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Parliament of Sri Lanka Is Dissolved by President Parliament of Sri Lanka Is Dissolved by President
(about 5 hours later)
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — President Maithripala Sirisena has dissolved the Parliament loyal to his predecessor and called new elections in an attempt to consolidate power and carry out his promise of reforms.COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — President Maithripala Sirisena has dissolved the Parliament loyal to his predecessor and called new elections in an attempt to consolidate power and carry out his promise of reforms.
Mr. Sirisena issued the notice late Friday announcing that the elections for the 225-member Parliament would be held on Aug. 17.Mr. Sirisena issued the notice late Friday announcing that the elections for the 225-member Parliament would be held on Aug. 17.
Mr. Sirisena won the January presidential election against Mahinda Rajapaksa on a pledge of full-scale political reforms, but he has faced resistance from lawmakers as he tries to carry out his program. It includes reducing powers of the presidency and changes to the electoral system.Mr. Sirisena won the January presidential election against Mahinda Rajapaksa on a pledge of full-scale political reforms, but he has faced resistance from lawmakers as he tries to carry out his program. It includes reducing powers of the presidency and changes to the electoral system.
A majority of the lawmakers in the dissolved Parliament belonged to the United People’s Freedom Alliance, which Mr. Rajapaksa led until his defeat.A majority of the lawmakers in the dissolved Parliament belonged to the United People’s Freedom Alliance, which Mr. Rajapaksa led until his defeat.
Mr. Sirisena is also keen to secure cooperation of a new Parliament ahead of an internal investigation into war crimes allegations related to events in the final stages of the country’s civil war, which ended in 2009.Mr. Sirisena is also keen to secure cooperation of a new Parliament ahead of an internal investigation into war crimes allegations related to events in the final stages of the country’s civil war, which ended in 2009.
In March, he secured postponement of a United Nations report on the accusations by promising a domestic investigation. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights is expected to release its report in September.
Calling elections ahead of the report’s release also appears to be a bid to deny Mr. Rajapaksa an opportunity to return to power by stirring up nationalism.
Mr. Rajapaksa is still popular with the country’s majority Sinhalese, who oppose international involvement in Sri Lanka. He is also considered a war hero among Sinhalese for ending the three-decade civil war.
The conflict ended after government troops crushed the Tamil Tiger rebels, who fought for a separate state for the ethnic minority Tamils.