Sri Lanka Crisis LIVE: SJB names Rohini Kaviratne as nominee for Deputy Speaker in Parl

In an unusual move, Sri Lanka's new Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has extended public support to the protesters, who have been camping at a popular beachfront here for over a month calling for President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's resignation for mishandling the country's worst economic crisis.

The Prime Minister on Saturday said he had appointed a committee to look after the interests of the 'Gota Go Home' village protesters who have been camping at Colombo's Galle Face Green since April 9. Wickremesinghe, who was appointed by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa as Prime Minister after asking his elder brother Mahinda Rajapaksa to quit, said the young protesters in the village would be safeguarded and their views would be sought for the shaping of future policy.

In an interview with the BBC Sinhala Service, the Prime Minister said the 'Gota Go Gama' protest should be continued to bring a change in the political system in the country and let the country’s youth take the responsibility to lead.

Wickremesinghe, the 73-year-old United National Party (UNP) leader, was appointed as Sri Lanka's 26th prime minister on Thursday as the country was without a government since Monday when 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 dead and wounding over 200 others.

Rajapaksa’s Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Party (SLPP) has extended their support to Wickremesinghe and almost all parties represented in the 225-member Parliament have said although they wouldn’t be a party to Wickremesinghe’s government they would support him in his effort to pull Sri Lanka out of the current economic crisis.

Political sources said two more ministers are to be appointed to the interim Cabinet on Sunday. Rajapaksa appointed four of them on Saturday.

At least 78 parliamentarians, including the former prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, had faced arson attacks on their private properties during the unrest on May 9.

At the government parliamentary group meeting held on Saturday, the attendance was low as parliamentarians still fear for their lives despite the imposition of curfew.

Those present blamed the Inspector General of Police for what they alleged as "police inaction" to prevent arson attacks on the properties of government parliamentarians.

Sri Lanka is going through the worst economic crisis since independence in 1948.

A crippling shortage of foreign reserves has led to long queues for fuel, cooking gas and other essentials while power cuts and soaring food prices heaped misery on the people.

The economic crisis also triggered a political crisis in Sri Lanka and a demand for the resignation of the powerful Rajapaksas.

President Rajapaksa sacked his Cabinet and appointed a younger Cabinet as a response to the demand for his resignation. A continuous protest opposite his secretariat has now gone on for well over a month. 

PTI

Sri Lankan Prime Minister and United National Party (UNP) leader Ranil Wickremesinghe invited opposition leader Sajith Premadasa and his party to form a non-partisan government that goes beyond traditional parliamentary politics. In a missive, the newly appointed PM  urged the Premadasa, the leader of the country’s main opposition party Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) to join hands with him and ensure stability in the country. Notably, Premadasa had earlier refused to take the prime ministerial position in the country’s interim govt. 

Read here

Hanaa Singer-Hamdy, the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Sri Lanka, said that the UN expects improved political stability in the coming weeks as the new government begins work. Taking to her official Twitter handle, Hamdy assured Sri Lanka that the UN will continue to cooperate and support Sri Lanka's recovery from the current crisis at the technical level. The statement of Hanaa Singer-Hamdy comes as Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa appointed Ranil Wickremesinghe, the leader of the United National Party (UNP) as the new Prime Minister of the island nation. 

Read here

Sri Lanka has sought details from Indian intelligence over Indian media reports that the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) is planning to launch an attack in Sri Lanka.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said it was not his policy to print money but to pay salaries to the public servants, the government had no option but to print money. He made these remarks while speaking to BBC. 

Wickremesinghe further stated that all policies of the Rajapaksa Government will be changed. 

When Sri Lanka is in negotiations for a much-needed International Monetary Fund bailout, the all-important finance ministry post remains vacant. 

Earlier on April 8, Sri Lanka's newly-appointed Finance Minister Ali Sabry, who resigned from the post within 24 hours of his appointment, had returned to the position as part of a temporary measure.

Opposition leader Sajith Premadasa has named Rohini Kaviratne as the SJB nominee for the post of Deputy Speaker in Parliament, NewsWire reported. Meanwhile, SLPP has proposed Ajith Rajapaksa as their candidate for the post. The deputy Speaker of the Sri Lankan Parliament will be elected on May 17. 

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has set up a committee to maintain the 'Gota Go Gama' protest site that has been established near the Presidential Secretariat, NewsWire reported. According to Ranil Wickremesinghe, the committee includes Colombo Mayor Rosy Senanayake, Ruwan Wijewardena and representatives from the Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka Army and the Police. He said that the committee will look into the facilities needed in the Gota Go Gama premises.
 

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has expressed willingness to hold talks with protesting youth, based on the conditions put forth by them, NewsWire reported. He assured the protesters that there will no oppression attempts taking place at the protest sites. 

