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The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC), International Chamber of Commerce Sri Lanka (ICCSL), Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF) and The Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry (WCCI) have called for urgent measures to resolve the constitutional crisis that have destabilized the economy. 

The full statement is as follows;

"We are deeply concerned about the current political situation in the country. It is our view that the executive and the elected representatives have a duty to ensure that decisions are taken with regard for due process and the Rule of Law. The events of the last few weeks have resulted in absolute instability which is a situation that Sri Lanka simply cannot afford. This will no doubt hinder development and have a significantly adverse impact on the social and economic trajectory of our country. It is observed that the entire administration of this country has come to a standstill and the public officers are paralyzed being unable to discharge their functions. The ultimate victims are the people of our country. We recently witnessed the most unacceptable and abusive behavior displayed in the Chamber of the Sri Lanka Parliament. The conduct of some of the elected representatives was both shameful and an embarrassment to our country. We call upon all those responsible to accord the highest priority to national interest and refrain from pursuing any path that will result in an economic downfall which will have an adverse impact on the country and the people. We call for urgent and sensible action."

After three weeks of political turmoil, Sri Lanka’s controversially dismissed Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe, appears to have gained the upper hand. A majority of lawmakers backed a no-confidence motion in Parliament against Mahinda Rajapaksa, a former President who was sworn in Prime Minister on October 26. 

The Speaker declared the motion to have been passed by voice vote, as Mr. Rajapaksa’s loyalists sought to block the motion being taken up. Mr. Rajapaksa himself walked out of the parliamentary chamber before the vote was taken, with his supporters questioning the no-trust motion being taken up with such urgency. This contention could pale before the fact that as many as 122 MPs, in a House of 225, signed a memorandum expressing lack of confidence in his government to the Speaker. The noisy scenes and attempts to disrupt the vote reflected the deep divisions between the country’s main national parties. 

Mr. Sirisena’s decisions in the last three weeks have been against the letter and spirit of the Constitution, especially the reforms enacted in 2015 to curb the vast powers that come with his office. He removed the Prime Minister despite constitutional restrictions on doing so and had another sworn in. He prorogued Parliament to delay the demonstration of a parliamentary majority by Mr. Rajapaksa. On being confronted with the reality that the numbers were stacked against Mr. Rajapaksa, the President dissolved the legislature itself. The House was revived by an interim order from the Supreme Court. 

It is now clearer than ever that Mr. Sirisena had needlessly plunged the country into a deep crisis by replacing the Prime Minister without ascertaining the numbers in the House. It is quite surprising that Mr. Rajapaksa, whose political instincts ought to have made him decide otherwise, agreed to be sworn in solely on the premise that he could induce crossovers. 

With these two leaders smarting under the setback in Parliament, it is difficult to consider the latest development as the end of political uncertainty. Mr. Sirisena needs to appoint a new Prime Minister immediately, but is averse to Mr. Wickremesinghe returning to that office. He had earlier indicated that he offered the post to two other members of Mr. Wickremesinghe’s United National Party, but had to appoint Mr. Rajapaksa as they had turned down the offer. It would be untenable if he lets Mr. Rajapaksa continue as a lame duck Prime Minister by again invoking his powers to prorogue the House. 

It is time that Mr. Sirisena, who was elected on a promise of political and institutional reform, showed some statesmanship and found a way to work with Mr. Wickremesinghe again. It would be unwise for him to further exacerbate the crisis. He would do better to turn the page and focus on problems such as Sri Lanka’s bleak economic situation and unresolved minority concerns. 

Note: Editorial today (15) by "The Hindu".

The Sri Lankan rupee barrelled down again on Thursday, hitting a new record-low as a political crisis deepened after President Maithripala Sirisena said he will not accept a no confidence vote against recently appointed Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The no-confidence motion against Rajapaksa and his government was passed in parliament on Wednesday, with the backing of 122 lawmakers from the 225-member legislature. However, Sirisena said he could not accept the vote as it appeared to have ignored the constitution.

Parliamentarian Dilum Amunugama was injured today in Parliament when he was trying to break a wire connected to the Speaker's microphone.

He has been admitted to the Medical Unit of the Parliament and is being treated.

This was an attempt by Amunugma to sabotage today's proceedings in Parliament and not due to a clash between MPs, reporters in Parliament said.

The continued reference to Mahinda Rajapaksa as the prime minister by mainstream media is blatant violation of the constitution as well as unethical, parliamentarian Mangala Samaraweera said today.

Mahinda Rajapaksa lost the no confidence motion in parliament yesterday and the speaker had conveyed this motion to the president.

According to the speaker, there is no cabinet or a prime minister. Therefore, referring to anyone in the former cabinet as ministers or prime minister would be a violation of the constitution, Samaraweera said.

He further said that they will resort to legal action if the mainstream media fails to recognise the changes adopted and passed by the majority of legislators in parliament.

The attention of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) has been drawn to recent grievances received from the general public regarding financial scams spreading through phishing emails/ social media messages.  

