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Sri Lanka crisis: Ousted PM 'has confidence of parliament' - Published The man at the centre of Sri Lanka's political crisis has told the BBC he has the support of parliament and will not leave the grand mansion reserved for the island nation's prime minister. Last week the president sacked PM Ranil Wickremesinghe and his cabinet and suspended parliament, appointing former leader Mahinda Rajapaksa as the new PM. But Mr Wickremesinghe says the move is illegal and will not leave office. The constitutional crisis has already sparked protests and deadly violence. The situation is being closely watched by regional rivals India and China, who are vying for influence in Sri Lanka. Washington has called for parliament to be convened as soon as possible. "I still remain the prime minister and I have the confidence of the majority of members of this house," Mr Wickremesinghe told the BBC from his official residence, Temple Trees, a grand, white, colonial-era bungalow, which has, over time, become a symbol of political power in Sri Lanka. "The constitution states that the president must appoint as prime minister the person who commands the confidence of parliament and I am the person who has that. We have asked for the summoning of parliament so I can prove my majority in the house," he said. Mr Wickremesinghe's party has demanded that the house be convened soon and Mr Rajapaksa has suggested this could happen at the start of next week. No date has yet been confirmed. This is an extraordinary situation for a nation that saw decades of brutal civil war, re-emerged in recent years as a top tourist destination, and which now has two people claiming to run its government. How did we get here? The two men in question, Mr Wickremesinghe and Mr Rajapaksa, have spent many years at opposite ends of Sri Lanka's political landscape. But the kingmaker at the centre of the debacle is Sri Lanka's current President Maithripala Sirisena. To be clear on the extent of the political U-turn by the president, you need to go back to 2015, when Mr Sirisena appointed Mr Wickremesinghe as his prime minister and head of the coalition government that came to power after elections that year. That itself was seen as a stunning move because Mr Sirisena was originally a member of Mr Rajapaksa's government, but then left to run against him, and defeat him, in a presidential election. Now, after three years in a fragile coalition, the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe relationship has soured, and the president has revived Mr Rajapaksa's political fortunes by appointing him as prime minister. What's the situation on the ground? Mr Wickremesinghe's supporters have been gathering at Temple Trees since the day he was sacked. Near the gates, Buddhist monks have been called in to chant prayers. Aides suggest it's a way to prevent any use of force to remove the ousted prime minister from the house. In another part of Colombo, Mr Rajapaksa has begun work. The official website of the prime minister has been updated to show his photo and profile. Posters congratulating him have sprung up all over Colombo's streets but on Tuesday thousands of Mr Wickremesinghe's supporters marched in protest, with some likening events to a "coup". What do the other players say? Mr Rajapaksa has so far refused requests for an interview. In a statement released earlier this week, he explained his position. "I was