On Monday, Rajapaksa held back-to-back political meetings amidst public protests throughout the nation, calling on the President and government to resign…reports Asian Lite News
Amid the ongoing political upheavel in Sri Lanka triggered by the massive economic crisis, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has said that he will not resign, but is ready to hand over the government to whichever party holds 113 seats in Parliament.
On Monday, Rajapaksa held back-to-back political meetings amidst public protests throughout the nation, calling on the President and government to resign, reports the Daily Mirror newspaper.
Voting will take place when Parliament convenes on Tuesday to see which party holds 113 seats or above.
The President’s Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) SLPP is now trying to hold on to its 113 seats so that it can continue in the government even with a simple majority, while Mahinda Rajapaksa remains the Prime Minister.
If the government fails to show its numbers then a proposal will be made to the Speaker to call for a debate to see who would be the new Prime Minister and as President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has decided, the government will be handed over to the new party.
Meanwhile, the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), the main coalition partner the SLPP, announced that all 14 lawmakers would leave the government and stand independent.
Gotabaya Rajapaksa, a former Defence Secretary in his brother Mahinda Rajapaksa’s government, played a crucial role to end 26-year-long war against Tamil rebel Tigers. At the 2019 Presidential election, he was elected President with a sweeping 2/3 majority with over 6.9 million votes.
Lack of dollar reserves and depreciation forced economic crisis lead to severe shortages of fuel, LP gas, electricity and essential food and people are demanding Rajapaksa to give up power immediately.
The majority opposition party UPF, led by Sajith Premada, too has refused the President’s invitation….reports SUSITHA FERNANDO
Sri Lanka President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s attempt to form an all-party cabinet with opposition in place of the one that resigned on Sunday night amidst mounting streets protests, has failed with opposition parties refusing to join.
The two main opposition parties – the United People’s Front (UPF) with 54 MPs and the Tamil National Alliance, with 14 MPs representing Northern and Eastern Tamils who have close ties with India, have turned down the President’s invitation to join the Cabinet.
TNA MP M.A. Sumanthiran said that President Rajapaksa must listen to the people and leave his post. “People are demanding him to leave not to form a cabinet with the opposition parties,” he said.
“He must listen to the people and leave,” he added.
The majority opposition party UPF, led by Sajith Premada, too has refused the President’s invitation.
“We are not prepared to accept any post in a government which includes the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna, the party lead by Gotabaya Rajapaksa.” party’s General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara said.
Facing public protests over economic crisis, the members of the cabinet resigned on Sunday night. The President’s elder brother and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, however, remained.
On Monday morning, President Rajapaksa invited all political parties including the opposition to accept ministerial posts and to help to resolve the current crisis in the country.
However, on Monday, the President named four Ministers with three reappointments and replacing former Justice Minister Ali Sabry in the post of Finance Minister vacated by his younger brother Basil Rajapaksa.
Amidst mounting public protest against the Rajapaksa family, four other prominent Rajapaksa family members who held cabinet posts have decided not to take up ministerial posts. They included President’s younger brother Basil, Elder brother Chamal and his son Shasheendra and Namal Rajapaksa, the son of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa.
Started from Thursday night when violent protesters blocked the President’s house in Colombo suburbs, people have taken to street demanding the President quit.
President Rajapaska imposed rigid emergency law and curfew and blocked all social media platforms to thwart island wide protest on Sunday organised over social media. In defiance of curfew people protested on streets chanting “Gota go home”.
From Monday morning, people have been protesting in capital Colombo and around the country and had surrounded the houses of government MPs. They demand Rajapaksas to step down and hand over the government.
More ministers will be sworn into the cabinet in the coming days if the opposition parties agree to form a united government, government officials said….reports Asian Lite News
Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Monday swore in four ministers, hours after the Cabinet resigned en masse amidst a severe economic and political crisis in the island nation.
Officials from the President’s Office said that former Justice Minister Ali Sabry was sworn in as the new Finance Minister, while G.L. Peiris was sworn in as the Foreign Minister, Dinesh Gunawardena as the Education Minister and Johnston Fernando as the Highways Minister, reports Xinhua news agency.
