US urges Sri Lanka to ‘immediately reconvene parliament’ to quell violence over PM’s sacking

State Department wants elected representatives to affirm the new leader of the government

President Maithripala Sirisena fired PM Ranil Wickremesinghe on Friday, sparking violence and shootings

Reading Time:2 minutes

Members of Sri Lanka's Special Task Force and the police stand guard next to a poster of newly appointed Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa after an official security guard of sacked minister Arjuna Ranatunga shot and wounded three people. Photo: Reuters

Published: 9:04am, 29 Oct 2018Updated: 10:18pm, 29 Oct 2018

Pressure mounted on Sri Lanka President Maithripala Sirisena to reconvene parliament Monday after his shock dismissal of the prime minister and suspension of the assembly triggered a power struggle and clashes that claimed one life.

The US State Department on Sunday urged Sirisena to “immediately reconvene parliament” to allow legislators to quell the constitutional crisis sparked by his sacking on Friday of prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Sirisena later installed Mahinda Rajapakse, a controversial former strongman with close ties to China, as the new prime minister, unleashing political chaos in the Indian Ocean nation.

Wickremesinghe and his party are expected to ask the courts to have Sirisena’s action declared illegal, while neighbour and regional power India is pressuring Sirisena to restore parliament, diplomatic sources told AFP.

Sri Lankan soldiers keep watch outside the Ceylon petroleum corporation in Colombo after the president's shock dismissal of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe erupted into violence. Photo: AFP

Wickremesinghe has refused to vacate the prime minister’s official residence, barricading himself inside as over 1,000 supporters, including chanting Buddhist monks, rallied outside.

Select Voice

Choose your listening speed

Get through articles 2x faster

1.25x

250 WPM

Slow

Average

Fast

00:0000:00

1.25x