Wickremsinghe declares emergency in Sri Lanka ahead of July 20 presidential election

Tribune News Service

Sandeep Dikshit

New Delhi, July 18

Acting Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremsinghe on Monday declared a "State of Emergency"' all over the island state. The notification comes two days before the Sri Lankan Parliament votes on electing a new President on Wednesday.

Wickremsinghe has already declared a nationwide curfew last week after Speaker of Parliament Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena announced the schedule of electing a new President by Members of Parliament.

Several influential countries, including India and the US, have called on Sri Lanka to go by the existing provisions in electing a new leadership. In fact, India's High Commissioner in Colombo Gopal Bagley met the Speaker last week and underlined the need for a peaceful, democratic transition of leadership.

India remains Sri Lanka's sole bilateral benefactor and American support is vital for securing loan from the IMF. Hence, the declaration of a state of emergency would be a precautionary measure to ensure protests do not go out of hand in case the new President is not acceptable to the protesters in Colombo who completed the 100th day of their sit-in on Sunday.

Meanwhile, India's strategy will be discussed when External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman brief  party leaders of all parties on Tuesday.

Both the DMK and AIADMK have demanded that India intervene effectively in Sri Lanka especially to avert a refugee influx of Tamils. A few stray instances of families landing in Tamil Nadu from Sri Lanka have already occurred. Jaishankar has assured that India is ready to provide all help to Sri Lanka.

 But there are voices that seek an economic bail out in return for a strategic toe hold for India at a time when most countries have turned reluctant in bailing out the island country. China has given just $ 80 million in aid and the Japanese have declined, saying there is a risk of financial assistance being mismanaged.

Wickremesinghe remains the frontrunner as the Sri Lanka People’s Party of the Rajapaksa clan has decided to back him. However, it remains a tough task to get the protestors' approval as Wickremesinghe is as detested by them as the four Rajapaksa brothers.

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