Military coup in Sri Lanka

[MSchreader]

Received this from a comrade in South Asia -- waiting on full confirmation. -- Martin

Just 30 minutes ago we received reports of a military coup in Sri-Lanka. We do not have the full information as yet but all matters point to a bonapartist coup in Sri-Lanka. This just days after the SL President met with the Indian government, the militant left began organising serious opposition and after months of strikes barely contained by the corrupt elements of the labour movement.

[TahitiNut]

1. Reprise of January 2000 attempt?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/597199.stm

[MSchreader]

2. Could be

The last report from Reuters prior to the coup (not yet hitting the capitalist press services, FWICS) was that Kumaratunga ... well, read it for yourself (redacted, of course):

COLOMBO: Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga suspended parliament on Tuesday for two weeks, throwing the country into further political crisis after she sacked the defence, interior and media ministers.

"Parliament has been prorogued as of 12 midnight yesterday to be resummoned on November 19," Harim Peiris, spokesman for Kumaratunga, told reporters.

Sri Lankan military deployed troops in Colombo on Tuesday, hours after the Kumaratunga sacked the ministers.

"We have deployed troops in a couple of key locations to prevent any disturbances," army spokesman Sumedha Perera told Reuters, listing the government press, state media and a power station among the locations.

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=3750555

Martin

ON EDIT: Added link to current article from Reuters.

[DUreader]

3. LBN thread on Sri L.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=198771





dArKeR (1000+ posts)
Tue Nov-04-03 07:50 AM
Original message
Sri Lanka's government plunged into crisis - troops in streets



Colombo, Sri Lanka — Sri Lanka's government was plunged into crisis and its peace process imperilled
Tuesday when the president deployed troops around the capital and fired three key ministers who were
trying to coax Tamil rebels back into talks to end a 20-year civil war.

President Chandrika Kumaratunga — who is commander of the armed forces and has wide executive
authority under the constitution — made the surprise power grab against her political rival, Prime
Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, while he was in Washington to meet with U.S. President George W.
Bush.

Ms. Kumaratunga has been severely critical of how Mr. Wickremesinghe has handled peace efforts with
the Tamil Tiger rebels, arguing that his government has given too many concessions without ensuring
that the Tigers abandon their armed struggle.

http://theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20031104.wsrilank1104/BNStory/Front/

http://www.geocities.com/darkerxdarker/

[Noordam]

4. From BBC

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3240663.stm

Sri Lanka 'plunging into chaos'


Troops have been deployed at the state printing press
Sri Lanka's prime minister has accused the president of trying to create anarchy and chaos in the country.
PM Ranil Wickramasinghe hit out at President Chandrika Kumaratunga after she suspended parliament and sacked three of his key ministers.

She also ordered troops to guard vital buildings, including the state TV.


..more at article

[LeftistGorilla]

5. One step forward....

two steps back...

[bemildred]

6. Is this a "break in Constitutional order"?

[MSchreader]

7. I don't think this is the first time

The Lankan government has resorted to a "bonapartist coup", as the comrade I initially quoted put it. I believe it has happened once or twice before. The thing is, though, that such a "proroguing" of the Lankan parliament is entirely constitutional; the SL president has even more sweeping power than the U.S. president.

Martin