CBSL has noticed that the image of the Head Office building, the Logo of CBSL, names of senior officials of CBSL, are being used by scammers and fraudsters to solicit money from the public by disguising such scams as being sent from a trustworthy entity. 

Fake email addresses such as This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. etc. are used to send these emails. Recipients of these emails are informed of having won a large cash prize in foreign currency through a mobile number draw or through a certain well-known international brand promotional campaign and are persuaded to deposit certain amount of funds to claim the prize. Further these emails deceive the email recipients, by attempting to obtain personal information including passport/ national identity card numbers, bank account details etc. for authentication purposes, to send cash prizes. 

In this regard, the Central Bank wishes to inform the general public that the CBSL has no involvement with such reward schemes. CBSL has already reported this matter to relevant Law enforcement authorities for necessary action. Hence, the general public is requested not to be victims of such financial scams and to respond to such promises of monetary giveaways by first contacting respective institution/ company that the suspicious email claims to be from to confirm the authenticity of such emails and if found to be a scam, to inform the nearest Police Station for investigations immediately.

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya in a statement today responded to the allegations made by president Maithripala Sirisena with regard to the no confidence motion that was passed by a majority of members yesterday in parliament. 

"I wish to thank you for reminding me the responsibility of acting independently as the Speaker. It is the stand of the democratic, civilised society that standing up for the 122 Members of Parliament is heeding  the voice of the majority which should not be construed as being biased", Jayasuriya said.

The Speaker also pointed out that the purported ministers of the new government, having realised they do not have majority, resorted to denigrate democratic and parliamentary traditions.

"The Ministers of the new government, having realised they do not have the capability of demonstrating the majority of Parliament, gathered at the well of the House denigrating democratic and parliamentary traditions with absolute disregard for the standing orders, hurling most vituperative and abusive words while trying to grab the mace."

The speaker also reminded the president that it was his decision to appoint Mahinda Rajapaksa as the prime minister which plunged the country into a "serious disorder".

"An unnecessary conflict between the executive and the legislature has been created as a result," he added.

The Speaker urged the president, on behalf of all citizens of the country and the future generations to come, to take expeditious measures to save the nation from this catastrophe.

Full Text of Speaker's statement to the President is as follows;

Dayasiri Jayasekara admitted that the Maithri-Mahinda faction lacked a majority in parliament today.

He made this observation at the cabinet press briefing that was held at the Department of Government Information. He also stated that Ranil Wickrmesinghe too does not have the numbers to prove a majority.

However, the parliament passed a No-Confidence Motion (NCM) against the country’s purported prime minister, Mahinda Rajapaksa, removing him and his cabinet from their posts. The Speaker in a release said that 122 MPs have voted in favour of the NCM.

Reading about throwing objects at the speaker and preventing votes is unbecoming of a democracy that has long and proud democratic traditions, the German Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Joern Rohde tweeted today.

Meanwhile, Norwegian Ambassador T. Gaustadsaether emphasized the need to respect democratic institutions and condemned the assault on the Speaker.

"Democracy means respect for institutions. Assaulting the speaker is not according to the principles of Democracy. Political developments in Sri Lanka are causing great concern," the Ambassador tweeted. 

The Speaker was attacked by Rajapaksa loyalist MP Indika Anuruddha, parliament sources said. Jayasuriya soon left the parliament chamber after things were thrown at him. Several media reports said that the Speaker left after a wastepaper basket and some documents were thrown at him.

The US Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Alaina B. Teplitz, tweeted that she was honoured to see democracy in action after her visit to parliament today. Teplitz said that she was glad to see the parliament fulfilling the constitutional role once again.


Meanwhile, the German Ambassador to Sri Lanka,  Joern Rohde, in a tweet yesterday, hailed the Supreme Court for the interim order as it allowed the parliament to exercise its constitutional role.

The Speaker of Sri Lanka's parliament, Karu Jayasuriya, on Thursday said that in his view the country did not have a prime minister or cabinet after Wednesday's no-confidence vote.

The parliament passed the no-confidence motion against recently appointed prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and his government, with the backing of 122 lawmakers from the 225-member legislature.

However, President Maithripala Sirisena in a letter to the speaker said he cannot accept the no-confidence vote as the speaker appeared to have ignored the constitution, parliamentary procedure and traditions.

President Sirisena, who triggered the crisis by firing Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and naming Rajapaksa to the job late last month, dissolved parliament last week and ordered elections as a way to break the deadlock.

But the Supreme Court ordered a suspension of that decree on Tuesday until it had heard petitions challenging the move as unconstitutional.

(Reuters)

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya has issued a statement confirming the no-confidence motion (NCM) adopted against 'purported' prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and his government was passed by a majority with 122 MPs signing in favour of motion.The Speaker will inform president Sirisena on the decision taken by the parliament today, the Speaker's Media Office said. Copies of the motion as well as the list containing signatures will be sent to president Maithripala Sirisena for necessary action.

List containing the signatures of 122 MPs that supported the NCM against Mahinda Rajapaksa: