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SLPP and independents ‘conceptually’ agree on interim Government

02 May 2022

  • SLPP says decision due to views of Buddhist clergy and various parties
BY Buddhika Samaraweera Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) General Secretary MP Sagara Kariyawasam stated that the SLPP and the group of SLPP MPs who recently announced that they would act independently in the Parliament have conceptually agreed to the formation of an interim all-party Government. He was speaking to the media following a discussion between President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, representatives of the SLPP and the said group of independent MPs, which was held at the President's house in Colombo yesterday (2). The group of independent MPs was represented by MPs Nimal Siripala de Silva, Anura Priyadharshana Yapa, Wimal Weerawansa, Udaya Gammanpila, and Tiran Alles, while the SLPP was represented by Ministers Prof. G.L. Peiris and Dr. Ramesh Pathirana and MPs Kariyawasam, Sanjeeva Edirimanna, and Basil Rajapaksa. Commenting to the media after the discussion, Kariyawasam said: “We discussed as to whether we can agree to form an interim Government as a concept or not, so conceptually we agreed to the formation of such.  “It was also agreed as a party to create the necessary environment for the President to take the required steps regarding the implementation of this. This decision was taken after considering the views expressed by the Buddhist clergy and various parties in this regard.” The media also questioned him on whether the Government would be working to implement this concept in the long run. In response, he said: “The interim Government is to be formed with a process involving all parties represented in the Parliament. They may not agree to join the Government and get Ministerial posts. But we agreed with the basic idea of forming an interim government for a period of time to save the country from the current crisis, with a process that could involve them in some other way in the decision making process.” Given the serious economic and political crisis situation in the country at present, several parties including religious leaders, civil organisations, and political movements have called on the President to form an interim government. Taking into account such requests, President Rajapaksa agreed last week to form an interim Government with a new Prime Minister and a Cabinet of Ministers, during a meeting with the Sri Lanka Freedom Party representatives. However, the main Parliamentary Opposition, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), as well as the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna-led National People’s Power, have been insisting that they would not join an interim government until Rajapaksa steps down from the presidency. Charging that it is “never possible to build a country with thieves”, Opposition and SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa reiterated on 1 May that the SJB has decided not to sign an agreement with the present Government or any of its stakeholders on an interim government, or any other matter. He said: “We are ready to build this country with the blessings of the people, but we have no plans of joining the governments that will emerge from the discussions that some people have in air conditioned rooms. We are not ready for interim gambling and puppet politics of that sort. It is not what suits us. We are not prepared to betray the people’s struggle at the Galle Face Green, which demands the resignation of the current President, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, and the Government, by joining interim governments.”


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