May 13, 2022 (LBO) – Business leaders in Sri Lanka say the new Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe should be given a chance to resuscitate the economy.
Wickremesinghe was appointed to replace Mahinda Rajapaksa, taking many political leaders by surprise and leaving them scrambling to respond. Much of the response from opposition parties was negative as they actively held media events aimed at undermining the legitimacy of Wickremesinghe’s appointment.
The business community’s views appear to be significantly different. Not wanting be quoted due to political sensitivities, several leaders in the software, agricultural and financial industries had confidence that the appointment of the new PM was the need of the hour, providing a solid chance to catalyze Sri Lanka’s economic recovery.
They view the appointment as bringing the political stability that its crucial for an economic recovery, and for the most part are disappointed at the opposition parties attempt to destabilise the new government before it is even formed.
Wickremesinghe enjoys significant credibility with the international community, and is seen by business leaders as someone who can significantly increase support from the donor community.
Markets reacted positively with the Colombo Stock Exchange up almost 10% on the back of the appointment, while the currency exhibited some stability due to moves by the Central Bank likely encouraged by the political stability its Governor demanded just days before.
The suit-clad prime minister, who is more comfortable in English than Sinhala and less popular with the majority lower middle-class population, could be the answer to Sri Lanka’s unprecedented economic crisis for now.
Ranil Wickremesighe, the longest running leader for the oldest political party in Sri Lanka, was sworn in as prime minister for the sixth time on Thursday evening. His appointment comes three days after Mahinda Rajapaksa, brother of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, resigned as prime minister following island-wide riots, incited by Rajapaksa supporters.
The 73-year-old was appointed amid a severe economic crisis in the nation, that has metamorphosed into a political upheaval. Suffering Sri Lankans, who have been facing a severe shortage of essential food, medicines, fuel and eight-hour long blackouts over months, have been calling the Rajapaksas to step down. Although Wickremesinghe, with his sound economic policies and strong international relations, has been grudgingly accepted as the man of the moment to help the debt ridden, nearly bankrupt nation, Sri Lankans are unhappy with his hand-in-glove relationship with the allegedly corrupt Rajapaksas.Paid ContentSheikh Khalifa Passes Away: Emiratis Mourn Loss Of Their Beloved Leade…https://cdn.speakol.com/widget/html/speakol-appends.html
Island-wide protestors, who have been demanding the expulsion of the Rajapaksas from politics, shouted for Wickremesinghe to step down immediately after his appointment.NextStay
Insiders say that Wickremesinghe’s appointment without election, following closed-door talks with the president on Wednesday, bodes only one thing — that he will use his premiership to protect the Rajapaksa family, who have been accused of widescale corruption of billions of dollars, bringing the nation to its knees.
Pact with Rajapaksas?
Wide speculation within political circles indicates that Wickremesinghe may have reached an agreement with the president to protect the allegedly nepotic Rajapaksa family. Sources say that President Rajapaksa might quit due to public angst, making way for Wickremesinghe to become president. According to the Sri Lankan constitution, the prime minister will automatically become president upon the resignation or death of a president. For a man who has lost majority public support, been prime minister six times and lost two presidential elections in 45 years of politics, this might well be his final chance at presidency.
The Rajapaksa-Wickremesinghe pact goes beyond Thursday’s appointment. In 2015, Wickremesinghe’s party led a coalition alliance and announced a common candidate, Maithripala Sirisena, for president against then president Mahinda Rajapaksa. Sirisena, an ally and health minister in the Rajapaksa government defected, and won the elections, with Wickremesinghe being appointed prime minister for 100 days in accordance with a 100-day programme. The Sirisena-Wickremesinghe election pledge promised to sweep corruption and bring perpetrators to justice. At this juncture, the Rajapaksas, who had been hailed as heroes for ending a three-decade civil war against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealam (LTTE), had fallen from grace due to nepotism and wide scale corruption.
After the 100 days, Wickremesinghe’s coalition alliance — the United National Front for Good Governance — won the parliamentary elections with 106 seats. Although it fell short of an outright majority, Wickremesinghe was re-elected prime minister for the third time, with over 35 of the Rajapaksa party members defecting and joining his cabinet.
Wickremesinghe led the government with strong promises. Heading the list was bringing Mahinda and Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who served as defence minister during his brother’s presidency to trial for war crimes allegations, human rights violation, and mass corruption. Despite mounting evidence against the two brothers and their family members, for killings and disappearances of journalists, anti-Rajapaksa civilians and sportsmen, the investigations and interrogations did not lead to any charges. Public fury over the blatant cover-up of a Wickremesinghe-led investigations grew, when evidence following the exhumation of the body of a star rugby player, Wasim Thajudeen, mysteriously went missing. Evidence proved that Thajudeen had been abducted, tortured and murdered, allegedly upon the orders of the second son of Mahinda Rajapaksa.
The last premiership of Wickremesinghe also marred his image as Mr Clean” that he had earned from the public for not dabbling in family politics and corruption. Born into a wealthy family, with no siblings or children of his own, Wickremesinghe remained a cut above the rest in a nation that was steeped in nepotism and corruption.
The public, however, lost all faith when a bond scam involving the hen central bank governor, Arjuna Mahendra, a close confidante of Wickremesinghe, cost the country $11 million. This also soured his relationship with president Sirisena, who sacked Wickremesinghe overnight and brought back his former ally Rajapaksa back as prime minister. Following 52 days of constitutional crisis, Wickremesinghe was reinstated as prime minister after receiving 117 votes in favour of the 225-member legislative body.
During this period, a series of bombs targeting churches and civilians on Easter Sunday in 2019, killed more than 250 people, and plummeted the waning popularity of the UNP further. Critics blamed the government for ignoring warnings that could have prevented the attacks. Wickremesinghe’s party lost in the next elections, with the UNP securing just one seat in the parliament.
But Wickremesinghe has not always been an unpopular man. He cut a dashing figure when he entered politics as a young lawyer in 1977. Under the shadow of his uncle, then president Junius Jayawardene, the 28-year-old, who was the youngest parliamentarian, soon climbed up the UNP party ladder.
Elite background
Wickremesinghe hails from an elite family belonging to a high caste, and his roots go back to pre-independence Sri Lanka. His maternal grandfather, D.R Wijewardena, supported the independence movement with a series of nationalistic newspapers. His paternal grandfather, C.G Wickremesinghe, was the most senior Sri Lankan colonial government servant.
His father, Esmond Wickremesinghe was the managing director of Lake House, the publishing empire started by his father-in-law, and later became one of the closest confidantes of the UNP. Wickremesinghe, who is widely read, once said he would have taken journalism as a career if his family’s publishing empire had not been taken over by the government under Sirimavo Bandaranaike, the first woman prime minister of the world.
Young Wickremesinghe worked with the UNP during its resurgence, following a disastrous defeat by a coalition led by Bandaranaike in 1970. He joined the party following its landslide victory in 1977, led by his uncle president Jayawardene.
It was the beginning of an era of hope and optimism of the country, and the educated, eloquent, English-speaking young man, who schooled at the elite Royal College, was looked upon as a role model by the youth of the nation. The man who is considered crafty and intelligent by his peers, was first posted as deputy foreign minister, and then as minister of youth affairs and employment. He went on to make marked reforms during his tenure as minister of education.
In his four years as minister of industries under president Ranasinghe Premadasa, Wickremesinghe made some key changes to the Sri Lankan stock market, attracting much needed foreign investors to the country.
During his later years in power, Wickremesinghe has been known to take on larger projects and neglect grass root problems of the nation. This, together with his inability to connect to the masses, has led the suit-clad Wickremesinghe, who is more comfortable in English than Sinhala, to become less popular with the majority lower middle-class population.
First premiership
He first catapulted into the seat of premiership following the assassination of former president Premadasa in 1993, when then incumbent prime minister D.B. Wijetunga filled the presidential seat. Shortly before the assassination, the top two members of Wickremesinghe’s party, Gamini Fonseka and Lalith Athulathmudali, broke away, after a failed attempt to pass a no-confidence motion against Premadasa, paving the way for Wickremesinghe to become prime minister for the first time.
Following his stint as prime minister, he contested and lost in his first presidential election in 1994, against Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, the daughter of late prime ministers S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike and Sirimavo Banadaranaike. Kumaratunge, who entered politics as the widow of assassinated popular former movie star and politician Vijaya Kumaratunga, gathered a large number of sympathy votes. Wickremesinghe was then appointed prime minister for the second time by president Kumaratunga, his childhood friend, who later became his bitter political rival.
In the same year, Wickremesinghe became leader of the UNP, a post he has held for 28 years, attracting much criticism.
In 2005, he failed once more in a bid to become president, this time losing narrowly by just about 150,000 votes to Mahinda Rajapaksa. This was during the middle of the bloody conflict, where Tamil and Muslim voters in the North and East, a strong UNP support base, were prevented from voting by the LTTE. Wickremesinghe has not run for president since.
Despite his survival in a political quagmire for almost half-a-century, Wickremesinghe has refused to relinquish party leadership to younger members. He has been accused of not grooming able, younger members to take over the leadership, and instead of elevating individuals prone to corruption, with limited intellect.
This resulted in Sajith Premadasa, son of the late president Premadasa, to break away from the UNP and form the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (United People’s Power) party in 2020.
Despite his inefficacies and mistrust by the public, critics and fellow politicians believe that Wickremesinghe is the man of the hour due to his strong international relations and economic acumen. Inside sources say that following his appointment as prime minister, several countries, including Japan, India and the United States, with whom Wickremesinghe maintains close ties, have already pledged financial support for the crippled nation. Reversing years of economic mismanagement and corruption and winning public support would yet be his biggest challenge.
Whatever his motives be, in the short run, the man the public detests as much as the Rajapaksas, could be the answer to Sri Lanka’s unprecedented economic crisis.
Ranil Wickremesinghe was appointed in an attempt to defuse the protests. It is the opposition MP’s sixth stint as prime minister.
