SRI LANKA APPOINTS NEW PRIME MINISTER IN BID TO EASE TURMOIL
▶ Veteran Ranil Wickremesinghe faces tough challenge amid protests and economic crisis
Sri Lanka has appointed a new prime minister, in a move President Gotabaya Rajapaksa hopes will help to quell weeks of civil unrest.
At least nine people have been killed this week and more than 300 injured, in demonstrations over surging fuel and food prices and a financial crisis brought about by economic mismanagement.
Ranil Wickremesinghe, a political veteran who has been prime minister of the island nation five times before, was on Thursday given the task of leading his country through its worst economic crisis since it gained independence from Britain in 1948.
Earlier Mr Rajapaksa promised sweeping reforms, warning that the country could slide into “anarchy”.
Some of the most violent protests in decades have almost overwhelmed security forces and led to the resignation of Mahinda Rajapaksa – the president’s brother – as prime minister this week.
Mahinda Rajapaksa is now living in a heavily fortified military installation, after protesters burnt down his house and a museum that was dedicated to his late father.
Gotabaya Rajapaksa has promised to strip powers from the presidency and create a stronger role for Parliament. He has also condemned attacks on protesters, blamed on pro-government mobs.
The unrest represents a fall from grace for the Rajapaksa dynasty – a family credited by millions for bringing a 26-year civil war with Tamil separatists to an end in 2009.
On Wednesday night, the president offered a conciliatory note to protesters.
“I am working to form a new government this week to control the current situation and prevent the country from falling into anarchy,” Gotabaya Rajapaksa said.
He said he would appoint a prime minister – later announced as Mr Wickremesinghe – and a Cabinet “able to win the confidence of the majority in Parliament and will strengthen the confidence of the people of the country”.
The president also said he will give away many of his powers to Parliament and when normality returns, take steps to abolish the powerful executive presidential system. Authorities sent armoured vehicles and troops on to the streets of the capital Colombo on Wednesday, two days after pro-government mobs attacked peaceful protesters, leading to a wave of violence across the country.
Security forces have been ordered to shoot those deemed to be involved in the violence, as sporadic acts of arson and vandalism continued, despite a strict nationwide curfew that began on Monday evening.
Asela Waidyalankara, a cybersecurity
professional, said there was “chaos and crisis and uncertainty everywhere”.
Anti-government protesters have been demanding the resignations both Rajapaksa brothers over a debt crisis that has nearly bankrupted Sri Lanka.
In recent days, nine people have been killed and more than 200 injured in the violence.
There have been clashes between anti-government demonstrators and security forces and government supporters, and attacks by mobs setting fire to buildings and vehicles.
I am appointing a prime minister and a Cabinet who … will strengthen the confidence of the people of the country GOTABAYA RAJAPAKSA President of Sri Lanka