Sri Lankan President’s Family Members Sworn in to Parliament
- 14 years ago
Sri Lanka's new parliament has appointed several of the newly elected president’s family to important legislative positions.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa's youngest brother and son took their oaths as legislators, while his elder brother was appointed to the powerful post of speaker, confirming the Rajapaksa family as the latest of Sri Lanka's political dynasties.
The post of speaker is a powerful post… deciding the legislature's agenda and possessing the power to decide whether an impeachment motion can be brought against the president.
President Rajapaksa gained a 144-seat majority in the election making his government Sri Lanka's strongest since the late 1970s.
Rajapaksa rode to victory after winning the three-decade war with the Tamil Tiger separatists and a majority of Sri Lankans voted his United People's Freedom Alliance into power.
Opposition leader General Sarath Fonseka got his first chance to speak publicly since his arrest in February and subsequent court martialing.
[General Sarath Fonseka, Opposition Leader]: Sinhala, male
"The freedom of the people is very important at this time. The rights of the people, Fair play, freedom of speech, freedom of expression, the right to have different political views with out having to illegally end in jail. I hope all in this house will unite to defend these rights. I'm also a victim of these injustices, and I'm grateful I was able to raise these issues when I entered parliament for the first time."
Fonseka who was President Rajapaksa's staunch ally during the war with the Tigers, says he is being punished for challenging the president.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa's youngest brother and son took their oaths as legislators, while his elder brother was appointed to the powerful post of speaker, confirming the Rajapaksa family as the latest of Sri Lanka's political dynasties.
The post of speaker is a powerful post… deciding the legislature's agenda and possessing the power to decide whether an impeachment motion can be brought against the president.
President Rajapaksa gained a 144-seat majority in the election making his government Sri Lanka's strongest since the late 1970s.
Rajapaksa rode to victory after winning the three-decade war with the Tamil Tiger separatists and a majority of Sri Lankans voted his United People's Freedom Alliance into power.
Opposition leader General Sarath Fonseka got his first chance to speak publicly since his arrest in February and subsequent court martialing.
[General Sarath Fonseka, Opposition Leader]: Sinhala, male
"The freedom of the people is very important at this time. The rights of the people, Fair play, freedom of speech, freedom of expression, the right to have different political views with out having to illegally end in jail. I hope all in this house will unite to defend these rights. I'm also a victim of these injustices, and I'm grateful I was able to raise these issues when I entered parliament for the first time."
Fonseka who was President Rajapaksa's staunch ally during the war with the Tigers, says he is being punished for challenging the president.