AFP, Colombo :
Sri Lanka’s parliament speaker on Tuesday stepped up his warnings to the country’s president that unrest could erupt unless lawmakers are allowed to choose between two rival prime ministers.
President Maithripala Sirisena suspended parliament after sacking Ranil Wickremesinghe as prime minister and replacing him with former strongman leader Mahinda Rajapakse.
Speaker Karu Jayasuriya-who on Monday warned of a “bloodbath” if parliament remains shut-said in a letter to Sirisena that he had to recall parliament “in the name of democracy”. “If you do not, we will not be able to stop people taking alternate action to protect their democratic rights,” Jayasuriya said in the letter seen by AFP.
“In the name of democracy, I urge you to reconsider your decision to prorogue parliament and allow justice to be served.”
Jayasuriya said more than 125 legislators in the 225-member legislature had signed a petition seeking the reconvening of the assembly where Wickremesinghe’s party is the biggest.
Wickremesinghe says Sirisena has suspended parliament to give Rajapakse time to secure a majority. “At the moment there is a vacuum, no one is in full charge of the country,” Wickremesinghe told reporters at his official residence. “That is why we want parliament summoned immediately to decide who enjoys the majority. I am still the prime minister who commands that majority.”
After sacking Wickremesinghe on Friday, Sirisena suspended parliament until November 16 to forestall any challenge to his appointment of Rajapakse, whose decade-long rule was marked by grave allegations of rights abuses.
Jayasuriya said more than 125 legislators in the 225-member legislature had signed a petition seeking the reconvening of the assembly where Wickremesinghe’s party is the biggest.
Wickremesinghe says Sirisena has suspended parliament to give Rajapakse time to secure a majority.
Parliament speaker Karu Jayasuriya warned Monday that Sri Lanka’s political crisis could turn into a “bloodbath” as the ousted prime minister said the country faced a dangerous power vacuum.
Jayasuriya said he asked President Maithripala Sirisena to revoke his suspension of parliament and allow lawmakers to resolve an alarming power struggle between the sacked premier and the head of state.
“We should settle this through parliament, but if we take it out to the streets, there will be a huge bloodbath,” Jayasuriya told reporters.
He said he urged Sirisena, whose shock dismissal of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on Friday unleashed a political crisis and clashes that claimed one life, to let the premier prove his majority through a parliamentary vote.After sacking Wickremesinghe, the president appointed former strongman Mahinda Rajapakse as prime minister, leaving the country with two people claiming to run the government.
Wickremesinghe said a majority of lawmakers from his side and the opposition wanted to restore parliament.”At the moment there is a vacuum, no one is in full charge of the country,” Wickremesinghe told reporters at his official residence.
“That is why we want parliament summoned immediately to decide who enjoys the majority. I am still the prime minister who commands that majority.”
After sacking Wickremesinghe on Friday, Sirisena suspended parliament until November 16 to forestall any challenge to his appointment of Rajapakse, whose decade-long rule was marked by grave allegations of rights abuses.
Sri Lanka’s parliament speaker on Tuesday stepped up his warnings to the country’s president that unrest could erupt unless lawmakers are allowed to choose between two rival prime ministers.
President Maithripala Sirisena suspended parliament after sacking Ranil Wickremesinghe as prime minister and replacing him with former strongman leader Mahinda Rajapakse.
Speaker Karu Jayasuriya-who on Monday warned of a “bloodbath” if parliament remains shut-said in a letter to Sirisena that he had to recall parliament “in the name of democracy”. “If you do not, we will not be able to stop people taking alternate action to protect their democratic rights,” Jayasuriya said in the letter seen by AFP.
“In the name of democracy, I urge you to reconsider your decision to prorogue parliament and allow justice to be served.”
Jayasuriya said more than 125 legislators in the 225-member legislature had signed a petition seeking the reconvening of the assembly where Wickremesinghe’s party is the biggest.
Wickremesinghe says Sirisena has suspended parliament to give Rajapakse time to secure a majority. “At the moment there is a vacuum, no one is in full charge of the country,” Wickremesinghe told reporters at his official residence. “That is why we want parliament summoned immediately to decide who enjoys the majority. I am still the prime minister who commands that majority.”
After sacking Wickremesinghe on Friday, Sirisena suspended parliament until November 16 to forestall any challenge to his appointment of Rajapakse, whose decade-long rule was marked by grave allegations of rights abuses.
Jayasuriya said more than 125 legislators in the 225-member legislature had signed a petition seeking the reconvening of the assembly where Wickremesinghe’s party is the biggest.
Wickremesinghe says Sirisena has suspended parliament to give Rajapakse time to secure a majority.
Parliament speaker Karu Jayasuriya warned Monday that Sri Lanka’s political crisis could turn into a “bloodbath” as the ousted prime minister said the country faced a dangerous power vacuum.
Jayasuriya said he asked President Maithripala Sirisena to revoke his suspension of parliament and allow lawmakers to resolve an alarming power struggle between the sacked premier and the head of state.
“We should settle this through parliament, but if we take it out to the streets, there will be a huge bloodbath,” Jayasuriya told reporters.
He said he urged Sirisena, whose shock dismissal of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on Friday unleashed a political crisis and clashes that claimed one life, to let the premier prove his majority through a parliamentary vote.After sacking Wickremesinghe, the president appointed former strongman Mahinda Rajapakse as prime minister, leaving the country with two people claiming to run the government.
Wickremesinghe said a majority of lawmakers from his side and the opposition wanted to restore parliament.”At the moment there is a vacuum, no one is in full charge of the country,” Wickremesinghe told reporters at his official residence.
“That is why we want parliament summoned immediately to decide who enjoys the majority. I am still the prime minister who commands that majority.”
After sacking Wickremesinghe on Friday, Sirisena suspended parliament until November 16 to forestall any challenge to his appointment of Rajapakse, whose decade-long rule was marked by grave allegations of rights abuses.
