Sri Lanka

Population: 19,905,165 (July 2004 est.)

Capital: Colombo
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An Introduction to Sri Lanka
The Sinhalese arrived in Sri Lanka late in the 6th century B.C., probably from northern India. Buddhism was introduced
beginning in about the mid-third century B.C., and a great civilization developed at the cities of Anuradhapura (kingdom
from circa 200 B.C. to circa 1000 A.D.) and Polonnaruwa (from about 1070 to 1200). In the 14th century, a south Indian
dynasty seized power in the north and established a Tamil kingdom. Occupied by the Portuguese in the 16th century
and by the Dutch in the 17th century, the island was ceded to the British in 1796, became a crown colony in 1802, and
was united under British rule by 1815. As Ceylon, it became independent in 1948; its name was changed to Sri Lanka in
1972. Tensions between the Sinhalese majority and Tamil separatists erupted in violence in the mid-1980s. Tens of
thousands have died in an ethnic war that continues to fester. After two decades of fighting, the government and
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam began a ceasefire in December 2001, with Norway brokering peace negotiations.

Map of Sri Lanka ( Location ) : 7 00 N, 81 00 E, Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India. For additional
reports and educational information specific to Sri Lanka, refer to the Country Info menubar to the upper right.
The Sri Lankan Flag
Yellow with two panels; the smaller hoist-side panel has two equal vertical bands of green (hoist
side) and orange; the other panel is a large dark red rectangle with a yellow lion holding a sword,
and there is a yellow bo leaf in each corner; the yellow field appears as a border around the
entire flag and extends between the two panels.

Sri Lanka
Population: 19,905,165 (July 2004 est.)
Capital: Colombo
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Backgrounds: Sri Lanka Government
Per the 1978 Constitution, the president of the republic, directly elected for a 6-year term, is chief of state, head of
government, and commander in chief of the armed forces. Responsible to Parliament for the exercise of duties under
the constitution and laws, the president may be removed from office by a two-thirds vote of Parliament with the
concurrence of the Supreme Court.

The president appoints and heads a cabinet of ministers responsible to Parliament. The president's deputy is the
prime minister, who leads the ruling party in Parliament. A parliamentary no-confidence vote requires dissolution of
the cabinet and the appointment of a new one by the president.

Parliament is a unicameral 225-member legislature elected by universal suffrage and proportional representation to a
6-year term. The president may summon, suspend, or end a legislative session and dissolve Parliament. Parliament
reserves the power to make all laws.

The 1978 Constitution clearly envisaged a system where the president and the prime minister were from the same
party. Since the December 2001 Parliamentary elections, however, the President and the Prime Minister have been
from different parties. This has led to serious cohabitation strains. In November 2003, for example, President
Kumaratunga suddenly took over three key ministries (Defense, Interior, and Mass Communications), precipitating
the most serious cohabitation crisis yet between the two sides. As of January 2004, the impasse between the
President and the Prime Minister had not yet been resolved.

Sri Lanka's judiciary consists of a Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, High Court, and a number of subordinate courts.
Sri Lanka's legal system reflects diverse cultural influences. Criminal law is fundamentally British. Basic civil law is
Roman-Dutch. Laws pertaining to marriage, divorce, and inheritance are communal.

Under the Indo-Sri Lankan Accord of July 1987--and the resulting 13th amendment to the constitution--the
Government of Sri Lanka agreed to devolve significant authority to the provinces. Provincial councils are directly
elected for 5-year terms. The leader of the council majority serves as the province's chief minister; a provincial
governor is appointed by the president. The councils possess limited powers in education, health, rural development,
social services, agriculture, security, and local taxation. Many of these powers are shared or subject to central
government oversight. Predating the accord are municipal, urban, and rural councils with limited powers.

Sri Lanka maintains an embassy in the United States at 2148 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 (tel.
202-483-4025 ).

Sri Lanka
Population: 19,905,165 (July 2004 est.)
Capital: Colombo
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Backgrounds: Sri Lanka Political

Sri Lanka's two major political parties--the UNP and the PA--embrace democratic values, international nonalignment,
and encouragement of Sinhalese culture. Past differences between the two on foreign and economic policy have
narrowed. The SLFP, however, envisions a broader role for the state in general.

