- Academics, professionals, activists highlight Wickremeisghe’s interim role
A large and diverse group of academics, professionals, and activists asked that President Ranil Wickremesinghe function as an interim President and hold elections by dissolving Parliament at its earliest, as he is empowered to do so.
In a statement, the group asserted the following point and demands to the President:
- Recognise that in the Constitution Article 4, the Executive President holds office as the person “elected by the people”. The Constitution provides for a transfer of power to a President elected by Members of Parliament due to a vacancy in the Presidency. This should not be interpreted to mean that a President who takes office after a discredited ex-President has vacated the post can claim to hold office for the balance term of that ex-President and his Government. The loss of legitimacy of the predecessor President and Government surely affects the idea of continuity. President Wickremesinghe should therefore, in keeping with foundational democratic values not seek to hold office for the full balance term of the former President
- Clarify what he means by the mandate given to him to “introduce systemic change in governance on behalf of the silent majority”. All we see is that he has engaged in various measures that entrench dictatorial governance. Even more dangerously, he is justifying authoritarianism in governance on the myth of threats to national security. He is also framing the need for national unity and an all party consensus at this time, as the essential need for co-operation from the opposition parties, with the discredited Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) Government
- To act on the clearly articulated demands of the “aragalaya”. Their concept of systemic change is a corruption-free government that is not engaged in reckless abuse of powers. They want an abolition of the Executive Presidency and strong institutions that respect the rights and needs of the People. Therefore, fulfilling his oath of office, the President must withdraw the state of emergency, which has no rationale or justification whatsoever at this time. He must respect, protect, and implement the fundamental rights of the people, including the right to protest and dissent. Such action must be accompanied by the release of all those participants in the “aragalaya” held in custody under orders of arrest and detention, and restoration of their right to freedom of movement and overseas travel
- Recognising himself as an interim President, he must act under the Constitutional provisions and hold a General Election as soon as he is empowered to dissolve Parliament. This will enable the country to decide on the next government. In the interim period, he should implement the general demand in the country today for a government representative of all parties, without reinstating the discredited SLPP Government. He clearly made a promise to the nation on 13 July that he would resign as PM and only hold office until an all-party interim Government was appointed. The huge trust deficit that he acknowledged then must be recognised now by President Wickremesinghe, if he is to lead an all-party interim Government
- President Wickremesinghe should not waste time on ad hoc Constitutional reforms such as the 22nd Amendment. Even the much-publicised 19th Amendment had serious problems of achieving balance of powers between the President and Prime Minister. It had many other shortcomings, as evidenced in the constitutional crisis of 2018. The President should immediately take steps to ensure the abolition of the Executive Presidency before Parliamentary Elections are held. The 21st Amendment that went before the courts addressed this critical demand for constitutional reform and an early abolition of the Executive Presidency. This can be enacted without delay with a time frame for transfer of power
Prof. Arjuna Aluwihare (Emeritus Professor of Surgery, University of Peradeniya), Savitri Goonesekere (Emeritus Professor of Law, former Vice Chancellor, University of Colombo), and Harendra de Silva (Emeritus Professor of Paediatrics, University of Colombo) were among those who signed the letter.
