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No congratulatory messages yet from foreign leaders
View(s):One month after the appointment of Mahinda Rajapaksa as Prime Minister, foreign governments continue to show reluctance to send formal congratulatory messages. The Foreign Ministry first notified Sri Lanka’s Heads of Missions and Posts abroad of the appointment of the new Prime Minister on October 27—the day after the event—despite a spokesperson claiming that foreign leaders had not send congratulatory messages only because the news was not relayed until the entire Cabinet was sworn in.
Mr. Rajapaksa’s publicity team said the Ambassador of China and the High Commissioner of Pakistan visited and offered their congratulations to him on his new position. However, neither China nor Pakistan in official remarks claimed to have felicitated him.
The Chinese Ambassador paid a courtesy call on Mr Rajapaksa on October 27. Beijing did not issue a statement on the meeting. Two days later, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Lu Kang said at his regular news conference that his country had been closely following the situation in Sri Lanka as “a friendly neighbour”. Beijing follows a principle of non-interference in the domestic affairs of other countries, he added.
“What is going on in Sri Lanka is their domestic affairs,” he said. “We believe that the Sri Lankan Government, parties and people have the wits and ways needed to deal with the current situation. China sincerely hopes that all relevant parties in Sri Lanka could resolve their differences through dialogue and consultation and maintain their nation’s stability and development.”
Pakistan’s High Commissioner met Mr Rajapaksa and Speaker Karu Jayasuriya on November 1. “During the meetings, the current political situation in Sri Lanka was discussed,” a statement from the Pakistani mission in Colombo said. “The High Commissioner reiterated Pakistan’s support for continuation and consolidation of democratic process in Sri Lanka. He expressed the hope that the ongoing political situation will be overcome peacefully and amicably in accordance with the constitution and aspirations of Sri Lankan people,” it said.
India, meanwhile, has adopted a hands-off policy, preferring to maintain behind the scenes that it is “up to Sri Lanka to figure it out”.
A meeting between the representative of Burundi and Mr Rajapaksa was telecast over a private television station but it was not possible to confirm who the diplomat–a man–was. Burundi has no ambassador in Sri Lanka and its mission in New Delhi is headed by a woman.
It is customary diplomatic practice to issue ceremonial communications (which include congratulatory or condolence messages) on the occasion of a change of Head of State or Government. “The Cabinet of Ministers was only finalised on Friday and Parliament was subsequently dissolved the same night,” said Saroja Sirisena, Director General of the Public Communications Division, on November 10, in response to a question about why no felicitation messages were received. “What we have at present is a caretaker Government. The new list will be sent following elections in January.”
Ms Sirisena said the name of the Prime Minister was also normally conveyed with the list of Cabinet Ministers. “Since the list of Cabinet Ministers was not complete, it was not sent to missions or capitals,” she said, adding, “They do not issue statements on caretaker governments.”
However, the first circular—No 243, tagged “MOST URGENT” in terms of priority—was dispatched on October 27. It read: “Copies of the Extraordinary Gazette Notifications No. 2094/43 and 2094/44 dated 26.10.2018 issued by the Presidential Secretariat, appointing Hon. Mahinda Rajapaksa, to the Office of Prime Minister of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka with effect from 26 October 2018, is attached herewith for your attention and necessary action please.” Attached were the Gazettes in three languages.
On October 28, circular No 244 was sent by the Foreign Affairs Ministry Secretary. “Please find attached hereto, for your information, a document containing the legal basis as reflected in the Constitution of Sri Lanka, on which H.E. the President acted in removing the former Prime Minister from office and appointing a new Prime Minister, as conveyed by the Presidential Secretariat,” it said. “You may wish to use the contents of the said document in your interactions with the interlocutors in your country/ies of accreditation.”
The three-page attachment cites Constitutional Articles reflecting the earliest positions taken on the removal of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinge. Among other things, it states that, under the Sinhala version of the Constitution, “…it can be reasonably assumed that the framers of the Constitution have envisaged that the President of the Republic has the power to remove the PM.”
Also conveyed to all of Sri Lanka’s missions abroad on October 28 was the English translation of President Maithripala Sirisena’s first address to the nation after he removed Prime Minister Wickremesinghe. On October 29, all Heads of Divisions were sent circular No 247 containing the salient issues raised by President Sirisena and Prof G.L. Peiris at a diplomatic briefing for Colombo-based foreign Heads of Mission held on the same day.
“The 19th Amendment very clearly states that in a consensus Government formed by two major parties, if one party to withdraw [sic] from the coalition, the Cabinet of Ministers would stand dissolved automatically. In this eventuality, the Constitution states that I, as the President, have the power to appoint a new Prime Minister,” the President is reported to have said.
He also told diplomats he prorogued Parliament to formulate budget proposals. And that: “The Hon Mahinda Rajapaksa has the majority in Parliament and when required this will be made evident.” The paper trail shows that Sri Lanka’s Heads of Mission/Post were systematically updated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. On November 10, circular No 264 from the Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained the grounds for the President dissolving Parliament, effective from midnight of November 9.
On November 12, the missions received a transcript of remarks made by Sarath Amunugama, the new Minister of Foreign Affairs, at a second diplomatic briefing held that morning. It took place after the dissolution of Parliament. He said the assembly was disbanded because on an indication there would be a floor fight on the day it reconvened after the prorogation lapsed.
“Now, it is very important to remember that the Prime Minister has the time to show his majority,” he is quoted as saying. “There’s nothing which says that he must do it on the first date that we meet.” Dr Amunugama has also said that, in a subsidiary court action, the Attorney General “gave the opinion that the President was well within his constitutional rights in taking the action against the former Prime Minister”.