“The mandate of the 2015 election in which Your Excellency was elected as President pledged to abolish the executive presidency and mitigate the balance of power between the Parliament and the Executive. However, it was shocking to see Your Excellency’s recent act as the Head of State, which has gone against this mandate and the promise given to the electorate to usher in a period of good governance.” says students of South Asian University, New Delhi in a letter addressed to president Sirisena.
Letter fellows:
His Excellency Maithripala Sirisena,
The President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
The President’s Office
Colombo 1
Sri Lanka
29 October 2018
Through the Deputy High Commissioner
Sri Lanka High Commission
27, Kautilya Marg
New Delhi
Your Excellency,
Removal of Prime Minster Mr Ranil Wickramasinghe and the Appointment of Mr Mahinda Rajapaksa as Prime Minister
We, students of South Asian University, New Delhi are concerned about the developing uncertainty in the political scenario of Sri Lanka consequent to the removal of the Prime Minster Mr Ranil Wickramasinghe, and the appointment of Mr Mahinda Rajapaksa as the new Prime Minister. This act, which has been carried out amidst much secrecy and without a floor vote in Parliament has already cost people’s lives and considerable disruption of public life. At the moment, we are not debating the legality of this action in terms of the constitution. We are concerned of the ethics of the action and the political uncertainty it may push the country into. We are well aware of the uncertainties which governed Sri Lankan politics and day to life in the recent past, and it would be singularly unfortunate if this action would push the country in this direction again.
The mandate of the 2015 election in which Your Excellency was elected as President pledged to abolish the executive presidency and mitigate the balance of power between the Parliament and the Executive. However, it was shocking to see Your Excellency’s recent act as the Head of State, which has gone against this mandate and the promise given to the electorate to usher in a period of good governance. This action is both politically counter-productive as it is also a direct threat to the survival of democratic traditions in the country. Compared to much of South Asia, Sri Lanka was taking reasonable strides towards accountable democracy over the last two years. Your recent action has hampered this progress, and as young people of South Asia we are very concerned of the impact this act will have not only in Sri Lanka, but by extension, on South Asia more generally.
In this context, we urge you to lift the postponement of Parliament and reconvene Parliament without further delay and ensure that a floor vote takes place on an urgent basis to ascertain which leader currently commands a majority in Parliament.
Such action will ensure that stability will return to Sri Lanka along with the confidence of the international community, which is at the moment clearly lost .
Yours sincerely,
Singed by 250 students of the of South Asian University, New Delhi
