Sri Lankan president tells 39 top officials to clear out

[dArKeR]

The president sacked 39 ministers and deputy ministers from the caretaker government headed by her political rival yesterday, worsening Sri Lanka's political crisis.

President Chandrika Kumaratunga sacked parliament on Saturday and ordered fresh polls on April 2 -- three years ahead of the scheduled year 2007. She and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe have been locked in a bitter power struggle that threatens to derail the island's efforts to end a 20-year civil war.

"The president has sacked 27 non-cabinet ministers and 12 deputy ministers," presidential spokesman Janadasa Peiris read from a statement by the president. "In view of the dissolution of parliament, I have decided to remove all non-cabinet and deputy ministers by virtue of powers vested in me."

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/archives/2004/02/12/2003098433

[bemildred]

1. This is going to get interesting.

I read elsewhere that LTTE has promised to stay out of it.