Ranil Wickremesinghe: Sri Lanka sees new president sworn into office
Veteran politico Ranil Wickremesinghe was sworn in as Sri Lanka'south new president Thursday to take charge of a nation bitterly angry he will remain in power amid an unprecedented economical crisis.
Sri Lankans have taken to the streets for months to need their top leaders stride down to accept responsibility for economic chaos that has left the nation's 22 one thousand thousand people struggling with shortages of essentials, including medicine, fuel and food. While the protesters have focused on the Rajapaksa political dynasty, Wickremesinghe as well has fatigued their ire as a perceived Rajapaksa surrogate.
The six-time prime minister had never held the top job. Only he easily won the underground ballot of lawmakers Wed to cease the term of former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who fled the country after protesters stormed his residence last week and resigned.
His date received mixed reactions, with some supporters lighting firecrackers while protesters continued to need that he resign.
Wickremesinghe, 73, has wide experience in diplomatic and international affairs and has been overseeing bailout talks with the International Monetary Fund. He won the back up of 134 members in the 225-member Parliament.
Lawmakers apparently considered him the safer hands to lead the nation through the crisis, despite public anger at Wickremesinghe as an case of the nation's problematic political establishment. During demonstrations last week, crowds set his personal residence on fire and occupied his office.
After Wednesday's vote, Wickremesinghe called for politicians to work together and pleaded for the country to movement on. Only protesters flocked to the presidential office instead, chanting, "Ranil, go home!"
Protest leaders told reporters on Wednesday they don't accept Wickremesinghe'due south appointment and urged him to step downward immediately.
Parliament's selection goes against the "will of the people," said Jeewantha Peiris, a protest leader and Catholic priest, adding that demonstrations against Wickremesinghe would go on.
"We are the people who sent Gotabaya home, and it'due south not a hard chore for u.s. to send you (Wickremesinghe) dwelling," said Tampitiye Sugathananda, a Buddhist monk and protest leader who was outside the presidential office.
Wickremesinghe took his oath as the state's 8th executive president Th morning before Master Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya at a ceremony held in Parliament in the capital, Colombo. He now can choose a new prime minister.
In an example of the troubles caused past the economic crisis, a power outage hampered live coverage of the swearing-in anniversary at Parliament. An official at Parliament who spoke on condition of anonymity equally he is non authorized to speak to the media said the live coverage was to be done past the country-endemic Independent Television Network.
In some areas, Wickremesinghe'south supporters lit firecrackers and distributed sweets to gloat his date as president, local media reported.
U.S. Administrator to Sri Lanka Julie Chung wrote on Twitter that she looks forward to working with Wickremesinghe, calculation, "In these challenging times, information technology will be essential for all parties to redouble efforts to work together to tackle the economic crisis, uphold democracy & accountability, and build a stable & secure future for all Sri Lankans."
Wickremesinghe said Monday the negotiations with the Imf were nearly a decision and talks on help from other countries had as well progressed. He too said the government has taken steps to resolve shortages of fuel and cooking gas.
On Wednesday, IMF Managing Managing director Kristalina Georgieva told financial mag Nikkei Asia that the organization hoped to complete the rescue talks "as quickly as possible."
On Monday, in his role as acting president, Wickremesinghe declared a land of emergency that gave him broad dominance to act in the interest of public security and gild. Authorities tin carry out searches and detain people, and Wickremesinghe can also change or append any police force. Parliament tin regularly review the police and information technology volition expire without its blessing.
Presidents in Sri Lanka are normally elected by the public. The responsibility falls to Parliament only if the presidency becomes vacant before the term officially ends. It has happened once before, in 1993, when then-Prime number Government minister Dingiri Banda Wijetunga was chosen by Parliament uncontested after former President Ranasinghe Premadasa, father of the current opposition leader, was assassinated.
Source: https://nypost.com/2022/07/21/sri-lankas-newly-elected-president-ranil-wickremesinghe-sworn-into-office/
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