More ministers will be sworn into the cabinet in the coming days if the opposition parties agree to form a united government, government officials said.
Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa
Sri Lanka has for days been facing public protests calling for immediate measures to be taken by the government to solve the economic crisis, hours-long power cuts and shortages in fuel and other essential supplies.
Cabinet ministers offered to resign from their positions on Sunday night in response to calls from increasing protests amid economic instability and a severe fuel shortage in the South Asian country.
On Monday, President Rajapaksa extended an invitation to all political parties to join the government to find solutions to the ongoing crisis.
Sri Lankan Opposition leader said the cabinet resignation is being enacted to fool the people of the country, reports Asian Lite News
A 36-hour curfew which was imposed in Sri Lanka in the wake of the political unrest, was lifted on Monday, with public transportation resuming normal services.
All public transportation, including trains, Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB), and private buses, resumed their services from 6 a.m. after the islandwide curfew imposed by the government on Saturday was lifted, reports the Daily Mirror newspaper.
Accordingly, Railways Deputy General Manager Gamini Seneviratne said all office trains were back on track as usual, but long distance trains were delayed by an hour.
While the SLTB said their buses were operating as per the scheduled time tables, private bus owners said that only 15 per cent of the existing fleet have resumed services.
The development comes in the wake of a political turmoil in the island nation.
Following anti-government protests against the ongoing economic crisis, the Sri Lankan Cabinet resigned en masse on Sunday night, except Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and the Prime Minister are scheduled to meet on Monday morning and decide the future of the government.
However, the decisions on resignations of the state ministers were yet to be finalised.
Amid growing public protest a number of ruling coalition parties had insisted to dissolve the cabinet and form an interim government with the consent of all parties, including the opposition.
Dollar crunch, mainly due to foreign borrowings, led to Sri Lanka’s massive economic downfall.
The country was forced to ask for financial assistance from neighbouring countries mainly for the supply of essentials like fuel, power, LPG and food.
For months, people have been queuing for fuel and LPG, while also undergoing 13-hour power cuts.
Oppn alleges govt ploy
Claiming that the Cabinet Ministers’ resignation is a melodrama, Sri Lankan Opposition leader and Member of Parliament (MP) Sajith Premadasa said the drama is being enacted to fool the people of the country.
Speaking to ANI, the Opposition leader said, “The melodrama is being enacted to fool the people of the country. There’s no genuine effort to bring sanity to our society and relief to the people. It’s an exercise to fool the people.”
Reiterating opposition parties’ demands, Premadasa said, “We’re seeking immediate relief for the people. We want to protect the lives of the people and their rights.”
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, leading to the crash of tourism.
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.
Premadasa said that the government isn’t able to address the woes of the people.
He said that the people in the country are asking for a change in the government to bring relief from the economic crisis.
“The whole country is calling for wholesale change. What we ask for is a pathbreaking wholesale change that brings relief to the country, not relief to politicians. We don’t want a game of musical chairs where politicians exchange their positions,” he added.
Issuing a statement, President Rajapaksa invited the parties to come together to find solutions….reports Asian Lite News
Following the resignation of the Sri Lankan Cabinet amid anti-government protests, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has invited all political parties, including the opposition, to accept ministerial posts and to help to resolve the ongoing economic crisis.
Issuing a statement, President Rajapaksa invited the parties to come together to find solutions.
“The current crisis is a result of several economic factors and global developments. As one of the leading democratic countries in Asia, solutions should be found to this within a democratic framework,” the statement noted.
“Considering this a national need, the time has come to work together for the sake of all the citizens and future generations.”
As the island-wide protests defying curfew and emergency laws imposed by Rajapaksa took place on Sunday, the government decided to dissolve the cabinet with the plan to have an all-party interim government.
Grappled by a severe economic crisis, the island nation has been going through a crisis where people are suffered without fuel, LPG, electricity and food for months.
Extensive loans and unlimited money printing which exceeded 1.2 trillion LKR ($4 billion) in 2021 along has lead to the current economic crisis.
