Latest news with #Dissanayake
The Star
7 days ago
- Business
- The Star
Sri Lankan leftist government begins privatisation
Sri Lanka calls for Expressions of Interest for divestment of Canwill Holdings. - COLOMBO: Sri Lanka's leftist government said Tuesday (May 27) it was selling a failed hotel project, marking its first privatisation move in line with an IMF bailout. Government spokesperson Nalinda Jayatissa said the cabinet had agreed to revive the previous administration's stalled process "of disposing of shares in Canwill", a fully state-owned company established in 2011 to operate hotels. The sale of Canwill marks the first major privatisation under the government of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, a self-avowed Marxist. Jayatissa told reporters the government had decided to retain Deloitte, a leading professional services firm, to manage the sale. The government said Canwill, with an issued capital of US$61 million, needed at least another US$120 million to complete its 47-storey, partially built, 458-room beachfront hotel in Colombo. With no prospect of raising the capital to complete the project, the new administration decided to divest the asset instead. The company also owns another beach property in the south of the island. The International Monetary Fund, which extended Sri Lanka a US$2.9 billion loan in early 2023 after the country defaulted on its US$46 billion foreign debt in April 2022, had urged reforms of loss-making state-owned enterprises. Dissanayake had previously been reluctant to sell state assets, instead promising to revive unprofitable government-owned firms through improved management. However, since winning the presidency in September, Dissanayake has made a U-turn on his pledge to renegotiate the terms of the unpopular IMF bailout agreed by his predecessor. He has retained the high taxes imposed by the previous administration and agreed to remove subsidies on fuel and electricity. The IMF bailout programme requires the government to reform 52 state-owned enterprises that are straining the national budget. - AFP
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
In Sri Lanka, Dissanayake's Honeymoon Period Might Be Running Out
JAFFNA, Sri Lanka—It's been a busy few months at the polls for Sri Lanka, which recently capped off its third set of elections in under eight months, capped by local elections held on May 6. The voting determined the makeup of local councils across the island, and the outcomes signaled that while President Anura Kumara Dissanayake continues to enjoy popular support, his honeymoon period may be nearing its end. The series of polls began last September, when Dissanayake—popularly known as AKD—swept to power on a lasting wave of discontent following the collapse of Sri Lanka's economy in 2022. That crisis saw the country default on its international debt amid soaring cost-of-living conditions and a currency collapse, leading to public protests that unseated then-President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. As the longtime leader of the traditionally marginalized leftist party Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna, or JVP, Dissanayake was perceived as a political outsider, positioning him well in the runup to the first presidential election since the 2022 protests, known as the Aragalaya movement. His JVP-led National People's Power, or NPP, alliance subsequently earned a supermajority in November's parliamentary elections, winning 159 seats out of 225 on 62 percent of the vote. In the local elections held earlier this month, the NPP still won the largest vote share, taking over councils in the Sinhala heartlands and upcountry areas. But it fell to 43 percent overall, raising the question of where Dissanayake's NPP government stands after six months in power. To get more in-depth news and expert analysis on global affairs from WPR, sign up for our free Daily Review newsletter. According to Nishan De Mel, executive director of Verité Research in Colombo, the local election outcomes reflects 'a slight cooling of sentiment' toward the government. 'Not that people have become oppositional or turned against it,' he added, describing the shift instead as a slowly building impatience. De Mel acknowledged that the NPP had 'reaffirmed its mandate' in the polls, but the fact that it had lost some of its vote share to the four opposition parties meant that it wasn't as resounding a victory as in the general election. The shift was most notable in the Tamil-majority Northern province, where most councils saw Tamil parties winning the largest vote share and shutting the NPP out of local governments. Upon taking over in November, Dissanayake's NPP government inherited many daunting challenges, primarily the task of repairing Sri Lanka's economy. Following two consecutive years of contraction, the economy grew 4.6 percent in 2024. While presenting the budget for 2025, Dissanayake said the economy is expected to grow a further 5 percent this year. However, little has changed for the poorest in the country, who drove the Aragalaya protests that ousted Rajapaksa in 2022 and have been most affected by the economic collapse. Though Dissanayake's government has attempted to ease the pressure by increasing minimum wages in the public and private sectors, the cost of living remains extremely high. An April 2025 report by the World Bank stated that although poverty was forecast to decline by 1.8 percent over the course of the year, a third of Sri Lankans were 'living in poverty or one shock away from falling back into it.' The report also highlighted an increase in malnutrition in 2024. Ahead of the September presidential election, Dissanayake promised to renegotiate Sri Lanka's bailout agreement with the International Monetary Fund, which has led to punishing austerity measures, including a hike in fuel and electricity prices. But he reneged on that promise after the parliamentary elections, saying the economy was 'in such a state that it cannot take the slightest shock.' A further increase in electricity rates is thought to be on the agenda in the next few months, according to local media. For Ahilan Kadirgamar, a lecturer at the University of Jaffna, the conditions of the IMF bailout agreement are not sustainable. 