Sajith Premadasa, the Leader of Opposition, wrote to Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and stated that he will only agree to a multi-party government. In the letter, Premadasa also stated that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa should stay out of any process aimed at bringing the country out of the ongoing crisis. "We have already expressed this view of ours to President Rajapaksa. I have attached copies of two letters which I have sent to President," he added, as per Daily Mirror. Earlier, PM Wickremesinghe had urged  Premadasa to join the government. 

The police have asked for the public's support in identifying the rioters who damaged property on May 9th and 10th. According to the police, videos and photographs of looters stealing items from residences have been spreading on social media. The police urged the public to contact them via the hotlines 1997 and 119 if they have any information.

The spokesperson of the Sri Lankan Police claimed that around 90 suspects have been apprehended in connection with the violence that took place in the country on May 9. Nihal Thalduwa stated that these suspects have been arrested from different parts of the country including 15 from Negombo and 17 from Polonnaruwa, News First reported. He further claimed that nearly 100 others have also been detained for instigating acts of violence through social media platforms.

Douglas Devananda, the Eelam People's Democratic Party's (EPDP) leader, has stated that his party will back the government formed by newly appointed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, News First reported. 

Under the full supervision of the Ministry of Defense, the Sri Lankan Armed Forces have extended their support to the Police in an attempt to maintain peace and order in the country as well as to protect the people and public property. In the wake of this Sri Lankan Army's Special Forces deployed patrols and expressway barricades in the vicinity of Colombo. 
 

At least four members of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) and the All Ceylon Muslim Congress (ACMC) met with the Leader of the Opposition after earlier supporting the Government in the 20th Amendment. As per News First, they have vowed to extend support to  Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) leader Sajith Premadasa in future. 

Hanaa Singer-Hamdy, the UN's Resident Representative in Sri Lanka, remarked that the UN expects for improved political stability in the coming weeks as the new government commences work. "We hope for greater political stability in the coming weeks as the new government commences work. Our cooperation at a technical level continues to support #SriLanka's recovery from the current crisis," she wrote in a Twitter post. 

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe held a telephonic conversation with Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP MA Sumanthiran and asked for his support for the newly formed government. According to News First, Sumanthiran has stated that he supports measures aimed at resolving ongoing crisis in the country. He also consented to PM Wickremesinghe's proposal to lead the next Law Reform Committee. 
 

According to Air Force Headquarters, the Air Force is prepared to deal with any crisis situation that may arise as a result of the severe rainfall. The Commander of the Air Force, Air Marshal Sudharshana Pathirana, has instructed to deploy aircraft and concerned personnel to provide relief and rescue operations in the case of a disaster. According to the National Building Research Organization, 6 districts -Kaluthara, Kandy, Kegalle, Matara, Ratnapura and Nuwara Eliya - are at risk of floods and landslides, as per News First. 

At least four new ministers were sworn in today. This comes a couple of days after  United National Party (UNP) leader Ranil Wickremesinghe was appointed as the country's new Prime Minister. According to a report by News First, Dinesh Gunawardena has been sworn in as the Minister of Public administration, Prof. GL Peiris as the Foreign Minister, and Prasanna Ranatunga as the Minister of Urban Development and housing and Kanchana Wijesekara as the Minister of Power and Energy.

The Director of the Ministerial Security Division has been ordered by Police Headquarters to deploy more police personnel to ensure the safety of Members of Parliament. As a result, four more officers have been assigned to each MP, with a total of six cops assigned to each member of parliament. 

In addition, the Police Headquarters has directed that each security detail be provided with two T-56 rifles for the protection of Members of Parliament. As per News First, the security of Parliamentarians has been beefed up in the wake of the unrest which took place on May 9. 

The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) has called for an immediate investigation of all incidences of violence that have occurred in the country since May 9th and to deal with the culprits according to the law. The BASL also stated that these acts of violence should be investigated without delay, and the perpetrators of the violence should be identified and arrested as soon as possible, News First reported. 

Under the patronage of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, a meeting between the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Parliamentary (SLPP) MPs and former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa is currently underway at the President's House. After the fall of Mahinda Rajapaksa's government, a group of Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna legislators is meeting with the President for the first time, News First reported. 

A complaint has been lodged at a Sri Lankan court seeking the arrest of former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and six others for alleged criminal intimidation as well as aiding and abetting attacks on peaceful anti-government protesters near Temple Trees and Galle Face. According to a report by Daily Mirror, the complaint was lodged before the Colombo Magistrate's Court by a lawyer urging the court to direct the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to arrest them. Apart from Rajapaksa, MPs Sanjeewa Edirimanne, Sanjeewa Edirimanne, Johnston Fernando, Moratuwa Municipal Council Chairman Saman Lal Fernando, Senior DIG in charge of the Western Province Deshabandu Tennakoon and IGP Chandana Wickremeratne were named as defendants in the petition. 

