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Agence France-Presse

Newly elected Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Wednesday named his brother Mahinda as Prime Minister, cementing the grip on power of a clan credited with crushing the Tamil Tigers a decade ago.
Mahinda, a former two-term president who had close ties with Beijing during his 10-year rule, is due to be sworn in on Thursday following the resignation of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe after his party suffered a humiliating defeat at the weekend’s presidential polls.
The Rajapaksa brothers are credited with brutally destroying the Tamil Tigers to end Sri Lanka’s decades-long civil war, with the security services they controlled accused of war crimes and multiple human rights abuses.
A spokesman for the new administration said Rajapaksa, 74, will be sworn in by his younger brother Gotabaya, aged 70.




Two other brothers, Basil and Chamal, are also active in politics.
“Prime Minister Rajapaksa will have his cabinet appointed shortly after taking his oath of office,” said spokesman Vijayananda Herath.
Gotabaya was defence secretary under Mahinda during his decade as president which ended in January 2015.
With the older Rajapaksa taking over as prime minister, Sri Lanka will for the first time have two brothers at the helm. During the first Mahinda presidency, the eldest brother Chamal was the speaker of parliament.

Prime Minister Wickremesinghe formally announced his resignation on Wednesday, clearing the way for the Rajapaksas to form a minority government ahead of possible snap elections early next year.
“Although we enjoy a parliamentary majority, we respect the mandate received by Mr. Rajapaksa and we have decided to allow him to form a new government,” Wickremesinghe said in an address to the nation.
Wickremesinghe, 70, said he informed the new president about quitting Thursday, allowing a new minority government to be formed.
“The prime minister will have a final meeting with his cabinet as well as other leaders of his coalition before addressing the nation to announce his resignation,” his spokesman Sudarshana Gunawardana said earlier in the day.
Sri Lanka’s tilt to Beijing set to be ‘low key’ as new president sworn in
Wickremesinghe’s party put forward Sajith Premadasa in the presidential election but was soundly beaten by Gotabaya in a highly divisive election in the island nation of 21.6 million.
The Rajapaksas, are adored by the Sinhala-Buddhist majority – but loathed among minority Tamils – for spearheading the defeat of Tamil separatist militants in 2009 to end the 37-year civil war.
Around 40,000 Tamil civilians were allegedly killed by the military in the closing stages of the conflict when Gotabaya effectively ran the security forces while his brother was president.
During the three-month election campaign held in the shadow of Islamist extremist attacks in April, Gotabaya had promised to make his charismatic and popular brother Mahinda his prime minister.

Wickremesinghe came to power in 2015 on a promise to prosecute members of the outgoing Mahinda regime who were accused of corruption and even murder, but failed to bring any perpetrators to justice.
He ended up facing accusations of cronyism and incompetence and was also implicated in several financial scandals himself.
His government also presided over major security lapses that were blamed for Islamist extremist suicide bombings on three churches and three hotels that killed 269 people on Easter Sunday, April 21.
Soon after Wickremesinghe’s party lost Saturday’s election at least 10 of his senior ministers, including finance minister Mangala Samaraweera, resigned.
The current parliament was elected in August 2015 for a five-year term and cannot be dissolved by Gotabaya until March, six months before its term ends.
However legislators, through a majority resolution, could ask for a snap poll.


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Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka’s new president Gotabaya Rajapaksa names China-friendly brother as prime minister

Newly-elected Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa (right) and his brother Mahinda Rajapaksa. File photo: AP

In this photo taken on November 7, 2019 Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe speaks to supporters during an election campaign rally in support of New Democratic Front presidential candidate Sajith Premadasa in Colombo. - Main opposition candidate Gotabhaya Rajapakse and Sajith Premadasa from the ruling United National Party (UNP) are in a close race ahead of the November 16 polls. (Photo by LAKRUWAN WANNIARACHCHI / AFP)

epa08008225 A handout photo made available by the President Media unit shows Sri Lanka's new President Gotabaya Rajapaksa assumes duties as the 7th Executive President of Sri Lanka, at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, 19 November 2019. EPA-EFE/PRESIDENT MEDIA UNIT HANDOUT HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES

‘Terminator’ Rajapaksa, brother of Sri Lanka’s China-friendly strongman, wins election

Sri Lanka's president-elect Gotabaya Rajapaksa waves at supporters as he leaves the election commission office in Colombo. Photo: AFP

Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) party presidential candidate Gotabhaya Rajapaksa (R) leaves after a campaign rally in Homagama on November 13, 2019, ahead of the November 16 presidential election. - Police stepped up security across Sri Lanka on November 13 over fears of violence on the final day of campaigning for the fiercely contested presidential election, officials said. (Photo by Lakruwan WANNIARACHCHI / AFP)

Sajith Premadasa, Sri Lanka's presidential candidate of the ruling United National Party (UNP) led New Democratic Front alliance gestures as he arrives to cast his vote during the presidential election in Weerawila, Sri Lanka November 16, 2019. REUTERS/Stringer NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES

Sri Lankan Special Task Force (STF) personnel stand guard as election officials carry ballot boxes to be transferred to a main counting centre after the presidential election voting centres closed, in Colombo on November 16, 2019. - Sri Lankans voted on November 16 for a new president in what could mark a comeback for the Rajapaksa clan, lauded by supporters for crushing the Tamil Tigers but condemned by critics for war crimes, corruption and cosying up to China. (Photo by LAKRUWAN WANNIARACHCHI / AFP)

SLPP party presidential candidate Gotabhaya Rajapaksa (second from left) and his brother, former Sri Lanka's president Mahinda Rajapaksa (second from right) wave at supporters during a campaign rally in Homagama, Sri Lanka, on Wednesday. Photo: AFP