Meanwhile Governor of the Central Bank Ajith Nivard Cabraal, who was blamed by the opposition parties and activists as responsible for extensive money printing, has resigned.
Reiterating opposition parties’ demands, Premadasa said, “We’re seeking immediate relief for the people. We want to protect the lives of the people and their rights.”…reports Asian Lite News
Claiming that the Cabinet Ministers’ resignation is a melodrama, Sri Lankan Opposition leader and Member of Parliament (MP) Sajith Premadasa said the drama is being enacted to fool the people of the country.
Speaking to ANI, the Opposition leader said, “The melodrama is being enacted to fool the people of the country. There’s no genuine effort to bring sanity to our society and relief to the people. It’s an exercise to fool the people.”
Reiterating opposition parties’ demands, Premadasa said, “We’re seeking immediate relief for the people. We want to protect the lives of the people and their rights.”
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, leading to the crash of tourism.
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.
Premadasa said that the government isn’t able to address the woes of the people.
He said that the people in the country are asking for a change in the government to bring relief from the economic crisis.
“The whole country is calling for wholesale change. What we ask for is a pathbreaking wholesale change that brings relief to the country, not relief to politicians. We don’t want a game of musical chairs where politicians exchange their positions,” he added.
On Sunday, 26-member Sri Lankan Cabinet Ministers submitted resignations amid rising public anger against the government over the economic crisis.
Sri Lankan Cabinet Ministers have all signed a general letter, consenting to resign paving the way for a new Cabinet to be formed, the English language newspaper Daily Mirror reported.
Confirming this development, MP Dinesh Gunawardena said Mahinda Rajapaksa will continue to be in the office and all other members of the Cabinet have tendered their resignations to the PM, News Wire reported.
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.
Sri Lanka is witnessing protests over the government’s handling of the economic crisis.
Earlier on Saturday, India delivered 40,000 MT of diesel to Sri Lanka to help ease the power crisis in the island country. As part of the US 500 million oil line of credit (LoC) extended by India to Sri Lanka, this was the fourth consignment of fuel delivered to Colombo.
Further, India has supplied around 200,000 MT of fuel to the island nation over the last 50 days. (ANI)
Mahela Jayawardene, as well as Kumar Sangakkara, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, and Wanindu Hasaranga who are at the IPL, expressed their concern over the recent protest and the government’s attempts to suppress the people’s rights…reports Asian Lite News
As Sri Lanka undergoes one of the worst crisis since its Independence, a number of former and current cricketers including those in Maharashtra playing for the Indian Premier League (IPL), expressed their worries about the current situation in their homeland.
Former skipper and current consultant coach of the Sri Lanka men’s senior team, the men’s Under-19 and the Sri Lanka A team, Mahela Jayawardene, as well as Kumar Sangakkara, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, and Wanindu Hasaranga who are at the IPL, expressed their concern over the recent protest and the government’s attempts to suppress the people’s rights to protest by imposing emergency law and curfew.
“I’m sad to see emergency law and curfew in Sri Lanka. The government cannot ignore the needs of the people who have every right to protest. Determining people who do is not acceptable and I am very proud of the brave Sri Lankan and lawyers who rushed to their defence,” Mahela wrote in an Instagram post.
“True leaders own up to mistakes. There is massive urgency here to protect the people of our country, united in their suffering. These problems are man-made and can be fixed by the right, qualified people. Certain people controlling the economy of this country have lost the people’s confidence and must stand down. We then need a good team to give the country confidence and belief.
“There is no time to waste. It is time to be humble, not make excuse and to do the right thing,” he posted with the hash tag #WakeUpSriLanka.
Meanwhile, Sangakkara, the head coach of Rajasthan Royals, joined with protesting Sri Lankans and justified their struggle.
Writing on Instagram, Sangakara said: “Sri Lankans are going through one of the toughest times imaginable. It is heartbreaking to see the despair of people and families as they struggle to make it through the day; and each day for them gets harder. The people are raising their voices and asking for what is needed: a solution.