People have taken to the streets demanding Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) cylinders in Slave island. As per News First, the protest has led to the obstruction of traffic in the region. In addition, another demonstration is underway in Mattakkuliya demanding gas cylinders. Residents of Nawinna, Maharagama, had previously staged a protest blocking the High-Level Road, demanding gas. 

Newly appointed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has written to Opposition leader Sajith Premadasa, urging his Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) party to join the government. According to a report by News Cutter, Wickremesinghe has also requested Premadasa to put traditional party politics aside and work with him to overcome Sri Lanka's worsening economic crisis.

The Bar Association of Sri Lanka's (BASL) Executive Committee stated that Ranil Wickremesinghe, the newly-appointed Prime Minister, should demonstrate his ability to reach a consensus among the political parties in Parliament as soon as feasible. The BASL has issued a statement regarding the appointment of the Prime Minister, stating that he should strive to form a representative Government of National Unity that will adopt a Common Minimum Programme (CMP) in the people's best interests, News First reported. 

The Hydrology and Disaster Management Division of the Irrigation Department has issued a flood warning for areas in Sabaragamuwa, Western, Central and North-Western Provinces. The warning has been issued in view of the Meteorology Department’s forecast of rains over 150mm taking place during the upcoming days. Accordingly, residents in the following river basins have been cautioned, according to News First, 

New Zealand is to provide NZ$ 500,000 to help feed vulnerable children and assist struggling farmers in Sri Lanka. In her latest announcement, Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta said that the funds will be provided via the World Food Programme and FAO.“This builds on our long history of partnership with Sri Lanka, and part of NZ$25.7 million in development support over last 30 years,” she said. 

United Kingdom (UK) has issued a travel advisory on Sri Lanka warning against all but essential travel to Sri Lanka, owing to the country's ongoing economic and political crisis. “If you are in Sri Lanka at this time, or considering travel, you should avoid all protests and follow the advice of local authorities,” the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said. Amidst widespread protests, a State of Emergency has been declared and an island-wide curfew is in place.

New Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe will not form a UNP government but an interim government which comprises all parties in Parliament. In a statement, UNP Deputy Leader Ruwan Wijewardene said that the coalition would "join the government and resolve the economic crisis faced by the people. Sri Lanka’s economy is in a grave situation with foreign reserves have gone down to the lowest in history, while people are suffering without essential goods. It is essential to resolve this crisis and ease the burden of the people." Notably, UNP had said that Wickremesinghe did not consult party members before taking up the Prime Ministerial position. 

Speaking to Daily Mirror, he said, "Allegations that the UNP leader has got into a deal with Rajapaksas is not true. Some foreign countries and donor agencies have expressed their happiness about Wickremesinghe’s appointment. We are hopeful that they will assist Sri Lanka as political stability is established. 

The Indian Government is to immediately supply 65,000 metric tons of urea fertilizer to Sri Lanka, which is facing the biggest economic crisis in its post-independence history. According to Daily Mirror, High Commissioner Milinda Moragoda met concerned officials on Friday where the issue was discussed. "High Commissioner Milinda Moragoda met with the Secretary to the Department of Fertilizers of India Shri Rajesh Kumar Chaturvedi and thanked him for India's decision to supply 65,000 MT of urea required for the current Yala cultivation season in Sri Lanka," the High Commission of Sri Lanka said in a message. 

A train carrying fuel has derailed between Rabukkana Railway Station and Kadigamuwa Railway Station on Saturday obstructing train services on the upcountry line. Also known as 'The Mian Line', it is a  major railway line in the rail network of Sri Lanka and is considered by many to be one of the most scenic train journeys in all of Asia.

In a tweet, Ranil Wickremesinghe wrote, "Deeply saddened to hear about the demise of HH Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, President of the UAE. Under his leadership, the UAE rapidly transformed into a global hub. Today, the People have lost a visionary leader. My deepest condolences to his family and the people of the UAE."  Al-Nahyan passed away late on Friday, May 13. 

The ongoing political crisis in Sri Lanka, which has over 2,000 trade unions on strike, is having spillover effects in the region, especially in Bangladesh. Apparel firms in the country are especially battered as they are unable to get the shipments to markets since the cargoes are stuck at the Port of Colombo, as per Daily Mirror. 

Bangladesh media reported this week that the apparel manufacturers have expressed grave concerns about their shipments reaching their destination on time. According to news reports filed in Bangladesh, over 10 feeder vessels carrying export goods are either already stuck or on the way to Colombo.

