Sri Lankan govt strongly criticizes president's dissolution of parliament

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, February 09, 2004

Sri Lankan govt strongly criticizes president's dissolution of parliament

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Sri Lanka's caretaker government onMonday strongly criticized President Chandrika Kumaratunga for herdissolution of parliament as "undemocratic" and said they will seek resounding mandate of the people in the forthcoming electionsto continue with peace process and economic development.

"At the time of dissolution the government enjoyed the confidence of parliament. To dissolve parliament in those circumstances is a totally undemocratic act. It never happened in any democratic country." G.L. Peiris, Constitutional Affairs Minister and government spokesman told reporters.

He also said that Kumaratunga's appointment of two new ministers hours before she dissolved the parliament midnight on Saturday is "totally wrong in terms of democratic principles" as they came from the president's main opposition People's Alliance which was rejected by the people in the parliament elections in December 2001.

Peiris charged that all president is interested in is the pursuit of power, ignoring the effort by the government of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to secure resources for the development of the country during the recent follow up of the donor conference held in Colombo.

He blamed the president for breaking her own promise that she would not dissolve the parliament so long as the current government commands majority in the parliament.

"President Kumaratunga's action has nothing to do with the welfare of the people." he said.

Peiris also said that the government wants "resounding mandate"of the people in the country in the upcoming parliament elections to continue with the Norwegian-brokered peace process and the revival of the country's economy.

President Chandrika Kumaratunga dissolve the parliament midnight on Saturday four years ahead of schedule and called a snap election on April 2.

It is the third parliament elections since October 2000.

The president's action ended the three month political power struggle with the prime minister which triggered by herself when she seized control of three key ministries including the defense from the government on Nov. 4 last year.

Despite the efforts made by the two sides, no breakthrough had been made over the key issue of the defense before the president's move.

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