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Lanka crisis: Acting Prez Wickremesinghe asks speaker to nominate PM acceptable to all
In a statement, Wickremesinghe’s media unit said the cabinet will stick to its decision taken on July 11 that it will relinquish duties once there is an agreement to form an all-party government.
Ranil Wickremesinghe, Sri Lanka’s Acting President and Prime Minister, on Wednesday asked the parliament speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena to nominate a new premier “who is acceptable to both the government and opposition.” Wickremesinghe's statement came in the wake of intensifying protests in which a youth died of breathlessness outside his office.
In a statement, Wickremesinghe’s media unit said the cabinet will stick to its decision taken on July 11 that it will relinquish duties once there is an agreement to form an all-party government.
“On Monday, the Sri Lankan PM held a meeting with the Members of the Cabinet. All ministers who participated were of the opinion that as soon as there is an agreement to form an all-party govt, they'll hand over the responsibilities to that government,” read the statement from the PM's media division.
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“Accordingly, the ruling party and opposition must form an all-party government. Acting President and PM Ranil Wickremesinghe has informed Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena to nominate a Prime Minister who is acceptable to both the government and opposition.”
The statement came hours after protesters stormed into the PM's office and raised the national flag atop the building. Men and women holding national flags breached military defences and entered the premier's office as police and troops failed to hold back the crowd despite firing tear gas and water cannons.
This happened hours after embattled President Gotabaya Rajapaksa handed over charges to Wickremesinghe before fleeing with family to nearby island nation Maldives.
According to latest reports, hundreds of protestors have broken the first line of barricades set up outside parliament while forces are firing tear gas to disperse the crowds.
Meanwhile, the military called for a 'political resolution' to the ongoing stand-off between the government and demonstrators, and requested the speaker of the country's parliament to hold an all-party meeting to prevent the crisis from worsening.