Kegalle Magistrate Vasana Navaratne has further remanded three police constables who were accused in connection with the shooting incident that took place in Rambukkana on April 19. According to News Cutter, the three police officers involved in the incident were produced in court today while the former Kegalle SSP KB Keerthiratne, who had the shooting order, was not produced before the court. 

A personal complaint has been lodged before the Colombo Magistrate's Court by a lawyer requesting to direct the CID to immediately arrest seven persons, including former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, in connection with a case of conspiracy to commit criminal intimidation and aiding and abetting to attack a peaceful protest in front of the Temple Trees and Galle Face, according to reports of Daily Mirror. In addition to former PM Mahinda Rajapaksa, names of MPs Johnston Fernando, Sanjeewa Edirimanne, Sanath Nishantha and Moratuwa Municipal Council Chairman Saman Lal Fernando, Senior DIG in charge of the Western Province Deshabandu Tennakoon and IGP Chandana Wickremeratne were also included in the list. 

The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna will support Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe in forming a government, according to General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam.SLPP is a left-wing political front. 

A group of 10 protesters gathered around the official residence of newly appointed PM Ranil Wickremesinghe demanding the arrest of his predecessor Mahinda Rajapaksa. They have accused Mahinda of instigating violence against peaceful demonstrators. Sri Lanka has been witnessing unprecedented violence since Monday when peaceful protesters calling for the resignation of the Rajapaksa govt. were attacked. 

Newly appointed Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe is expected to visit India sometime this month. Speaking to News Cutter, a source close to the newly appointed PM revealed that he is expected to meet Indian Prime Minister Sri Narendra Modi and other high-level dignitaries. Discussions regarding financial aid will be on the table.

In a separate report, the Sri Lankan news outlet also stated that India is expected to transfer another $500 million line of credit to Sri Lanka for the month of June. This will be used to procure much-needed fuel and essential items.

The Ambassadors of Japan, the USA, China, and the Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka met with Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe today.The Prime Minister’s Office said the discussion focused on forming an international forum for financial assistance to Sri Lanka. The Office further said that the Japanese Ambassador had informed that he will leave for Japan tomorrow to discuss and report the situation in Sri Lanka. 

(Source: NewsWire)

"Yes, I have been to Sri Lanka several weeks ago and the situation is very sad. we were worried about the human rights situation all this time, but this was political, social situations and reason for us to be worried," said Spanish envoy Ridao.

With one brother president, another prime minister and three more family members cabinet ministers, it appeared that the Rajapaksa clan had consolidated its grip on power in Sri Lanka after decades in and out of government. But as a national debt crisis spirals out of control, with pandemic woes and rising food and fuel costs due to the war in Ukraine compounding problems from years of dubious economic decisions, their dynasty is crumbling.

The three Rajapaksas resigned their cabinet posts in April, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa stepped down on Monday, angry protesters attacked the family's home this week and President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has not been seen outside his heavily guarded compound. But the family is not going down without a fight, ordering troops to shoot protesters causing injury to people or property, instituting a nationwide curfew and allegedly encouraging mobs of their supporters to fight in the streets with anti-government demonstrators.

(Source: AP)

The number of Police officers deployed to provide security for Parliamentarians has been increased to six (06).  As per a circular, the increase in security has been made on the directive of the Inspector General of Police (IGP).

(Source: NewsWire)

The fourth protest site was established opposite Temple Trees today, Friday, May 13 called NO-DEAL-GAMA. The establishment of this new protest site comes back with a different name a day after Sri Lanka got its new Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. 

Court of Appeal issued an Interim Order today, (May 13), preventing the enactment of the Gazette issued by Ex-Minister Namal Rajapaksa, temporarily suspending Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR). Namal is the son of ex-PM Mahinda Rajapaksa and is under a travel ban currently. 

A video showing “hungry” protesters in Sri Lanka beating journalists and burning politicians’ houses has surfaced on the internet. Shared on Twitter by Radio Geneva, the video also features a JCB obliterating a pubic bus. The clip points out the extent of violence on the island.

Amid the economic turbulence in Sri Lanka, protestors blocked the Nawala-Nugegoda road on Friday. According to local media reports, the ongoing protest has blocked  Kirulapone junction, resulting in heavy traffic congestion on the Nawala-Nugegoda route. The protestors demand that cooking gas be supplied to them immediately.

Protest continues in Sri Lanka even after Ranil Wickremesinghe, the leader of the United National Party (UNP) of Sri Lanka, took over as the country's Prime Minister on Thursday. In the national capital, Colombo, banners and hoardings by protestors continue to be seen on the streets.
 

Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police Deshabandhu Tennakoon has been summoned to the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka, in order to provide a statement pertaining to the events that had transpired on 09 May 2022, reported News Cutter.

