SLFP leader among masses, UNP leader waves from hotel balcony:

President and Ranil mark May Day in contrasting styles

Politicians of all political parties, both in the Government and in Opposition, devoted their time entirely on preparations for their May Day rallies. Their efforts during the last few weeks reached its peak on Wednesday as the political parties made every effort to show their strength through the number of supporters they could attract.

Knowing only two well that they could not match even one fourth of the ruling UPFA’s strength, UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe adopted his own strategy by organising four May Day rallies at regional and trade union level. On the other hand, it helped the UNP to cover its internal disputes as various UNP fractions had the options of taking part in UNP May Day rallies of their choice.

But Ranil fully threw his weight behind the UNP rally at Kurunegala, organised by his blue-eyed and inner circle confidant Akila Viraj Kariyawasam. The UNP Youth Front, led by parliamentarian Ruwan Wijewardene had their own May Day rally at Badulla under the blessings of Ranil.

Meanwhile, former UNP deputy leader Sajith Premadasa worked tirelessly for his father and former President R. Premadasa’s 20th death anniversary. Since the former UNP leader was killed by an LTTE suicide bomb attack during the party’s 1993 May Day procession, the party’s activities on the world worker’s day also included the Premadasa commemoration.

To facilitate the party’s May Day procession and rally, UNP usually holds the Premadasa commemoration ceremonies in the mornings of May 1. Knowing that this year’s Premadasa commemoration will be a crowd puller, Ranil’s confidants played another card to overlap the event.

Under the blessings of the party leader, UNP organised another May Day event at the party headquarters Sirikotha so that Sajith could not show his full strength. Despite all that, Sajith, with the support of a private radio station, which telecast messages and gave a live telecast of the event, claiming that those were paid advertisements and events, managed to shatter Ranil’s dreams.

The real characteristics of President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe were once again evident in the manner in which they took part in their respective May Day rallies.

While President Rajapaksa joined the masses and other SLFP leaders at the UPFA May Day procession, Ranil was seen at a roadside hotel balcony in Kurunegala, proudly waving at UNP supporters taking part at the UNP procession that wended its way to the Maligawa grounds. A reformist UNP MP from the same district said Ranil behaved like the British emperor and further moved away from the common man in the UNP while President Rajapaksa mingled with the masses and showed his true affection for the working class.

There was an unprecedented crowd at the UPFA procession from Town Hall to Campbell Park where the massive rally was held with the participation of over two million supporters and well-wishers.

Jonny’s team surprises Basil

As the UPFA procession was entering Campbell Park, SLFP National Organiser and Economic Development Minister Bail Rajapaksa was monitoring the progress from a special stand with Minister Dallas Alahapperuma and parliamentarians Namal Rajapaksa, Uditha Lokubandara and Kamala Ranatunga.

All of a sudden, Minister Basil noticed a massive set of supporters. It was a long line up without gaps and marching prominently under one electorate. He was keen to know whose men were those as it appeared to be the largest single lot from an area. “Whose supporters are they,” Basil asked from Uditha.

“They are Johnny’s people,” was the reply from Uditha. “Naturally, Johnny is a smart guy and he does very thing to perfection,” Namal joined the conversation in paying tribute to Trade Minister Johnston Fernando.

Economic Development Minister and SLFP National Organiser Basil Rajapaksa welcomed thousands of people entering Campbell Park at the entrance.

Western Province Governor and Trade Union leader Alavi Mowlana made the welcome speech while Sri Lanka Nidahas Sevaka Sangamaya Secretary Leslie Devendra and leaders of UPFA trade unions also spoke.

UPFA General Secretary Minister Susil Premajayantha, SLFP General Secretary and Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena and Labour Relations Minister Gamini Lokuge also addressed the rally.

President Rajapaksa was overjoyed with the massive crowd that flooded Campbell Park and its surrounding area to capacity.

Though many Opposition politicians were armed with placards and demonstration items, against the Government on the new electricity tariff hike all those attempts were shot-circuited by the bonanza announced to the working class at the UPFA May Day rally.

President’s May Day bonanza

President Rajapaksa announced that the power tariff will not be increased for the consumers whose electricity usage does not exceed 60 units a month. The President also stressed that a percentage of relief would be introduced to the consumers who use less than 180 units per month.

