Political turmoil hits Sri Lanka

Serious political turmoil has broke out in the South Asian Island country of Sri Lanka, as the country’s president, Maithripala Sirisena, has (most probably, unconstitutionally) removed Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe and appointed former strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa as the new PM of the country.

The move has come as the coalition formed to end the triumph of former president Mahindra Rajapaksa, who was accused of serious human rights violations, has collapsed followed by the occurrence of a huge rift between the top leaders of the parties that stopped the triumph of the tainted predecessor of Mr Sirisena.

Several political leaders and political observers opine that the Sri Lankan president has no right to dismiss the prime minister under any ground stated in the country’s law.

Anyway, the latest move has tainted the image of Mr Sirisena, who parted with Mr Rajapaksa during the year 2009 over the atrocities the Sri Lankan army allegedly committed against the Sri Lankan Tamil population at the behest of the Rajapaksa government, and who assured the formation of a special forum to investigate the role of the then Sri Lankan government, particularly the then president, in the atrocities.

There are allegations that it was the difference of opinion formed between the leaders in connection with a discussion to give the operational rights of a Sri Lankan port to India that dropped the first spark for the latest political turmoil.

Vignesh. S. G

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