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| Sunday, 22 May 2005 |
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Donor Forum :
Opposition campaign backfires Political Commentary by Spectator The Donor Conference in Kandy commited unprecedented US Dollars 3 billion even surpassing all its expectations.
The Opposition launched a global campaign against the Government alleging incompetence and failure in re-construction and rehabilitation programs in the North and the East. They also spread the rumour that the Sri Lankan Government is not stable. On failing to convince the international community, the Opposition proposed that the aid for the North and the East should be channelled direct to the LTTE and the NGOs active in the North and the East. Action plans and programs that the President presented to the forum were highly acclaimed by the international community as demonstrating high degree of honesty, fortitude and pragmatism.A special feature of the aid package was that 95% of the aid was non-refundable grants. Aid Consortium The much awaited Aid Consortium was held at the Earl's Regency Hotel owned by a UNP Member of Parliament Earl Gunesekara. By 9.30 the Government delegation headed by President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga as well as representatives of America, Japan, Norway, India, China had arrived well in advance of the schedule. The delegation made up of representatives of the World Bank,International Monitory Fund, Asian Development Bank and all the donor organisations numbered 150. In spite of the Government's invitation to all political parties to attend the Forum, it was only the representatives of the JVP, JHU, EPDP, Muslim Congress and few other political parties that participated in the Forum. The main opposition party, the UNP had announced well ahead of the Donor Conference that they would boycott the consortium. The welcome address was delivered by Finance Minister Dr. Sarath Amunugama while the President delivered the special presentation at the Consortium. Ven. Aturaliye Ratana A notable event at the Consortium was the unscheduled intervention by the JHU representative Aturaliye Ratana Thera against the President's presentation and the proposed Management Structure following the President's presentation. The Venerable Ratana Thera began to distribute copies of a petition, containing his opposition, to the head table and the representatives of the donors. The President accepted a copy of the JHU leaflet light heartedly while Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse and Finance Minister Sarath Amunugama politely refused to accept it. "Please set it aside,we will refer to it later", they said. After the inaugural session delegates moved to Mahaweli Reach Hotel owned by Mohan Panabokke. The attention of the donor representatives was drawn to President's presentation which highlighted internal political situation, challenges and the future of the country. She fearlessly expressed her intention to go ahead with the Post Tsunami Operational Management Structure (PTOMS) to develop the Country. Though some criticised the President for bringing up internal political issues before an international forum, the representatives were highly impressed by the President's bold stance and her honesty and consistency. Thereafter, the representatives and officials of the Sri Lankan Government explained in detail the post tsunami situation and the country's economy and the program of action that the Government and people based organisations formulated to salvage the country from the present impasse. The donors who were convinced of the suitability of the Government's program, decided to grant a sum of 3 billion US Dollars. Anura abroad Tourism Minister Anura Bandaranaike was entrusted with the important task of briefing the representatives on the post tsunami situation, how the country faced the crisis and the reconstruction and development plans to salvage the country, in a special lecture at the Forum. However he had to abandon the much-prepared lecture as he was instructed to fly to Brussels to meet the European Union representatives by the President. He left for Brussels on May 14. The purpose of the visit was to hold a series of negotiations with representatives of several European countries to explore the possibility of obtaining zero duty for 70 Sri Lankan products including garments. He was accompanied by Trade Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle and the Chairman of the BOI and Director of the Department of Commerce. The Sri Lankan delegation is expected to visit several European countries in this regard. JVP participation at Development Forum It was not a secret that there were some differences of opinion over several issues between the JVP and the Government in the recent past, which among others included