'The sooner they come out of it, the better it would be,' he told WPR. Kadirgamar said the IMF program's austerity measures were 'counterproductive' for Sri Lanka and that 'the burden is being borne by the working people and the marginalized sections of society.' He also dismissed the celebratory coverage of the country's economic growth, pointing out that it was 'starting from an extremely low base.' However, not everyone agrees. Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu, director of the Centre for Policy Alternatives, described Dissanayake's U-turn as 'a very pragmatic decision' taken by 'a very pragmatic politician.' Staying within the IMF framework, Saravanamuttu added, allowed him and the NPP to avoid 'political turmoil in the country when they came into office.' Saravanamuttu nevertheless criticized the NPP for being slow to act on some of its other electoral promises, particularly repealing the Prevention of Terrorism Act, a controversial law often historically used to arrest dissidents. Not only has the government taken no steps to do so, but arrests have continued under its tenure. Saravanamuttu credited the government with having taken positive action to combat corruption, but added that 'they need to do the actual tangible policy reform that they promised.' In the meantime, he told WPR, 'there is a creeping disillusionment with regard to the way that the government is operating. And the JVP has to do something fast to stem that.' Dissanayake also courted controversy in the runup to the local elections, with allegations lodged by opposition parties that he had threatened to withhold government funding from 'corrupt' local councils. The insinuation was that only NPP-led councils could be trusted. De Mel said that he did not believe the NPP would prevent disbursements to councils led by other parties, but rather that Dissanayake was emphasizing the NPP's anti-corruption stance. De Mel added that the NPP may have over-promised on the timeline and scope of its plans for its parliamentary term, but that 'the challenge for the government is that they must convince the people that these adjustments to their positions are reasonable.' Comparing the NPP's first six months in power to the 2015 government of former President Maithripala Sirisena, who similarly represented a landmark shift away from the Rajapaksa political dynasty when he came to power, De Mel said the NPP had achieved comparatively less. 'In that period, even without having a parliamentary majority, that change in presidency brought much more rapid structural changes in governance than what we have seen in the current government in the first six months,' De Mel told WPR. He added, however, that the need to prepare for the rapid succession of elections had left the NPP government with less time to deliver. Dissanayake's NPP government will also have many challenges ahead on the foreign policy front, particularly when it comes to charting its relationship with China, navigating increased tensions between India and Pakistan, and riding out the tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump. All of these will have implications on the economic front, particularly the latter. 'This could mean increased unemployment or lowered levels of production or cost-cutting that could affect workers,' Kadirgamar said of the tariffs' impact. 'So we're looking at really choppy times ahead. And for all of this, the NPP really needs a plan, including for how they want to deal with the IMF program, because that's not helping at all.' Kadirgamar said progressive policies like a wealth tax and land redistribution, among others, would be positive steps for the NPP, while Saravanamuttu said an increased focus on digitalization as well as reforms of the public sector and state-owned enterprises were needed. The government will also need to interrogate its relationship with Tamil voters given its performance in the local government elections, although De Mel said this could partly be put down to a different dynamic at play, with people more likely to vote at the local level for parties and candidates they knew. However, given the JVP's history of Sinhala nationalism, it will be important for Dissanayake to build trust with Tamil voters, especially given his government's unwillingness to promise the devolved powers long sought by the Tamil regions. Above all, however, the NPP's mandate to tackle corruption will remain the primary barometer by which its performance will be measured going forward. To succeed on this front, De Mel said, the government will need to understand and 'neutralize' the workings of the 'deep state' that has driven corruption across successive previous governments. In one way or another, the NPP will have to show results soon, as in a post-Aragalaya political landscape, there is far less room for Sri Lankan politicians to maneuver their way out of tricky situations and failed promises. If Dissanayake's electoral successes have shown anything, it is that people are hungry for change. But this month's local election results made it clear that political goodwill does not last forever. Dissanayake and the NPP government know that, had it not been for the failings of their predecessors, they would not be in power today. The flip side of that coin remains that, if they fail to deliver, they could quickly find themselves back on the outside. Jeevan Ravindran is a journalist and researcher based between London and Jaffna, focusing on human rights. She has worked extensively with Reuters and CNN, and most recently as a researcher at Amnesty International, focusing on Malaiyaha Tamils. The post In Sri Lanka, Dissanayake's Honeymoon Period Might Be Running Out appeared first on World Politics Review.
