Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa appoints new Cabinet amid persisting crisis in Sri Lanka

A total of 17 members, including many former Cabinet Ministers, were sworn in, authorities said.

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Monday appointed a new Cabinet, even as large seaside protests demanding his resignation continue for over 10 days.  A total of 17 members, including many former Cabinet Ministers, were sworn in, authorities said.

The “new Cabinet” does not include the two Rajapaksa brothers (Chamal and Basil Rajapaksa), and Namal Rajapaksa, their nephew, who earlier held key portfolios. They resigned with their Cabinet colleagues on April 3, amid surging public anger against the ruling administration. However, Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa remain in power, despite massive demonstrations demanding they resign.

The developments come as Sri Lanka’s economic crisis intensifies, with citizens struggling to get essentials, including food items, cooking gas and fuel. Last week, Colombo announced its decision to default on its $50 billion foreign debt, and this week, a delegation is scheduled to hold talks with the International Monetary Fund in Washington DC.  

Meanwhile, several thousand protesters continue thronging Colombo’s Galle Face, leading up to the Presidential Secretariat, raising slogans against the Rajapaksas. Over the last few days, citizens in other parts of the country, including Badulla in the hill country, the southern Galle district and Jaffna in the north, took to the streets, expressing solidarity with those protesting in the capital. The protests are a culmination of smaller, pocket protests held over the last few months, as Sri Lanka’s crisis aggravated.

The Parliament is scheduled to convene on Tuesday. The Opposition has indicated that it would table a no-confidence motion against the government.