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he International Democrat Union (IDU) in a statement today (30) stated that the removal of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe is clearly 'baseless and illegal' and that is is widely denounced as unconstitutional.

"The International Democrat Union is following the latest developments in Sri Lanka with grave concern. On Friday, October 26, 2018, Sri Lankan President Sirisena removed Prime Minister Wickremesinghe from his position. This move has been widely denounced as unconstitutional. The IDU stands with its member, the United National Party of Sri Lanka, and the country’s rightful Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe. The measures taken by President Sirisena are clearly baseless and illegal."

IDU Chairman Stephen Harper stated: “We are witnessing the breakdown of democracy in Sri Lanka. This is disgraceful in that the government of Prime Minister Wickremesinghe has fought to preserve one of Asia’s oldest democratic systems, to uphold the rule of law, and to fight against corruption. The lawful government of Prime Minister Wickremesinghe must be restored without further delay. The IDU also demands that the Parliament of Sri Lanka be reconvened to allow the democratically elected representatives of the Sri Lankan people to perform their duties.

Only through the constitutional, parliamentary system of Sri Lanka can the country be saved from this perilous situation.”

The European Union called for the immediate reconvening of the Parliament so that elected representatives of the Sri Lankan people can fulfil their duties.

The sudden deterioration of the situation in Sri Lanka over the weekend puts the country at risk of instability and unrest, the European Union said in a special statement.

"Along with other key international partners of Sri Lanka, the Ambassador of the European Union met today with the President of Sri Lanka, Maithripala Sirisena, to express our expectation that a solution respectful of the country's constitution would be found quickly. To this end, it is important that the President allows the immediate reconvening of the Parliament so that the elected representatives of the Sri Lankan people can fulfil their duties," the EU said.

In the backdrop of Rajapaksa loyalists forcibly taking over State media institutions and the government ministries, the European Union urged all parties concerned to avoid violence and provocation.

"In the current context of tensions and uncertainties, it is of utmost importance that violence and provocation are avoided and that law enforcement agencies act with restraint."

British MPs have urged the UK foreign secretary, Jeremy Hunt to push for a "robust international response" in response to the political crisis in Sri Lanka following the unconstitutional removal of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

"The UK has been at the forefront of efforts to promote justice and accountability at the UN Human Rights Council. The governments of Gordon Brown and David Cameron kept human rights in Sri Lanka high on the agenda of the international community, but we are increasingly concerned that this focus has waned under Theresa May's ministry," Labour Party MPs, Wes Streeting, Mike Gapes, Siobhain McDonagh and Joan Ryan wrote.

"We urge you to use your good offices to ensure a robust international response to developing events in Sri Lanka and to ensure that human rights in Sri Lanka at the top of the agenda at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva," British MPs said.

The MPs further state that the appointment of Mahinda Rajapaksa as Prime Minister would threaten to set back the progress Sri Lanka has made since his ouster at the last presidential elections.

"This is a man whose ten-year rule of Sri Lanka is associated with authoritarianism, forced disappearances and widespread human rights abuses. We beleive his place is in the dock, answering allegations of war crimes at the Hague, rather than back enjoying the trappings of power in Colombo."

A proposal to form a probationary government, based on fulfiling the promises made to the public to abolish the Rajapaksa regime in 2015 along with certain other conditions, has been put forward by several civil society organisations, a senior member of the United National Party said today.

The civil societies have proposed that this probationary government be confined to a specific period, with a view to achieving a specific political goal of fulfiling the aspirations of the masses who voted on January 08, 2015.

The UNP spokesman further stated that he intends to discuss the proposal with the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) within the next few days.

However, the JVP has already emphasized that the party will not support neither a Maithri-Mahinda caretaker government nor be a coalition partner of a UNP government.

The TNA says that the party is yet to decide on its political stance during this constitutional crisis.

Police officers have surrounded the Ministry of Finance a short while ago, sources within the Ministry said. Officers have also taken over files and computers under their custody.