The Print
20-05-2025
- Politics
- The Print
Sri Lanka promotes soldiers to mark war victory anniversary
On May 18, 2009, the Sri Lankan Army declared victory over the LTTE, which for three decades had run a parallel administration in the northern and eastern part of the country in their quest to set up a separate Tamil homeland. On Tuesday, a statement from President Anura Kumara Dissanayake's office said that he termed the separatist war waged by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) a tragedy. Colombo, May 20 (PTI) Sri Lanka has granted promotions to over 200 military officers and 12,200 other rankers to mark the 16th national war heroes day that marks victory over the Tamil separatist movement of the LTTE. On May 19, 2009, the then president Mahinda Rajapaksa declared that the last bit of land under LTTE control in the north east region had been wrested back by the government troops. The government therefore observes both days and organises various events. 'The Sri Lanka Army has promoted 186 officers and 10,093 other ranks; the Sri Lanka Navy has promoted 22 officers and 1,256 other ranks, and the Sri Lanka Airforce has promoted nine officers and 868 other ranks', said the statement from the president's office. Dissanayake – who is also the Minister of Defence and the Commander in Chief of the troops – was originally not scheduled to preside over the ceremony, but did attend it and also spoke on the occasion. Calling the separatist war waged by the LTTE to set up a separate Tamil homeland in the north and east regions a tragedy, Dissanayake said: 'For decades, our nation endured the horrors of war. This conflict which inflicted immense suffering on our people and land was brought to an end years ago'. Dissanayake's participation at the last minute had come under fire from several quarters. Foreign minister Vijitha Herath, speaking on a talk show on Derana later on Monday night, however refuted those claims. The president's non-participation had been mentioned owing to a miscommunication and he always wanted to be present at the ceremony, Herath said. 'The truth is.. it was a miscommunication.' PTI CORR NPK NPK This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
The Hindu
20-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Grief knows no ethnicity, says Dissanayake, pledging lasting peace in Sri Lanka
'Grief knows no ethnicity', Sri Lanka's President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has said, as he vowed to ensure 'lasting peace' and build a society 'anchored in justice'. Mr. Dissanayake made the remarks at the 16th 'War Heroes' Commemoration Ceremony' held on Monday (May 19, 2025), a day after thousands of Tamils gathered in Mullivaikkal, in the northern Mullaitivu district, to remember their loved ones who were killed by the armed forces in the final phase of the island nation's civil war that ended in 2009. According to the United Nations, some 40,000 civilians were killed, including in areas declared 'no fire zones' by authorities, and thousands disappeared, in the gory battle that spanned over three decades. Survivors have been unrelentingly demanding accountability and justice for what international rights groups have found to be grave abuse of human rights. Also read: Sri Lanka protests 'genocide monument' in Canada ahead of civil war anniversary 'Our predecessors endured conflict; ours is a generation still grappling with its residual divisions. But we must resolve to leave our children a nation free from strife, a society anchored not in power struggles but in justice,' Mr. Dissanayake said in his address to soldiers. Observing that war is 'synonymous with tragedy and devastation', he noted, 'Today, we witness the remnants of this devastation, children orphaned, parents bereaved, and spouses widowed. Across our land, from North to South, grief knows no ethnicity.' In a rare acknowledgment from a southern leader, of the scores of lives lost in the Tamil majority areas of the north and east, Mr. Dissanayake pointed to people — 'not only in the south but also in the north' — holding up photographs of their loved ones on the streets, mourning their death. 