In his first interview since taking office, Wickremesinghe told the BBC he would ensure families get three meals a day.
Appealing to the world for more financial help, he said “there won’t be a hunger crisis, we will find food”.
The new PM described the Sri Lankan economy as “broken”, but he said his message to Sri Lankans was to “be patient, I will bring things back”.
Wickremesinghe was sworn-in by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Thursday, but his appointment has largely been met with dismay, as he is seen as too close to the politically dominant Rajapaksa family.
In his interview, Wickremesinghe said he agreed with the sentiment of protesters who’ve been calling for President Rajapaksa to resign, but said that would not happen.
“Blaming won’t lead to action, I’m here to see people nourished,” he said.
But he added that he was “going to change all the policies of the Rajapaksa government”.
He also called on the international community for help.
“We need your assistance for a year, whatever we get from you we will repay. Help us to do it. We are the longest and oldest democracy in Asia,” he said.
Sri Lanka’s economy is in freefall. Food, medicine and fuel have run out or become unaffordable. Some people have died waiting at petrol stations to fill up their tanks.
It is the the island nation’s worst economic crisis since gaining independence from Britain in 1948.
“We don’t have kerosene, we don’t have petrol, we don’t have diesel, we don’t have cooking gas and we don’t even have access to wood-fired stoves,” a 68-year-old woman in the Sri Lankan capital Columbo told AFP.
“We are struggling everyday to feed our children. Food prices have tripled in the past few days. How are we supposed to manage?”
At the heart of Sri Lanka’s economic woes is that the country is heavily reliant on imports but has been burning through the foreign currency reserves it needs to pay for them.
The economy suffered in the Covid pandemic and tourism was hit by the 2019 church bombings. But experts have also blamed economic mismanagement too.
Colombo, May 13: Sri Lanka’s new Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe, has secured the support of key countries in the world such as India, the US, Japan and China. He is expected to get majority support in parliament also, though he is the lone representative of his party, the United National Party, in parliament.
Wickremesinghe might not head a truly national” government composed of all parties in parliament. But he might get the support enough MPs to have a majority, that is, at least 113 in the House of 225. ADVERTISEMENT
World’s Interest in Stability
The countries supporting Wickremesinghe have based their policy on the critical requirement of stability, as the statements put out by their envoys show.
The Indian High Commission said in its tweet, that India hopes for political stability and looks forward to working with the Government of Sri Lanka formed in accordance with democratic processes pursuant to the swearing-in of Hon’ble Ranil Wickremesinghe as the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka.” It further said that India’s commitment to the people of Sri Lanka will continue.”
In its first reaction to the situation in Sri Lanka after Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned as Prime Minister, India on Tuesday said that it was fully supportive” of the island nation’s democracy, stability and economic recovery. India will always be guided by the best interests of the people of Sri Lanka expressed through democratic processes,” said External Affairs Ministry spokesperson, Arindam Bagchi.
In keeping with our Neighborhood First policy, India has extended this year alone, support worth over USD 3.5 billion to the people of Sri Lanka for helping them overcome their current difficulties. In addition, the people of India have provided assistance for mitigating the shortages of essential items such as food and medicine,” Bagchi added.
The Indian High Commissioner, Gopal Baglay, followed this up with a meeting with Wickremesinghe in the latter’s office on Friday. He presented the PM with a bouquet.
Later, asked by newsmen about Sri Lanka’s relations with India, its closest neighbor, Wickremesinghe said: It will become much better.” During his previous stints as PM, Wickremesinghe had visited India on four occasions – in October 2016, April 2017, November 2017 and October 2018.
Asked about his agenda as the Prime Minister, Wickremesinghe said: I have taken on a challenge of uplifting the economy and I must fulfill it.” Setting the economy right by meeting the forex shortage and getting for the population essential goods, is his single point agenda. And for that, political stability in the form of parliament’s support, is needed.
US Support
The US Ambassador, Julie Chung, also stressed the need for political stability for Sri Lanka to solve its grave economic problems. In a tweet she said: Look forward to working w/ @RW_UNP. His appointment as PM, and the quick formation of an inclusive government, are first steps towards addressing the crisis & promoting stability.”
We encourage meaningful progress at the IMF & long-term solutions that meet the needs of all Sri Lankans,” she added.
Chung met Wickremesinghe on Friday, and discussed the US TREAsury team’s visit to Sri Lanka. The Japanese Ambassador Mizukoshi Hideaki and the Chinese Ambassador Qi Zhenhong also met him. The cancelled Japanese urban rail project is likely to be revived as a result of the change in the government.
The Chinese envoy discussed financial assistance to Sri Lanka. Earlier, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman had said in Beijing that China believes that with the joint efforts of all sectors of Sri Lanka, the country will regain peace and stability as soon as possible.” Again the stress was on the need for stability.
Problems in Parliament
While Wickremesinghe has strong support from the four most important countries in its foreign relations, he is yet to fathom the level of support in parliament. He has to face parliament on May 17, when the opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) led by Sajith Premadasa, will be bringing in a Motion of No Confidence against his government, and also President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
As of now, the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) is with Wickremesinghe as per the wishes of President Rajapaksa and the rest of the Rajapaksa clan. The 41 MPs from the SLPP and its allies, who had rebelled and are sitting as Independents, are expected to act independently but without the objective of toppling the government.
The group’s spokesman, Wimal Weerawansa, stated that it has no intention of sabotaging the administration. It will not indulge in hate politics” and will not allow the country to become anarchic”, he said.
The Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU) leader Udaya Gammanpila stated that as long as PM Ranil Wickremesinghe works to rescue the country from the abyss” the Independents would extend support while remaining in the opposition. This country needs a government. We will not make any attempt to topple it,” the former Energy minister said.
The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), a former ally of the SLPP, has decided not to accept any portfolios or be part of a government under Prime Minister Wickremesinghe. It will decide on its stand vis-s-vis the SJB’s No Confidence Motion later on Friday after internal consultations.
Te Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) are anti-government and are likely to vote for the No-Confidence Motion But they are small parties. The JVP has only three MPs and the TNA 10.
President asks Lankans to be resilient
In his Vesak festival message to the people of Sri Lanka on Friday, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa appealed to the people to be resilient and come out of the present dire situation through collective and resolute actions.
Resilience is essential in difficult situations. At this juncture when the country is in dire straits, all the people’s representatives must work together immediately for a solution on behalf of all citizens. The true goal should be to reach the desired target without deviating from the primary goal,” the President said.
We must be mindful of the current situation and unite around a program that can deliver a fair determination to all. That is the Buddhist policy.”
May the common goal of all be to build a resilient, consensus and religious society based on principles. I wish you a Happy Vesak Poya Day,” the President said.
Newly appointed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe had pledged to repeal the shoot at sight order given to security forces after the recent violence.
Mr. Wickremesinghe made this pledge when foreign journalists questioned him about this procedure.
Prime Minister’s office said such orders will be given to security forces only if riots resume.
It was also reported that the new government will repeal the 20 amendment to the constitution and reduce President’s powers.
Meanwhile, UNP Assistant Leader Akila Viraj Kariyawasam told a press conference that no one from his party will look for any positions in the government. We will support without playing an active role in the government,” he said.
The new cabinet will comprise members from a number of political parties,” he added.(Yohan Perera)
Sri Lanka, which is facing the biggest economic crisis in its post-independence history, is aiming to boost its agriculture sector
Sri Lanka has received assurance from Indian officials regarding supply of fertilizers that the island nation requires urgently. High Commissioner Milinda Moragoda met concerned officials on Friday where the issue was discussed.
“High Commissioner Milinda Moragoda met with the Secretary to the Department of Fertilizers of India Shri Rajesh Kumar Chaturvedi and thanked him for India’s decision to supply 65,000 MT of urea required for the current Yala cultivation season in Sri Lanka,” the High Commission of Sri Lanka said in a message. Yala is the season of paddy cultivation in Sri Lanka that lasts between May and August.
Sri Lanka, which is facing the biggest economic crisis in its post-independence history, is aiming to boost its agriculture sector to avoid any disruption in the agriculture market.
Soaring food prices in Sri Lanka have added to the economic difficulties and any setback to the next paddy cultivation season will be hard for the island to bear.
It is understood that India has given an oral assurance ahead of a final official order that will ensure flow of fertilizers to Sri Lanka. However it is not yet clear, how the cash-strapped Sri Lankan government will pay for the fertilizer shipment.
Sri Lanka is the second country after Nepal to have received India’s assurance for supply of fertilizers. During the pandemic season, the global fertilizer market was choked as several major producers banned export of fertilizers that affected non-producing countries. Nepal’s PM Sher Bahadur Deuba had taken up the issue during his April visit to Delhi. However, India too is dependent on imported urea.
The fertilizer sector has been repeatedly affected because of the global disruptions such the pandemic and the Ukraine crisis, which has disrupted Ukraine’s agriculture sector creating shortage of supplies in the global agriculture market.
India had been in talks with Russia to bolster its own fertilizer sector and has received approximately 3.60 lakh metric tonnes of fertilizers since the beginning of the Ukraine war. India’s own reliance on imported urea is going to increase as it plans to maintain top productivity of the agriculture sector that aims to fill up some of the scarcity that the absence of Ukrainian supplies has left in the global food market.
In his first interview since taking office, Mr Wickremesinghe told the BBC he would ensure families get three meals a day.
Appealing to the world for more financial help, he said “there won’t be a hunger crisis, we will find food”.
The new PM described the Sri Lankan economy as “broken”, but he said his message to Sri Lankans was to “be patient, I will bring things back”.
Mr Wickremesinghe was sworn-in by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Thursday, but his appointment has largely been met with dismay, as he is seen as too close to the politically dominant Rajapaksa family.
In his interview, Mr Wickremesinghe said he agreed with the sentiment of protestors who’ve been calling for President Rajapaksa to resign, but said that would not happen. “Blaming won’t lead to action, I’m here to see people nourished,” he said.