“While some are reacting in resentment and anger to that voice, others are trying to take undue advantage of it. The right choice is to listen to the people, put aside destructive personal and political agendas and act in the best interests of Sri Lanka. The people are not an enemy. Sri Lanka is its people. Time is fast running out, the people and their future must be protected and provided for,” he noted.
Playing for RCB in the IPL, Hasaranga wrote on #WakeUpSriLanka and alleged that party politics has ruined the country’s unity. “Oh how we have fallen from being a once great nation. Party politics has ruined our togetherness and Unity.”
“The Sri Lankan happiness and smiles are now tears and misery. We need to unite again. Forget about politics. Come together as a Nation to reunite and build what has been broken,” he added.
Explosive batter Rajapaksa, playing for Punjab Kings, also stood by his protesting countrymen.
“Now, they have found even their most fundamental rights suppressed, in an effort to quell their voices. But when 22 million voices rise as one, it cannot be ignored. The people of Sri Lanka deserve to be heard.
“The people of Sri Lanka deserve to live without the fear that they may not be able to provide for their families. The people of Sri Lanka deserve better.
“Even though I am many miles away, I can still feel the anguish of my fellow Sri Lankans, as they struggle to make it through each day. I implore all concerned to remember that the people are not the enemy. They must be protected at all costs.”
On Friday, Sanath Jayasuriya, Sri Lanka’s former skipper known as master blaster, protested against last Thursday night violent attacks by police on protesting people at President Gotobaya Rajapaksa’s residence.
“During the past month we SRI LANKANS have suffered together silently. Everything and Everyone has a breaking point. We have reached that point. Yesterday’s protests were a result of innocent people’s suffering and unfair oppression.
“Let us never be divided on race religion caste or party politics let’s unite as ONE PEOPLE and Stand up for ourselves, our Children and the future generations to come.
“It’s about us and not them. Protest peacefully, don’t damage public Property and please don’t hurt your fellow brother or sister. This is not about Rioting. It’s about taking a stand for what is right,” Jayasuriya, a former lawmaker, wrote on #WakeUpSriLanka.
On Friday, former Sri Lankan cricketer and a former ICC match referee, Rohan Mahanama joined Jayasuriya expressing similar sentiments on Sri Lanka’s current crisis.
“I am writing this post with a very heavy heart as I am hurt and sad to see the state of my country which is on the brink of an economic depression, caused by our incompetent power-hungry rulers.”
Amid growing public protest a number of ruling coalition parties had insisted to dissolve the cabinet and form an interim government with the consent of all parties, including the opposition….reports SUSITHA FERNANDO
With increasing street protests demanding Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa’s government to step down, the country’s Cabinet of Ministers except Rajapaksa have resigned.
Following a meeting with the Prime Minister, all the Cabinet ministers have submitted their letters of resignation to him on Sunday evening.
“We discussed about current issues of the country with the Prime Minister and we handed over letters of resignation,” Dinesh Gunawardena told the media after handing over his ministerial portfolio.
Gunawardena said the Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and the Prime Minister are scheduled to meet on Monday morning and decide the future of the government. However, the decisions on resignations of the state ministers were not finalised.
Amid growing public protest a number of ruling coalition parties had insisted to dissolve the cabinet and form an interim government with the consent of all parties, including the opposition.
Mahinda Rajapaksa
Earlier on Sunday Mahinda Rajapaksa’s son Namal Rajapaksa, who was the country’s Sports Minister, had tendered his resignation and had left the country with his family.
Defying the curfew Sri Lankans took to heavily guarded streets on Sunday and urged the Rajapaksa government to resign. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa tried to stop the apolitical protests organised by people representing all parties.
He imposed emergency law and curfew and in a desperate bid to prevent the protests, blocked all social media platform from Sunday early morning.
However, Namal Rajapaksa criticised his uncle Gotabaya’s decision to ban social media.
Dollar crunch mainly due to foreign borrowings for mostly white elephant projects led Sri Lanka to a major economic downfall.
The country was forced to urge for financial assistance from neighbouring countries mainly to supply essentials like fuel, power, liquified petroleum gas and food.
For months people have been queuing for fuel and liquified petroleum gas while undergoing 13-hour power cuts as there was no fuel to run the power plants.
