United States Senator Chris Van Hollen in a letter sent to President Maithripala Sirisena expressed his concern over the removal of the Prime Minister and the President’s refusal to accept the results of the two no-confidence motions.
In his letter, Van Hollen urges President Sirisena to act according to the constitution and the rule of law in the country, by accepting the results of the no-confidence motions.
He further requests the President to resolve this issue in accordance with the constitution, the democratic process, and the rule of law, as it might threaten the progress made in strengthening the bilateral relationship of the two countries.
Complete letter of Senator Van Hollen is as follows:
“I write as a longtime friend of Sri Lanka, who has worked hard to strengthen the bonds between our two democracies. It is in that spirit that I want to express my deep concern with the decision to remove Sri Lanka’s prime minister and the subsequent rejection of two no-confidence motions in the Sri Lankan parliament on your choice of replacement. I urge you to accept the results of the no-confidence motions in parliament, in accordance with the Sri Lankan constitution and the rule of law.
The U.S. partnership with Sri Lanka has grown since your election in 2015, in which you promised reconciliation and democratic reform. In the years since, we have bolstered our relationship, including through a proposed Millennium Challenge Corporation compact and increases in economic and security assistance.
The actions taken during the last few weeks, however, put at risk the rule of law and democracy in Sri Lanka. The decision to oust the sitting prime minister, suspend the parliament, attempt to hold snap elections, and reject the votes of Sri Lanka’s democratically-elected representatives could also threaten the progress made in strengthening our bilateral relationship. I respectfully urge you to seek an end to this impasse in a manner consistent with the Sri Lankan constitution, the democratic process, and the rule of law.”
