Lanka’s rival party members in new Cabinet

President Maithripala Sirisena presided over the swearing in ceremony of 43 ministers, who were included in the Cabinet for now with the provision to appoint a total of 48 members. Parliament on Thursday approved enhancing of the Cabinet members from the constitutionally provisioned 30 members to 48.

Sirisena’s United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) and Prime Minister Wickremesinghe’s United National Party (UNP) have struck a deal to forge the country’s first national unity government.

President Sirisena, who retained the key defence portfolio in the Cabinet as required by Sri Lanka’s Constitution, gave most portfolios in the 43-minister cabinet to UNP and its allies. The UNP won the August 17 general elections but fell short of an absolute majority.

Wickremesinghe, apart from being the Prime Minister, will also hold the portfolio of National Policy and Economic Affairs. Among the 43 Cabinet members sworn in are 11 members from Sirisena’s UPFA. “We have agreed to work as one group for a period of two years,” President Sirisena said in his address to the newly appointed ministers here.

Prominent leaders among the Cabinet were Mangala Samaraweera, Wijedasa Rajapaksa and D M Swaminathan. Out of the UPFA’s 11 ministers, there were only a few loyalists of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

“This is a historic day. The two main parties have resolved to work together for two years. We have to find solutions to many burning issues,” Prime Minister Wickremesinghe said.

The Rajapaksa loyalists have publicly vowed to sit in the opposition in defiance of the national unity government arrangement. The Cabinet formation comes as the country grapples with problems at the domestic and international level.

The country is faced with issues arising from a UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) report on alleged war crimes committed while crushing the LTTE. Nearly three decades-long conflict ended in May 2009 with the defeat of the Tamil Tigers after claiming more than 100,000 lives.