Originally posted by the Voice of America.
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Sri Lankan Speaker Recognizes Ousted Prime Minister

by VOA News

   The constitutional crisis in Sri Lanka continues.

   Parliamentary Speaker Karu Jayasuriya said in a letter to the president
   Sunday that he continues to recognize ousted Prime Minister Ranil
   Wickremesinghe as the lawful prime minister. The speaker said
   Wickremesinghe "still held the confidence of majority of Parliament."

   On Friday, President Maithripala Sirisena ousted Wickremesinghe,
   replacing him with former strongman president Mahinda Rajapakse. The
   president also sacked the Cabinet and suspended the country's
   parliament until November 16.

   Members of Wickremesinghe's government said Friday's move amounted to a
   coup.

   Speaker Jayasuriya said in the letter: "I consider it my foremost duty
   to protect the rights and privileges of all Members of Parliament,
   especially in the context of the serious political - constitutional
   crisis which has arisen in the country."

   The speaker said, "I consider the said request to be a democratic and
   fair request."

   Wickremesinghe was defiant Saturday, saying he has majority support in
   parliament and has no intention of leaving his post. "I have the
   majority. I will function as the prime minister. I will remain as the
   prime minister."

   "What the president now should do immediately is to summon Parliament
   and have a vote. That's the democratic way to resolve this crisis,"
   Jehan Perera, executive director of the non-partisan National Peace
   Council of Sri Lanka told the Associated Press.

   Rajapakse crushed the decades-long Tamil Tiger uprising in Sir Lanka
   when he was in power, but he has refused to acknowledge abuses
   committed during the bloody civil war.

   The U.S. State Department has called on both sides "to act in
   accordance with Sri Lanka's constitution, refrain from violence and
   follow due process."