Harini Amarasuriya Becomes Sri Lanka’s 16th Prime Minister
Colombo, Sri Lanka – Harini Amarasuriya has been appointed as Sri Lanka’s 16th Prime Minister by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. Amarasuriya, a member of the National People’s Power (NPP) party, is an academic, rights activist, and university lecturer known for her work in education and social justice. Her appointment marks a significant milestone in Sri Lankan politics as she becomes the third woman to hold this position after Sirimavo Bandaranaike and Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga.
Amarasuriya entered Parliament through the NPP national list in 2020. She is the first academic-turned-politician to assume the office of Prime Minister in Sri Lanka.
New President Anura Kumara Dissanayake
On Monday, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, a Marxist-leaning politician, took the oath as Sri Lanka’s new president at the Presidential Secretariat building in Colombo. He won the presidential elections held on September 21 with 42.31% of the vote, according to the Election Commission of Sri Lanka. Dissanayake ran for office on a promise to tackle corruption and clean up politics in Sri Lanka.
After taking the oath, President Dissanayake said, “I will do my best to fully restore the people’s confidence in politicians.” He acknowledged the complexity of the problems faced by Sri Lanka and expressed his commitment to working hard to realize the hopes of the people. He added, “I am not a conjurer, I am not a magician. There are things I know and things I don’t know, but I will seek the best advice and do my best. For that, I need the support of everyone.”
Background and Challenges
This election was Sri Lanka’s first since the devastating economic crisis of 2022, which led to widespread food and fuel shortages and prompted former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to flee the country. The situation has since stabilized with the support of the International Monetary Fund, although people faced severe hardships due to strict austerity measures.
The JVP, led by Dissanayake, has a history of leading rebellions in the 1970s and 1980s. Dissanayake, a former JVP student leader, has softened some of his policies over time, emphasizing his belief in an open economy and not being completely opposed to privatization.
Doubts Revealed
Harini Amarasuriya -: Harini Amarasuriya is a person who has just become the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka. She is known for her work in education and human rights.
Prime Minister -: The Prime Minister is the head of the government in a country. They make important decisions and help run the country.
Sri Lanka -: Sri Lanka is an island country located in the Indian Ocean, near India. It has its own government and leaders.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake -: Anura Kumara Dissanayake is the President of Sri Lanka. He is the leader of the country and was recently elected.
National People’s Power party -: The National People’s Power party is a political group in Sri Lanka. They work together to make decisions and run the government.
academic -: An academic is someone who works in education, like a teacher or professor. They study and teach about different subjects.
rights activist -: A rights activist is a person who works to make sure everyone is treated fairly and has their rights protected.
economic crisis -: An economic crisis is a time when a country has big money problems, like not having enough jobs or money to buy things.
International Monetary Fund -: The International Monetary Fund, or IMF, is an organization that helps countries with money problems by giving them loans and advice.