Sri Lanka’s tilt towards China expected to be ‘low key’ as new president Gotabaya Rajapaksa takes the reins

Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Photo: Reuters

Supporters of Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) party presidential candidate Gotabhaya Rajapaksa shout slogans during a campaign rally in Homagama on November 13, 2019, ahead of the November 16 presidential election. - Police stepped up security across Sri Lanka on November 13 over fears of violence on the final day of campaigning for the fiercely contested presidential election, officials said. (Photo by Lakruwan WANNIARACHCHI / AFP)

Former Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa, left, and former Defense Secretary and his brother Gotabaya Rajapaksa wave to supporters during a party convention held to announce the presidential candidacy in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2019. Nandasena Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who was a livewire in Sri Lanka's military campaign to end a long civil war but faces allegations of human rights violations, has been nominated as the opposition's candidate for the presidential election scheduled for later this year. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

epa07903462 United National Front presidential candidate, Sagith Premadasa leaves after he handed in his nomination papers for the Presidential Election at the Election Secretariat at Rajagiriya in Colombo, Sri Lanka, 07 October 2019. A record 35 nomination papers were handed in for the Presidential Election scheduled to be held on 16 November 2019. Six among the 41 prospective candidates who had placed their deposits did not hand in their nomination papers. EPA-EFE/M.A.PUSHPA KUMARA

TO GO WITH SriLanka-economy-infrastructure,FOCUS by Amal Jayasinghe In this photograph taken on February 10, 2015, shows a general view of the port facility at Hambantota. From a multi-million dollar airport ignored by airlines to a lavish cricket stadium rejected by players, Sri Lanka's new government is mulling the future of a string of white elephants. AFP PHOTO / LAKRUWAN WANNIARACHCHI / AFP PHOTO / LAKRUWAN WANNIARACHCHI

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Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (right) and Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena shake hands at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing earlier this year. Photo: Kyodo

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Sri Lanka’s former defence secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa is running for president. Photo: EPA

epa07128823 Former Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa salutes and greets the Buddhist clergy prior to assuming duties as the new Prime Minister at the Prime Minister's office in Colombo, Sri Lanka 29 October 2018. Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena appointed Mahinda Rajapaksa as the new Prime Minister after removing Ranil Wickremesinghe from the post on Friday night. Even as the newly appointed former President and incumbent Kurunegala District Member of Parliament officially assumed duties, the former Premier Ranil Wickremesinghe still claims that he is legally the Prime Minister and refuses to leave the official Prime Ministerial residence 'Temple Trees'. EPA-EFE/M.A.PUSHPA KUMARA

In this Nov. 6, 2019 photo, Sri Lankan presidential candidate and former defense chief Gotabaya Rajapaksa is seated next to a billboard carrying portraits of him self and his brother Mahinda at his residence in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Sri Lankans will be voting Saturday for a new president after weeks of campaigning that largely focused on national security and religious extremism in the backdrop of the deadly Islamic State-inspired suicide bomb attacks on Easter Sunday. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

epa07903465 Former President and incumbent Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa, who is also the de-facto leader of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna at the Election Secretariat at Rajagiriya in Colombo, Sri Lanka, 07 October 2019. A record 35 nomination papers were handed in for the Presidential Election scheduled to be held on 16 November 2019. Six among the 41 prospective candidates who had placed their deposits did not hand in their nomination papers. EPA-EFE/M.A.PUSHPA KUMARA

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Security personnel patrol outside a polling station during the country’s presidential election. Photo: AP

(FILES) This file photo taken on February 10, 2015 shows a general view of Sri Lanka's deep sea harbour port facilities at Hambantota. Sri Lanka's government on July 25, 2017 approved the sale of a 70 percent stake in a loss-making but strategically-placed deep sea harbour to China at $1.12 billion, the ports minister said. / AFP PHOTO / LAKRUWAN WANNIARACHCHI

People stand in a line to cast their vote during the presidential election in Colombo, Sri Lanka November 16, 2019. REUTERS/Dinuka Liyanawatte

Voters queue up at a polling station to cast their ballots during the country's presidential election in Weerawila on November 16, 2019. - Sri Lankans voted on November 16 for a new president in what could mark a comeback for the Rajapaksa clan, lauded by supporters for crushing the Tamil Tigers but condemned by critics for war crimes, corruption and cosying up to China. (Photo by Ishara S. KODIKARA / AFP)

A man shows his inked finger outside a polling station after casting his vote during the country's presidential election in Weerawila on November 16, 2019. - Sri Lankans voted on November 16 for a new president in what could mark a comeback for the Rajapaksa clan, lauded by supporters for crushing the Tamil Tigers but condemned by critics for war crimes, corruption and cosying up to China. (Photo by Ishara S. KODIKARA / AFP)

Sajith Premadasa, Sri Lanka's presidential candidate of the ruling United National Party (UNP) led New Democratic Front alliance shows his inked finger after casting his vote during the presidential election in Weerawila, Sri Lanka November 16, 2019. REUTERS/Stringer NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES

Sri Lanka People's Front party presidential election candidate and former wartime defence chief Gotabaya Rajapaksa leaves after casting his vote during the presidential election in Colombo, Sri Lanka November 16, 2019. REUTERS/Dinuka Liyanawatte

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The Rajapaksa brothers are credited with brutally destroying the Tamil Tigers to end Sri Lanka’s decades-long civil war
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on Wednesday said he would step down, paving the way for the Rajapaksas to form a minority government ahead of possible snap elections next year



The Rajapaksa brothers are credited with brutally destroying the Tamil Tigers to end Sri Lanka’s decades-long civil war.
