5 yıl önce

Sri Lanka's political stalemate, in pictures

Ousted premier Ranil Wickremesinghe has refused to accept his surprise sacking by President Maithripala Sirisena, who named former strongman president Mahinda Rajapakse as the new premier.

Reuters

Sri Lanka's newly-appointed Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa (L) sits next to President Maithripala Sirisena at their party members' meeting in Colombo, Sri Lanka. (October 27, 2018)

Sri Lanka has been gripped by political turmoil since President Maithripala Sirisena sacked his former ally Ranil Wickremesinghe on October 26 and appointed Rajapakse in his place as prime minister.

Thousands of supporters of Rajapaksa headed for the capital on Monday to rally in support of his controversial nomination as prime minister.

AP

Supporters of Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena and his newly-appointed prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa attend a rally held out side the parliamentary complex in Colombo, Sri Lanka. (November 5, 2018)

Wickremesinghe has refused to vacate his official residence, insisting he is the lawful prime minister and that the president had no constitutional right to replace him.

Reuters

A photograph of Sri Lanka's ousted prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe taking an oath as he was sworn in before President Maithripala Sirisena in 2015, is seen on a wall as Wickremesinghe speaks during an interview. (November 3, 2018)

Sirisena announced on Sunday that parliament would reconvene on November 14, a week later than he had promised, prolonging the power struggle that has crippled the country.

Critics say the suspension of Parliament was meant to give Rajapaksa time to gather enough support to survive a no-confidence vote when lawmakers reconvene November 14.

Reuters

Supporters of Sri Lanka's ousted prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe hold a placard during a protest against his removal, near Prime Minister's official residence in Colombo, Sri Lanka. (October 30, 2018)

Rajapaksa is seen as a hero by many amongst Sri Lanka’s Buddhist majority for ending a 37-year-old Tamil separatist war during his tenure as president from 2005 to 2015. But Rajapaksa has been accused of human rights violations, nepotism and corruption.

Reuters

Sri Lanka's newly appointed Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa signs the document during the ceremony to assume duties at the Prime Minister office in Colombo, Sri Lanka. (October 29, 2018)

But Sri Lanka's speaker of parliament said he would not accept Rajapaksa, as the new prime minister until he proves he commands a majority in parliament.

"The majority of members are of the view that the changes ... are unconstitutional and against traditions," the speaker of parliament, Karu Jayasuriya, said in a statement.

AFP

Sri Lanka's parliament speaker Karu Jayasuriya (R) looks on at a meeting of MPs at the Parliament Building in Colombo. (November 2, 2018)

Rival Asian giants India and China are anxiously watching the constitutional conflict between contending prime ministers in Sri Lanka to see whose interests get the upper hand in their own strategic battle.

Rajapaksa is much closer to Beijing. Billions of dollars of Chinese investment flowed into Sri Lankan infrastructure during his administration, ranging from roads and ports to land reclamation in Colombo.

AP

Sri Lankan men walk along the shore near the China-funded sea reclamation project in Colombo, Sri Lanka. (November 3, 2018)

The political crisis is also scaring away tourists and raising questions over foreign aid, ringing alarm bells for the economy as the currency slumps to record lows.

Amidst warnings from politicians of a "bloodbath" if the dispute escalates, tourists are cancelling hotel bookings just as Sri Lankan beaches and major sites like the Temple of the Tooth prepare for peak season.

While no official figures have been given, deluxe hotels have reported cancellations and a critical decline in new bookings in the past 10 days.