President & PM have no moral right to remain in power; Sirisena writes 10-point letter to build Sri Lanka

COLOMBO (News 1st); Former Sri Lankan President and Chairman of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party Maithripala Sirisena said that the current president, the prime minister or the government have no political or moral right to remain in power.

"It is clear that a very dangerous situation is likely to arise in the country if they continue to act without understanding the opposition coming from the people.," the Former President said in a statement.

Therefore, Sri Lanka Freedom Party strongly emphasizes the following proposals to all responsible parties.

1. The President and the Prime Minister must resign immediately.

2. The Speaker shall be appointed Acting President until a President is appointed.

3. In order to install the proposed all-party interim government, a National Executive Council or Leadership Council should be established consisting of the leaders of all the political parties represented in the Parliament.

4. The President and Prime Minister should be appointed with the agreement of the National Executive Council or Leadership Council and civil activists, academics and professionals.

5. A crisis management cabinet should be appointed with a limited number of scopes to achieve essential and targeted objectives to bring the country back to its pre-crisis status.

6. A national advisory council composed of academics, professionals, civil activists and opinion leaders should be established under the respective ministries in the crisis management cabinet.

7. To manage the crisis, an integrated management program aimed at economy, food security, essential services, social welfare and social security program, and socio-political reform/decentralization approaches should be implemented as soon as possible.

8. The 19th Constitutional Amendment should be re-enacted with the necessary optimal amendment without delay.

9. As soon as the country is restored to its pre-crisis status, a parliamentary election should be held and the people should be given the democratic right to appoint a new government.

10. In order to build the Sri Lankan nation, and to build the legal and constitutional base necessary to make Sri Lanka a developed country, to implement socio-political reforms, and to make the necessary structural transformations, the drafting of a new constitution should be the leading task of the new government.