It is reported that the Transitional Justice and Reconciliation Communications Unit (TJRCU) headed by Senior Advisor to the Ministry, Mano Tittawella has also been sealed by officers from the Terrorist Investigation Division (TID).

The top UN official in Sri Lanka met Parliament Speaker Karu Jayasuriya and conveyed Secretary-General Antonio Guterres's concern over the ongoing political crisis that has gripped the island nation.

Hanaa Singer, the UN Resident Coordinator in Sri Lanka "met the Speaker of Parliament, stressing the Secretary-General's message for the need to respect democratic values and constitutional provisions and process, uphold the rule of law and ensure the safety and security of all Sri Lankans", Guterres's spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said here on Monday.

Guterres "is following the latest developments in Sri Lanka with great concern" and "urges all parties to exercise restraint and address the unfolding situation in a peaceful manner", Dujarric said.

Jayasuriya warned on Monday that the crisis should be "settled through parliament, but if we take it out to the streets, there will be a huge bloodbath".

On October 26, President Maithripala Sirisena fired Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and appointed his predecessor Mahinda Rajapaksa in his place.

Rajapaksa, who was President from 2005 till his defeat by Sirisena in the 2015 elections, led the country during the 2009 brutal end to the civil war during which 40,000 people were killed, according to a UN report.

Guterres "calls on the government to respect democratic values and constitutional provisions and process, uphold the rule of law and ensure the safety and security of all Sri Lankans", Dujarric said.

On Sunday, the US said Sri Lanka's parliament should decide who should be the Prime Minister.

State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said Washington was following the "developments in Sri Lanka with concern" and urges "all sides to refrain from intimidation and violence".

"We call on the President, in consultation with the Speaker, to immediately reconvene parliament and allow the democratically elected representatives of the Sri Lankan people to fulfill their responsibility to affirm who will lead their government," she added.

The US Embassy's Charge d'Affaires in Colombo, Robert Hilton, met Jayasuriya on Monday. IANS

The Sri Lankan rupee dropped to a record low on Tuesday with the selling price surpassing the 175 mark for the first time in history.

The current selling price is 175.56 against the US Dollar while the buying rate is recorded as 171.67 by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka. (Ada Derana)

India, caught flatfooted by the appointment of Mahinda Rajapaksa as Sri Lanka`s premier, has opened urgent diplomatic and political contacts with the strongman who drew close to China during his previous tenure as president, officials said.

The tear-shaped island, located off the southern tip of India, has become an arena of tussle between New Delhi and Beijing, which has built ports, power stations and highways as part of its Belt and Road Initiative of trade and transport links across Asia.

Rajapaksa had opened up Sri Lanka`s main port to Chinese naval submarines when he was president, which stoked anger in India. His return to power in a surprise move by current President Maithripala Sirisena has drawn concern in New Delhi that China would tighten its grip on the island that lies along busy shipping lanes.

"It is advantage China at the moment," said Srikanth Kondappali, a specialist on India-China ties at New Delhi`s Jawaharlal Nehru University who closely tracks the regional rivalry between the Asian giants. 

He said Beijing had invested in Rajapaksa and in his political constituency of Hambantota in the south of Sri Lanka where it has built a $1.5 billion deep water port, an airport and also planned an industrial zone.

Sirisena sacked Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on Friday and named Rajapaksa to replace him, breaking up a fragile coalition governing the island.

Wickremesinghe, who was seen as pro-India, said his sacking was illegal and he has maintained that he is still prime minister and had majority support in parliament. 

Sri Lanka is one of a chain of countries where the India-China rivalry is playing out, stretching from Bangladesh, Nepal to the Maldives, where a pro-China leader was voted out in a surprise election result last month that was welcomed by India, the United States and the European Union.

Indian diplomats were in contact with Rajapaksa`s camp, officials in New Delhi said, adding they were ready to do business with the new leader so long as his appointment was in line with the country`s constitution. 

