Crisis In Sri Lanka : Facing Public Anger, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa Keen to Appoint New Prime Minister, Young Cabinet ; Laments Unprecedented Violence

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Sri Lanka’s embattled President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has refused to quit but promised to appoint a new Prime Minister and a young Cabinet this week which would introduce key constitutional reforms to curb his powers, amid protests over the nation’s worst economic crisis that ousted his elder brother Mahinda Rajapaksa who is under protection at a naval base following violent attacks on his aides.

As per PTI report, In a late night televised address to the nation, President Gotabaya said that after appointing the new Prime Minister, and Government a constitutional amendment will be moved to enact the content of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, which will vest more powers with Parliament.

“I will appoint a young cabinet without any of the Rajapaksas,” Gotabaya said, as he started talks with political parties to stop the country from sliding into anarchy. Minutes before his address, Gotabaya held talks with former prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

“During this week I will work to appoint a Cabinet and Prime Minister who commands a parliamentary majority and can have the people’s confidence, President Rajapaksa said.

“I will change the constitution to give more powers to parliament giving effect to the items contained in the 19th Amendment. I will give the opportunity for the new government and Prime Minister to start a new programme to take the country forward, the 72-year-old president said, ignoring growing demand for his resignation for the mishandling the country’s economy.

Sri Lanka has been without a government since Monday when Gotabaya’s elder brother and prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned after violence erupted following an attack on the anti-government protesters by his supporters. The attack triggered widespread violence against Rajapaksa loyalists, leaving nine people, including two police officers, dead.

Speaking on the unprecedented violence, the President said what happened on Monday was very unfortunate. “The murders, assaults, acts of intimidation, destruction of property, and the series of heinous acts that followed cannot be justified at all,” he said.