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The largest party in Sri Lanka announced on Saturday the judicial challenge to the dismissal of Parliament by President Maithripala Sirisena, a decision that plunged the island nation into a new turmoil and alarmed the international community.
Sirisena announced Friday night that he was dissolving Parliament and calling new elections on January 5, two weeks after the dismissal of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and his replacement by the controversial Mahinda Rajapaksa.
Mangala Samaraweera, Minister of Finance in Wickremesinghe's dismissed cabinet, said Saturday that his party, the United National Party (UNP), would take legal action in Sri Lanka's highest court. next week, claiming that the president had "kicked the constitution."
Samaraweera told reporters in Colombo. "We will fight in the courts, we will fight in parliament and at the polls".
Shortly before dismissing the legislature, Mr. Sirisena also took over the police station by attaching him to his Ministry of Defense. He also took control of the state printer, a crucial institution that publishes decrees and proclamations.
He had already taken control of all the state media shortly after he fired Mr. Wickremesinghe on October 26th. Sirisena set the date of the elections, nearly two years ahead of schedule, after it became clear that his appointed prime minister, Rajapaksa, could not prove his majority when the Assembly is expected to meet on Wednesday. next.
Despite the fact that several legislators were offered elections of millions of dollars to change allegiance
. Rajapaksa, 72, was Prime Minister for two weeks without ever appearing in Parliament. He will continue his duties as interim Prime Minister until the convening of a new Parliament on 17 January.
Susil Premajayantha, leader of Rajapaksa's party, said Sirisena had sacked the legislature to end the power struggle and allow citizens to elect a new president. Parliament.
"We now have an acting government with limited functions," said Premajayantha. "We will hold free and fair elections."
He accused Mr. Wickremesinghe of causing instability by refusing to leave his official residence.
A power struggle
. Rajapaksa and ousted President Wickremesinghe have been fighting for power for two weeks, as the international community's growing concern over the turmoil in this insular nation of strategic importance.
Sirisena signed a decree reminding the legislator for the purpose of preventing any revolt against his actions, including the suspension of Parliament for nearly three weeks.
Rajapaksa has not yet addressed the nation after his disputed rise, but attempted Saturday to justify his dissolution early Saturday.
"… General elections will truly establish the will of the people and pave the way for a stable country," he said. have said on Twitter.
The United States is "deeply worried"
Washington's criticism of Mr. Sirisena's move has been swift.
"The United States is deeply concerned about the announcement of the dissolution of the Sri Lankan parliament, thus worsening the political crisis," the US State Department said in a statement.
"As a committed partner of Sri Lanka, we believe that democratic institutions and processes must be respected to ensure stability and prosperity," he said. Mr Sirisena has also introduced more ministers into his cabinet. This measure was supposed to give them access to state resources before the January vote
The Left People's Liberation Front (JVP), which considers the dismissal of Mr. Wickremesinghe as unconstitutional, accused Mr. Sirisena to want to consolidate her power.
"The dissolution of Parliament at this stage is illegal and goes against the constitution," JVP Secretary General Tilvin Silva told reporters.
. Wickremesinghe had thanked his supporters Thursday, in a video on Facebook, not to have left Sri Lanka "plunged into the darkness of the dictatorship."
It was not clear from the outset that he would leave the official residence of Temple Trees after the dissolution of parliament.
According to lawmakers on both sides of the dispute, the power struggle on the island populated by 21 million residents paralyzed much of the administration.
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