But he added that he was “going to change all the policies of the Rajapaksa government”.
He also called on the international community for help.
“We need your assistance for a year, whatever we get from you we will repay. Help us to do it. We are the longest and oldest democracy in Asia,” he said.
Image caption,Long queues for essentials are now part of daily life in Sri Lanka, for those that can afford them
Sri Lanka’s economy is in freefall. Food, medicine and fuel have run out or become unaffordable. Some people have died waiting at petrol stations to fill up their tanks.
It is the the island nation’s worst economic crisis since gaining independence from Britain in 1948.
“We don’t have kerosene, we don’t have petrol, we don’t have diesel, we don’t have cooking gas and we don’t even have access to wood-fired stoves,” a 68-year-old woman in the Sri Lankan capital Columbo told AFP.
“We are struggling everyday to feed our children. Food prices have tripled in the past few days. How are we supposed to manage?”
At the heart of Sri Lanka’s economic woes is that the country is heavily reliant on imports but has been burning through the foreign currency reserves it needs to pay for them.
The economy suffered in the Covid pandemic and tourism was hit by the 2019 church bombings. But experts have also blamed economic mismanagement too.
Majority support in parliament is also on the cards
Sri Lanka’s new Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe, has secured the support of key countries in the world such as India, the US, Japan and China. He is expected to get majority support in parliament also, though he is the lone representative of his party, the United National Party, in parliament.Advertisement
Wickremesinghe might not head a truly national” government composed of all parties in parliament. But he might get the support enough MPs to have a majority, that is, at least 113 in the House of 225.
World’s Interest in Stability
The countries supporting Wickremesinghe have based their policy on the critical requirement of stability, as the statements put out by their envoys show.
The Indian High Commission said in its tweet, that India hopes for political stability and looks forward to working with the Government of Sri Lanka formed in accordance with democratic processes pursuant to the swearing-in of Hon’ble Ranil Wickremesinghe as the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka.” It further said that India’s commitment to the people of Sri Lanka will continue.”
In its first reaction to the situation in Sri Lanka after Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned as Prime Minister, India on Tuesday said that it was fully supportive” of the island nation’s democracy, stability and economic recovery. India will always be guided by the best interests of the people of Sri Lanka expressed through democratic processes,” said External Affairs Ministry spokesperson, Arindam Bagchi.
In keeping with our Neighborhood First policy, India has extended this year alone, support worth over USD 3.5 billion to the people of Sri Lanka for helping them overcome their current difficulties. In addition, the people of India have provided assistance for mitigating the shortages of essential items such as food and medicine,” Bagchi added.Advertisement
The Indian High Commissioner, Gopal Baglay, followed this up with a meeting with Wickremesinghe in the latter’s office on Friday. He presented the PM with a bouquet.
Later, asked by newsmen about Sri Lanka’s relations with India, its closest neighbor, Wickremesinghe said: It will become much better.” During his previous stints as PM, Wickremesinghe had visited India on four occasions – in October 2016, April 2017, November 2017 and October 2018.
Asked about his agenda as the Prime Minister, Wickremesinghe said: I have taken on a challenge of uplifting the economy and I must fulfill it.” Setting the economy right by meeting the forex shortage and getting for the population essential goods, is his single point agenda. And for that, political stability in the form of parliament’s support, is needed.
US Support
The US Ambassador, Julie Chung, also stressed the need for political stability for Sri Lanka to solve its grave economic problems. In a tweet she said: Look forward to working w/ @RW_UNP. His appointment as PM, and the quick formation of an inclusive government, are first steps towards addressing the crisis & promoting stability.”
We encourage meaningful progress at the IMF & long-term solutions that meet the needs of all Sri Lankans,” she added.
Chung met Wickremesinghe on Friday, and discussed the US TREAsury team’s visit to Sri Lanka. The Japanese Ambassador Mizukoshi Hideaki and the Chinese Ambassador Qi Zhenhong also met him. The cancelled Japanese urban rail project is likely to be revived as a result of the change in the government.
The Chinese envoy discussed financial assistance to Sri Lanka. Earlier, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman had said in Beijing that China believes that with the joint efforts of all sectors of Sri Lanka, the country will regain peace and stability as soon as possible.” Again the stress was on the need for stability.
Problems in Parliament
While Wickremesinghe has strong support from the four most important countries in its foreign relations, he is yet to fathom the level of support in parliament. He has to face parliament on May 17, when the opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) led by Sajith Premadasa, will be bringing in a Motion of No Confidence against his government, and also President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
As of now, the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) is with Wickremesinghe as per the wishes of President Rajapaksa and the rest of the Rajapaksa clan. The 41 MPs from the SLPP and its allies, who had rebelled and are sitting as Independents, are expected to act independently but without the objective of toppling the government.
The group’s spokesman, Wimal Weerawansa, stated that it has no intention of sabotaging the administration. It will not indulge in hate politics” and will not allow the country to become anarchic”, he said.
The Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU) leader Udaya Gammanpila stated that as long as PM Ranil Wickremesinghe works to rescue the country from the abyss” the Independents would extend support while remaining in the opposition. This country needs a government. We will not make any attempt to topple it,” the former Energy minister said.
The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), a former ally of the SLPP, has decided not to accept any portfolios or be part of a government under Prime Minister Wickremesinghe. It will decide on its stand vis-s-vis the SJB’s No Confidence Motion later on Friday after internal consultations.
President asks Lankans to be resilient
In his Vesak festival message to the people of Sri Lanka on Friday, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa appealed to the people to be resilient and come out of the present dire situation through collective and resolute actions.
Resilience is essential in difficult situations. At this juncture when the country is in dire straits, all the people’s representatives must work together immediately for a solution on behalf of all citizens. The true goal should be to reach the desired target without deviating from the primary goal,” the President said.
We must be mindful of the current situation and unite around a program that can deliver a fair determination to all. That is the Buddhist policy.”
May the common goal of all be to build a resilient, consensus and religious society based on principles. I wish you a Happy Vesak Poya Day,” the President said.
P. K. Balachandran
P. K. Balachandran is a senior Indian journalist working in Sri Lanka for local and international media and has been writing on South Asian issues for the past 21 years.
Vows to deliver solutions” to the island’s deepening economic crisis
Sri Lanka’s newly appointed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, who has vowed to deliver solutions” to the island’s deepening economic crisis, kicked off duties on Friday, discussing formation of a foreign aid consortium” with Colomb-based envoys, his office said.
His outreach came a day after he was sworn in Premier by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, in the place of Mahinda Rajapaksa, who resigned earlier this week following widespread protests.
Indian envoy Gopal Baglay was among the first to meet Wickremesinghe shortly after he assumed charge Friday morning. High Commissioner called on Hon’ble PM [Ranil Wickremesinghe] @RW_UNP. Conveyed greetings and good wishes. Discussed continued cooperation for economic recovery and stability in #SriLanka through democratic processes towards the wellbeing of all the people of Sri Lanka,” the Indian Mission said in a tweet. India has extended assistance totalling $3.5 billion this year to help Sri Lanka cope with its severe dollar crunch.
The PM, who is in office for the sixth time, also met the Ambassadors of China, US<NO,,>nited States<NO>, Japan, and the British High Commissioner. The Chinese Ambassador expressed his country’s willingness to continue to support Sri Lanka while also pledging to review existing assistance,” his office said in a statement.
‘Little political support’
Wickremesinghe has few backers other than the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna. Opposition parties have said they will not be part of a government led by him and Gotabaya, while government allies seem hesitant to take up ministerial positions. The PM has no parliamentary colleagues from the United National Party he leads, he is its sole legislator. It remains to be seen if Wickremsinghe can prove he has the confidence of the House when the Parliament convenes on May 17. The country also awaits a new cabinet and government to run its affairs at a critical time.
Meera Srinivasan is The Hindu Correspondent in Colombo.
Ranil Wickremesinghe, Sri Lanka’s new prime minister met with Qi Zhenhong, Ambassador of China to Sri Lanka on Friday. Photo: Courtesy of Embassy of China to Sri Lanka
Ranil Wickremesinghe, Sri Lanka’s new prime minister, said on Friday that his new government will continue to attach great importance to developing ties with China and will push forward Belt and Road projects in the country.
During a meeting with Qi Zhenhong, Ambassador of China to Sri Lanka on Friday, Wickremesinghe stressed that the new government will push forward the development of Colombo Port City and Hambantota Port projects among other major cooperation projects and make every effort to protect the safety of Chinese institutions and personnel in Sri Lanka, according to a notice issued by the Chinese Embassy to Sri Lanka on its website.
Wickremesinghe said he is looking forward to resuming and pushing forward the cooperation between the two countries in all aspects as soon as the new cabinet and government are in place.
Qi congratulated Wickremesinghe on being reappointed as prime minister and appreciated his contributions to promoting China-Sri Lanka friendly cooperation over the years.
The two sides also exchanged views on the current economic and financial situation in Sri Lanka and other issues of common interest.
As a country when Sri Lanka is in dire need of a debt restructure and economic recovery, the IMF in combination with The World Bank prepared a package on conditions set forth.
While these conditions were laid so clearly of what is being required from Sri Lanka, the sabotaging acts committed collectively by short sighted rulers, all other political fractions, Trade Unions, religious fractions and the majority of the citizens have brought this Resplendent Land to its death bed.
As the only viable option available to attempt a resurrection, Sri Lanka and its people have failed to recognize the International Monetary Fund (IMF) who would act in the best interest of that country.
While the top recognized economists were engaged in planning and implementations, the country opted to promote demonstrations, riots, political instability, social instability and violence or violence provoking acts for other agendas of personal growth.
First and foremost, the country needed to be on course of economic recovery and all other agendas to be secondary.
Demonstrations of any sort and provocation acts should not have occurred during this IMF planning stages.
This recovery needs to be achieved by Economists and NOT politicians, Attorneys, Law Enforcement, astrologers and the like.
