Sri Lanka's Watershed Election (CRS Report for Congress)
| Release Date |
Revised Oct. 7, 2024 |
| Report Number |
IN12439 |
| Report Type |
Insight |
| Authors |
Colin Willett |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
| Older Revisions |
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Summary:
Anura Kumara Dissanayake, popularly known as “AKD,” was sworn in as Sri Lanka’s ninth executive
president on September 23. He is Sri Lanka’s first president not associated with one of the country’s two
dominant parties or their offshoots. The election was conducted peacefully, and an international election
monitoring group called the polls “credible and transparent.” Dissayanake’s victory has been interpreted
by many as a rejection of the corrupt, elite-dominated political status quo and the national leaders
associated with Sri Lanka’s social and economic problems. If realized, his vision for Sri Lanka could
mark a dramatic change of direction for the country on a range of issues of substantial interest to the
international community and the U.S. Congress, including democracy, human rights, and economic
recovery.
Dissanayake campaigned on anti-corruption, clean government, and relief for ordinary Sri Lankans who
have borne the brunt of the country’s economic woes. In his remarks following his swearing in,
Dissayanake pledged to “cultivate a more ethical and transparent political culture.” Dissayanake
immediately dissolved the country’s parliament, called new elections for November 14, 2024, and
appointed Dr. Harini Amarasuriya as prime minister. An academic and activist, Amarasuriya is a first-time
parliamentarian and the country’s third woman prime minister—the first without family ties to politics.
The prime minister serves as the president’s deputy and shares some executive duties.
During the campaign, Dissanayake also emphasized his support for addressing the country’s human rights
and social justice issues and promoting national unity. Addressing human rights concerns has been a
priority for the United States and Congress over the past 15 years. Concerns include the militarization of
the country, the lack of accountability for abuses committed during the government’s 26-year civil war
against the ethnic Tamil militant separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), restrictions on
media and civil society, and repression of activists, journalists, and others.
