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Karu urges GR to quit, Ranil to prioritise 20A abolishment

17 May 2022

  • NMSJ cites grounds of accountability, economic destruction   
BY Buddhika Samaraweera The National Movement for Social Justice (NMSJ), led by its Chairman and former Speaker of Parliament Karu Jayasuriya, has pointed out that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa should resign, respecting the principle of accountability, and that the abolition of the 20th Amendment to the Constitution should be the foremost task of newly appointed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. Making a statement on the current situation in the country, Jayasuriya said: “The NMSJ has always placed a high value on accountability. The President has now admitted that he had made some mistakes that have caused immense damage to the economy. They have shattered the hopes of the country’s younger generation. Therefore, what the President needs to do is to resign, as demanded by the protestors.” Noting that the NMSJ has repeatedly opposed the 20th Amendment to the Constitution, which unnecessarily concentrates power in the Executive, and called for the re-establishment of a Cabinet-centric system of government in the country, he said that the abolition of the 20th Amendment to the Constitution should be Wickremesinghe’s foremost task. “There must be unprecedented solutions to an unprecedented crisis. Most importantly, all political parties and groups must put national interests first and foremost at least when the necessary arrangements are being made for debt restructuring and bridge financing. In this context, it is gratifying that the roadmap submitted by the Bar Association of Sri Lanka coincides with the views of a number of organisations, including the NMSJ, as well as those who are protesting at the Galle Face Green.” Jayasuriya also said that the leadership that comes forward at this time should work with all political parties to successfully tackle this multifaceted complex crisis, emphasising that the people need to be made aware of the true nature of the issues as well as the solutions that work. “In order to save the country from this dire situation, relations with the relevant international parties must be successfully managed. We sincerely hope that the new Premier will be able to successfully address these multiple challenges,” he noted. Amidst islandwide protests demanding the resignation of the President, Premier Mahinda Rajapaksa, and the Government, Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned on 9 May, following which the Cabinet also resigned. However, the President, against whom much public opposition is being expressed, is still in office, while several parties, mainly the “GotaGoGama” protestors at the Galle Face Green, continue to demand his resignation.


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