Ranil urges for joint efforts to solve burning issues

New Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has invited the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) to join hands with the new government to resolve burning issues, leaving aside party politics.

In a letter to the opposition leader Sajith Premadasa, the prime minister Sunday invited the SJB to support the joint effort made by them to immediately resolve the burning issues faced by the people and also to stabilize the country economically, politically and socially by obtaining foreign assistance, report Sri Lankan media the Daily Mirror.

The prime minister has also sought the opposition leader’s positive and swift response as the future of the country was facing a serious situation day by day.

Ranil Wickremesinghe has been struggling to form a unity government ahead of Tuesday’s parliamentary session since he took office.

Opposition parties have refused to join any new administration unless the president steps down first.

Earlier, the same day, Sri Lankan authorities lifted a nationwide curfew to celebrate Buddhist festival, with celebrations muted as the island weathers a worsening economic crisis.

A countrywide stay-home order has been in place for most of the week after mob violence left nine dead and over 225 wounded, sparked by attacks on peaceful demonstrators by government loyalists.

Sunday marks Vesak, the most important religious event on Sri Lanka’s calendar, which celebrates Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and death.

The government also announced it was lifting the curfew for the day without saying when or whether it would be reimposed.

But the ongoing crisis prompted the government to cancel its plans to mark the festival, which had been scheduled at a temple in the island’s south.

“Given the economic situation of the government and other constraints, we are not having this year’s state festival at the Kuragala temple as planned,” a Buddhist Affairs ministry official told AFP.

The official said Buddhists were free to hold their own celebrations, including the mass meditation and Buddhist sermons traditionally held during the festival.

Worshippers traditionally set up soup kitchens, lanterns and “pandal” bamboo stages bearing large paintings depicting stories from Buddha’s life.