Upon being on the path of economic restructure and recovery is when all else need to be addressed.
Sri Lanka need a bona fide government in place irrespective of its effectiveness for the IMF to enter into agreement of loan and debt restructure.
Currently they have effectively removed such preventing any financial entity entering into agreement.
If they force the President to be removed at this time, they will nail their coffin for good.
Once the country is in the correct path to economic recovery, is when they need to take steps in eliminating corruption and what surrounds those acts.
Political and social stability must be instilled for economic revamp.
Once the country is on its path to raising its heads, Sri Lanka must be rid of all who promoted all demonstrations, riots, looting, political chaos etc. for they have NOT the best interest for the country but agendas of their own.
Sri Lanka’s new Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has said he looks forward to closer ties with India during his term and thanked India for its economic assistance to the country as it tackles the worst economic crisis since independence.
Wickremesinghe, 73, was sworn-in as Sri Lanka’s 26th prime minister on Thursday to stabilise the country’s debt-ridden economy and end the political turmoil. I want a closer relationship and I want to thank Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi, Wickremesinghe said, referring to the Indian economic assistance to his country.
His remarks came during a religious ceremony held here last night after he took the oath. India has committed more than USD 3 billion to debt-ridden Sri Lanka in loans, credit lines and credit swaps since January this year.
The 73-year-old United National Party (UNP) leader took over as the prime minister as the country was without a government since Monday when President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s elder brother and prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned after violence erupted following an attack on the anti-government protesters by his supporters.
The attack triggered widespread violence against Rajapaksa loyalists, leaving nine people dead and wounding over 200 others. Wickremesinghe said his focus was limited to tackling the economic crisis. I want to settle this problem to ensure the supply of petrol, diesel and electricity to the people,” Wickremesinghe said.
Sri Lanka is facing its worst economic crisis since gaining independence from Britain in 1948. The crisis is caused in part by a lack of foreign currency, which has meant that the country cannot afford to pay for imports of staple foods and fuel, leading to acute shortages and very high prices.
I will do the job that I have undertaken to do. Asked if he could sustain his premiership in the 225-member Parliament since he only has only one seat, he said: I will prove the majority when it comes to that. Referring to the island-wide protests, Wickremesinghe said the main protest near president Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s secretariat for over a month now would be allowed to continue. I will talk to them (protesters) if they are willing,” he said.
Asked if he feared protest demanding him to quit, he said he would face them. If I can undertake the job to handle the economic crisis, I will handle that too,” he said. Wickremesinghe was appointed the Prime Minister as the main Opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) party and the third-largest party Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) attached tough conditions, such as the resignation of President Rajapaksa, to lead the interim government.
Wickremesinghe heads the interim government in which all political parties are to be stakeholders for a limited period before facilitating a parliamentary election.
Members of the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), a section of the main Opposition SJB and several other parties have expressed their support to show a majority for Wickremesinghe in Parliament, sources said.
However, several factions opposed the move to appoint Wickremesinghe as the new Prime Minister. The JVP and the Tamil National Alliance claimed that his appointment was unconstitutional.
The veteran politician is seen as being close to the Rajapaksa clan. But he does not currently command much support from the Opposition or among the public. It remains to be seen if he can prove his majority in the 225-member Parliament. We will allow him space,” Weerasumana Weerasinghe of the Communist Party said. Former President Maithripala Sirisena’s Sri Lanka Freedom Party party said its central committee would meet this morning to make a decision.
The trade union cum political party for the plantation community of Indian-origin, Ceylon Workers’ Congress, said they would support Wickremesinghe. Sri Lanka’s worst economic crisis has provoked widespread protests calling for political reform and the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
On April 1, President Rajapaksa imposed a state of emergency, lifting it five days later. The government reimposed a state of emergency on May 6 after police fired teargas and arrested students protesting near parliament, which was adjourned until May 17. Although the protests have been overwhelmingly peaceful, the police fatally shot a protester on April 19, and on several occasions have used teargas and water cannons against protesters. The authorities have made numerous arrests and repeatedly imposed curfews.
The political crisis was triggered in late March when people hurt by long hours of power cuts and essential shortages took to the streets demanding the resignation of the government. President Rajapaksa sacked his cabinet and appointed a younger cabinet as a response to the demand for resignation. A continuous protest opposite his secretariat has now gone on for well over a month.
On Monday, his brother Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned as the prime minister to make way for the president to appoint an interim all political party government.
Ranil Wickremesinghe, left, is sworn in as Sri Lanka’s prime minister in front of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, in Colombo, on May 13.Source: Sri Lankan President Media Division
Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said he will show his majority in parliament and protests against President Gotabaya Rajapaksa should not be curbed, local media reported.
However, the main opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya party has said it won’t join a so-called unity government and will not take any cabinet roles, indicating that more political uncertainty could lie ahead.
The new premier’s United National Party didn’t win a single seat in the 2020 election, which brought the Rajapaksas back to power, but he was able to return as lawmaker in 2021 through a system where parties with enough votes can nominate a member under the national list.” He can only prove a majority with the support of Rajapaksa’s ruling alliance.
Stocks Surge on News of Political Stability (1:30 p.m.)
Sri Lankan stocks surged for a second day as the appointment of the new prime minister was seen as a step toward political stability.
The Colombo All-Share Index jumped 4.4% and was the best performing key gauge in Asia on Friday. For the week, which saw only three days of trading, the gauge advanced 9%, its biggest weekly gain since January 2021, data compiled by Bloomberg show.
Still, market participants remain cautious as the premier needs to build a cabinet of ministers and take steps to calm public anger. Low foreign exchange reserves, a potential delay in negotiations with International Monetary Fund for financial aid and rising interest rates remain key risks for market sentiment, they say.
Main Opposition Will Not Join Government (1:00 p.m.)
The main opposition party told a news conference in Colombo that its lawmakers they would not join the new government.
We are telling you that we will not take any portfolio in Ranil Wickremesinghe’s government,” said Ranjith Madduma Bandara, the general secretary of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya party.
Rajapaksa Tells Opposition Leader His PM Offer Came Late (9:44 p.m.)
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa told opposition leader Sajith Premadasa that his offer to form a government under several conditions came too late, local media reported, citing a letter.
As Premadasa had rejected an earlier offer, Rajapaksa said he had decided to name Ranil Wickremesinghe as premier instead. Also Premdasa had some conditions that hadn’t been agreed to by other party leaders.
Wickremesinghe Says No Decision Made on Cabinet (8:35 p.m.)
The new minister said he plans to show his majority in parliament, local media reported. The next session is slated for May 17. He said no decisions have been made on the size of the cabinet though there are news reports that some ministers could be sworn in as early as Friday.
Wickremesinghe also said the protests against President Gotabaya Rajapaksa could continue and promised the police wouldn’t crack down. A nationwide curfew has been lifted at 6 a.m. for a few hours.
India Hopes For Political Stability with new PM (7:35 p.m.)
The High Commission of India said it looks forward to working with a Sri Lankan government formed in accordance to democratic processes. The new prime also thanked India for the aid it has extended to the country.
We need help from the Indian government, Wickremesinghe said. I must thank Prime Minister Modi
U.S. Ambassador Looks Forward to Working with New PM (6:55 p.m.)
The U.S. envoy to Sri Lanka Julie Chung said the quick formation of an inclusive government are first steps to addressing the crisis and promoting stability.
Sri Lanka Names Longtime MP Wickremesinghe as New PM (6:41 p.m.)
Ranil Wickremesinghe, a veteran lawmaker and former premier has been named Sri Lanka’s next prime minister, days after the last incumbent resigned in the face of escalating anger with the deepening economic crisis.
He was sworn in a private ceremony by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
Ranil Wickremesinghe visits a Buddhist temple to receive blessings in Colombo, on May 12.Photographer: Buddhika Weerasinghe/Bloomberg
Opposition Leader Agrees to Be Prime Minister (2:47 p.m.)
Sajith Premadasa, the leader of the main opposition party Samagi Jana Balawegaya, told a news conference in Colombo that he has written to President Rajapaksa to inform him that he was ready to take on the role of prime minister and form an interim government.
Premadasa had earlier rejected several overtures from Rajapaksa. Among his conditions for becoming prime minister, is the end of the executive presidency and for Rajapaksa to step down within a given time frame.
Court Orders Travel Ban For Many Ruling Party MPs (2:00 p.m.)
A magistrate has barred 13 members of Rajapaksa’s ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna party, including former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, from traveling overseas, local news website Newswire reported, citing unnamed sources.
It also includes Mahinda’s son and former cabinet member Namal Rajapaksa. The court was acting on an application moved by the Bar Association of Sri Lanka and demonstrators who were attacked by government supporters during Monday’s violence, the report added.
Namal Rajapaksa tweeted to say he would cooperate with any investigation into the violence.
These days when we have to live with hours of power cuts, and when we are really short of dollars- scraping the barrel, my theory that wind power offers the solution to our power requirements comes to the forefront.
I enclose a write up by eesrilanka wordpress.com/2019/04/13/playing with history:
Garvin Karunaratne recalls his experience of 18 years working in stations like Hambantota as well as in the hilly Districts of Kandy and Nuwara Eliya. He chides the authorities for erecting wind turbines on the coast. He believes that the authorities seem to be working to prove that wind turbines are not suitable for Sri Lanka.
Karunaratne then mentions his vast travel experience and states that the US, Spain Portugal and many more countries have put up wind turbines never at their coastal areas but in their hills. Further he highlights authorities that have noted the vast resources of wind power in Sri Lanka. He urges Sri Lanka to use its wind resources and he actually has requested the State Engineering Corporation engineers who did make long concrete poles to hold the canopy for the Avukana Buddha statue to be enlisted to make the wind turbines. He emphasizes that Sri Lanka can become self sufficient in all its power requirements if only a few hundred wind turbines are constructed and he states that this can be done within a year.
