Reuters AlertNet Lite - Sri Lanka President fires three ministers over dissent

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Sri Lanka President fires three ministers over dissent

09 Feb 2007 17:59:31 GMT
Source: Reuters

COLOMBO, Feb 9 (Reuters) - Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse on Friday fired three newly sworn-in ministers after they publicly voiced dissent, a senior presidential aide said.

"Three ministers have been removed," the aide said, asking not to be named.

"They include Ports and Aviation Minister Mangala Samaraweera, National Heritage Minister Anura Bandaranaike, and Port Development Minister Sripathi Suriyarachchi."

The sackings come less than a fortnight after Rajapakse swore in a newly revamped cabinet of 54 ministers after a mass defection from the main opposition United National Party and help from a Buddhist monk party gave him a long-elusive parliamentary majority seen key to political stability.

None of the three ministers held key portfolios, and there were no immediate details on who might replace them.

The sackings come as the government is embroiled in a new chapter of a two-decade civil war with Tamil Tiger rebels, and the international community has called on Sri Lanka's political parties to work together to find a political solution to the conflict.

However the mass cross-over has ruined a cross-party pact with the UNP aimed at finding a consensus devolution package for minority Tamils the Tigers say they are fighting for, and analysts worry a war that has killed more than 67,000 people since 1983 is set to escalate.

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Last updated:Fri Feb 9 18:01:18 2007