Prices of vegetables have increased by 100 per cent at many economic centres across Sri Lanka, according to local media reports on Friday. Traders claim that a number of factors, including the curfew, and the fuel crisis contributed to the price increase. Meanwhile, lines outside fuel stations also elongated amidst the dearth of oil and gas in the country. The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CEYPETCO) announced a temporary suspension of fuel distribution given that the country currently has curfew restrictions in place.

Sri Lanka is currently battling its worst economic crisis. On Thursday, UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe was appointed as the country's new PM. However, the protests have continued.

Here are the latest pictures shared by Associated Press depicting the current situation on the island.

India's High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Gopal Baglay met with the newly appointed PM of Sri Lanka Ranil Wickremesinghe as the latter assumed his duties on Friday. The meeting took place in the capital Colombo. Earlier, the High Commission Office had  said that "it  hopes for political stability and looks forward to working with the Government of Sri Lanka formed in accordance with democratic processes pursuant to the swearing-in of the PM." 

Newly appointed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has officially assumed duties at the Prime Minister’s Office, Ada derana reported.  Wickremesinghe was sworn in as Sri Lanka’s 26th Prime Minister on Thursday to stabilise the country’s debt-ridden economy and end the political turmoil. The 73-year-old United National Party (UNP) leader took over as the prime minister as the country was without a government since Monday when Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned as PM after violence erupted following an attack on the anti-government protesters.

High Commission categorically denies that it or the Indian Consulates-General or the Assistant High Commission of India in Sri Lanka have stopped issuing visas. In a statement, the office said that there were operational difficulties due to the inability of its visa Wing staff, most of whom are Sri Lankan nationals, to attend office. However, it is now striving to return our functioning to normal levels soon.

"We remain committed to facilitating ease of travel for #SriLankans to #India. #SriLankans are welcome in #India just as #Indians are in Sri Lanka," it said. 

JVP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake said the decision taken by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to appoint Ranil Wickremesinghe as Prime Minister, is one that was made with zero regard for the voice of the people. “All the citizens in unison called for the resignation of Gotabaya Rajapaksa, and the Government. They all called for the recovery of the economy, recover the public funds that were looted, and also institute legal action against those who are responsible for those acts,” he was quoted as saying by News First. The leader of the JVP ridiculed the decision, adding that the appointment has no legitimacy and has no democratic value.

“Ranil Wickremesinghe is a person who held the post of Prime Minister, formed governments, and yet could not even win a single seat at the last General Election. He did not even have the required number of votes to enter parliament. If an election is used to measure the consent of the people, elections have shown that he has no mandate, and that is why the people sent him packing,” he said.

The Parliamentary Group of the Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) will meet on Friday at the Office of the Opposition Leader to discuss the motion against the President, and also the current political situation. General Secretary of the SJB Ranjith Madduma Bandara speaking to News 1st asserted that the party will not extend any support to Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. The party will propose the name of Imthiaz Bakeer Markar for the post of Deputy Speaker in Parliament, which is currently vacant. 
 

The Nittambuwa Police have arrested a former Lieutenant of the Sri Lankan Army for allegedly provoking the public by uploading a post on social media calling for damage to the homes of the officers of the armed forces and the police. It said that the suspect was dismissed from the Army on January 29, 2020, due to misconduct while serving as a Lieutenant. According to DailyMirror, the suspect had posted on his Facebook account calling the groups that behaved violently and damaged property during the recent chaos, to focus their attention on inflicting damage to the houses of the higher military and police officers.

Sri Lanka's Defence Ministry has appealed to the citizens to notify them with the details of violent groups or mobs' criminal activities, incidents of damaging of public and private properties, and looting and assaults from any parts of the island, as per Daily Mirror. The Ministry has provided contact numbers to provide information.

Defence Ministry Hotline - 0767 392 977 and 0112 441 146 

Ministry of Public Security - 118. 

Export financing institution India Exim Bank is looking at restructuring its $ 1.3 billion exposure to crisis-ridden Sri Lanka. "There is an imminent restructuring of Sri Lanka exposure," Harsha Bangari, MD India Exim Bank was quoted as saying by DailyMirror. " We will wait for the signal from the government for any restructuring,' he added. The country facing its worst-ever foreign currency crisis. Exim's exposure through various channels is at around $1.3 billion. Though there are no over dues as of now, the terms of restructuring could be in the form of deferment of repayment, according to senior Exim officials

PM Ranil Wickremesinghe asserted that he has taken up the challenge of uplifting the island nation’s crisis-ridden economy. “I have taken on a challenge of uplifting the economy and I must fulfill it," he said as quoted by ADA Derana.
 

