Bankruptcy of the Opposition

Leader of the House and Irrigation and Water Management Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva who responded to a special statement made by the Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe regarding the law and order situation told Parliament that the Opposition miserably attempted to capitalise on some incidents of crimes taking place in the country and this attempt displays the bankruptcy of the Opposition.

The Minister described how the prevailing peace in the country has enabled political parties to operate freely in the North. He described the UNP-TNA joint May Day rally held in Jaffna as a testimony that law and order is guaranteed in the country. The Minister assured the House that the Government will take possible measures to bring criminals before the law. He said it was a matter for regret that the Opposition and the UNP attempted to highlight some isolated incidents to realise their petty political gains, while the Police and the Government had worked hard to bring culprits to book.

Minister de Silva pointed out that it was ridiculous for the Opposition Leader to speak of crimes in 2010 and 2011 forgetting the 1987-1990 and 2001-2004 era under the UNP regime when fear psychosis reigned. It is a well-known fact that abductions, disappearances, murders and torture chambers like Batalanda were operated during the UNP regime. He stressed that interpreting some incidents such as Katuwana for political gains have become a fashion today. Referring to the Katuwana incident, the Minister told the House that a special police team had been set up to investigate the killing of two JVP activists in Katuwana and assured that there would be no political interference. The Minister said the Opposition Leader was attempting to portray a distorted picture to the world that a dangerous situation has been created in the country forgetting the atmosphere that prevailed over the past 30 years.

The Opposition leader said there is no law and justice in the country. Terror gangs reign and disappearances and abductions continue to take place. White vans disappearances were still continuing. The absence of a proper mechanism to investigate the violation of human rights such as crimes, disappearances and killings makes matters worse. This has brought disrepute locally and internationally.

Parliamentary sittings were suspended for five minutes on Tuesday to bring order to the House when Opposition and Government lawmakers engaged in verbal tirades over the Katuwana killings. An uproar was created in the House as Government members opposed when JVP Parliamentary Group Leader, Anura Kumara Dissanayake attempted to speak of the slaying of two JVP supporters while participating in the debate on regulations under the Fisheries Ministry.

Puttalam District UPFA MP Victor Antony raised a Point of Order that the JVP MP was not speaking on the subject. This led presiding MP A.H.M. Azwer to instruct MP Dissanyake to express his views on the relevant subject and order that all matters out of topic would be expunged. Despite the order given by the Chair, MP Dissanayake continued linking fishermen and the fishing industry to the Katuwana incident. Following the provisions of Standing Orders, the Chair ordered MP Dissanayake to stop speaking and called the next speaker, UPFA MP Arundika Fernando.

However, this led to a tense situation in the House and Opposition MPs demanded the Chair that MP Dissanayake be allowed to continue his speech. The Chair decided to suspend sittings for five minutes.

The establishment of the Malabe Private Medical College came under the spotlight as some Government and Opposition members spoke for and against it during the debate on the adjournment motion moved by UNP MP Akila Viraj Kariyawasam. Higher Education Minister S.B. Dissanayake who responded to the queries raised by the members admitted that there were shortcomings in setting up the Malabe Private Medical College but added that it was the duty of the Government to rectify them. He thanked Dr Neville Fernando for pioneering the concept of setting up private medical colleges.

Moving the motion, MP Kariyawasam maintained the view that the UNP does not have any policy problem with setting up private higher educational institutes but there should be proper regulation. Six batches of students have enrolled for medical degrees.

The Government and Opposition members who expressed their views during the condolence vote on Presidential Advisor Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra stressed the need to ensure justice to his family members. Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Minister Dr.Rajitha Senaratne told the House it was a tragedy that Premachandra had to face such an untimely death. He recalled how Premachandra dedicated his time for the Sri Lanka Mahajana Party during the 1987 terror period. The Minister said he worked with commitment unlike those who changed political parties for fear of losing their licence for a radio station. Minister Dinesh Gunawardene said nobody should not fight shy of calling his death an assassination.

The Opposition Leader said at a time when the statue of the Leader of the 1956 national revolution, S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike is about to be unceremoniously removed from Galle Face Green, it is no surprise that on Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra will also fade into oblivion.He said that close friends of Premachandra were not in the Chamber when the vote was taken. This absence amply illustrates that he is forgoton.

The House also drew its attention to a matter raised by the Opposition Leader, that that backbenchers' speeches were not reported in English newspapers. At the commencement of Friday's public business, the Opposition Leader drew the attention of the House that all debates and proceedings must be reported accurately in newspapers.

He said Sinhala and Tamil papers have separate pages to report proceedings in full, so does the Daily News. Unfortunately, many other English newspapers do not report proceedings of the House in full. This goes against the principle of true and accurate reporting and it is unfair by the backbenchers of both sides, as their speeches do not appear in the papers. Deputy Speaker Chandima Weerakkody said that he would discuss the matter with Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa.