British minister for Asia and the Pacific, Mark Field on Monday (17) welcomed the latest resolution of the political situation in Sri Lanka to end 51 day long political turmoil.
Commenting on the swearing in of Ranil Wickremesinghe as prime minister by president Sirisena on Sunday (16), Mark Field said, “I welcome progress made towards the peaceful resolution of the political situation in Sri Lanka. The outcome is a welcome indication of the resilience of Sri Lanka’s judicial and democratic institutions, and of effective checks and balances between state powers.
“The UK will continue to stand by Sri Lanka as a close partner and friend, supporting Sri Lanka as it works to deliver sustainable and accountable reform to reinvigorate the economy, improve governance, and safeguard human rights across the country,” the minister added.
UK Ministers have made a number of statements since the outbreak of political tension in Sri Lanka on October 26, calling on all parties to uphold the constitution and due legal and political process.
The UK is committed to supporting the Sri Lankan government’s efforts to improve the human rights situation in the country. The UK is providing Sri Lanka with £8.3 million of conflict, stability and security fund funding over three years, to include support for police reform and training, reconciliation and peace building, resettlement, and demining in the north of the country.
Meanwhile, Mahinda Rajapaksa on Tuesday (18) became the main opposition leader in Sri Lankan parliament, within a week after he quit his position as prime minister after more than a month long political impasse in the island nation.
The latest appointment was announced by speaker Karu Jayasuriya in the parliament which meet for the first time after the reappointment of ousted prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe as country’s prime minister.
On Sunday (16), country’s president Maithripala Sirisena reappointed Wickremesinghe as prime minister.
Earlier, in a controversial move on October 26, Sirisena sacked Wickremesinghe and appointed Rajapaksa as country’s new prime minister.
Amid mounting pressure to end political turmoil in the country after controversial appointment of the prime minister, Sirisena compelled to reappoint Wickremesinghe as the prime minister on Sunday, a day after Rajapaksa resigned from his post.
Rajapaksa resigned as country’s prime minister on Saturday (15), a day after Sri Lanka’s top court refused to stay lower court’s order which restrained him from acting as prime minister.