Newly-appointed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has stated that the ties between Sri Lanka and India will get much better under the new government, according to Ada Derana. Responding to a question on India-Sri Lanka relationship after his appointment, he said, “It will become much better.”

Following the appointment of Ranil Wickremesinghe as the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, the Indian High Commission said it “looks forward to working with the new government formed in accordance with democratic processes”. In the addendum, it also said that New Delhi towards Sri Lanka and its people will continue. 

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has informed Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa that he could not change the decision to appoint Ranil Wickremesinghe as the Prime Minister at this time and invited him to inform without delay if the Samagi Jana Balawegaya was ready to accept Ministerial portfolios in the new Cabinet. Highlighting that the country could not afford a delay in the formation of the cabinet, Gotabaya asked Premadasa to convey his decision soon. The president also clarified that Wickremesinghe was appointed as the PM after he was rejected. 

Newly sworn-in Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe engaged in religious observances at Walukarama Temple, Kollupitiya. He took over as the country's PM for the sixth time on Thursday. Pictures that circulated online showed monks invoking blessings on the newly appointed leader. 

Former Minister and member of the United National Party(UNP) Navin Dissanayake said that the party's Working Committee was not consulted before Ranil Wickremesinghe took up the Prime Minister post. The party has many times accused Wickremesinghe of being "autocratic" and not consulting the party workers before taking any decision.

Saman Ekanayake has been appointed as the Secretary to the Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, NewsWire reported. He was given the letter of appointment by Gamini Senarath, Secretary to the President. It is the fourth time Ekanayake will work as secretary to PM Ranil Wickremesinghe. 

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has responded to Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa’s letter. In the letter, Rajapaksa has said that the opposition leader had rejected his offer earlier, NewsWire reported. Rajapaksa said that he had talked with other party leaders and decided to appoint Ranil Wickremesinghe as the new Prime Minister of Sri Lanka. Furthermore, Gotabaya Rajapaksa stated that the conditions mentioned by Premadasa in the letter have not been agreed upon by the party leaders yet. 
 

Sri Lankan police has identified 59 social media groups which allegedly instigated violence at the protest in Colombo's Galle Face on Monday, 9 May. SSP Nihal Thalduwa, Police Media Spokesman, has said that 59 social media groups and their group admins who organized violent acts using social media sites in Galle Face have been identified, ANI reported citing Colombo Page. Thalduwa stated that legal action will be taken against them. 

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has committed to uplifting the country's economy. Speaking on Sri Lanka's relations with India, Wickremesinghe said that ties between the two nations will "become much better" under his government. 

"I have taken on a challenge of uplifting the economy and I must fulfill it," Ranil Wickremesinghe said as per ANI. 

India has said that it looked forward to working with Sri Lankan government. Indian High Commission in Colombo made the statement shortly after Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe took over office in Sri Lanka. Indian High Commission expressed hope for political stability in Sri Lanka. India further said that its commitment to Sri Lanka will continue. 

Minutes after taking over the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Ranil Wickremesinghe said he has taken on the challenge of uplifting the economy. Talking about the protesters, he said, "They will stay where will they go. Will try talking to them, if they are willing. 

Days after Mahinda Rajapaksa stepped down, Ranil Wickramasinghe was appointed as the new Prime Minister of Sri Lanka on Thursday. Ranil has been the leader of the United National Party since 1994 and has served as Prime Minister of Sri Lanka three times: from 1993 to 1994, 2001 to 2004, and 2018 to 2019. From 1994 to 2001 and from 2004 to 2015, he was the Leader of the Opposition.

Former Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa congratulated his successor to the post  Ranil Wickramasinghe minutes after the announcement. Taking to Twitter, he wrote, "I wish you all the best as you navigate these troubled times."

Leader of Opposition in Sri Lanka, Sajith Premadasa confirmed that he has written to President Gotsbaya Rajapaksa. "Basically, we need to have an assurance that he will be stepping down from his position, that the 19th amendment of the constitution will be brought back, and the present 20th amendment which gives draconian powers to the Presidency would be repealed. We basically gave a commitment to the President that predicated upon the implementation of those assurances & conditions that as the main opposition party, we will looking to be assuming office," he said. 

Sri Lanka's Leader of Opposition, Sajith Premadasa writes an open letter to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa that he is ready to assume the office of Prime Minister of Sri Lanka. Sajith is currently meeting with Parliamentary group in his Colombo office.

An independent group consisting of 11 political parties is yet to inform President Gotabaya Rajapaksa about its nominees for Prime Minister. Earlier, Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) Leader and former President Maithripala Sirisena said that the names of the nominees had been agreed upon during an internal meeting of the party. However, he said the list has not been formally communicated to the President.
 

