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| Sunday, 23 January 2005 |
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Not a time to fight says Ranil Weekend Politics by Suraj & Viraj As President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga inaugurated the rehabilitation and reconstruction program to pull the nation out of the tsunami rubble at Hambantota, the main opposition United National Party spokesman, Prof. G.L. Peiris swiftly moved in to have a dig over a statement made by the President that there would be no elections in the next five years.
The President at Hambantota stressed that all people and political parties should put the country first before thinking of polls and added that all should work together forgetting polls in the next five years. Parliamentary elections The President however did not specify as to which election would be postponed. Her statement that one year had already passed and there would be no election in the next five years could be assumed as a reference to parliamentary elections.The present parliament elected in 2004 stands for a six year period. The UPFA government which came in as a minority government now commands a majority in the House and a continuation of this parliament would not be a problem. Political parties in parliament have agreed to work together to pull the nation out of the tsunami rubble. The UNP top leadership has repeatedly pledged their support to the government. After the tsunami tragedy, the UNP was fully bent on working together with the government to assist the rehabilitation and reconstruction process. UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe met the President on several occasions and even presented proposals from his party towards the rebuilding process. Prof. Peiris who was eagerly looking forward to an opportunity to come before the media chose to seek a clarification from the President regarding her statement over the polls. He is ably backed by the Deputy General Secretary of the Party, Tissa Attanayake. There is a UNP Second X1 that is eager to come to power by hook or by crook putting self before country.This team has been creating problems to the party leadership since the tsunami tragedy. At the UNP Political Affairs Committee and Working Committee meetings, they decided to take on Deputy Leader Karu Jayasuriya accusing him of being silent at meetings with President Kumaratunga. Jayasuriya attends such meetings as instructed by his leader Wickremesinghe and is briefed on matters that would be on the agenda. Last week Jayasuriya came in for severe criticism by his party colleague, Kabir Hashim who said Jayasuriya was only nodding his head at the decisions of the President. Jayasuriya fearlessly took the challenge of the young turk only to say that he was acting on the instructions of his leader and it was not time to play petty politics when the nation has been devastated. He even offered his deputy leader post to anybody who aspired to play a better role. Cooperation As Jayasuriya made these observations at the Working Committee in the presence of Hashim, Wickremesinghe chipped in to defend Jayasuriya over the role played at meetings with the President. "This is not a time to fight among ourselves or with the government. We all must unitedly cooperate with the President and her government to take the country out of this rubble", he added. Kabir Hashim had no alternative but to withdraw his accusations and tender an apology to Jayasuriya. The role played by Prof. Peiris since Thursday should be monitored carefully by Wickremesinghe. Elections are not anywhere near. Thousands are languishing in refugee camps awaiting permanent shelter. The next presidential election is far away. Be it this November or next November, the affected people and the country at large are only interested in witnessing normalcy first before voting. The comments made by Prof. Peiris will only result in creating problems within the two main parties which now work closely in the interest of the nation. The co-ordinated role in the rebuilding effort of the nation is played by UNP stalwarts Wickremesinghe, Jayasuriya, Milinda Moragoda is not to the liking of Prof.Peiris and the UNP Second X1. Moragoda's statement that the UNP should at least work with the government for two years also faced criticism from the players in the Second X1. As the Tsunami occurred, Moragoda on his return to the country from United States ruled out elections for at least three years till the nation was rebuilt. Shortcomings All political parties should make public statements with utmost care and responsibility. The nation is only just less than four weeks after the massive devastation. No government could pull any nation out in such a brief time after a disaster of this magnitude. Blaming bureaucrats, businessmen and government politicians in public is not a remedy at this juncture. JVP Minister K.D. Lalkantha blamed officials, businessmen and politicians in the government this week for failure to understand the real problems of those affected. Minister Lalkantha may have had reasons to make such a statement.But when government ministers do make such statements in public, the people and those affected may tend to lose confidence on the nation rebuilding process. Minister Lalkantha, being in the cabinet could use that forum more effectively to point out shortcomings in the rebuilding process. JVP battling As in the UNP there appears to be a faction in the JVP battling the government on the rebuilding process. At the UPFA Executive Committee meeting this week, JVP leader Somawansa Amarasinghe expressed dissension over the manner the rebuilding process was being conducted and warned of serious consequences if the views of his party was not accommodated to work unitedly. The views of Amarasinghe appear to be contrary to the stand of the government announced by President Kumaratunga in her address to the nation following the Tsunami disaster. The President urged all political parties to forget differences and stand united to rebuild the country.In the thinking of the President, she drew no lines or barriers among parties.She wanted all to work together as one to pull the country out of the disaster. Demoralising hopes The JVP is a partner in the government which has four cabinet ministers holding vital portfolios. It is timely that all political parties rise above politics in the interest of the people and the nation at this hour of need. Squabbling among political parties will not only result in demoralising the hopes of the people but also the confidence of donor nations who have come forward to help us out of this calamity. President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga inaugurated the first project of the Tsunami rebuilding effort in Hambantota on Wednesday. The new township will encompass more facilities for the victims. LTTE leader Velupillai Prabahakaran killed or missing according to certain media reports resurfaced on Tuesday. He was scheduled to meet Norwegian Foreign Minister Jan Peterson and others on Saturday. Deputy Foreign Minister Vidar Helgeson and Special Envoy Erik Solheim arrived in Sri Lanka on Wednesday to assess the damage caused to coastal areas in the North and East and also to explore the possibilities of restarting the peace talks. Norwegian International Development Minister Hilde Jonson too arrived in Sri Lanka. The Norwegian delegation met Finance Minister Dr. Sarath Amunugama to discuss the rebuilding process. The Minister detailed the Government rebuilding process to the delegation talking about an hour. The high level Norwegian delegation also met UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and SLMC leader Rauf Hakeem on Thursday. They discussed the damage caused by tsunami as well as possibilities of pushing the peace process, forward. More transparency The Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) Parliamentary leader Ven. Athuraliye Ratana on Thursday called upon the Government to enlist greater civil society and grass roots level participation to ensure more transparency in the rebuilding process. The JHU and the JVP also requested the Government to provide rupee appreciation benefits to people. They said that since the rupee depreciated to Rs. 107 as against the US $, prices of essential items have been increased including infant milk, gas, oil and other food items. They demand that rupee appreciation benefits should now be provided to people. The UPFA Southern Provincial Councillor H. R. Piyasiri resigned from his seat on Thursday. The JVP leaders met at the Nugegoda Party Head Office on Monday and decided to express their dissatisfaction over Government's unilateral decisions in the rebuilding process. They decided to take up the matter at the UPFA Executive Committee meeting next day. As planned they expressed their displeasure at the Committee Meeting held on Tuesday evening. Later vociferous JVP Minister K. D. Lal Kantha openly charged the Government at a public meeting saying that the JVP cannot take the responsibility for certain unilateral decisions taken by the Government concerning the rebuilding process. High powered Committee Meanwhile, President Kumaratunga appointed a high powered Committee to solve the problems of investors. The Committee comprised powerful Ministers Anura Bandaranaike, Mangala Samaraweera, Dr. Sarath Amunugama and Dinesh Gunawardane. This Committee plans to give speedy solution to the problems of investors. The President also advised Finance Minister Dr. Amunugama to visit Ampara and inspect the relief assistance programme for victims. He met Minister Ferial Ashraff in Ampara and visited many camps. Tourism Minister Anura Bandaranaike will launch a US$ 320 million Bounce Back programme to revive the collapsed Tourism industry. He also plans to submit a Cabinet paper at the next meeting requesting flexibility on the 100 meter rule on hotels. |
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