Karunaratne speaks with the broad experience of having worked designing and establishing the Youth Self Employment Programme of Bangladesh in two years, a programme that has created employment for millions of youths, something which even the ILO had failed earlier. He urges and provides many facts showing that wind power holds the magical solution for Sri Lanka.
The only item that has to be imported for wind turbines is the turbine mechanism. It will be child’s play for Jinasenas, the makers of reputed Jinasena pumps to make these turbines if called upon.
For full details: Wind Power for Sri Lanka’s Energy Requirements: Godages, 2019
Bangladesh and Myanmar share a land boundary of 271 kilometers. Prior to their establishment as contemporary nation states, both countries had a long history of exchanging political, cultural, and economic concerns. They also share a common history of British colonialism. The relationship between these two countries is based on demography rather than geography. Since Bangladesh’s 1971 independence from West Pakistan, the two countries have had “cordial” relations. One of the first countries to acknowledge Bangladesh was Myanmar. However, due to the Rohingya crisis and border disturbances, Bangladesh-Myanmar ties have turned tense at times.
Despite the persistence of certain topics of contention and the resulting Luke-Warm bilateral ties, Bangladesh and Myanmar had a fairly active cooperation process. Aside from bilateral collaboration, the two countries are strengthening cooperative links through a number of regional and sub-regional organizations and initiatives.
Bangladesh and Myanmar are founding members of the Bay of Bengal Initiatives for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation, a sub-regional association (BIMSTEC). Both countries are also part of the Track-II Kunming effort, often known as BCIM, which comprises Bangladesh, China, India, and Myanmar.
Bangladesh is also working to strengthen its formal connection with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which Myanmar is a member of. Bangladesh has already joined the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and is pursuing an ASEAN dialogue relationship. Despite both nations’ consistent efforts, the progress of Bangladesh-Myanmar ties has been clouded at times by controversial problems. The following are the main issues of bilateral relations in this context:
Though political and economic ties between countries in the Eastern South Asia subregion have improved since the 1990s, the Rohingya issue has frequently disrupted ties between Burma (Myanmar) and Bangladesh. The Rohingyas are a Muslim ethnic minority who live in the Buthidaung and Maungdaw Townships in the Arakan State of Burma’s northwestern region. The Mayu region is located near to the Naaf River, which serves as a border with Bangladesh. They make up the majority of the population, together with Buddhist Arakanese and Burmese. The number of the Rohingyas is unclear because no proper census has ever been done.
Their citizenship was officially denied by the Ne Win government in 1974. Due to Myanmar army’s Operation Dragon King in 1978, over 200,000 members of this ethnic group fled the country. Bangladesh and Myanmar resolved to resolve the issue in 1978 via a 1978 accord. However, the total number of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh has always been a point of contention between Bangladesh and Myanmar. According to the various open sources, there have been living more than 1 million Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh temporarily. The region could see the holistic sustainable solution of this long pending crisis between Myanmar and Bangladesh if Myanmar accommodates a sophisticated holistic and pragmatic ‘Bangladesh policy’ based on friendship and neghbouhood.
Myanmar, with the help of the international community, was able to return almost all of the Rohingya refugees who had fled to Bangladesh in 1978-79. However, about 250,000 Rohingyas migrated to Bangladesh to escape persecution in 1991 and 1992. 5After disturbances pitting Buddhists against Muslims in Myanmar’s Rakhine province, a huge number of Rohingyas attempted to enter Bangladesh in June 2012. More than 0.7 million Rohingya Muslims have been living in Bangladesh since 2017, causing the situation to deteriorate. The crisis forced over Rohingyas to flee to other countries. Most fled to Bangladesh, resulting in the creation of the South Asia and Southeast Asia’s largest refugee crisis.
It is vital to note that the Rohingya problem remains the most contentious political issue between the two countries. In this regard, Bangladesh’s approach should be to link up the Rohingya situation to regional security concerns, as well as how a peaceful border can boost bilateral friendship and goodwill.
After the ruling of the International Tribunal of the Law of the Sea on March 14, 2012, the long-running maritime dispute between Bangladesh and Myanmar came to a conclusion. In the Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh got 111000 square kilometers of exclusive economic zone. Bangladesh was also given a 12-mile territorial sea around St. Martins Island by the Tribunal. It’s a win-win situation for both countries. Order can boost bilateral friendship and goodwill.
Bangladesh and Myanmar share a land boundary of 271 kilometers. An effective and cooperative management of the common border is required to achieve a stable bilateral relationship. When the Myanmar government began fencing 40 kilometers of border in 2009, the Bangladesh government expressed reservations about the project. Following that, both countries agreed that “the erection of the barbed wire barrier will have no impact on bilateral relations.” Myanmar constructed 40 kilometers of fencing in 2011.
The Bangladesh Department of Narcotics Control has identified the Myanmar border region as a major entry site for illegal drugs into Bangladesh. The Rohingya are used as transporters, middlemen, and traffickers. Bangladesh’s security is threatened by some armed organizations led by Rohingya Muslims. The Arakan Rohingya Islamic Front (ARIF), Rohingya Solidarity Organization (RSO), Rohingya National Alliance (RNA), and Arakan Rohingya National Organization (ARNO) are among the prominent groups posing a security danger to Bangladesh. Myanmar has also same security threat. Both states can work together in combating those non-traditional security threat.
In the depths of the Chittagong Hill Tracts, some groups frequently coerce local communities into planting poppy. Arms and drug trafficking have now become major concerns along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border. For border stability and peace, the countries must preserve this unlawful networking.
The bilateral trade between the two countries is also improving. During the fiscal year of 2011-2012, Bangladesh exported goods to Myanmar worth US $ 13.45 million and imported goods worth $ 65 million. In the 2012-2013 fiscal years, the average amount of border trade was US $ 6.3 million.
The export value was $6.2 million, while the import value was $87 million. Despite the limited amount of trading, the potential is enormous. Despite the fact that the trade balance between the two countries favors Myanmar because Bangladesh imports many food items from the neighboring country, the trade gap is expected to narrow as Myanmar begins to import new materials from Bangladesh in early 2012, following Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to Yangon in late 2011.
Connectivity is generally regarded as a crucial aspect of bilateral collaboration. Since 1988, the Myanmar government has prioritized physical infrastructure development to bolster the economy through state monopoly. The situation has evolved over time due to a lack of foreign exchange reserves. The power and communication sectors remained state monopolies, but road transport was given to private enterprise.
The current state of Bangladesh-Myanmar ties is extremely delicate. There is no doubt that bilateral issues arise out of national interest and national security considerations. The Rohingya refugee crisis in Bangladesh, in particular, has become a national security danger. Myanmar is to blame for the influx of Rohingya IDPs and refugees. As a result, it is Myanmar’s responsibility to make appropriate decisions in accordance with international law and standards in order to mitigate this issue. Bangladesh is not obligated to bear the brunt of the Rohingya refugee crisis. To tackle this challenge and enrich bilateral relations with Myanmar, Bangladesh requires a robust diplomatic movement. Myanmar also Should Have ‘Friendship and Neighbourhood policy to Bangladesh
Sri Lanka possesses an abundance of minerals. The best known of these in Sri Lanka is our gemstones. Sri Lanka also has an abundance of good quality non-metallic mineral resources. They are mainly industrial minerals. These include Apatite, Calcite, Clay, Dolomite, Feldspar, Garnet sand, Graphite, Ilmenite, Kaolin, Mica, Quartz, Rutile, Silica Sand, and Zircon.
Although the country has a large amount of valuable mineral resources, not all locations of these minerals have been identified. It is expensive to explore the mineral resources, to locate them and find out the size and depth of the area where those mineral resources are located, said experts.
In 2022, Geological Survey and Mines Bureau bought through a VLF Receiver for Rs.3.5 million from France. This Very Low Frequency Device can detect minerals in the Earth’s crust up to 100-100 km away.
Sri Lanka‘s mineral resources are of interest to foreign commercial firms. Many foreign research groups are beginning to realize that Sri Lanka is a treasure trove of many valuable metals and minerals, scouts said.
Reports indicate the presence of a 10 by 250 miles mineralization belt between Ambalantota and Seruwawila, said these scouts. The region is also rich in other minerals such as magnetite, copper, iron and cobalt among others. Foreign expert teams, who have been studying the country for years, have come up with reports that indicate the presence of large gold deposits in Sri Lanka, they added.
Sri Lanka however, has failed to see the economic value of its very own minerals. Sri Lanka has never considered using mineral resources for economic development, observed disgusted critics. Sri Lanka is living on loans instead of making best use of these valuable mineral resources. Some minerals have not been exploited to their full potential, others are sold at a pittance to overseas buyers, they said.
Why are we selling our valuable raw material at rock bottom prices, asked Tissa Vitarana. Why are we sending the mineral rich earth from Pulmoddai in ship loads abroad. The Ilmenite is a source of Titanium dioxide. From Titanium dioxide is obtained Titanium , a highly priced substance essential for the aeronautics industry.
We have the best graphite in the world in Bogala and other places. Elsewhere this is being converted into the wonder material, Graphine, which is being used to produce a whole range of goods in the west. We do nothing with it. Also we must not forget the phosphate deposits in Eppawela that the McMorran of USA tried to steal from us for a pittance, concluded Tissa.
Our minerals should be an important money generating sector in our economy. At present Quartz, ball clay, silica and feldspar are utilized in the ceramics and glass industries with great success. The country’s porcelain is ranked among the best in the world. But that seems to be all.
We should , in addition, establish graphite based industries, salt based industries and production of salt for export, said experts. We should develop export oriented ceramic industries, and the export of dolomite stone in polished slab and other forms.
High purity quartz based industries should be set up. Quarts is the raw material used in producing silicon used for the huge semiconductor industry today. silicon production from quartz is simply out of the question, in Sri Lanka since it is technologically very complex and the electricity requeitmnets are very high. However , there are many other smaller industries which be started with quartz as the raw material such as water glass ( sodium silicate) quartz lenses and other quartz glass items which involves simple melting and reforming of quartz. said Oliver Ileperuma.
