Live Sri Lanka crisis: Dinesh Gunawardena sworn in as new prime minister

As the Indian Ocean island battles its worst economic crisis in decades, Chinese President Xi Jinping reportedly pledged his support to Sri Lanka's new president on Friday. In the midst of ferocious public resistance, Ranil Wickremesinghe, a lawyer who held the position of the prime minister of Sri Lanka a record six times, was sworn in on Thursday. The problem in Sri Lanka led to months of widespread protests and ultimately caused the country's former president, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, to leave.
 

Kanchana Wijesekera will head the power and energy ministry while Naseer Ahamed has been made the environment minister.

Roshan Ranasinghe has been given the sports & youth affairs portfolio.

Douglas Devananda will head the fisheries department while Susil Premajayantha will be the new education minister.

Other Cabinet ministers include:

Bandula Gunawardena – Transport & highways and media
Keheliya Rambukwella – Health and water supply
Mahinda Amaraweera – Agriculture, wildlife and forest conservations
Dr Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe – Justice, prisons and constitutional reforms
Harin Fernando – Tourism
Ramesh Pathirana – Plantations and industries
Prasanna Ranatunga – Urban development and housing

Watch: Gunewardena takes oath as the new PM of Sri Lanka

PM Dinesh Gunawardena will head public administration, home affairs and provincial councils including the local government.

Several union workers on Friday protested against the crackdown by security forces on the anti-government protest camp as they marched towards the main camp shouting slogans "Gota Go Gama".

Sri Lankan security forces had earlier raided a protest camp in Colombo where demonstrators had gathered as reports said officials in riot gear and armed with assault rifles tore down the camp.

Protests continue in Sri Lanka even as President Ranil Wickremesinghe appointed a new prime minister and cabinet on Friday.

Reports claim police have blocked roads amid large scale demonstrations.
 

Gunawardena was the foreign minister during Gotabaya Rajapaksa's presidency in 2019 and later became education minister.

Gunawardena, 73, had entered politics as a member of parliament in 1983.

Dinesh Gunawardena was sworn in as the new prime minister of Sri Lanka on Friday.

A new Cabinet was also formed by Sri Lanka's new President Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Reports claim President Ranil Wickremesinghe may appoint Dinesh Gunawardena as the prime minister even as the new president seeks to form a new cabinet.

Reports claimed troops attacked people with batons even as Bar Association of Sri Lanka condemned the action declaring that "unnecessary use of brute force will not help this country and its international image."

Newly appointed President Ranil Wickremesinghe to shortly form a cabinet consisting of opposition lawmakers in a bid to form a unity government.

Sri Lankan security forces demolish main anti-government protest camp

Former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled abroad last week after his palace was stormed by hundreds of angry protesters demanding that he take responsibility for acute shortages of medicines, food and fuel. 

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Sri Lankan forces demolished anti-government protest camp in Colombo early on Friday.

Police removed protesters in the Presidential Secretariat as soldiers removed barricades set up by protesters with armoured personnel carrier also seen in the area.

Reports claimed the troops attacked people as the main roads in the capital were cordoned off. The protests come as Rajapaksa stepped down as President Wickremesinghe took over as temporary leader.

Wickremesinghe had warned the protesters that occupying state buildings was illegal and that they would be forcibly removed.

Protesters had earlier put set Wickremesinghe's house on fire.

Ranil Wickremesinghe sworn in as 8th President of Sri Lanka

Supreme Court Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya administered the oath of office to the 73-year-old politician at the Parliament complex in Colombo.

After being elected as the President, Wickremesinghe visited the Gangarama Temple, one of the oldest Buddhist temples in Colombo, on Wednesday.

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