'To every parent, their child is precious. So, as a country that has faced such a massive tragedy, our responsibility today is to prevent such a war from happening again in our country,' he said. Elected to the country's top office last year, Mr. Dissanayake and his majority-wielding National People's Power, raised expectations, including among Tamils who backed them, over delivering meaningful reconciliation and equitable development. Six months since, the government faces growing scrutiny over pending implementation of its pledges. Contending that conflicts, racism, and extremism have been 'strategically exploited' at various times to acquire, sustain, and strengthen power, President Dissanayake said, 'These issues have not emerged naturally; rather, they have been manipulated to secure authority and to obscure the wrongdoings committed.' 'Today, peace is increasingly being portrayed as a sign of betrayal. Reconciliation is being distorted into surrender. But as a progressive society we must raise our voices for more than ever for humanity and compassion. This applies not only within our own country, but across the world,' Mr. Dissanayake said, asking what wars and conflicts raging around the globe have truly brought to people. 'Victory? No, only destruction. That is why I believe we must act with unwavering commitment and clarity in our efforts to achieve lasting peace.' Watch: 15 years on, justice and economic progress elude Sri Lanka's Tamils In a social media post, opposition MP and Tamil Progressive Alliance Leader Mano Ganesan said Sri Lankans should reach a 'patriotic destination' where they are able to commemorate 'all our dead souls and if need to be, victory over all kind of terrorism, state and non-state [actors]' and in the south and north of the country. Urging the government to address 'root causes' of the war, Mr. Ganesan pointed to the discrimination of minorities beginning in 1948, with the Ceylon Citizenship Act that disenfranchised Indian Origin [Hill Country or Malaiyaha] Tamils, the Sinhala Only Act of 1956, and the failure by successive governments to implement various political commitments and legislative pledges, including the 13th Amendment to the Sri Lankan Constitution. 'Will the new government undo the past failures of its predecessors and bring justice and accountability?' rights watchdog Amnesty International asked in a post on the commemoration.
The Star
09-05-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Sri Lanka ruling party wins local elections
Sri Lanka's President Anura Kumara Dissanayake (C) waves as he leaves a polling station after casting his ballot during voting in Sri Lanka's local government election in Colombo on May 6, 2025. (Photo by Ishara S. KODIKARA / AFP) The leftist government won local council elections but with significantly lower margins, in its first test since sweeping national polls last year, official results showed. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake's coalition received the most votes in 265 out of the 339 councils, but fell short of an outright majority in about half of them. The main opposition SJB won just 14 councils, while the country's main minority Tamil party, the Tamil National Alliance, performed better, winning 35. The parties of former presidents Ranil Wickremesinghe and Mahinda Rajapaksa failed to win control of a single council, but between them secured 1,123 of the 8,299 council seats. The leftist NPP will need the support of other parties to control about 130 councils where it fell short of an absolute majority, but has ruled out any coalition with traditional parties. Dissanayake's NPP vote share fell to 43.3%, down from the 61.6% it secured at the November parliamentary election. The main opposition SJB made a marginal gain, reaching 21.7%. Dissanayake, who upset the more established parties to win the September presidential election, built on his popularity to secure the parliamentary vote held two months later. The 56-year-old has made a U-turn since coming to power on his pledge to renegotiate the terms of an unpopular IMF bailout agreed by his predecessor, and has maintained high tariffs. He had turned the local elections into a referendum on his six-month-old administration, saying it was essential for his party to secure local councils so that all layers of government were 'free of corruption and endemic waste'. About 60% of the 17.14 million electorate turned out to vote on Tuesday, down from nearly 70% in November and 80% in the September presidential vote. The campaign was lacklustre, with no high-profile figures in the running. — AFP