restructuring of the Ceylon Electricity Board and Ceylon Petroleum Corporation. However the Government had extended an invitation to the JVP to participate in the Aid Consortium through the Ministry of Finance. The JVP had called on a meeting of its politburo at its headquarters in Nugegoda on Sunday, May 15. Most of the young politburo members were of the view that participation in the Aid Consortium would be tantamount to indirect acceptance of the Government's proposed management structure. The young members of the politburo insisted that the Aid Consortium be boycotted and a statement be issued airing party's opposition to PTOMS. However the JVP leader who listened to all these proposals, at last, said "This is a consortium of foreign representatives and they come to grant aid to our country. We should not highlight our internal disputes at this forum. We shall solve our disputes later. It is important that we participate at the Forum as a constituent party of the Government." Accordingly the politburo decided to nominate Cultural Affairs Minister Vijitha Herath as the party's representative to the Aid Consortium. Thus Minister Vijitha Herath participated at the Aid Consortium on May 16. UNP irresponsibility The UNP was invited well ahead of the Aid Consortium and the Opposition Leader took a firm decision not to participate at the Consortium.Though some were critical about the decision , it was the opinion of the UNP Leader that by boycotting the conference the party could convey a signal that the country is politically unstable and is in crisis. Seniors including Karu Jayasuriya and Mahinda Samarasinghe differed in their opinion. Ranil retreats The Opposition Leader decided to retreat to distant of Welimada in order not to engage with the ongoing discourse about the donor conference. He started to tour Welimada and Nuwara Eliya during the weekend. On Sunday he covered the villages in Welimada engaged in the "Gamin Gamata" program. He also decided to be away from all the activities in Colombo enjoying the salubrious climate of the hills that would give a cooling effect to his troubled head. However he could not avoid Monday as it was a busy day for the UNP. The meeting of the party's politburo or Ranil's confidantes was held at Party Headquarters in Cambridge Terrace. The meeting was attended by Karu Jayasuriya, Malik Samarawickrema, Party Secretary Weragoda, Tissa Attanayaka, P. Dayaratne, Luxman Senaviratne, Joseph Michael, Mahinda Samarasinghe, John Ameratunga and G.L. Peiris. The meeting mainly focused on the propaganda program launched by the party. He went on to describe how far the propaganda rally at Welimada was successful and explained how to get rid of the shortcomings of the rally. He, thereafter, questioned the politburo members. "Are we now to start the campaign for a Presidential Election? or hold demonstrations demanding a Presidential Election?" asked the Opposition Leader. Malik Samarawickrema said that the UNP should launch pre- presidential election rallies and organise them as demonstrations demanding a presidential election. This was approved by the politburo and accordingly four rallies will be organised in different parts of the country. Thereafter Kabir Hashim inquired from the Opposition Leader about the progress of the Party's Youth Propaganda Program launched in Puttalam. Kabir Hashim was the District Organiser for the Youth Propaganda Program. Hashim submitted a report and pointed out that the party should be aware that the organisers appointed had a flare for the task. "Everybody can't take up this challenge.They should have an instinct and a training for this. Just training would not achieve the target," he said. Ranil ordered Tissa Attanayaka to take note of the fact. Ranil's latest book The next topic of the meeting was Ranil's latest book titled "Religion and Politics". It was scheduled to be launched at Gangaramaya as a book written by the Opposition Leader. The book based on several newspaper articles, was praised by some of the politburo members while others discussed the organising of the event. Saman Ataudahetti, Sugath Chandrasekara, Ariya Rubasinghe, Thushara Gunarathne were the organisers nominated to organise the event. Thereafter the Opposition Leader took up the Party's internal disputes. He summoned Kingsely Nelson and Donald who fell out with each other over the post of Organiser for Medirigiriya and strongly reprimanded them.He also advised Sanjeeva Kaviratne and Colombo Central Organiser Maharoof. He advised the politburo to appoint Luxman Seneviratne as the Badulla District Leader ending the dispute over the leadership in the District. Karu's complaint to Ranil After the politburo meeting the leaders began to leave the premises except the few who waited to meet the Opposition Leader in person. The most impatient among them was Karu