Pressure mounts amid intensified Sri Lankan crisis

PRESSURE mounted on Sri Lanka President Maithripala Sirisena to reconvene parliament Monday after his shock dismissal of the prime minister and suspension of the assembly triggered a power struggle and clashes that claimed one life.

The US State Department on Sunday urged Sir isena to “immediately reconvene parliament” to allow legislators to quell the constitutional crisis sparked by his sacking on Friday of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Si r i s e n a l a t e r i n s t a l l e d Mahinda Rajapa k se, a con- troversia l former strongman with close ties to China, as the new prime minister, unleashi ng pol it ic a l chaos i n t he Indian Ocean nation.

Wickremesinghe and his party are expected to ask the courts to have Sirisena’s action declared illegal, while neighbour and regional power India is pressuring Sirisena to restore parliament, diplomatic sources told media.

W i c k r e m e s i n g h e h a s ref used to vacate t he prime minister’s of f icia l residence, barricading himself inside as over 1,000 supporters ra llied outside.

The 69-year-old says his sacking is illegal, and wants an emergency session of parliament held to prove he still commands a majority.

He received a boost Sunday when Parliamentar y Speaker Ka r u Jaya su r iya ref used to recognise his dismissa l and asked the president to restore his pr iv i leges a nd secu r it y deta i l unt i l a not her ca ndidate could prove a majority in parliament.

Ten sion s rema i ned h ig h across t he capita l Colombo, wit h pol ice leave ca ncel led a nd severa l leg islators loya l to Wickremesinghe warning of st reet v iolence if t he president d id not i mmediately summon parliament.

Police said one man was killed and two were injured Sunday when bodyguards for Petroleum Minister Arjuna Ranatunga, a Wickremesinghe loyalist, fired at a mob that attempted to take him hostage.

Opposition leader Rajavarothiam Sampanthan urged Jayasuriya to summon parliament immediately.

“I hereby call upon yourself to uphold the rule of law by summoning parliament . . . to perform its legitimate functions,” said Sampanthan, who represents Sri Lanka’s minority Tamil community.

In a statement late Sunday, Rajapakse said his priority is to hold local council elections and also have a general election “as soon as possible.” Parliamentary elections are not due until August 2020.

He said he wanted to “give the people the opportunity to vote for a programme that will bring the country out of the allencompassing economic, political and social crisis that it is now in.”

Rajapa k se’s a ides sa id he formally began work on Monday.