A no-confidence motion against President Gotabaya Rajapaksa will be taken up for debate on May 17. According to a report by Daily Mirror, the discussion would take place after obtaining a special approval at the Parliament sittings earlier in the day. 

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) will not accept portfolios in the cabinet if it is led by United National Party (UNP) Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe. Ranjith Madduma Bandara, General Secretary for the party, said that MPs from the SJB have not made any formal indication of joining Wickremesinghe’s Cabinet. This comes amid reports stating that Wickremesinghe is set to take oath as the country's new Prime Minister later today. 

The Fort Magistrate’s Court on Thursday issued a travel ban on Ex-Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, MP Namal Rajapaksa, MP Johnston Fernando and others. According to local media reports, the ban has been imposed on the leaders pertaining to the ongoing investigations on the GotaGoGama and MynaGoGama peaceful protest sites on Monday. According to local media reports, the list also included MPs Pavithra Wanniarachchi, Sanjeewa Edirimanne, Kanchana Jayaratne, Rohitha Abeygunawardena, C. B. Ratnayake, Sampath Athukorala, Renuka Perera, Sanath Nishantha, Senior DIG Deshabandu Thennakoon among others.

Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) advised its citizens to postpone all non-essential travel to Sri Lanka amid the ongoing civil unrest in the island nation. "Singaporeans who are in Sri Lanka are strongly advised to exercise vigilance and take all necessary precautions for their personal safety. They should avoid public places where there are protests and large gatherings of people. They should also monitor the news closely and heed the instructions of the local authorities," MFA said in the travel advisory. 

Protests in Sri Lanka intensified on Thursday. A shoot at sight order has been issued to the country's military in an effort to quell the protests. Here are some photographs shared by Associated Press. 

Sri Lanka's opposition Marxist party JVP has urged protesters to remain extremely peaceful during their anti-government demonstrations, saying indulging in violence would make way for the Rajapaksas to trigger a "military intervention." "We stress that indulging in violence would make way for the Rajapaksas to trigger a military intervention,”JVP general secretary Tilwin Silva said.

Long queues for fuel were seen across many filling stations in Colombo and the suburbs on Thursday after curfew was lifted for a brief period from 7 AM to 2 PM. In Colombo, fuel stations were reported to be selling only petrol while in other parts, there were long lines of vehicles. The island country is gripped by acute fuel shortage amidst depletion of forex reserves. 

Department of Railway, on Thursday, said that train services resumed at 8.00 AM on Thursday (12) under restrictions. The General Manager of Railways, Dhammika Jayasundara stated that the train service between Veyangoda and Kalutara will only be operated for a limited period. Govt. has temporarily lifted the curfew till 2 pm today. 

Provincial Secretaries of Education have been given the authority to decide whether or not to open schools today. The Rajapaksa administration temporarily lifted the curfew today morning from 7 am till 2 pm. A senior official of the Ministry of Education stated that according to the information received, schools in the Southern, Western, Central, Sabaragamuwa, and Eastern Provinces have been completely closed, as reported by NewsCutter. Meanwhile, in the North-Western Province, the Provincial Secretary has been instructed to only open schools that are required to be opened. 

Nation-wide strike action launched by Trade Unions attached to the Government, Semi-Government and Private sectors, was called off at 7:00 am today. Trade Unions attached to multiple sectors such as Health, Ports, and Electricity had joined the strike in condemnation of the brutal attack on GotaGoGama and MynaGoGama protest sites, Newscutter reported. Amidst increasing violence in the country, President Gotabaya has urged people to coordinate with the govt and maintain calm. 

The Government said that identified personnel from essential services should report to work and others can work from home on Thursday, May 12. A senior Government spokesman said the employees could be called in after identifying service requirements. This comes as the curfew lifted at 7 AM today will be imposed again from 2 PM.

Commissioner General of Essential Services and two Additional Commissioners were appointed to coordinate and initiate all activities to maintain the supply of essential services in the country. Accordingly, K. D. S. Ruwanchandra, a Special Grade Officer of Sri Lanka Administrative Service has been appointed as the Commissioner General of Essential Services and Rohana Pushpakumara, former Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture and Ranjith Ariyaratne, Postmaster General have been appointed as Additional Commissioners,' reported NewsCutter. Secretaries from 25 districts have been appointed as coordinating officers. 

The Sri Lankan Rupee depreciated further against the US Dollar on Thursday. At present, Sri Lankan Rupee is valued at 380 against the US dollar, as per NewsCutter. Euro at present stands at 381 SLR while UK pound stands at 444 SLR.

Starting at 7 am on Thursday, the curfew was lifted for a few hours in the capital Colombo on Thursday. As President announced the formation of new govt, the situation has bettered in the crisis-hit country. However, the restrictions would be put in place again at 2 pm. 

