International Crisis Group

‘The fear has gone’ - Sri Lankans hope for peace and reform under new president | Jason Burke 

President Maithripala Sirisena is a busy man. No sooner has he finished his morning walk around Colombo’s Independence Square than a stream of officials, visitors, business people, soldiers and ambassadors file through the colonial-era gates to his white-washed residence in Sri Lanka’s principal city.

One day last week he appointed a new appeal judge and the head of a key committee, had a two-hour security meeting, met a senior executive of a major Indian telecommunications firm, and accepted the presentation of a new astrological almanac, all before lunch.

“There’s a lot to do, and not much time,” explained a harassed aide.

This is an understatement. A month after his surprise defeat of Mahinda Rajapaksa, whose controversial rule had lasted more than nine years, the new leader of Sri Lanka has launched an ambitious 100-day programme of reform and redirection.

FULL ARTICLE (via The Guardian)

Photo: Sudath Silva/flickr