Sri Lankan opposition starts work on forming new cabinet
Demonstrators protest inside the President's House premises, after Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled, in Colombo, on Saturday. Reuters
Sri Lanka’s opposition parties met on Sunday to agree on a new government a day after the country’s president and prime minister offered to resign following the most dramatic day of months-long political turmoil, with protesters storming the leaders’ homes in a rage over the economic crisis.
Protesters remained in President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s residence, his seaside office and the prime minister’s home, saying they would stay until the resignations are official.
The president’s whereabouts were unknown, but a statement from his office said he ordered the immediate distribution of a cooking gas consignment to the public, suggesting that he was still at work.
Soldiers were deployed around the city and the chief of defence staff, Shavendra Silva, called for public support to maintain law and order. But troops simply watched from afar as crowds of people splashed in the garden pool of Rajapaksa’s sprawling residence, lounged on beds and took selfies of themselves on their cellphones to capture the moment.
Occupants of the prime minister’s official residence cooked in an outdoor kitchen, played carrom - a popular tabletop game — and slept on sofas.
Ranjith Madduma Bandara, a top official in the main opposition United People’s Force, said that separate discussions were held with other parties and lawmakers who broke away from Rajapaksa’s ruling coalition and more meetings were planned.
He did not say when an agreement might be reached, even though it was expected to be finalised on Sunday.
Another opposition lawmaker, M. A. Sumanthiran, said earlier that all opposition parties combined could easily muster the 113 members needed to show a majority in parliament, at which point they will request Rajapaksa to install the new government and then resign.
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said he will leave office once a new government is in place, and hours later the speaker of Parliament said Rajapaksa would step down on Wednesday.
Pressure on both men had grown as the economic meltdown set off acute shortages of essential items, leaving people struggling to obtain food, fuel and other necessities. If both president and prime minister resign, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena will take over as temporary president, according to the constitution.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that Washington was tracking the developments in Sri Lanka and urged Parliament to work quickly to implement solutions and address the people’s discontent. Speaking at a news conference in Bangkok, Blinken said that the United States condemns attacks against the peaceful demonstrators while calling for a full investigation into any protest-related violence.
Pope Francis opened his Sunday remarks after noon prayers at the Vatican by voicing concern about Sri Lanka. “I unite myself to the pain of the people of Sri Lanka, who continue to suffer the effects of the political and economic instability,’’ the pontiff told the public in St. Peter’s Square. “Together with the bishops of the country, I renew my appeal for peace, and I implore those who have authority not to ignore the cry of the poor and the needs of the people.’’
Associated Press
