Sri Lankan territory will not be used against any other nation : Dissanayake’s party clarifies its stand

Pro-China Marxist leader, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, becomes the new President of SriLanka

Colombo (Sri Lanka) – On the morning of 23^rdSeptember, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, a Marxist leader, was sworn in as the President of Sri Lanka. Following the oath, Dissanayake declared that he would make every possible effort to fulfil the responsibility of ushering in a new era of revival in Sri Lanka.

The presidential election was held on 21^stSeptember, with results announced the next day, on 22^ndSeptember. Anura Dissanayake (age 55), leader of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) party and candidate of the National People’s Power (NPP) coalition, was declared the winner. Dissanayake and his party are widely regarded as being aligned with China.

Sri Lankan territory will not be used against any other nation

Bimal Ratnayake, a Spokesperson for President Dissanayake’s party, affirmed that Sri Lankan territory will not be used against any other nation. Professor Anil Jayantha, a member of the party’s national executive committee, added that, “India is certainly our neighbour and a superpower. Sri Lanka’s strategic location in the Indian Ocean has heightened its geopolitical relevance. Sri Lanka will not become entangled in geopolitical rivalries, and no country will be allowed to use Sri Lanka’s territory.”

Opposition to Tamil people ?

Dissanayake’s JVP party has consistently opposed the Tamil people who migrated to Sri Lanka from India. The JVP has referred to them as an ‘instrument of Indian expansionism’. The JVP has also opposed the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between India and Sri Lanka, which is aimed at boosting trade and investment between the two countries.

Negative stand about India

President Dissanayake had previously made it clear that “under no circumstances will the Katchatheevu Island be given to India. “Earlier this year, the Indian Government reached out to Dissanayake and a JVP delegation to invite them for an official visit to India, but their stand on India remained negative.

Dissanayake joined the JVP, the parent party of the NPP, in 1987, during a time when the party was involved in anti-India uprisings. At the time, the JVP expelled all democratic party members who supported the 1987 Indo-Sri Lanka Accord, deeming the agreement a violation of Sri Lanka’s sovereignty. However, Dissanayake’s visit to India in February 2024 suggested a possible shift in his stand towards the country.