"India will continue to extend our developmental assistance to the people of Sri Lanka," an Indian foreign ministry spokesman said on Monday.

Separately, leaders of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the ideological parent of Prime Minister Narendra Modi`s governing Hindu nationalist-led alliance, have reached out to Rajapaksa to promote ties, party sources said. 

PREDATORY 

Seshadri Chari, an RSS leader involved in the track two diplomacy, said he was confident New Delhi and Colombo will work for better relations under the new leadership in Sri Lanka. 

"In the changed geo-political realities, we have to be practical and pragmatic to protect our national self-interest and do better business," he said. The RSS wields influence in the Modi administration and has acted as an unofficial intermediary with some neighbouring countries.

China has in recent years faced criticism that many of its investments in Sri Lanka, the Maldives and other countries run the risk of driving smaller nations into debt and potentially impinge on their sovereignty. 

"We are seeing an international pushback against China`s predatory practices. It can only intensify and in that backdrop it`s hard to see Sri Lanka doling out more projects even under Rajapaksa," said an Indian government source.

China`s Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said Beijing believes the people and government of Sri Lanka have the wisdom to "appropriately handle" the situation, and China hopes all sides can resolve differences via dialogue, to protect the country`s stability.

Harinda Vidanage, Director of the Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies, a thinktank in Colombo, said Sri Lanka had become a greater strategic prize after the pro-China president of the Maldives, Abdulla Yameen, lost the election.

"For China, both Sri Lanka and Maldives were very important in their effort to gain a foothold in the Indian Ocean. China to certain extent lost the Maldivian connection when Yameen lost the elections," he said.

Shailesh Kumar, Asia director at the Eurasia group, said the changes in Sri Lanka would benefit China.

"While Beijing lost a pro-Chinese government earlier this month in the Maldives, it will make up ground in South Asia with the change of guard in Sri Lanka," he said, adding that it came as Sri Lanka`s economy was in financial difficulties.

"The decision to bring Rajapaksa back into the mainstream is likely intended to open the flow of Chinese funds, given the close relationship he cultivated with the Chinese leadership."

Prime Minister and UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, addressing the nation as the Prime Minister from Temple Trees today, categorically denied claims made by President Maithripala Sirisena yesterday on his removal, and said, “even a child will not believe such lies.”

Expressing his opinion on the current political crisis, Wickremesinghe said the way out of it is through the constitutional process, and added that the international support lied with him.

The full speech made by Wickremesinghe is as follows:

Venerable Maha Sanga, Venerable Priests of All Other Religions, Friends

On 8th of January 2015, 62 Lakhs of people of this country got together as a common front to re-establish democracy in the country and to re-establish peace and reconciliation. We rallied together, against corruption, fraud and thuggery, and at the same time to economically develop this country.

8th of January 2015 all the political parties and the forces including Ven. Maduluwawe Sobitha maha Thero and other priests, Civil society as well as former President Mrs. Chandrika Kumaratunga got together and made Maithripala Sirisena the President of this country. Thereafter, I was appointed as the Prime Minister and we continued as the Government. In August 2015 after the General Elections I became the Prime Minister as the Member of Parliament who commands the confidence of the majority of the Parliament.

Our Government functioned as a National Government. We took various measures to re-establish Democratic Freedom in this Country. We appointed Independent commissions. Through the enactment of Right to Information Act, National Audit Act, we created the democratic freedoms which we never enjoyed in this country. We Protected human rights of all. We established the Freedom of Media. We provided various relieves to the people. We increased the salaries. We have implemented mega development projects to economically develop the Country.

Friends,

Yesterday afternoon President Maithripala Sirisena addressed the Nation and levelled few allegations against me and the cabinet. I refuse all those allegations. We all know that the powers of the President of this country were curtailed under the 19th amendment of the Constitution. According to article 42(4) of the Constitution the member of the Parliament who commands the confidence of the house should be appointed as the Prime Minister. In his address to the Nation President Sirisena said that in view of the political crisis, Economic crisis and assassination plot against him the only option left to him was nominating former President Mahinda Rajapaksa as the Prime Minister.