Joint ventures with outside firms should be initiated for upgrading Ilmenite to a high titanium product and thereafter move to the production of Titanium dioxide pigments. There should be manufacture of phosphate fertilizer utilizing the Eppawela apatite deposit. The production of phosphate fertilizer from this mine would greatly ease the burden of expensive fertilizer subsidies, experts said.
Apatite, Graphite, Minerals sands and Gem stones will be discussed later in this series. The other minerals mentioned in the first paragraph of this essay, as well as some not mentioned will be now be discussed very briefly .
The Balangoda Calcite Deposit is currently the best calcite deposit in the world, said Prof. H. M. G. A. Pitawala, speaking in 2021. He said that no other country in the world has a calcite deposit comparable to Balangoda. Such a high quality calcite deposit has never been recorded in any other country in the world. Elsewhere, calcite deposits come mixed with dolomite , and great effort is needed to separate the two. Balangoda calcite deposit contains only calcite. A high-tech process to separate Dolomite is not required
It is unfortunate that the Sri Lanka does not to make the best use of this rare natural resource which can only be found in our country.At present minor excavations at the Balangoda Calcite Deposit are being carried out by various individuals in an informal manner. The deposit is currently used only in animal feed.
Calcite is used in many products abroad and is in high demand there. Calcite powder is used as filler in industries. Calcium carbonate is used in the manufacture of medicinal pills, in the building industry, in paints, and in the production of animal feed.
Maximum use must be made of the Balangoda resource now, Pitiwala said. In order to properly utilize this calcite deposit, it must be turned into calcium carbonate which can be used for a number of industrial products.
In 2021, Environment Ministry was instructed to explore the possibility of producing calcium carbonate using the 2,000 tonnes of waste calcite already excavated at the Balangoda Calcite deposit. There was talk of setting up a factory to manufacture calcium carbonate using Balangoda deposit as a joint venture between the Geological Survey and Mines Bureau, a state-owned Technical Services Company and the Peradeniya University.
The three main types of clay – kaolinite, ball clay and brick clay, are used in Sri Lanka for export industries. Sri Lanka‘s deposit of clay and kaolin is considered ideal for ceramic ware and is used in the ceramic industry in Sri Lanka. Major Kaolin deposits in Sri Lanka are located at Boralesgamuwa and Meetiyagoda. The Boralesgamuwa deposit has already been exhausted.
Crystalline limestone deposits- which contain Dolomite, Calcite, and Magnesite and Dolomitic limestone are scattered throughout the Highland, South Western, Vijayan, and Wanni geological complexes. The dolomitic limestone is the most abundant type of material found in these deposits. Some of the localities known for limestone deposits are Anuradhapura, Habarana, Matale, Kandy, Ratnapura, Balangoda, Badulla, Bibile, Welimada, Ambilipitiya, Hambantota, and Kataragama.
Dolomite has many commercial uses. Dolomite is used, in the ceramic and glass industry. It is used to produce quicklime and slaked lime for the building industry. Dolomite powders are also used in the rubber and paint industries as filler material and also to produce wall finishing materials. Dolomite is also used as fertilizer.
As far as I know, Dolomite is not exploited industrially in Sri Lanka. The colored dolomite stones, so appealing in their pink, blue and green, are sold as decorative lumps to tourists by local vendors. I have bought some. I attended an industrial fair some years back and found a stall where a foreigner was selling Dolomite lamp stands. When I pointed out that this was a serious misuse of Dolomite he told me that it was a BOI project.
Feldspar deposits are found in many areas of Sri Lanka such as Rattota, Namaloya, Koslanda, Balangoda. At Rattota feldspar occurs with other pegmatite minerals such as quartz, biotite (mica), and fluorite (calcium fluoride) as thick bands with clear boundaries. This deposit is found more than 600m below the surface. Feldspar is used in the ceramic and glass industries.
Industrial quality Garnet sand can be recovered from beach sand. Mineral sand deposits which are rich in Garnet sand are available in Dondra and Hambantota, but these are not commercially mined. Garnet sand has a wide range of applications in the mineral industry, as an abrasive. The demand for garnet sand is steadily rising.
Mica is easily identified by its unique flaky structure. The most common types of mica in Sri Lanka are Biotite and Phlogopite. Phlogopite is mica rich in magnesium. Mica deposits are found in Matale, Talatu Oya, Badulla, Maskeliya, Haldummulla, Kebithigollewa and Balangoda. There is Phlogopite underground mine at Wariyapola, in Matale. Muscovite, a Mica variety with high levels of potassium can be found in Kebithigollewa.
Mica can withstand high temperatures, high dielectric strength, and is an electrical insulator. Because of these properties, sheet mica is used in electrical and electronic industries. Mica powder is used as filler in plastics, paints, some printing inks, and papers. Ground mica is used as a lubricant for special purposes and also for heat and electrical insulating purposes.
High quality quartz is found in many locations in the country. Vein quartz deposits of high purity (over 98% Silica) are found in many areas of Sri Lanka, such as Galaha (Kandy), Rattota, Balangoda, Pelmadulla, Embilipitiya and Ratnapura. In Sri Lanka, the mineral is currently exported in the raw form without any value addition.
Silica sand found in Sri Lanka is white in color and is of high purity (over 98% SiO2). Deposits are found in Marawila, Nattandiya, and Madampe (in Puttalam district) and also in Ampara and Jaffna peninsula. Silica sand is mined from Nattandiya and Madampe seas for use as a raw material in the glass and ceramic industries.
Zircon has many commercial uses. It is used in ceramic industry, refractories and foundry casting , in water and air purification systems and a growing array of specialty applications such as nuclear fuel rods, catalytic fuel converters I think that it is used in Sri Lanka only as a gemstone.
Sri Lanka also has other minerals which have economic potential. Marble is found in Kandy, Matale, Nalanda, Habarana, Badulla, Welimada and Balangoda. This marble is readily available in large minable quantities. There are marble quarries at Digana, Matale and Balangoda.
Research into the commercial possibilities of local marble was done at Sri Lanka Institute of Nanotechnology, by a team led by PG Mantilake. By 2015, this group had six patents relating to this project. They had created high purity Precipitated Calcium Carbonate (PCC) from marble for industrial applications. The team observed that PCC was imported for about LKR 16 million per month for Sri Lanka industries in 2015.
Value added nano materials can be extracted from Sri Lanka‘s marble. There is great potential for this as a new industry, this team said. Synthetic nano materials are in high demand in other countries. There is a huge export market for them. Also, our nano pieces are more suitable for Sri Lanka industries, they added.
We are now working on design processing plants for this new industry, the team said in 2015. We have developed techniques for this manufacture. The processes are simple, and industrially viable. The other items needed for the manufacture are available here. The chemicals additives needed are commercially available at low cost and they are environmentally friendly and biodegradable. The by- products are harmless. And the final product can be sold for USD 30-50 per 100 gms, they said.
Sri Lanka has scattered deposits of iron ore, mostly ignored today. Residents of Tholabowatte were surprised to be told in 2004, that the black unidentifiable stuff they threw away as nuisance was a grade of iron ore, said Milroy Ratwatte.
In 2019 Geological Survey and Mines Bureau found iron deposit in an area of about 100 kilometers in Arippu and Kollakulam. The Kurampola iron deposit covers an area of about 26 square kilometers and it contains at least 86 million tonnes of iron. In 2021 it was reported that Buttala, Kurampola and Chilaw Panirendawa iron ores would be excavated by the government.
In 2011, Geological Survey and Mines Bureau of Sri Lanka recorded gold finds in Kiriibbanara, Balangoda and several places close to the Manik and Walawe Rivers . In 2016 Geological surveys have also found gold deposits in Horana, Akuressa, Deniyaya and Nilwala Ganga. There was a high amount of Uranium and Titanium in the samples.
So far, Sri Lanka has seen only limited commercial mining of gold, observed foreign firms interested in gold mining. The country is rich in alluvial gold deposits that can be easily processed with simple and already available mining techniques.
These alluvial sources are attractive to small-scale and medium-scale mine operators. Most of the gold in rivers is being mined by artisanal miners throughout the country, they observed.
The artisanal mining makes up the bulk of the country’s gold production. That’s because, in Sri Lanka, the gold is not deep under the earth, but in quartz reefs and alluvial deposits in the rivers.
Geological surveys conducted in 2019 revealed a golddeposit of 100 sq. kilometers buried in an area centered on Seruwawila. . They found that there was iron and copper as well in the Seruwawila deposit.
The French Geological Survey (BRGM) began a drilling program in Seruwila in the early 1980s which ended with the start of the Eelam was in 1983. Later, the French firm AMECA obtained an exploration licence and commenced work in 2018. AMECA said that it had selected Seruwawila area as its maiden project due to indications that the area could contain a significant amount of gold.
In 2019, it was reported that The Geological Survey and Mines Bureau had recommenced excavations in the Seruwawila area and evidence of gold deposit has been found. In 2021, The Geological Survey and Mines Bureau (GSMB) announced that it has decided to explore further the gold and other deposits in Seruwawila..
Technology today is more advanced, it is possible to dig up to 250-300 meters deep and we hope that more information can be revealed regarding the mineral resources that have been discovered in this deposit, GSMB said.
Surveys are also needed to ascertain the economical viability of the expected gold deposit. Samples have to be analyzed to see the possibility of finding palladium, platinum elements. If the survey reveals positive results foreign investors can be attracted to develop the ore.
