No-confidence motion, a damp squib - Prof. G.L. Peiris

A no-confidence motion is a serious matter in the Parliamentary tradition. A no-confidence motion has to be tabled not only on reasonable grounds, but also with much circumspection. It should not be something that should be treated lightly. This no-confidence motion has been tabled within the shortest time-span.

Now let us see on what grounds this no-confidence motion has been drafted. The main allegation is that I failed to secure the GSP+ concession. In fact, it could have been obtained within five minutes!

European Union Commissioner, Catherine Ashton informed me on June 17, 2010 that they were willing to restore the GSP + subject to certain conditions. Her letter laid down 15 conditions and wanted Sri Lanka to reply within 14 days agreeing to abide by those conditions. As a government we had to decide whether such conditions are conducive to the country or injurious to our interests. What are these conditions?

Withdraw the emergency regulations immediately. Abolish Prevention of Terrorism Act. All suspects detained under Emergency Regulations be released, Sri Lankan citizens should be privileged to seek relief in an international judicial forum against the judgement of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka.

No government with a sense of self respect could accede to these conditions.

Let alone accept, we could not even think of it. The Cabinet eventually rejected them outright. At a conference held in the Foreign Affairs Ministry our business community was unanimous in its decision to take the government line. “We love our country, we will never accept these conditions”. “Reject them outright”, they assured us.

We should give thought to this phenomenon - why foreign powers exert undue pressure on our government? Who is manipulating these? I am tabling the Hindu paper of May 5, 2007 in which the headline reads, “India, US, EU should intervene, says Ranil Wickremesinghe.”

The leader of the Opposition wants the EU to intervene in our internal matters! Have we ever heard of this type of things? Does it ever happen in any part of the world.

It is not Brussels that decides on the Prevention of Terrorism Act which falls under the exclusive prerogative of our Parliament and the Government.

As the Minister of International Trade, I represented Sri Lanka at a meeting held in Brussels on May 12, 2008. My counterpart was Benita Ferraro Waldner who had the authority to decide on the grant of GSP+ to Sri Lanka. She was, however, armed with a letter sent to her by Ranil Wickremesinghe. He had said in that letter, the steps taken by our government were, “inadequate and insufficient”. When President Mahinda Rajapaksa referred this matter to the Supreme Court under Section 129 of the Constitution, the Court unanimously held the steps taken were adequate.

When I did my best in Brussels to have the GSP+ restored who sabotaged my efforts? It was the Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe who said the steps taken by us were ‘inadequate’.

As you are aware several Opposition members reiterated the importance of the GSP+ concession. Who deprived this valuable relief to the country, he queried. Who resorted to traitorous acts to gain short-term political mileage?

“Ambassadors have personally told me that he should do his duty. He cannot get us to do his job. If he knows he cannot do it, he should not get us to do it. We are here not to interfere in the internal matters or create or change governments. It is a matter for the Opposition. How could we shoulder it?”

Take the case of the 18th Amendment to the Constitution tabled in Parliament on September 8, 2010. Four days before the debate on the 18th Amendment Ranil Wickremesinghe expressed his views to The Hindu while in India. This is what he cannot understand. It is crystal clear to this House as to who attempted to safeguard the rights of the people and who sabotaged them.

The other allegation against me is that I overstayed in China for two days which brought disgrace to this country. The truth is this. Of the seven days I was in China, I took part in the discussions between the two countries. Though not directly related to the Chinese government, the remaining two days were spent to discuss ways and means of improving our international trade. There is a big trade imbalance in our trade with China. There were about 10 top level local businessmen who took part in the discussions with the Chinese trade establishments. The two days’ expenses were borne by the Sri Lankan Government.

The no-confidence motion is based on this downright lie! This no-confidence motion appeared in websites four months ago when I was about to meet the Important Government Minister in Ukraine.

It appeared again in Websites at the time when Basil Rajapaksa and I met the Japanese Foreign Minister Myhara and former Minister Okuda. The discussions held in Ukraine and Japan were of special significance to our country.

The no-confidence motion was timed to coincide with those discussions. Who is behind all these allegations. Many more lies were uttered. One was that we made a request on behalf of President Mahinda Rajapaksa to meet Anjela Markel and Hilary Clinton.

We never made any such requests. That there was an empty hall when President Rajapaksa addressed the UN General Assembly was another falsehood. When the President addressed the audience, the hall was full and he received accolades from all quarters during his speech on the Millennium Development Goals. Meanwhile, we received the third IMF tranche to the tune of US $ 2,600 million. The United Kingdom and Germany also voted in favour of it.

General Electrical, one of the largest US companies has decided to invest their ‘pension funds’ in our stock market. Similarly, the Janus Fund in America, has invested over 100 million US dollars to buy shares in John Keells Holdings. It is a very unfortunate situation that jealousy, hatred and ill will are resorted to sabotage the benefits that accrue to the country.

It would be pertinent to quote what India’s Lok Sabha Opposition Leader Sushma Raj said when President Rajapaksa and I visited India recently.

Various criticisms are levelled against the congress government. We quarrel with one another in our country. It is however, the voice of India Bharat Matha which we raise in the international fora.

The other allegation against me due to sheer ignorance is that I failed to get the non-Aligned Conference to support us!

The Non-Aligned Conference has a membership of 118 nations. Diversity is its fundamental feature, an essential quality itself. The NAM on March 9, 2010 issued a statement in which called upon the UN Secretary General not to appoint the investigating committee which runs counter to the principles of the Non-Aligned Conference.

I should in conclusions state that I am fully committed to discharge the responsibilities of my portfolio as never before as unlike others, the President appreciates what I do for this country.

(Excerpts of the speech made by External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L.Peiris.)

Translated by K.D.M. Kittampahuwa