Jayasuriya holding a copy of "Lankadeepa". He said, "I am the Deputy Leader of the party but some decisions are made without my knowledge. Some people inquire and I do not know how to answer their queries. Why are we being kept in the dark over some crucial decisions?". "I do not understand. What are you inquiring?" "Here you are. These are some of the statements made to the press. Tissa Attanayake had said that the UNP agreed that the President could go for a third mandate. This was telecast on Swarnawahini and published in the Lankadeepa also," he said. Ranil was shaken by what appeared in the newspapers. He said "Who has taken such a decision? With whose permission had Tissa made these statements?" and Tissa Attanayaka was immediately summoned. "What have you done? When did we take such a decision that Chandrika could go for a third term", he inquired Tissa. Tissa was dumbfounded by this and said "Sir, I made this statement in Kandy. Some people must have misinterpreted or misreported but I meant something else. I tried to ridicule Chandrika. Even if she contests, our leader could face the challenge." "O.K, What has happened now? Hereafter , do not make such idiotic statements.Convey only the decisions taken by us. Bear in mind that I am the Party Leader and there is a Deputy Leader and a Party President.Do not make such remarks when there are responsible people for that", he admonished Tissa Attanayaka. Karu's complaint was not the only reason for Ranil berating Tissa. It was revealed at the discussion that the Opposition Leader had with Malik Samarawickrema that S.B. Dissanayaka also had said that President Chandrika should be given a third chance and the Opposition Leader feared that this view had infiltrated into the rank and file of the party. Tissa is a close confidante of the leader and he is one of the most trusted followers of the party leader. It was a very rare occasion when the Party leader pulled up Tissa. Though this was done to console the Deputy Leader Karu Jayasuriya, Tissa was severely hurt by it. Ranil's change of attitude towards consoling Karu was caused by the new found friendship between the Leader and the Deputy Leader of the Party. The relationship in the recent past was estranged due to several reasons. One of the reasons was a prediction made by Sai Baba that Karu Jayasuriya will become the leader of the UNP automatically by May 2005. As he was an ardent devotee of Sri Sai baba he believed it firmly and this was recently challenged by an astrologer of Indian origin who runs a restaurant in Kollupitiya. This astrologer had destroyed Karu's astrological dream of becoming the UNP Leader. "Sir, the party leader's horoscope is more powerful than that of Yours. Even though that horoscope is not powerful enough to become the leader of the country, your horoscope is less powerful than that of the leader. Therefore you should get on well with the leader. Otherwise your future is bleak." Karu got a firm commitment from his friend not to reveal this and decided to cooperate with the leader.Ranil understood this and reciprocated. Accordingly Ranil opened fire on Tissa. Bad time for Tissa Tissa was thoroughly disappointed by his leaders behaviour who lashed him on several occasions embarrassing him before Party members. In addition to this he is worried about the newly-emerging enemies inside the party. Specially Tissa had a say in affairs in the Party Headquarters - Sirikotha. Ranil's programs, planning and some important documents were prepared by Tissa.Therefore Tissa was the proverbial leader at Sirikotha. However, Ranil called Sudath Chandrasekara to Sirikotha and instructed him to supervise "Yovun Peramuna" and Propaganda Youth Brigade. Sudath Chandrasekara becomes a character at Sirikotha. Tissa had recently complained about this to Malik Samarawickrema the Party President. Malik Samarawickrema was worried about the emergence of Sudath. Tissa thought of keeping away from the scene and he consulted his family physician and warded himself at the Nawaloka hospital. Reception for film stars There was a star-studded night at Temple Trees last Sunday as the Prime Minister hosted a reception for actors and actresses. It was attended by a galaxy of film stars belonging to Oscar Senestar Association of Sri Lanka Film Stars' Foundation. Sangeetha Weeraratne, Yashoda Wimaladharma, Ravindra Randeniya and a host of film stars irrespective of party affiliations attended the function. The Prime Minister hosted the party, especially, to thank the Senestar Foundation as it had constructed a village with 50 houses for tsunami victims and the film stars also contributed towards this worthy cause. Sangeetha Weeraratne played a vital role at the reception and this was noticed by other participants and the function went on till midnight. |
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