From January, India has provided more than $2.5 billion financial facilities to buy essential items and provided four credit lines to purchase fuel so far to restore power generation.
Sources said that the name of Dinesh Gunwawardena had been proposed as the new Prime Minister but this was yet to be confirmed….reports Asian Lite News
Mahinda Rajapaksa had not resigned as the Prime Minister, the Sri Lanka Prime Minister’s Office clarified on Sunday evening, media reports said.
Sources, however, said that a new cabinet will be sworn in, with opposition members in it, the Daily Mirror reported.
This follows a proposal by several parties, that a new interim government must be appointed to ensure political stability.
Earlier, reports said Prime Minister Rajapaksa is likely to step down from his position in the coming hours after both he and President Gotabaya Rajapaksa have agreed to form an all party interim government, the Daily Mirror reported.
Following a meeting with the 11 party alliance members, a proposal had been submitted by the members that an all party interim government should be formed immediately with a new Prime Minister to ensure political stability in the country.
Both the Rajapaksas had given a favourable response with sources stating that Mahinda Rajapaksa had agreed to step down for a new SLPP MP to be appointed to the Premiership to ensure immediate political stability.
Sources said that the name of Dinesh Gunwawardena had been proposed as the new Prime Minister but this was yet to be confirmed.
From the main opposition SJB’s side, the name of Harsha De Silva has been proposed as the new Finance Minister to replace Basil Rajapaksa.
Sri Lanka’s Energy Minister Gamini Lokuge, who visited the harbour to welcome the shipment, thanked India for helping at a critical moment…reports Asian Lite News
Reliving thousands of those waiting in queues at fuel stations around the country and those hit by 13-hour-long power cuts, 40,000 MT of diesel under the Indian Line of Credit of $500 million arrived at the Colombo harbour on Saturday.
As the shipment arrived, the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) announced that 13-hour power cuts would now be reduced to nearly 2 hours from Sunday.
Sri Lanka’s power generation mainly depends on fuel and all except two plants have been shut down due to lack of diesel. For days, the country’s economy has been suffering due to lack of transportation of goods, while mechanised farming and fishing have come to a standstill with no diesel in the fuel stations.
The fourth consignment under the fuel Line of Credit from India followed three previous deliveries on March 16, 20 and 23. Over the last 50 days, India has supplied Sri Lanka nearly 200,000 MT including a consignment of 40,000 MT by Indian Oil Corporation outside the line of credit facility in February 2022.
“In view of the urgent nature of Sri Lanka’s requirement, India worked overtime to expeditiously finalise and implement both the lines of credit within weeks,” the Indian High Commission said.
Indian High Commissioner Gopal Baglay, who visited the Colombo harbour, observed that the fuel deliveries is a concrete manifestation of India’s commitment to the people of Sri Lanka in the current circumstances in line with its ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy.
Sri Lanka’s Energy Minister Gamini Lokuge, who visited the harbour to welcome the shipment, thanked India for helping at a critical moment.
Earlier, the Export Import Bank of India and the Government of Sri Lanka had signed a $500 million Line of Credit Agreement for the purchase of petroleum products on February 2.
The agreement was signed by Treasury Secretary S.R. Attygalle from the Sri Lankan side and Chief General Manager of EXIM Bank, Gaurav Bhandari, from the Indian side.
“In response to a separate and urgent request from the Government of Sri Lanka, extension of a credit facility of $1 billion for supply of essential items, including food and medicines, has been finalised and the first shipments of rice under this facility is expected to reach Sri Lanka soon,” the Indian High Commission in Colombo stated.
Earlier in January this year, India had provided financial assistance to Sri Lanka that included a credit swap of $400 million and deferment of an Asian Clearing Union payment of over $515 million. In cumulative terms, Indian support to the people of Sri Lanka in the first quarter of 2022 is in excess of $2.5 billion, the High Commission added.
The High Commission also noted that the Government of India continues to encourage the efforts towards medium to long-term capacity creation through enhanced Indian investment in Sri Lanka in key sectors that include ports, renewable energy, manufacturing etc.
