Sri Lanka Consulatela

News Updates Sri Lanka

Chili throws and office supplies at the Sri Lankan parliament

Speaker of Parliament Karu Jayasuriya was prevented from reaching the perch for nearly an hour by a group of MPs and was only able to access it under the protection of unarmed police and parliamentary assistants.

They then had to protect him from throwing books and office supplies thrown by supporters of Mahinda Rajapakse, a former island strongman (2005-2015) appointed Prime Minister by President Maithripala Sirisena but against whom the parliament has voted Wednesday a motion of no confidence.

Sri Lanka has been in a constitutional crisis since October 26 when the president sacked the head of government Ranil Wickremesinghe to replace him with Mr. Rajapakse.

Supporters of the latter also threw chilli powder at opposing police and parliamentarians, who were also targeted by throwing pieces of chairs.