aware that at this moment of national peril, the people expected our leadership and protection," he said. "Hence, I accepted the invitation extended to me by the President to assume the position of Prime Minister". The former president is a popular but controversial figure who ended Sri Lanka's civil war in 2009 but faced criticism for the means by which he achieved victory - many thousands of Tamil civilians are thought to have been killed by government forces in the final months of the fighting. In his address to the nation, President Sirisena said: "I categorically state that the appointments were made totally in accordance with the constitution and on the advice of legal experts. With all respect, I completely reject the charge that what was done was a violation of the Constitution." What is surprising many observers is that in 2015 Mr Sirisena and Mr Wickremesinghe campaigned on a platform of abolishing the all-powerful "executive presidency" in Sri Lanka as embodied by Mr Rajapaksa. Within months of winning the election they amended the constitution, reducing the powers of the president. So, can the president remove the prime minister? According to Nihal Jayawickrama, a legal expert, there's no provision in the constitution that would enable the president to remove the prime minister. "There was a time when he could do that. But very dramatic changes were made to the constitution in 2015 when 90 percent of the president's executive powers were taken away. And one of the powers that was taken away was the one to remove the prime minister," he said. "Everyone is confused. President Sirisena was supposed to give leadership to the change [of government in Sri Lanka]. He did provide it. But for some reason, he backtracked." I asked Mr Wickremesinghe if he felt like he'd been backstabbed. "That's to be expected in politics," he said with a smile. "If necessary there will be more protests. The general public opinion does not accept the actions of the president. "This type of crisis really causes a big issue for the people, a lack of confidence. Look, you promised to restore democracy, you've done so many steps, and here in the main question, you disregard the powers of parliament." The episode sets a dangerous trend for a country that voted for change in 2015. There are many in Sri Lanka who support neither side, but simply want the democratic process to be followed.
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श्रीलङ्का: संसद्को समर्थन रहेको पदमुक्त प्रधानमन्त्रीको दाबी राष्ट्रपतिबाट पदमुक्त गरिएका श्रीलङ्काका प्रधानमन्त्री रनिल विक्रमसिङ्गले आफूसँग संसद्को समर्थन भएको दाबी बीबीसीसँग गरेका छन्। गत हप्ता राष्ट्रपति मैत्रीपाल सिरिसेनाले विक्रमसिङ्गको नेतृत्वमा रहेको मन्त्रिपरिषद् भङ्ग गर्दै संसद् पनि स्थगित गरिदिएपछि श्रीलङ्कामा संवैधानिक सङ्कट उत्पन्न भएको छ। सिरिसेनाले विक्रमसिङ्गलाई हटाएर पूर्वराष्ट्रपति महिन्दा राजपक्षलाई नयाँ प्रधानमन्त्री नियुक्त गरेका थिए। तर सो कदम अवैधानिक भएको भन्दै विक्रमसिङ्गले पद छोड्न अस्वीकार गरेका छन्। राजनीतिक सङ्कट बढ्दै जाँदा देशमा विरोधप्रदर्शन र हिंसाका घटना बढेका छन्। प्रधानमन्त्रीको सरकारी निवासमा बीबीसीसँग कुरा गर्दै विक्रमसिङ्गले भने, "म अझै प्रधानमन्त्री छु र मसँग संसद्का बहुमत सदस्यको समर्थन छ।" "संविधानले राष्ट्रपतिले संसद्को समर्थन प्राप्त व्यक्तिलाई प्रधानमन्त्री नियुक्त गर्नुपर्छ भन्छ, र त्यो (समर्थन) भएको व्यक्ति म हुँ। मेरो पक्षमा संसद्मा बहुमत प्रमाणित गर्न हामीले संसद्को बोलाउन आग्रह गरेका छौँ।" दुई व्यक्तिले सरकारको नेतृत्व गरेकाले दशकौँ गृहयुद्ध भोगेको