Dinesh Gunawardane was appointed as the new prime minister of Sri Lanka. The oath of office is administered by the president Ranil Wickremesinghe at the prime minister’s office on Friday.
The appointment comes six days after Wickremesinghe, who served the country as prime minister for six terms, took charge as the president. Announcements regarding the new cabinet are expected later today.
Gunawardane, who represents the Mahajana Eksath Peramuna (MEP) from Maharagama and Colombo districts, was one of the many people who are expected to bring the country out of the crisis situation. He entered politics during the 1970s.
Gunawardane held the posts of foreign minister, transport minister and urban development minister among others during his political career that spans over five decades.
The appointment comes amid the crackdown on protesters who occupied the presidential secretariat, the president’s residence, the prime minister’s office and Galle Face seafront. Protests broke out in the country after the country had sunk into an economic crisis. They have been demanding a change in Sri Lankan politics. Many of the Sri Lankan Tamils have been taking refuge in India to escape the crisis situation.
For the past one week, police and army personnel armed with batons have been taking rounds removing tents, protest banners and temporary structures.
Opposition leaders and the high commissions of the US and Canada have requested the government not to suppress the protests.