He said that the power tariff of the consumers who use up to 90 units will be given relief by making 95 units the limit. He said that he met trade unions and the people in many parts of the country and asked how they feel about the power tariff hike. There was an overwhelming response when the President announced this decision while addressing the massive UPFA May Day rally.

The crowds representing the SLFP and the constituent parties of the UPFA were seen struggling to enter the venue, even while the last speaker was delivering his speech.

President Rajapaksa said that those who are engaged in self employment would soon be able to obtain low interest loans. He added that the Opposition has never been for the working masses of the country. “They are dancing according to the tune of the diaspora whose main objective is to divide the country at any cost,” he said.

“The Opposition which has a history of aiding and abetting the terrorists to divide the country has now started protests carrying candles”, he said. The President stressed that the Opposition which talks about the power tariff hike, lacked the courage and stamina to begin construction of the Upper Kotmale project or Norochcholai coal power plant.

The President said the Opposition was able to provide electricity to only 45 percent of households in the country. “Many houses in rural areas were not provided electricity,” he said.

He said that the government led by him provided electricity to over 95 per cent of households in the country. He said that the interest rate for such loans would be reduced soon.

The President recalled participating in May Day rallies as a student, a youth, Trade Unionist, Parliamentarian, Labour Minister, Opposition Leader, Prime Minister and as President.

President visits Thilanga’s residence

The President said the 2013 May Day rally was the largest ever held in the country. The President said the the Government has to face a number of charges, and commendation from many quarters, due to the eradication of terrorism in the country. The President was overjoyed with the success of the UPFA rally and the record participation.

“After a successful May Day rally like this, we must visit the party organiser of this electorate. Where is Thilanga?” the President said, searching for UPFA Colombo District parliamentarian and SLFP’s chief organiser for Borella electorate, Thilanga Sumathipala.

He then visited Thilanga’s residence at Campbell Place, along with Ministers and parliamentarians. He had another purpose of going to Thilanga’s residence, to see Thilanga’s mother who is sick. “I have not forgotten how Sumathipala family helped the SLFP from Prime Minister Sirimavo’s time,” the President said.

He also gave political advice to Sumathipala, whose nomination for the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) was rejected recently. “The Cricket Board is not an easy place and it’s hard to work there and win hearts. There are many problems there. When the national team loses, either the players or Cricket Board officials get brickbats! You could never earn a good name at that place,” he told Thilanga, who had served as Sri Lanka cricket chief on several occasions.

“All this time, you have lived upto expectations and achieved tasks entrusted to you. Then why do you want to spoil that good name due to cricket? If you act patiently and work closely with me, you could go a long journey in politics,” he told Thilanga. The President also spoke to Thilanga’s mother Mileena Sumathipala and wished her good health while giving an assurance of the political journey of her younger son.

Serious crisis in TNA

There is mounting pressure as a serious crisis has emerged within the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) ranks. Parliamentarian Selvam Adaikalanathan-led Tamil Eelam Liberation Organisation (TELO) has raised a serious challenge regarding the registration of TNA as a political party with or without Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK) led by R. Sampanthan.

At present, the five-party coalition, Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK),Tamil Eelam Liberation Organisation (TELO), Eelam People’s Revolutionary Organisation (EPRLF), Peoples Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE) and Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF), is generally called TNA, though it is not registered as a political party yet.

It was in early 2004 that the LTTE using its iron fist forcibly brought together the four Tamil political parties excluding the TULF and named the alliance of the four parties as Tamil National Alliance, LTTE’s proxy, to contest the Parliamentary general elections.

The four political parties contested parliamentary general elections under the ‘House’ symbol of Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi under the blessings of the LTTE, which remote controlled them from Wanni jungles. The arrangement became a matter of political convenience even after the fall of the LTTE and they all came forward to contest the 2010 April parliamentary general elections, and elections held for local bodies in the North and the East, and also in the last East Provincial Council.

However, the other four coalition partners now feel that they are under Sampanthan’s dictatorship and are governed by the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kadchchi, thus losing their individuality as separate political parties gradually.

