Sri Lanka’s newly announced cabinet was sworn in at the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy this morning, amidst an elaborate Sinhala Buddhist ceremony overseen by the clergy and the military.
Taking place at the Temple of Sacred Tooth Relic premises in Kandy, dozens of the senior Sinhala Buddhist clergy were present, whilst senior military officials overseeing the swearing in.
Hours before the swearing-in, Kandy Municipal Council confirmed that Sinhala only flags - Sri Lankan lion flags which have had the token representation stripes for Tamils and Muslims removed - had been raised by municipal staff, but were replaced before the ceremony started.
The ceremony, which comes days after the Rajapaksa’s clans landslide victory across the south on a staunchly Sinhala nationalist platform, saw the appointment of 25 Cabinet Ministers, 39 State Ministers and 23 District Coordinating Committee Chairmen.
Sri Lanka’s president Gotabaya Rajapaksa was awarded the defence portfolio, whilst his brother prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa was given the finance, Urban Development and Housing and Buddha Sasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs ministries.
The duo now control the two highest offices of state on the island, as well as the two biggest ministry portfolios.
Other members of the Rajapaksa family too picked up ministerial posts with sibling Chamal Rajapaksa appointed minister of irrigation as well as state minister for Internal Security, Home Affairs and Disaster Management, whilst Mahinda’s son Namal Rajapaksa was appointed minister of Youth and Sports Affairs.
The pro-Rajapaksa paramilitary Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP) leader was once again appointed minister of fisheries.
There were a series of more unusual state ministries announced, including for Batiks, Ornamental Fish, and Coconut, Fishtail Palm, Palmyra and Rubber products.
The Rajapaksas’ appointments for District Coordinating Committee Chairmen were also announced, with positions going to the regime’s allies in the North-East.
The Sri Lanka Freedom Party’s (SLFP) Angajan Ramanthan was appointed District Coordinating Committee Chairmen for Jaffna, whilst Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) candidates were given the position in Mannar and Mullaitivu, Amparai, Trincomalee, and the EPDP in Kilinochchi and Vavuniya.
The position for Batticaloa however, was left unfilled, fuelling rumours that Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pullikal (TMVP) leader Pillayan, may be granted the post. The paramilitary leader who is accused of rights abuses and is a staunch backer of the Rajapaksa regime was reportedly “assured a ministerial post”. This comes despite him currently being held in remand over the 2005 Christmas Day murder of Tamil National Alliance parliamentarian Joseph Pararajasingham,
See the full list of appointments here.