Sri Lanka has a multi-party democracy that enjoys considerable stability despite relatively high levels of political
violence. LTTE terrorist activities, generally aimed at destabilizing Sri Lanka politically and economically, have
included assassination of politicians--the killing of the Industrial Development Minister by suicide bombing in June
2000 and the December 1999 attempted assassination of current President Kumaratunga. They also have included
bombing of economic targets, such as the central bank in January 1996, the World Trade Center in October 1997,
and the airport in July 2001. Buddhist religious sites also have been attacked; in January 1998, the LTTE detonated a
truck bomb in Kandy, damaging the Temple of the Tooth relic, the holiest Buddhist shrine in the country.
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Sri Lanka
Population: 19,905,165 (July 2004 est.)
Capital: Colombo
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Tabular Data - Government of Sri Lanka

Country Name Info : conventional long form: Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri
Lanka
conventional short form: Sri Lanka
former: Serendib, Ceylon
Government Type : republic
Capital : Colombo
Administrative 8 provinces; Central, North Central, North Eastern, North
Divisions : Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Uva, Western; note -
North Eastern province may have been divided in two -
Northern and Eastern
Independence : 4 February 1948 (from UK)
National Holiday : Independence Day, 4 February (1948)
Constitution : adopted 16 August 1978
Legal System : a highly complex mixture of English common law, Roman-
Dutch, Muslim, Sinhalese, and customary law; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage : 18 years of age; universal
Executive Branch : chief of state: President Chandrika Bandaranaike
KUMARATUNGA (since 12 November 1994); note - Mahinda
RAJAPAKSE (since 6 April 2004)i s the prime minister; the
president is considered both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Chandrika Bandaranaike
KUMARATUNGA (since 12 November 1994); note - Mahinda
RAJAPAKSE (since 6 April 2004) is the prime minister; the
president is considered both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president in consultation
with the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year
term; election last held 21 December 1999 (next to be held NA
December 2005)
election results: Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA
reelected president; percent of vote - Chandrika Bandaranaike
KUMARATUNGA 51%, Ranil WICKREMASINGHE 42%, other
7%
Legislative Branch : unicameral Parliament (225 seats; members elected by
popular vote on the basis of a modified proportional
representation system by district to serve six-year terms)
elections: last held 2 April 2004 (next to be held by 2010)
election results: percent of vote by party or electoral alliance -
 SLFP and JVP 45.6%, UNP 37.83%, TNA 6.84%, JHU 5.97%,
SLMC 2.02%, UPF 0.54%, EPDP 0.27%, others 0.93%; seats
by party or electoral alliance - SLFP and JVP 105, UNP 82,
TNA 22, JHU 9, SLMC 5, UPF 1, EPDP 1
Judicial Branch : Supreme Court; Court of Appeals; judges for both courts are
appointed by the president
Political Parties and All Ceylon Tamil Congress or ACTC [KUMARGURUPARAM];
Leaders : Ceylon Workers Congress or CWC [Arumugam
THONDAMAN]; Communist Party or CP [D. GUNASEKERA];
Democratic United National (Lalith) Front or DUNLF [Shrimani
ATULATHMUDALI]; Eelam People's Democratic Party or
EPDP [Douglas DEVANANDA]; Eelam People's Revolutionary
Liberation Front or EPRLF [Suresh PREMACHANDRAN];
Janatha Vimukthi Perumuna or JVP [Tilvan SILVA]; National
Unity Alliance or NUA [Ferial ASHRAFF]; National Heritage
Party or JHU [Uduwe DHAMMALOKA]; People's Liberation
Organization of Tamil Eelam or PLOTE [leader NA]; Sihala
Urumaya or SU [Tilak KARUNARATNE]; Sri Lanka Freedom
Party or SLFP [Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA];
Sri Lanka Muslim Congress or SLMC [Rauff HAKEEM]; Sri
Lanka Progressive Front or SLPF [P. Nelson PERERA]; Tamil
Eelam Liberation Organization or TELO [SABARATNAM];
Tamil National Alliance or TNA [Nadarajah RAVIRAJ]; Tamil
United Liberation Front or TULF [R. SAMPATHAN]; United
National Party or UNP [Ranil WICKREMASINGHE]; Up-
country People's Front or UPF [P. CHANDRASEKARAN];
several ethnic Tamil and Muslim parties, represented in either
Parliament or provincial councils
Political Pressure Buddhist clergy; labor unions; Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
Groups and Leaders : or LTTE [Velupillai PRABHAKARAN](insurgent group fighting
for a separate state); radical chauvinist Sinhalese groups such
as the National Movement Against Terrorism; Sinhalese
Buddhist lay groups
International AsDB, C, CP, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
Organization ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
Participation : IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM,
OAS (observer), OPCW, PCA, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador Devinda R. SUBASINGHE
Representation In The chancery: 2148 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
US : telephone: [1]  (202) 483-4025  (through 4028)
FAX: [1] (202) 232-7181
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles
consulate(s): New York
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador Jeffrey J. LUNSTEAD
Representation From embassy: 210 Galle Road, Colombo 3
The US : mailing address: P. O. Box 106, Colombo
telephone: [94] (1) 448007
FAX: [94] (1) 437345