श्रीलङ्कामा यो असामान्य परिस्थिति हो। यसैबीच आगामी हप्ता सोमवार संसद्को बैठक बोलाइएको छ। सो निर्णयको विक्रमसिङ्गले स्वागत गरेका छन्। कसरी यो स्थिति आयो? श्रीलङ्काको राजनीतिमा विक्रमसिङ्ग र राजपक्ष वर्षौँदेखि विपरीत ध्रुवमा रहँदै आएका छन्। तर अहिले निर्णायक भूमिका र विवादको केन्द्रमा राष्ट्रपति मैत्रीपाल सिरिसेना छन्। सिरिसेनाले किन यस्तो निर्णय लिए भनेर बुझ्न सन् २०१५ तिर फर्कनुपर्छ। त्यतिबेला उनले विक्रमसिङ्गलाई निर्वाचनपछि प्रधानमन्त्री र संयुक्त सरकारको नेता चयन गरेका थिए। त्यो आफैँमा आश्चर्यजनक घटना थियो। किनभने पहिला राजपक्षको नेतृत्वमा भएको सरकारका सदस्य रहेका सिरिसेनाले सरकार छोडेर उनीविरुद्ध राष्ट्रपतीय निर्वाचनमा सहभागी भए र उनलाई पराजित गरे। तीन वर्षपछिको कमजोर गठबन्धनपछि सिरिसेना र विक्रमसिङ्गको सम्बन्ध अमिलिएको छ र राष्ट्रपतिले राजपक्षलाई प्रधानमन्त्री नियुक्त गरेर उनको राजनीतिक भविष्यको ढोका पुन: खोलिदिएका छन्। राष्ट्रपतिले विक्रमसिङ्गलाई बर्खास्त गरेको दिनदेखि नै उनका समर्थकहरू प्रधानमन्त्री निवासबाहिर भेला भएका छन्। प्रवेशद्वारनजिकै प्रार्थना गर्न बौद्धभिक्षुहरूलाई बोलाइएको छ। उनका सहयोगीहरूका अनुसार सरकारी निवासबाट विक्रमसिङ्गलाई बलपूर्वक नहटाइयोस् भनेर त्यसो गरिएको हो। उता राजपक्षले पनि पदबहाली गरेर काम गर्न थालिसकेका छन्। प्रधानमन्त्रीको औपचारिक वेब्साइटमा प्रधानमन्त्रीको नाम र विवरण फेरिएको छ। कोलम्बोका सडकछेउछाउ राजपक्षलाई बधाई दिइएका पोस्टरहरू देखिन्छन्। राजपक्षले भने अन्तर्वार्ताका लागि गरिएका आग्रह अस्वीकार गरेका छन्। केही दिनअघि जारी गरिएको एउटा विज्ञप्तिमा उनले आफ्नो भूमिकाबारे उल्लेख गरेका थिए। "राष्ट्रिय सङ्कटको समयमा जनताले हाम्रो नेतृत्व र संरक्षणको अपेक्षा गरेका छन् भन्ने मलाई थाहा थियो," उनले भनेका थिए, "त्यसैले राष्ट्रपतिले प्रधानमन्त्रीको पद लिन गरेको निम्तोलाई मैलै स्वीकारेको हुँ।" श्रीलङ्कामा पूर्वराष्ट्रपति राजपक्ष लोकप्रिय छन् तर विवादास्पद पनि। उनले नै सन् २००९ मा गृहयुद्धको अन्त्य भएको घोषणा गरेका थिए। तर तामिल विद्रोहीसँगको युद्ध जित्न अपनाइएका उपायका कारण उनको आलोचना हुने गरेको छ। युद्धका अन्तिम महिनाहरूमा सरकारी सुरक्षाफौजले हजारौँ तामिल गैरसैनिकहरूलाई मारिदिएको बताइन्छ। देशको नाममा गरिएको आफ्नो सम्बोधनमा सिरिसेनाले प्रधानमन्त्रीको नियुक्ति संविधानअनुसार नै र कानुनविद्हरूको सल्लाहमै गरिएको बताएका थिए। सन् २०१५ मा सिरिसेना र विक्रमसिङ्ग दुवैले राजपक्षको नेतृत्व गरिरहेको जस्तो शक्तिशाली 'कार्यकारी राष्ट्रपतीय पद्धति' अन्त्य गर्नुपर्ने भनेर अभियान चलाएका थिए। निर्वाचनपछि केही महिनामै संविधान संशोधन गरेर राष्ट्रपतिको शक्ति कटौती पनि गरियो। उसोभए के राष्ट्रपतिले प्रधामन्त्री हटाउन सक्छन्? कानुनविद् निहल जयविक्रमका अनुसार राष्ट्रपतिले प्रधानमन्त्री हटाउन सक्ने कुनै प्रावधान संविधानमा छैन। उनी भन्छन्, "कुनै बेला उनले त्यसो गर्न सक्थे। तर सन् २०१५ मा संविधानमा गरिएका नाटकीय परिवर्तनले राष्ट्रपतिको कार्यकारी शक्ति ९० प्रतिशतले खोसियो। र, त्यसरी खोसिएको शक्तिमध्ये प्रधानमन्त्री हटाउन सक्ने अधिकार पनि थियो। सबैजना रनभुल्लमा छन्।" के विक्रमसिङ्ग आफूलाई धोका भएको भन्ठान्छन् त? हाँस्दै उनले भने, "राजनीतिमा त्यस्तो हुन पनि सक्छ। आवश्यक भएमा थप विरोध गरिनेछ। सर्वसाधारणले राष्ट्रपतिको कदल स्वीकार्न सकेका छैनन्।" यस किसिमको सङ्कट जनताको ठूलो सरोकारको विषय भएको र यसले उनीहरूको आत्मविश्वास पनि घटाइदिने भन्दै उनले भने, "हेर्नुहोस्, तपाईँले प्रजातन्त्र फेरि स्थापित गर्ने वाचा गर्नु भयो, धेरै काम पनि गर्नु भयो, तर अहिले मुख्य विषय भनेको तपाईँले संसद्को अधिकारको अवहेलना गर्नुभयो।" श्रीलङ्कामा यी दुवै पक्षलाई समर्थन नगरी प्रजातान्त्रिक प्रक्रिया अनुसरण गरिनुपर्छ भन्ने मान्यता भएका मानिसहरू पनि छन्। श्रीलङ्का: संसद् स्थगन गर्ने निर्णय पुनर्विचार गर्न माग संसद् स्थगन गर्ने निर्णयले 'गम्भीर र अप्रिय परिणामहरू' निम्ताउने भन्दै श्रीलङ्काली सभामुखले राष्ट्रपतिलाई निर्णयमाथि पुनर्विचार गर्न आह्वान गरेका छन्।