Sri Lanka Embassy in Baghdad, the Republic of Iraq; and the Sri Lanka Consulate General in Sydney, the Commonwealth of Australia; with effect from 30 April 2022,” a Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement said.

“The decision with regard to the temporary closure of the two Missions and Post was taken by the Government of Sri Lanka following careful deliberation. It is part of a general restructuring of Sri Lanka’s diplomatic representation overseas, undertaken by the Foreign Ministry in the context of the current economic situation and foreign currency constraints faced by the country,” the statement further said.

The move comes as the country deals with the worst economic crisis since its independence in 1948 with prices of essential commodities like fruits and vegetables skyrocketing.

The Sri Lankan government statement emphasized that the closure of the missions would not affect the bilateral relations of Sri Lanka with the countries.

“The decision to close the resident Missions in Norway and Iraq, undertaken as a temporary measure in the current context, would not in any way impinge upon Sri Lanka’s bilateral relations with the two countries which are maintained at an optimum level of friendship and cordiality,” the statement said.

Following the closure of the two resident Missions, the Ambassador of Sri Lanka in Stockholm, Sweden will be concurrently accredited to Norway, and the Ambassador of Sri Lanka in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates will be concurrently accredited to Iraq. The consular jurisdiction of the Consulate General in Sydney will revert to the High Commission of Sri Lanka in Canberra, Australia in order to continue carrying out the routine work of the diplomatic missions.

Amid the unprecedented economic crisis in Sri Lanka, the leader of the Opposition, Sajith Premadasa has called for abolishing the Executive Presidential system.

Sri Lanka is battling a severe economic crisis with food and fuel scarcity affecting a large number of the people in the island nation. The economy has been in a free-fall since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sri Lanka is also facing a foreign exchange shortage, which has, incidentally, affected its capacity to import food and fuel, leading to the power cuts in the country. The shortage of essential goods forced Sri Lanka to seek assistance from friendly countries.

On Sunday, 26-member Sri Lankan Cabinet Ministers submitted resignations amid rising public anger against the government over the economic crisis.

Meanwhile, the 36-hour long curfew that was imposed on Sri Lanka on Saturday evening at 6 pm was lifted on Monday morning at 6 am but the country is still under a state of emergency. (ANI)

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