Sri Lankan President, Ranil Wickremesinghe, is facing stiff opposition to his calls for an all-party government, with Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna rejecting any cabinet positions whilst the Samagi Jana Balawegaya remained divided.
Chairman of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Professor G.L. Peiris maintained the need “for all parties to arrive at a consensus on a program prior to its implementation”. Whilst former presidential contestant, and Rajapaksa party acolyte, Dullas Alahapperuma lashed out at the administration, claiming, that the protests “cannot be made to disappear through repression”.
The leader of Sri Lanka’s largest opposition party, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya, met with President Wickremesinghe and put forth calls to lift the state of emergency and released imprisoned protesters. He also maintained his support for the re-enforcement of the 19th amendment. Whilst Premadasa has expressed his support for an all-party government; SJB MP, and accused war criminal, Sarath Fonseka has slammed the idea stating:
“Creating an all-party Government is not helpful. I do not see it as a solution to the existing problem. What is needed is to find quick solutions to the problems faced by the country and the people at present.”
Tamil political parties also remain divided on this question. In a letter to President Wickremesinghe, the leader of the Illankai Tamil Arasu Kadchi maintained that he provide “our fullest support” to implement “a national all-party programme”. The letter follows a tense exchange between the president and the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) in which Wickremesinghe asserted that he knew some members of the TNA had voted for him despite the coalition forming behind Alahapperum. TNA MP, MA Sumanthiran, has since decried the statement as a lie.
BREAKING: Turning down an invitation extended by #SriLanka’s president @RW_UNP for talks on Aug.10 at Presidential Secretariat, @TnpfOrg assert that the party will not meet him until CTU General Secretary J. Stalin & all arrested southern protesters are unconditionally freed. pic.twitter.com/k3qkr9REdR
— JDS (@JDSLanka) August 5, 2022
The Tamil National People’s Front has turned down an invitation to meet with President Wickremesinghe maintaining that they would not participate in discussions until CTU General Secretary J. Stalin and all arrested southern protesters are unconditionally freed.
People in #Jaffna took to the streets under the leadership of @TnpfOrg on Friday (5) to demand immediate & unconditional release of the Ceylon Teachers Union Gen. Secretary J. Stalin who was remanded until August 12 after being produced before Colombo Fort Magistrate, yesterday. pic.twitter.com/pzUDh1aThl
— JDS (@JDSLanka) August 5, 2022
They have organised mass protests in Jaffna to demand the release of Stalin, who has been ordered by the Colombo Magistrate Court to remain in custody until 12 August.
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