Government said it hoped to seek foreign investors willing to work in accordance with the policies and procedures adopted by the bureau to join with the GSMB to carry out further surveys based on the data and geological elements available. (Continued)
By Garvin Karunaratne, former Government Agent, Matara
Sri lanka my beloved motherland has descended to chaos. The causes are many, mainly by the country closely following the IMF’s Structural Adjustment Programme since it was imposed at the end of 1977 when President Jayawardena requested financial help and the ineptitude of our leaders. I have since leaving the Administrative Service devoted myself to study and my three books: How the IMF Ruined Sri Lanka & Alternative Programmes of Success(2006), How the IMF Sabotaged Third World Development(2017) and How the IMF’s Structural Adjustment Destroyed Sri Lanka(2022) tell it all.
Though we have approached the IMF, judging from the IMF’s record in the past we can only expect them to restructure the foreign debt. The IMF looks after the interests of the creditors, not the interests of the poor countries which their policies ruined.
We are in dire straits. We have since 1977 dismantled our administrative systems that we had built up for production and got weaned to live on imports.
We do not have any dollars to sustain essential imports for food and daily sustenance. It is my thinking that there will be famine and starvation of untold dimension. I have read of the ideas expressed by our economists Harsha de Silva and Eran Wickremaratna in the news and am thankful for their concern.
It is my plea to everyone to all citizens to get down to plant edibles like sweet potatoe, (batala) manioc, yams and vegetables immediately. Government officials working in every capacity may please also help this process. Though the IMF and our discredited leaders led us down, Mother Nature is bountiful. It is the rainy season and this will help to produce some edibles.
The Academics’ Movement to Safeguard Agriculture (AMSA) in Sri Lanka
The Academics’ Movement to Safeguard Agriculture (AMSA) in Sri Lanka expresses grave concern about the potential impact of the current national crisis on the agriculture sector in Sri Lanka. First, we vehemently condemn the brutal assault launched against the peaceful protesters in front of Galle Face and Temple Trees, and the detrimental chain reactions emanated from it.
We are at a crucial stage of the Yala season of 2022 where crop establishment is severely constrained by shortages of fuel, fertilizer and other essential inputs. The current crisis has brought to a standstill almost all activities in the value chain of production, processing, transport and marketing of agricultural produce. These include food for the local population and export-oriented products which bring-in valuable foreign exchange.
Future repercussions of the present state of inactivity are alarming. Failure of the current Yala season will not only create substantial and widespread shortages of essential food items (rice, pulses, vegetables, fruits, eggs, meat, etc.), but also cause a shortage of seed paddy for the next Maha season of 2022/2023. In view of the fact that the Maha season produces two-thirds of the national paddy production, potential impacts of its failure on the national food security and social stability are wide-ranging and severe. The current status of foreign exchange reserves means that the country will not have the capacity to compensate for the impeding shortfall in national food production by food imports.
As such, AMSA urges the President and the Legislature to urgently take measures necessary to resolve the current impasse in national-level administration and governance to enable resumption of activities across the whole value chain of the Sri Lankan agriculture sector, for both local consumption and export. We urge the new administration that will, hopefully, come into operation to accord a high priority to ensuring a reasonably adequate supply of essential agricultural inputs, especially fertilizer and fuel, and restoring farmer confidence to engage in agricultural production. We urge the officials of the mandated governmental institutions and agencies to facilitate a fair distribution of limited agricultural inputs and provide advice to farmers, via the agricultural extension network, on technologies to achieve the maximum possible productivity with the limited amount of inputs available. We urge the general public to fully-support all agriculture, food and export-oriented crop production activities, to increase export earnings, to reduce food wastage, and to engage in home gardening where possible. We also request everyone to refrain from any activities causing destruction to infrastructure, both public- and private-owned, particularly used in agricultural production.
The AMSA as a group of academics in the field of agriculture are prepared to fully-support all above activities by lending our expertise in different disciplines of agriculture on the basis of proven and valid scientific principles.
Names of Signatories, on behalf of the AMSA-Sri Lanka:
Senior Professor Buddhi Marambe
Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya
Senior Professor Janendra de Costa
Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya
Professor Devika de Costa
Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya
Senior Professor Aruna Kumara
Faculty of Agriculture, University of Ruhuna
Professor T. Sivananthawerl
Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya
Professor Saman Dharmakirthi
Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya
Professor Nalika Ranathunge
Faculty of Agriculture, University of Ruhuna
Professor Warshi Dandeniya
Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya
Professor Nilantha Liyanage
Faculty of Agriculture, University of Ruhuna
Professor Ewon Kalidasa
Faculty of Animal Science and Export Agriculture, Uwa Wellassa University
Professor Gangani Samaraweera
Faculty of Agriculture, University of Ruhuna
Dr. Pradeep Gajanayaka
Faculty of Technology, University of Sri Jayewerdenepura
Export Import Bank of India (Exim Bank), however, said there is no overdue payment from the Sri Lankan government as of now
The lines of credit extended to the Sri Lankan government by India Exim Bank may go through a “rough patch” as the island nation faces the worst economic crisis, a senior bank official said on Thursday.
Export Import Bank of India (Exim Bank), however, said there is no overdue payment from the Sri Lankan government as of now.
Exim Bank, at the behest of the government of India, extends lines of credit (LOCs) to financial institutions, regional development banks, sovereign governments and other entities overseas to enable buyers in those countries to import developmental and infrastructure projects, equipment, goods and services from India, on deferred credit terms.
It has extended LOCs worth USD 1.3 billion to the Sri Lankan government.
Under the Buyers’ Credit- National Export Insurance Account (BC-NEIA), the development finance institution has an exposure of around USD 230 million in the country.
“The LOC part is going to get into some negotiation between the two governments. I don’t think everything is rosy with Sri Lanka. This is going to be a rough patch,” Exim Bank’s managing director Harsha Bangari told reporters.
“How we navigate Sri Lanka in the near term is going to be a little difficult, but I am sure at least the government of India is totally invested in Sri Lanka,” she said.
While extending LOCs, Exim Bank takes risk, which is backed by the government of India, but it does not do credit assessment, Bangari said, adding that any decision on restructuring of LOCs will have to get initiated by the finance ministry.
“I am sure discussions have happened and there will be imminent restructuring. We will become a partner in negotiation but the table will be set by the government,” she said.
Bangari said the Sri Lanka government made its last repayment on March 31, 2022 and there are no bills overdue currently.
“Technically, there is no overdue from Sri Lanka today but that doesn’t mean it will not be there (in future). Going forward, there could be some stress,” she noted.
Exim Bank has a very small exposure to Sri Lankan banks but there are no concerns over it, she said.
Sri Lanka is facing its worst economic crisis since gaining independence from Britain in 1948. The crisis is caused in part by the lack of foreign currency, which has meant that the country cannot afford to pay for imports of staple foods and fuel, leading to acute shortages and very high prices.
On the impact of Ukraine-Russia conflict on the bank’s exposure, Bagari said none of the exporters of the development finance institution has exposure to Ukraine.
Although the bank does not have any direct exposure to Russia, it has provided project guarantees to Indian companies that are doing contract work for Russian companies.
“We are very closely monitoring it on a daily basis. We are in touch with these companies. We have not seen any sign of stress till now. So, on the financial transaction side we do not have exposure,” she said.
The export credit agency has provided assistance to a couple of companies in India, which are the licensed manufacturer of Sputnik vaccine, but there are no concerns over it, she said.
Oonce hailed as South Asia’s ‘success story’, the island nation has faced months of escalating violent unrest.
Riot police fire tear gas during a clash with anti-government demonstrators in Colombo, Sri Lanka’s capital, on 9 May | Dinuka Liyanawatte/ Reuters/ Alamy. All rights reserved
Sri Lanka is in a state of chaos. Faced with the worst economic crisis of its 74 years of independence, the country has been roiled by days of violent unrest – leading the government to the brink of collapse.
For months, nationwide protests have taken place over soaring food prices, severe shortages of everyday essentials, weeks of power cuts lasting up to ten hours a day, and crippling petrol and diesel costs, which are up 92% and 76% respectively since January.
A national emergency remains in force, the army is enforcing a nationwide curfew and threatening to shoot looters on sight and some Western countries are issuing advisories to warn their citizens against non-essential travel to Sri Lanka.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s government is struggling to remain in office as he attempts to cobble together a national unity administration. This would replace the 26-member cabinet, whose members resigned in unison last month bar the president and his elder brother, the prime minister, Mahinda Rajapaksa.
The situation is volatile. Mahinda, who hung on until Monday, when he also resigned, has had to be evacuated by the army, after protesters tried to storm his official residence in the capital, Colombo. He is currently sheltering at a naval base in the north-eastern city of Trincomalee.
On 12 May, Ranil Wickremesinghe was sworn in as Sri Lanka’s prime minister for the sixth time, but it’s not clear if cabinet formation will be speedy and smooth. The lack of a new cabinet is taking its toll on Sri Lanka’s people and its prospects. On 11 May, the head of Sri Lanka’s central bank, Nandalal Weerasinghe, said the country has just 48 hours to save itself, lest the economy will completely collapse”.
Even the basics are unaffordable. Lentils rose from 168 rupees (37p) a kilo in October to 500 rupees (£1.11) in April
Meanwhile, angry protesters chant Go Gota, go”, while the International Monetary Fund (IMF) – with which the government is urgently negotiating a bailout – has said talks for a loan can advance only once a new cabinet is in place.
A mounting debt crisis has left Sri Lanka unable to refinance foreign debt totalling more than $50bn. And with foreign currency reserves as low as $50m, the country is unable to import food, medicine and fuel.
Its 22 million people have suffered weeks of severe shortages of everyday essentials. Even the most basic food has become unaffordable. Lentils, for instance, rose from 168 Sri Lankan rupees (37 pence) per kilo in October to 500 rupees (£1.11) in April. Meanwhile soaring fuel costs are forcing public transport and private vehicles off the roads and leaving farmers unable to run tractors or start their rice paddy crops, despite it being planting season.
But how did Sri Lanka get here? It was the first South Asian country to embrace market liberalisation way back in 1977 and was often compared to Singapore, says P. Jayaram, a visiting professor at Amrita University in Coimbatore, India, who reported from Colombo in the 1980s and 1990s.
