Journalists left the country not due to security problems

Fulfilling another Government pledge, Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa appointed a Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) to report and recommend on political and constitutional measures to empower the people to live as one nation.

The Speaker also named the 19 Government members appointed to the Committee which would be chaired by Irrigation and Water Management Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva.

The PSC would propose the amendments to the Constitution and also study the ways and means of integrating all communities into one nation, PSCpolitically and constitutionally. Members appointed to the Committee from the ruling UPFA coalition include Prof G.L. Peiris, Maithripala Sirisena, W. D.J. Seneviratne, Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, Dinesh Gunawardena, Douglas Devananda, Susil Premajayantha, A.L.M. Athaulla, D.E.W. Gunasekera, Rishad Bathiudeen, Patali Champika Ranawaka, Wimal Weerawansa, Basil Rajapaksa, Lakshman Seneviratne, Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Muthu Sivalingam, Dr. Sudrashini Fernandopulle and Janaka Bandara.

The Speaker also told the House the other members of the PSC would be announced after receiving nominations from the Opposition. Explaining as to why the UNP has not nominated its members to the PSC so far, Chief Opposition Whip John Amaratunga said that Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe had sent a letter to President Mahinda Rajapaksa seeking clarifications on several issues pertaining to the PSC. The UNP would make its nominations on receipt of government response.

Amidst divergent views expressed by the constituent partners of the Government on the pros and cons of the 13th Amendment, the JHU on Tuesday took a different approach to the issue with the presentation of a Private Member’s Bill by its parliamentarian Ven. Aturaliye Ratana Thera, titled Twenty-first Amendment to the Constitution.

The main objective of the Bill was to abolish the 13th Amendment to the Constitution which was seconded by UNP MP Palitha Range Bandara.

The Bill presented by Ven. Rathana Thera states that the 13th Amendment to the Constitution has paved the way to weaken the Government whilst strengthening the Provincial Councils. The JHU through its Bill has attempted to project the provisions of the 13th Amendment as a threat to the unitary character of the State, sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The Bill introduced as an amendment to the Constitution is based on the fact that the 13th Amendment did not have the unanimous design of the Supreme Court. The JHU has highlighted a number of ill-effects of the 13th Amendment.

The Bill also states that 13th Amendment had not been ratified by a referendum so far. The Bill further sates though the 13th Amendment was based on the constitutional structure of India, it has denied the opportunity for the Sri Lankan Government to intervene in the event of any province acting against the interests of the central government as the union Government of India is empowered to do so.

The 13th Amendment has restained the President from exercising the legislative and executive power of the people and thereby offended the unitary character of the State.

The issue of missing journalist Prageeth Eknaligoda came into light again when UPFA Parliamentarian Arundhika Fernando who joined the debate on the Defence Services Command and Staff College (Amendment) Bill made certain references about him. The MP said that Eknaligoda and others who had left the country are living luxurious lives abroad and they have been financed by anti-Sri Lankan foreign forces to tarnish the country’s image.

The MP who earlier said in Parliament that Eknaligoda is living in France once agaiopportn reaffirmed his position. He said under the cover of parliamentary privileges, he didn’t make any false statement that Eknaligoda was alive. MP Fernando was of the opinion that none of those journalists left the country due to security problems. The Government had not harassed any journalists as the UNP did to journalists Richard de Soyza, Premakeerthi de Alwis or Sagarika Gomes. The UNP, JVP and TNA belong to the same category. Those who have blood in their hands are talking about discipline, he said.

UNP parliamentarian Palitha Range Bandara who joined the debate appreciated the decision by the Government to take stern disciplinary action against the arbitrary behaviour of North Western Provincial Councillor. He praised the UPFA and its working committee for taking disciplinary action against its own Provincial Councillor within a short spell of three days.

He, severely criticised the UNP and its General Secretary Tissa Attanayake for not taking disciplinary action against the UNP Provincial Councillor who assaulted him in 2010. This Provincial Councillor has been appointed as Chilaw UNP organiser, he said. This is an encouragement for criminals. He cited this incident as an example to the vast difference between UNP and UPFA.

The lack of women’s participation in the legislature turned into a hot topic following a conversation between UNP MP Sajith Premadasa and Chief Government Whip and Water Supply and Drainage Minister, Dinesh Gunawardena.

The Minister told the MP in a lighter vein to follow the UPFA if the UNP is interested in women’s representation in Parliament. MP Premadasa said that women’s participation in Parliament does not reflect the percentage of the current population in the country.

Minister Gunawardena said the UPFA has been always fair by women on the question of Parliamentary representation. The SLFP produced the first woman Prime Minister in the world as well as the world’s first woman President.

The Government has already introduced necessary legal provision to provide a fair representation of women in Parliament. The UNP members should request their Leader to increase the nomination of women at elections, the Minister said. Later Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare Minister Dilan Perera asked the UNP while taking steps to increase women’s participation in Parliament, to appoint Rosy Senanayake as its Leader.

The tragedy of fishermen in the South turned into hot topic due to a statement by Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe that the Government should take full responsibility for the loss of fishermen’s lives. He said some sort of honour and recognition should be given to the civilians who saved the lives of fishermen. Wickremesinghe said the Government had money and organisational power for night racing and not for rescuing people in the event of a natural disaster.

Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne said that the lives of 21 fishermen were saved due to joint efforts by the Fisheries Ministry and Department, Air Force, Navy, Army, Police and other authorities. Despite modern technologies, even developed countries such as USA had not faced national disasters.

The use of life jackets by fishermen was made compulsory in 2008 and more than 5,000 life jackets have been given to them, he said. Colombo District UPFA parliamentarian R. Duminda Silva attended parliamentary sittings on Wednesday after eighteen months.

The supporters of MP Silva had flocked to the Parliament roundabout to welcome him. MP Silva who spoke to media personnel at the Parliament corridors told them that it was a miracle that he had survived after receiving two gunshot injuries to his head. He said that he would continue to serve people in the Colombo District.