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Sri Lanka is sinking deeper into the political crisis after the president issued a decree to dissolve the parliament and hold new elections, a decision the experts described as unconstitutional and opponents have vowed to to challenge in court.
This marks the latest development of a clash between Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena and Ranil Wickremesinghe, Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, proclaiming a confrontation with profound implications for the future of Sri Lankan democracy.
President Sirisena's decision to dissolve Parliament "poses a vital threat to Sri Lanka's democratic institutions," the US Embassy said in a statement released on Saturday. Such actions "jeopardize Sri Lanka's economic progress and international reputation".
Sirisena, the president, and Wickremesinghe, the prime minister, represent different parties, but had ruled the island nation off the coast of India as part of a coalition government. Their partnership collapsed dramatically when Sirisena dismissed Wickremesinghe from office on Oct. 26, a step that experts say would violate Sri Lanka's constitution.
Sirisena has been named new Prime Minister, Mahinda Rajapaksa, former president of a controversial man and strong man known for using brutal force to end the country's 25-year-long civil war in 2009.
Since last month, the country has experienced a period of heightened tensions that threaten to give way to violence when two men claim to be the legitimate prime minister of Sri Lanka. Wickremesinghe remained in the Prime Minister's official residence, surrounded by supporters, while Rajapaksa installed Loyalists as new ministers.
The United States and Europe have both expressed deep concern at the Sri Lankan president's maneuvering and have called for a quick vote in parliament to demonstrate which of the two men claim the prime minister has a majority in the chamber.
But instead of allowing such a vote in parliament, Sirisena suspended the chamber and refused to allow him to meet again until November 14 – a move intended to give his ally, Rajapaksa, time to gather the necessary support.
On Friday, however, a presidential spokesman admitted that his faction still did not have the necessary support. A few hours later, at midnight, Sirisena issued a presidential gazette totally dissolving Parliament and calling for early elections in January.
"This is an illegal act, the constitution contains no provision allowing the president to dissolve Parliament in this way," said Ajith Perera, a member of Wickremesinghe's United National Party on Saturday.
Under the Sri Lankan Constitution, Parliament can only be dissolved under two conditions: at least four and a half years since the last election or the approval of two-thirds of the members. None of the conditions are met in the current scenario.
Wickremesinghe party members held emergency meetings on Saturday to chart next steps. They held meetings with the country's electoral commission, urging it to abide by the law. The Electoral Commission has not yet announced whether it will request new elections.
Kabir Hasheem and Mangala Samaraweera, two UNP leaders, also announced their intention to file a complaint in the Supreme Court to challenge the dissolution of parliament.
Bhavani Fonseka, a lawyer and senior researcher at the Center for Alternatives Research, a Colombo-based think tank, said the organization also plans to challenge the presidential decree to overthrow the current parliament. Under the Sri Lankan constitution, "it is very clear that no one can dissolve the parliament," she said.
In the weeks following the president's attempt to oust the prime minister, opposition to unprecedented tactics has increased rather than dissipated. Parliament Speaker Karu Jayasuriya said last week that the recent events constituted a "serious violation of democratic principles" that "should not have occurred in a democratic society".
Sirisena, the president, said that the dismissal of Wickremesinghe was necessary to protect the national interest. In a televised speech, Sirisena accused Wickremesinghe of corruption and mismanagement of the investigation into a plot of alleged murder against him.
Analysts say that Siriena's move was motivated not only by acrimony towards Wickremesinghe, but also by political calculations. Sirisena and Rajapaksa are former rivals, but Rajapaksa's party has clearly emerged victorious from the last local elections, becoming a powerful partner for the upcoming polls.
Rajapaksa remains a very popular figure in Sri Lanka for his role in the end of the civil war. But the prospect of his return to the leadership of the country is bleak for human rights defenders and many Tamils in the north of the country. Critics accuse him of human rights violations and intimidation to silence opponents. Rajapaksa also allowed the expansion of Chinese influence in Sri Lanka in the form of major infrastructure projects.
Joanna Slater reported from Jaipur and Amantha Perera reported from Colombo.
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