Here are the latest updates on the ongoing political and economic crisis in Sri Lanka
Here are the latest updates on the ongoing political and economic crisis in Sri Lanka
Senior politician and staunch Rajapaksa loyalist Dinesh Gunawardena on Friday became the third Prime Minister to lead Sri Lanka in the last three months, amid political turbulence sparked by a worsening economic crisis.
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Mr. Gunawardena and an 18-member “continuity Cabinet” was sworn in on Friday morning, in the presence of President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who was elected to the country’s top office through a parliamentary vote earlier this week. While most Ministers were part of the last Cabinet under President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Mr. Wickremesinghe will hold the Defence and Finance portfolios. Ali Sabry, who was earlier Justice and Finance Minister, will now head the Foreign Affairs Ministry.
Also read | Who is Sri Lanka’s new Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena?
The Prime Minister and the all-male Cabinet were sworn in hours after a pre-dawn military raid at Colombo’s main anti-government agitation site, in which at least nine persons, including activists, journalists and lawyers, were brutally assaulted by soldiers, despite protesters promising to vacate the area by Friday 2 p.m.
Latest updates:
July 22
Xi Jinping greets new Sri Lankan President Wickremesinghe, says will provide support “as his capacity allows”
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday congratulated Ranil Wickremesinghe on his election as Sri Lankan President and offered to provide support as “his capacity allows” to Colombo, amid Beijing’s concerns over billions of dollars of Chinese investments and defaulted loans in the economically bankrupt island nation.
In his message to Mr. Wickremesinghe, President Xi said “he attaches great importance to the development of China-Sri Lanka relations and would like to provide support and assistance as his capacity allows to Mr. Wickremesinghe and the Sri Lankan people,” state-run Xinhua news agency quoted him as saying.
Terming the two countries as “each other’s traditional friendly neighbours” since the establishment of diplomatic ties 65 years ago, he said both countries had set an example of friendly interactions and mutually beneficial cooperation between large and small countries.
Ever since Sri Lanka’s economic crisis erupted with the country running out of its foreign exchange reserves causing a huge fuel and food crisis, China’s assistance to the country was in focus considering it is the biggest investor with over $10 billion investments in the island nation. – PTI
July 22
Sri Lanka’s Election Commission appoints Wajira Abeywardena to MP seat vacated by Ranil
Sri Lanka’s Election Commission on Friday appointed Wajira Abeywardena as a member of Parliament to fill the seat left vacant after Ranil Wickremesinghe was elected president.
July 22
Sri Lanka military assaults protesters, journalists in raid
A large military contingent, along with police, raided Galle Face in Colombo early on Friday, where protesters have peacefully agitated for over three months, resisting the ruling establishment in the wake of a crushing economic crisis. Nine persons, including protesters, journalists and lawyers, were brutally assaulted by soldiers.
Read : ‘Occupy Galle Face’: A tent city of resistance beside Colombo’s seat of power
The military attack on the main agitation site comes less than 24 hours after Ranil Wickremesinghe was sworn in as President, amid political tumult following former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s recent ousting by dramatic mass protests. As Acting President Mr. Wickremesinghe declared an Emergency on Monday, two days ahead of a crucial parliament vote in which he was elected President. – Meera Srinivasan