Since the last East Provincial Council election, the four political parties have strongly demanded that TNA be registered as a political party with equal power to the four coalition partners. For reasons unexplained, ITAK has shown reluctance and continued to ignore demands of the four constituent partners

The Central Committee of the TELO, led by parliamentarian Adaikalanathan, met at its party headquarters at Customs Road, Trincomalee recently. Reports said that 25 out of the 39 Central Committee members of the party participated in the meeting which was presided by party leader Adaikalanathan.

Parliamentarian Vino Nohrathalingham, Henry Mahendran, Secretary General of the Party, G. Karunakaran a former Member of Parliament and presently member of the Eastern Provincial Council, EPC member N. Indrakumar, M.K. Sivajilingham the party’s national organiser and others participated in the meeting which had lasted for almost nine hours.

The TELO Central Committee unanimously decided to urge the coalition partners to come forward to register the Tamil National Alliance as an exclusive political party to work for the welfare of the Tamils of Sri Lanka.

The Central Committee of the TELO further resolved in case the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kadchchi refused to come forward with the other four political parties to register the Tamil National Alliance as an exclusive political party, then the four political parties - Tamil Eelam Liberation Organisation (TELO), Eelam People’s Revolutionary Organisation (EPRLF), Peoples Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE) and Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF), should jointly register TNA as a political party.

The resolution further resolved that the four parties after registering TNA as a political party, should come forward to accept any other political party that works in the interest and welfare of Tamils.

However, it is still unclear whether the resolution adopted by the TELO will ever become operative, as the TNA without ITAK will not be easily considered as a political organisation acceptable to Tamils as a whole.

Chandrika in London

Former Sri Lanka President Chandrika Kumaratunga, a member of the Global Leadership Foundation GLF, was in London to attend its AGM at Savill Court Hotel last week.

The current Chairman of GLF is Nobel Laureate President F W de Klerk. He and President Nelson Mandela were responsible for the abolition of apartheid in South Africa. The GLF makes available, discreetly and in confidence, the experience of former leaders to today’s national leaders. It does so through its network of members, former Presidents, Prime Ministers, senior ministers and other distinguished leaders, drawn together by a desire to give something back to the world.

GLF is a not-for-profit foundation, registered in Switzerland and is independent of any government or corporate interest.

Some of the other distinguished participants at the London meeting were GLF members Joe Clark Prime Minister, Canada 1979-80 Gareth Evans, Foreign Minister, Australia 1988-96; Cassam Uteem, President, Mauritius 1992-2002; Jaswant Singh India, Foreign Minister 1998-2002, Defence Minister 2001.

Although she had declared her retirement from politics after ending her 11-year term as President in 2005, there have been many media reports since then about her reported attempts to return to politics.

The latest is her intention to form a new political party, reported by a Sinhala weekend paper.

The unconfirmed report said that Chandrika has talked to several of her confidants before forming the party of which the national organiser is going to be none other than her only son Vimukthi.

What is more important is that the funding source of the new political front what is said to be in Chandrika’s dreams, the local mission of a Western country and a notorious INGO.

Azath Sally arrested, hospitalised

Former Deputy Mayor of the Colombo Municipal Council Azath Sally was arrested on Thursday morning from a hideout in Kolonnawa, for allegedly attempting to stoke the fires of ‘ethnic and religious strife and harm national unity’.

Azath Sally was arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department following several complaints received by the CID regarding conduct which could damage ethnic harmony, and harm national unity.

Sally was arrested ‘when he was absconding’, at premises No 25, Gamini Road, Sadamulla in Kolonnawa though his residence is at Number 6, Flower Road, Colombo 6.

He was taken into custody under Section 120 of the Penal Code and provisions under the Prevention of Terrorism Act. Reports said that Sally had violated clause 21 of the Prevention of Terrorism Act and section 120 of the Penal Code.

He had incited people with the aim of causing damage to ethnic and religious harmony, in the guise of agitating against the government.

Sally is being questioned by the CID under a detention order. Latest reports by the weekend said Sally had refused to take food and was admitted to the national hospital on Friday.

Surprisingly, none of the UNP seniors who had been with him, had uttered a word on Sally’s behalf.