According to article 42(4) of the Constitution the Member of the Parliament who commands the confidence of the house should be appointed as the Prime Minister. Accordingly, I wish to express my regret to President Maithripala Sirisena declaring that he nominated the Prime Minister who has no command of the majority of the House. He is talking of assassination plots to cover up his misdeed. He tells stories even a kid would not believe.

In the history of Sri Lanka, we never heard of a crisis situation like this in our country. What happened on last Friday was an illegal, anti-constitutional and opportunistic act. The ill effects of this act were visible immediately. The incidents took place at ITN, Rupavahini and the Lake House during Friday night indicated what is going to happen to Freedom of the Media in this country.

The solution for this unfortunate situation prevailing in this country lies with the Parliament. Honorable Speaker, by a letter has informed the President that the prorogation of Parliament is against the traditions. Today, all political parties and civil society are requesting to summon the Parliament immediately. International community has informed to act within the available legal framework and the Constitution.

Therefore, I would like to earnestly request honorable speaker to summon the Parliament immediately.

The instability prevailing in this country is not good. We witness today the problems people have to face due to this situation. The era of queues has commenced. The Government machinery has come to a halt. The economy we controlled with greater difficulty has crashed.

This unfortunate situation is affecting adversely to the future of this country and future of our children.

I would like to clearly state that United National Party, all the other parties belong to United National Front and all other political parties represented in the Parliament are standing firm to re-establish the democracy in this country. We will never allow anti-constitutional dictatorship to rule this country.

Not only people of this small island, rest of the world is with us at this moment. I would like to finally request from all of you to forget political differences and rally around us to re-establish the democracy in this country in order to ensure a better future for our younger generations. We request Honorable Speaker to summon the Parliament immediately. We can save our country from this unfortunate and difficult situation only through re-establishing democracy within the Parliamentary system.

Thank you.

Source : Colombo Telegraph

The speaker of Sri Lanka's parliament has warned of a possible bloodbath if Parliament is not summoned immediately to resolve a deepening political crisis following the president's sacking of the prime minister.

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya's comments came hours after dismissed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe also demanded the reconvening of Parliament, saying he still controls a majority.

President Maithripala Sirisena sacked Wickremesinghe and his Cabinet on Friday and replaced him with former strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa.
Jayasuriye said the crisis should be resolved by Parliament and added that he has already asked Sirisena to summon lawmakers.

He said: "Some are trying to resolve this matter in the streets. If that happens, a bloodbath could occur."

The United States urged Sirisena on Sunday to reconvene Parliament.

(AP)

A protest rally is set to be held in Colombo today in a bid to force President Maithripala Sirisena and relevant authorities to reconvene parliament.

The protest is scheduled to be held at the Colpetty junction at 12 pm tomorrow. 

Meanwhile, the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) has announced its own rally to call for democracy to be restored in the country.

Their rally will take place on Thursday in Nugegoda at 3 pm JVP sources said.

Failing to gain the necessary support to establish a majority in parliament President Maithripala Sirisena appears to have finally snapped sources say. According to reports the President is said to have suggested the Army be used to forcibly remove Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe from the Temple Trees. However, the decision has failed after Mahinda Rajapaksa who took oaths as Prime Minister today vetoes this suggestion claiming he's not prepared to be responsible for the possible bloodbath that may arise.   

Basil Rajapaksa had advised Mahinda to not support any decision or suggestion that may be politically disadvantaged at this juncture. 

However, in what can only be described as a descent into madness, the President is said to have driven away all his advisors instead deciding to listen to MPs Wimal Weerawansa and Udaya Gammanpila. Weerawansa reported being pressing the President to call in the Army and remove Wickremesinghe from the Temple Trees.