The Commissioner-General of Prisons Thushara Upuldeniya and several prison officials have been summoned to the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) today, that is on May 12. The chairperson of the commission is Supreme Court Judge (Rtd.) Rohini Marasinghe said they had been informed to appear before the commission this afternoon. They have been summoned to inquire into allegations that a group of inmates at the Watareka Prison were used to attack protesters on the 9th of Monday. Meanwhile, Senior DIG in charge of the Western Province Deshabandu Tennakoon has been summoned to appear before the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka on Friday (13).
 

The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has encouraged tourists to rethink their plans to visit Sri Lanka. They have issued this due to the ongoing political tensions in Sri Lanka.  The Australian cricket team who are set to tour next month has also been briefed on the current security situation.

Leader of the United National Party Ranil Wickremesinghe will be appointed as the new Prime Minister on May 13, local media reports have stated. Following President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s announcement that he will appoint a new Prime Minister and Cabinet this week, the leader of the country's main Opposition party, Samagi Jana Balawegaya(SJB) was offered the post. However, Sajith Premadasa was reportedly unwilling to be the prime minister in the interim government. 

In a recent development, Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa stated that steps will be taken to form a new administration in order to avoid the country from descending into chaos and to keep the state's affairs running. According to him, within this week, a prime minister will be nominated who has a majority in Parliament and can win the people's trust.

The Sri Lankan President remarked on May 11 that the unprecedented violence that erupted on May 9 following Mahinda Rajapaksa's resignation was "unfortunate." He added that the killings, assaults, acts of intimidation, property destruction, and other atrocious crimes cannot be justified in any way.

According to Gotabaya, the Inspector General of Police has been tasked with conducting investigations. He further stated that the Sri Lanka Police and the Three-Armed Forces have been given orders to strictly execute the law against individuals who perpetrate violence.

In a televised address, President Gotabaya said that he without partisanship condemns attacks on peaceful protesters by mobs who came to support his brother and former prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa. The latter resigned on Monday. 

Anti-government protesters have been demanding the resignations of President Rajapaksa and his brother, over a debt crisis that has nearly bankrupted Sri Lanka and left its people facing severe shortages of fuel, food and other essentials. The latest photographs shared by Associated Press show the extent of chaos and destruction on the island.

At least 12 people have been arrested for protesting against the Rajapaksa government near the country's parliament in Columbo. According to a report published in Daily Mirror, demonstrators gathered at the Jayanthipura Road near Parliament holding banners, supporting the no-confidence motion against the government. Police detained the protesters, accusing them of violating the rights of MPs. 

Police curfew was lifted at 7:00 am today, as protests continued to rock Sir Lanka. Government officials said that the curfew will be re-imposed at 2.00 pm and will remain in effect until 6.00 am on Friday. In a bid to quell protests, govt has given shoot at sight orders to the police forces. 

Pope Francis appealed for the people of Sri Lanka to make their voices heard in a peaceful way and for political leaders to heed their demands, Vatican News reported. Demonstrations against the Rajapaksa govt. turned violent on Monday, prompting the government to give shoot at sight orders to the military. 

“I join religious authorities in urging all parties to maintain a peaceful attitude, without yielding to violence.” Pope Francis also called on Sri Lanka’s ruling political leaders to heed the voices of protesters.“I appeal to all those with responsibilities to listen to the aspirations of the people and to ensure full respect for human rights and civil liberties.” 

Sri Lankan government must immediately revoke emergency regulations that give security forces extensive powers of search, detention, prosecution and punishment, the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) said. As protests turned bloody, govt gave shoot at sight orders to the military. At least eight people, including a politician from the ruling party, a police officer and civilians, have been killed since violence escalated on Monday

Security forces are deployed across Sri Lanka with orders to shoot looters on sight amid continuing protests at the government's handling of a devastating economic crisis. Amidst the situation of continuous violence, ex-PM Mahindra Rajapaksha has retreated to a naval base in the northeast for his own safety, BBC reported citing Sri Lankan military. Mahindra stepped down on Monday.

Governor of the Central Bank Dr Nandalal Weerasinghe warned that political instability in the country could worsen the existing economic crisis in Sri Lanka. Although the island has been gripped by economic instability for years, it intensified in March, triggering nationwide protests. On Wednesday, Weerasinghe said that the anarchy like situation could lead to longer queues and longer blackouts. He urged all political parties to ensure political stability at the earliest. 

, 

After Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned as Sri Lankan Prime Minister, his brother and President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said he will appoint a new PM and a cabinet this week, according to PTI. The new cabinet is expected to make constitutional reforms so as to mitigate the ongoing crisis in the country.