Sri Lanka political crisis: Parliament convened next week

Sri Lankan parliamentarians are due to meet next week to get out of the political crisis that is shaking the country since the surprise dismissal a week ago of the head of government Ranil Wickremesingh.

The Speaker of the Sri Lankan Parliament on Friday ordered a parliamentary session next week in an attempt to break out of the top-of-state power struggle over which backstage bargaining is raging.

Since the surprise dismissal a week ago by the head of state Maithripala Sirisena of the head of government Ranil Wickremesinghe , and his replacement by the former strongman of the island (2005-2015) Mahinda Rajapakse, Sri Lanka finds itself indeed with two rival prime ministers. Mr. Wickremesinghe denounces this dismissal as unconstitutional and clings to power.

“The Speaker of Parliament met a majority of MPs at a committee meeting and promised that he would open Parliament on November 7,” spokesperson for Karu Jayasuriya, the third state figure in the press, told AFP. protocol order.

Ranil Wickremesinghe is calling for a session of Parliament to prove that he still holds the majority there, despite the suspension of the assembly by President Sirisena until November 16.

“I saw your request to override the president’s actions. I have received many calls from diplomats and civil society groups to intervene and put an end to this crisis, ” Karu Jayasuriya told the 118 parliamentarians he met.

Call for a vote of confidence

Since the start of the crisis, the international community has called on President Sirisena to convene Parliament so that a vote of confidence can separate the two parties. Thursday evening, after a day of confusion leaving to wait for a meeting of Parliament on Monday, the president’s party had finally announced a continued suspension of the assembly.

The administration of Mahinda Rajapakse, former president of this nation of 21 million people and bête noire of human rights defenders, has already ordered the reduction of the price of essential foodstuffs and the reduction of taxes. . These measures are seen as designed to curry favor with public opinion.

The United National Party (UNP), a formation of Mr. Wickremesinghe, accuses the opposite camp of wanting to keep Parliament closed as long as possible to have time to organize defections from the ranks of opposing deputies. “It is clear that Rajapakse does not have the figures in Parliament to justify his appointment as Prime Minister,” denounced Harsha de Silva, spokesperson for the UNP. “They are trying to extricate themselves from this crisis. “

Suspicion of corruption

A cacique and parliamentarian of the UNP said he had been offered $ 2.8 million and the Ministry of Justice to go over to MM. Rajapakse and Sirisena. “I have a telephone recording of a former minister of the Rajapakse camp trying to approach me,” Range Bandara told reporters, announcing his intention to seize the anti-corruption commission.

Earlier in the week, a relative of Mr. Wickremesinghe accused China of financing the Rajapakse camp – pro-Beijing during its time in power – to buy defections of elected officials. Comments qualified as “unfounded and irresponsible” by the Chinese Embassy in Colombo.

The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), which holds seven out of 225 seats in parliament and could be among the kingmakers if a confidence vote is taken, also said its MPs had rejected offers to join Rajapakse.

“There are middlemen and negotiators who try to buy parliamentarians both wholesale and retail,” said Rauff Hakeem, an SLMC official. “It is a shame, an attack on the dignity of honorable Members of Parliament. “

In elections in 2015, an alliance of Mr. Wickremesinghe’s party and a faction led by Mr. Sirisena ousted Mahinda Rajapakse from power, but once in charge, relations between the two partners turned sour. due in particular to divergences on economic policy.

Aishwarya Yogeshwar

Aishwarya Yogeshwar is the visionary founder of CGI Jaffna, a pioneering organization dedicated to fostering innovation and community growth in the Jaffna region. With a deep passion for news publishing, Aishwarya combines her entrepreneurial spirit with a keen interest in delivering impactful and engaging stories. Her commitment to creating a platform for reliable news and meaningful discourse reflects her dedication to empowering communities through knowledge and information. Aishwarya’s leadership and innovative approach make her a driving force in the world of media and communication.

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