Sri Lanka seemed poised to reap the harvest of peace and prosperity. But the decisions made after the end of the war put the country on a quite different, perilous path.
Flawed choices
Sri Lanka made a series of flawed choices after the end of the civil war,” Sumit Ganguly, a professor of political science at Indiana University, told openDemocracy.
Amongst other matters, it went on a borrowing spree and it cut taxes. The debts came due and the revenue losses undermined public finances.”
Sri Lanka was Asia’s largest high-yield bond issuer, borrowing heavily in the years following the war for several ambitious infrastructure projects, such as South Asia’s tallest self-supported tower and wide highways in the hinterland. Critics call these projects the Rajapaksa white elephants”. The pile of debts continued to grow, with roughly a third owed to international bondholders and China and India as other large creditors.
Mahinda was in charge of the country from 2005 until 2015; his thumping election victory in 2010 leading political analysts to label him a man with a Midas touch”. But that seemed not to extend to the country’s finances, with Mahinda taking Chinese loans to build the expensive Hambantota port in his southern home district.
This controversial relationship with China went back a long way, as Ganguly wrote in a 2018 paper. Mahinda’s final military onslaught against the Tamil rebels, Ganguly noted, found significant support, especially in the form of substantial amounts of military equipment, including six F7 fighter jets, from the People’s Republic of China.
The PRC also provided millions of dollars’ worth of other military equipment and about $1bn in overall assistance.”
The Hambantota project followed on from that – but it hasn’t ended well. In 2017, the port was leased to Beijing on a 99-year debt-for-equity swap, after Sri Lanka failed to pay off the loan. Critics say Mahinda caused Sri Lanka to fall into the Chinese debt trap”.
The man with a Midas touch lost the 2015 election, but with brother Gotabaya chalking up an emphatic win in 2019, the Rajapaksa family was back in power. At the time, Sri Lanka’s economic situation was fair – it had foreign reserves of some $7.5bn and a budget surplus – there seemed a chance it could turn the corner on the bad deals of the past.
But Gotabaya put in place sweeping tax cuts, in what some Sri Lankan commentators call voodoo economics”. With value-added tax nearly halved to 8% and seven other taxes abolished, government revenue fell. Ganguly indicates that it changed Sri Lanka’s progressive, poverty-cutting arc. Economic disparities certainly had widened with the tax cuts as the benefits mostly accrued to the wealthy,” he told openDemocracy.
The pandemic didn’t help because there was a dramatic drop in tourism… and the country lost significant remittances from the Middle East,” Ganguly added. To compound matters, with the exchequer drained an import-dependent economy saw soaring inflation.”
Economic disparities certainly had widened with the tax cuts as the benefits mostly accrued to the wealthy
In April 2021, the Rajapaksa government announced a bold and aspirational transition to organic farming. Chemical fertilisers were banned and their import halted. Virtually overnight, farmers were left to get on with farming in an organic way.
There was no proper plan, no training or education,” Vimukthi de Silva, an organic farmer in Rajanganaya, later told The Guardian. Yields of rice, the country’s staple food, dropped precipitously, as did formerly plentiful banana and tea crops. Vegetables became five times as expensive as before the ban.
The cash-strapped government slashed funding for school meals. A food crisis loomed. Donations of Chinese rice were supplemented by high-priced purchases from Myanmar. Sri Lanka’s failed organics experiment became a salutary story in South Asia for how not to do it.
What happens next?
The president promised, late on 11 May, that he would form a new government within a week. But this may not be quick enough. The situation remains fluid and the only certainty is flux.
Writing in The Guardian in 2009, celebrated British-Sri Lankan writer Romesh Gunesekera described his country of origin in lyrical terms. Sri Lanka, he wrote, is an island that everyone loves at some level inside themselves. A very special island that travellers, from Sinbad to Marco Polo, dreamed about.
A place where the contours of the land itself forms a kind of sinewy poetry.”
But Gunesekera’s article was headlined: ‘A long, slow descent into hell’. It may have been prescient, albeit unintentionally, about a country whose leaders’ aspirations catastrophically exceeded their ability to sustainably deliver.
Speaking about the ongoing crisis in Sri Lanka, MP Namal Rajapaksa said one cannot throw out a president as it will deepen the political instability. Since the start of the economic crisis, Opposition leaders have called for the removal of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa from office.
Namal Rajapaksa, the son of former Sri Lanka Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, said one cannot throw out a president as it will deepen political crisis. He also blamed the Opposition leaders for not taking responsibility of governing Sri Lanka during the country’s worst economic crisis.
Rajapaksa said, “People who are protesting against the government need to understand the democratic way. You can’t throw out the president. The president had to function without a government for over 48 hours. If the president resigns what next? We have opposition leaders who didn’t want to take responsibility. We have a clear road map now.
Sri Lanka’s economic crisis escalated into civil unrest following the resignation of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa on May 9. Soon after Rajapaksa’s resignation, his supporters clashed with the anti-government protesters.
The ancestral home of the politically-influential Rajapaksa family in Hambantota was set on fire by protesters. Eight people have died and around 250 people have been injured in the violence.ADVERTISEMENThttps://a78f51adf141dba7ee9533e4f8784c67.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html
The Hambantota MP said allegations of government inciting violence are false. He stated that his family would remain in Sri Lanka and face investigation into violence that broke out between pro- and anti-government protesters in the streets of Colombo.
Speaking exclusively to India Today, “This is not the first time we have a travel ban. We had four travel bans during the last government too. No intention of running away. We want to work with people and remain in Sri Lanka. As an individual or family, we didn’t have a part to play in any violence. Allegations of us [ruling party] inciting violence are false. We will face investigation. “
“We have to come out of [economic] crisis. The PM resigned as per the demands of the people. At the same time, a chaotic situation prevailed because mobs were instigated by political-motivated groups,” he added.
Namal Rajapaksa, who is currently at a secured location in a naval base, said the country went without government for 24 hours and the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa won’t serve as a solution to the current crisis.
“There is a democratic way of transferring power. The 21st amendment will be worked and executive power will be abolished. President’s power will be reduced,” Rajapaksa said, backing the demand for Constitutional reforms.
In a late night televised address on May 11, President Gotabaya refused to quit but had promised to appoint a new Prime Minister and a young Cabinet which would introduce key constitutional reforms to curb his powers.
Gotabaya had said that after appointing the new Prime Minister, and Government a constitutional amendment will be moved to enact the content of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, which will vest more powers with Parliament.
Former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa extended his wishes to newly-appointed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.
In a twitter post, he said “Congratulations to the newly-appointed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. I wish you all the best as you navigate in these troubled times,”
The Ministry of Defence has requested the general public to inform the details of criminal activities by mobs or violent groups and incidents of damaging of public and private properties, looting and assaults from any parts of the island.
The public can provide such information through the following contact numbers:
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, responding to the letter directed by Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has said the decision to appoint Ranil Wickremesinghe as the new Prime Minister cannot be reversed at the moment.
You refused my prior invitations to accept the Premiership. Following discussions with political party leaders representing the parliament, I have appointed Ranil Wickremesinghe to the post of Prime Minister.”
President Rajapaksa has informed the Opposition Leader to inform him if he desires to include any of his party members in the Cabinet.
Newly-appointed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe says he accepted the President’s invitation by choosing to deliver solutions over practicing petty politics.
Speaking to the media following his swearing-in, PM Wickremesinghe stressed that the country’s economy needs to be rescued and the people are living with great difficulty.
The Leader of the United National Party (UNP), Ranil Wickremesinghe has been sworn in as the new Prime Minister of Sri Lanka.
Wickremesinghe took oath before President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the President’s House this evening (May 12).
Secretary to the President Gamini Senarath and Prof. Maithree Wickramasinghe were also present on the occasion.
Wickremesinghe has served as Prime Minister of Sri Lanka on five previous occasions.
President Rajapaksa and Wickremesinghe held a round of discussion on Wednesday evening (May 11) during which the new appointment for the vacated premiership and the present crisis situation in the country was discussed at length.
Wickremesinghe’s appointment comes after Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned as the Prime Minister following a brazen attack on peaceful protesters camped outside the Temple Trees and the ‘GotaGoGama’ protest site at Galle Face Green by a mob of ruling party supporters on May 09. The events led to a nationwide public furore.
The resignation of Mahinda Rajapaksa was later notified in a Gazette Extraordinary published on May 09, under the directives of the President.
Soon after the swearing-in of Wickremesinghe this evening, former PM Mahinda Rajapaksa, who was reportedly relocated to the Sri Lanka Navy Dockyard in Trincomalee due to security reasons, congratulated his successor.
Congratulations to the newly appointed Prime Minister of #lka, @RW_UNP. I wish you all the best as you navigate these troubled times,” Rajapaksa tweeted.
Congratulations to the newly appointed Prime Minister of #lka, @RW_UNP. I wish you all the best as you navigate these troubled times.— Mahinda Rajapaksa (@PresRajapaksa) May 12, 2022
The citizens of the island nation have been showing this discontentment with the incumbent government as they continue to stand in long queues to meet their basic necessities, including food and medicines.
It was reported last week that the Sri Lankan President had requested Mahinda Rajapaksa to vacate the premiership, in order to allow the formation of a government of national unity, an interim arrangement until the present economic crisis could be dealt with.
Rajapaksa’s resignation as the Prime Minister came after several rounds of discussions among the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Party (SLPP) and its constituent parties. The PM’s departure also results in the dissolution of the Cabinet.
The Sri Lankan government is currently struggling to meet basic requirements for its population of 22 million citizens amid an unprecedented economic crisis caused by mishandling of finances and ill-timed tax cuts.
The island nation is also currently facing a foreign exchange deficit, which has resulted in food, fuel, power, and gas shortages, and has sought economic assistance from friendly countries.
Meanwhile, people in the country have been protesting for nearly a month demanding for the government, led by the Rajapaksa family, to resign.