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 Sri Lanka
Population: 19,905,165 (July 2004 est.)
Capital: Colombo
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Tabular Data - Political Leaders of Sri Lanka

Position Held: By Individual:

Kumaratunga, Chandrika
President
Bandaranaike
Prime Minister Rajapaksa, Mahinda
Min. of Agricultural Marketing Development Devananda, Douglas
Min. of Agriculture & Livestock Dissanayake, Anura Kumara
Min. of Aviation Samaraweera, Mangala
Min. of Christian Affairs Fernando, Milroy
Kumaratunga, Chandrika
Min. of Constitutional Affairs
Bandaranaike
Min. of Consumer Affairs Fernandopulle, Jeyaraj
Min. of Cultural Affairs & National Heritages Herath, VIjitha
Kumaratunga, Chandrika
Min. of Defense
Bandaranaike
Min. of Eastern Province Education & Irrigation Development Ashraff, Ferial
Kumaratunga, Chandrika
Min. of Education
Bandaranaike
Min. of Environment & Natural Resources Fowzie, A. H. M.
Min. of Estate Community Infrastructure Ratnayake, C. B.
Min. of Finance Amunugama, Sarath
Min. of Fisheries & Aquatic Resources Wijesinghe, Chandrasena
Min. of Foreign Affairs Kadirgamar, Lakshman
Min. of Heathcare, Nutrition, & Uva Wellasa Development Siripala de Silva, Minal
Min. of Highways Rajapaksa, Mahinda
Min. of Hindu Affairs & Tamil Language Schools & vocational Training
Devananda, Douglas
(North)
Min. of Home Affairs Dodangoda, Amarasiri
Min. of Housing & Construction Industry Ashraff, Ferial
Min. of Indigenous Medicine Karaliyadde, Tissa
Min. of Industry Bandaranaike, Anura
Min. of Information & Media Samaraweera, Mangala
Min. of Infrastructure Development in the Eastern Province Athaulla, A. L. M.
Min. of Investment Promotion Bandaranaike, Anura
Min. of Justice & Judicial Reforms Senaviratne, John
MIn. of Labor Relations & Foreign Employment Senaviratne, Athauda
Min. of Land & Irrigation Dissanayake, Anura Kumara
Min. of Parliamentary Affairs Fernando, Milroy
Min. of Plantation Industries Yapa, Anura Priyadharshana
Min. of Ports Samaraweera, Mangala
Min. of Posts & Telecommunications Jayaratne, D. M.
Min. of Power & Energy Premajayantha, Susil
Min. of Provincial Councils & Local Government Tennakoon, Janaka Bandara
Min. of Public Administration Dodangoda, Amarasiri
Min. of Regional Infrastructure Development Nawinna, S. B.
Min. of River Basin Development & Rajarata Development Sirisena, Maithripala
MIn. of Samurdhi & Poverty Alleviation Wanniarachchi, Pavithra
Min. of Science & Technology Vitharana, Tissa
Min. of Skills Development & Vocational & Technical Education Gamage, Piyasena
Min. of Small & Rural Industries Lal Kantha, K. D.
Min. of Sports & Youth Affairs Kumaranatunga, Jeewan
Min. of Tourism Bandaranaike, Anura
Min. of Trade & Commerce Fernandopulle, Jeyaraj
Min. of Transport Perera, Felix
Min. of Upcountry Development Jayaratne, D. M.
Min. of Urban Development Gunawardene, Dinesh
Min. of Water Supply Gunawardene, Dinesh
Min. of Women's Empowerment & Social Welfare Jayasene, Sumedha
Governor, Central Bank Jayawardena, A. S.
Ambassador to the US Subasinghe, Devinda R.
Permanent Representative to the UN, New York (Acting) Goonetilleke, Bernard
 
Chiefs of State listings last updated October 28, 2004
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