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Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena has sacked the Prime Minister and his cabinet and replaced him with a former "strong man", creating what some observers have called a "constitutional crisis" in this island country of South Asia .
Key points
- Mahinda Rajapaksa has been sworn in as Prime Minister on a television channel loyal to the Prime Minister
- According to experts, a constitutional amendment does not make it possible to know whether Mr Wickremesinghe or Mr Rajapaksa is eligible for the post of Prime Minister
- Observers believe Rajapaksa's return to power could tip the country into an era of political violence
Outgoing Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe told reporters on Friday that he had no intention of leaving his post.
"I have a majority, I will work as Prime Minister, I will remain as Prime Minister," he said.
Mr Sirisena informed Mr Wickremesinghe that he was being replaced by his former enemy, Mahinda Rajapaksa, according to his aide Mahinda Amaraweera.
Mr. Amaraweera, a politician from Rajapaksa's party, said Rajapaksa needed a majority in the 225-member Parliament to take over.
But experts say that a recent constitutional amendment makes it unclear.
Constitutional jurists, political activists and experts discussed social media and Sri Lankan television about the legitimacy of Mr. Wickremesinghe's ouster.
According to the constitution, a president has the right to appoint a person who, in his opinion, has a majority in parliament.
But the 19th amendment, added in 2015, states that a prime minister can only be removed from office if he ceases to be a member of parliament – for example, if he does not meet the criteria Elector or candidate, when a vote of censorship is passed, or when he or she chooses to resign.
"At the moment, there is a constitutional crisis: two people each claiming to be the prime minister," said Jehan Perera, executive director of the non-partisan National Peace Council of Sri Lanka.
"What the President should now do immediately is summon Parliament and vote, which is the democratic way to resolve this crisis," Perera said.
The appointment of Rajapaksa could herald the return of the violent era
Since 2005, Mr. Rajapaksa has presided over Sri Lanka for nine years beginning in 2005, accumulating immense power and popularity among the largely Sinhalese population after overseeing the defeat of the army against Tamil rebels in 2009, putting thus ending 25 years of civil war.
Some supporters hailed him as a king and a savior.
But he has also been criticized for refusing to allow an investigation into allegations of war crimes by the army.
Under his government, dozens of journalists were killed, kidnapped and tortured and some fled the country, fearing for their lives.
He lost a candidacy for reelection in 2015 in the midst of growing allegations of corruption and nepotism.
His return to power as prime minister could indicate that Sri Lanka is falling back into an era of violence against political opponents, critics and journalists, observers said.
Appointment "unconstitutional and illegal"
Members of Wickremesinghe's government called Friday's coup d'etat.
"The appointment of Mahinda Rajapaksa as Prime Minister is unconstitutional and illegal, it is an undemocratic coup d'etat," the outgoing government finance minister, Mangala Samaraweera, said on Facebook.
A private television channel loyal to Mr. Rajapaksa televised him taking the oath of office as prime minister.
Mr. Rajapaksa then visited a Buddhist temple in Colombo – a typical rite of passage that allows new leaders to receive religious blessings.
Some 200 supporters, including some with photographs of him, gathered in front of Mr. Rajapaksa's home to congratulate him.
One of them, Amal Prasanna, said the move was "totally unexpected", but he was happy that Mr. Rajapaksa came back.
"We hope for economic development and a bright future for our children," he said.
Traditionally Sirisena's Sri Lanka Freedom Party espoused the center-left views and opposed economic liberalization, while Mr. Wickremesinghe's unified National Party was right and defended the reforms. to open Sri Lanka's economy.
His government also promised justice to those accused of committing atrocities in Sri Lanka's civil war during Rajapaksa's reign.
Wickremesinghe had survived a motion of censure presented to Parliament in April by supporters of Rajapaksa. The main allegation against Mr Wickremesinghe concerned the appointment of a Singaporean governor of the central bank, who is now accused of disclosing privileged information for the benefit of his wife. son at a sale of treasure bonds.
AP
Topics:
world politics,
Government and politics,
Sri Lanka
