Mangala entertains Macrae at UNP headquarters:

Free-for-all opposite Sirikotha

Last week’s political arena was fully concentrated on the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) 2013 in Sri Lanka. While Government politicians were busy with the activities related to CHOGM 2013, there was another free-for-all opposite the headquarters of the country’s main Opposition, the United National Party.

Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe’s vehicle came under attack by a group protesting against an exhibition on Human Rights and the Implementation of LLRC recommendations being held at UNP headquarters, Sirikotha on Wednesday.

UNP sources said that vehicle had been slightly damaged and no harm had been caused to the UNP Leader.

A tense situation developed outside Sirikotha where a large crowd gathered in the protest campaign. Heavy traffic was also reported in Pagoda Road, Welikada, Ethulkotte and Madiwela roads.

Ranil and his loyalists were inside the UNP header quarters when Sirikotha was surrounded by angry protesters. Among them were several Bikkhus, demanding reforms to the main Opposition party.

It was reported that certain thugs deployed by a UNP parliamentarian in the South had attacked anit-Ranil protesters and even attacked the Bikkhus. Unconfirmed reports said Ranil and UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake was monitoring the confrontation between the two groups from upstairs.

Another report said the new Leadership Council chief Karu Jayasuriya, who had been with Ranil and Tissa at the time of attack, had sought refuge at the Sirikotha Budu Medura. Tissa was quoted as saying that he was unaware whether Karu had gone to the shrine room at the time of attack.

But UNP Treasurer and Ampara District parliamentarian Daya Gamage made full use of the opportunity to score from both sides. He was seen walking out to the middle to become a peace maker.

Meanwhile, Ranil has said that he would handover more powers to the newly-appointed leadership council in the future. The UNP leader gave this assurance when he met some members of the National Youth Front at Sirikotha.

Ranil said he had already divested himself of 19 powers and passed them over to the leadership council and would hand over more powers to it soon.

“The party will soon be managed by the leadership council,” he said.

Ranil said he would handle parliamentary matters and would have the power to liaise with other political parties and with the Government.

“We needed to focus on building up ties with other parties while consolidating our party,” he said. The Opposition Leader urged party members to support the leadership council headed by Karu Jayasuriya.

On the following day, the UNP accused the government of tormenting the party and said it would boycott CHOGM 2013. The UNP had earlier said it would participate at Friday’s opening ceremony.

Mangala joins Macrae

Matara District UNP parliamentarian Mangala Samaraweera who is now in the political wilderness and facing expulsion from the UNP in the event Ranil loses his leadership, last week joined controversial Channel 4, director Callum Macrae.

Mangala who has always been a shameless character and would resort to any low level for his political agendas, entertained Macrae, who defamed Sri Lanka, at a press conference organised at Sirikotha.

Macrae produced four films for Channel 4 with wild allegations against Sri Lanka’s Security Forces, was invited to the media briefing held by Mangala Samaraweera. But Mangala’s disgraceful act was bitterly opposed by UNP MPs and other members of the party.

It was later revealed that the invitation to Macrae to attend the press conference had been extended with the consent of the UNP Leader and the Chairman of its Leadership Council, Karu Jayasuriya.

Macrae who attempted to disgraced Sri Lanka in the eyes of international community, was invited to the headquarters of the main Opposition party in the backdrop of the Commonwealth Summit.

Prince Charles arrives on his 65th birthday

The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall arrived in Colombo on Thursday to attend CHOGM 2013. It was on his 65th birthday that he arrived in Sri Lanka after a holiday in India to represent her mother - the Queen Elizabeth 11 who is the head of the Commonwealth. He hosted several other Commonwealth events including a reception for business leaders and a dinner for Heads of Government.

The Prince was scheduled to visit Sri Dalada Maligawa, the British Garrison Cemetery the historic Peradeniya Botanical Gardens, Nuwara Eliya, the Labookellie Tea Estate and a school for disabled children.

It was a red letter day for Sri Lanka as President Mahinda Rajapaksa addressed the Commonwealth Summit on Friday after a colourful opening ceremony at Nelum Pokuna. If the Commonwealth is to remain relevant to its member countries, the association must respond sensitively, to the needs of its peoples and not let it turn into a punitive or judgmental body, the President said.

Quoting from the Dhamma Pada the President said “Na pa resan wilomani, Na pa resan katakatan, Attanova avekkeiya, Katani aka thanicha” “Let not one take notice of faults of other's or what they have done or not done. Let one be concerned only about what one has done and left undone.’

“We must also collectively guard against bilateral agendas being introduced into the Organisation, distorting Commonwealth traditions and consensus. The strength of the Organisation lies in keeping the member countries together, helping one another in a spirit of partnership, making the Commonwealth truly unique” the President said at the ceremonial opening.

President Rajapaksa also said as a matter of priority, they in the Commonwealth, should focus on development challenges, confronting the majority of their member nations.

Prince Charles said that Sri Lanka had confronted great adversity in recent years.“I am especially pleased to be back among the people of Sri Lanka who, in recent years, have confronted great adversity,” the Prince said.

“We hope and trust the Commonwealth brings healing to our troubles” he said speaking at the opening ceremony. “At the personal request of The Queen, I am delighted to be addressing you on behalf of the Head of the Commonwealth. Her Majesty's deep affection for the Commonwealth, and the special importance she has attached to it throughout her reign, are well known to you all. And if I may say so, those very sentiments have been an ever-present cornerstone in my own life also. It is therefore my particular privilege and pleasure to be representing The Queen at this, the 2013 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting,” the Prince said.

Prince Charles said that he is pleased to be back among the people of Sri Lanka who, in recent years, have confronted great adversity. “My last visit here, in 2005, came just weeks after the devastating tsunami had struck these shores. I visited communities affected by the disaster and met many of the relief workers who were doing so much to help rebuild broken lives and livelihoods,” he recalled.

He said that in the early days of the Commonwealth, Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru declared that the body ‘seemed capable of bringing a touch of healing’ to the management of contemporary world problems.

Nawaz congratulates Sri Lanka

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif congratulated Sri Lanka on hosting the Commonwealth Summit. In his special message on the occasion of CHOGM 2013, Sharif expressed his confidence in the “astute leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa,” saying that Commonwealth will become a stronger and more cohesive organization under his leadership.

Sharif reaffirmed that Pakistan being a democracy and a responsible member of the global community subscribes to the work of the Commonwealth for promoting peace through international cooperation, poverty alleviation through sustainable economic and social development.

Theme of this year's summit ‘Growth with Equity Inclusive Development’ is therefore highly relevant, he added. Pakistan is one of the eight founding members of the Commonwealth, which signed the London Declaration of April 1949.

Among the most notable absentee at CHOGM 2013 was Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh. External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid has said. But his External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid said that the Indian Prime Minister decided against attending the CHOGM as he was pressed by “competing sentiments” in India about outstanding issues with Sri Lanka and domestic compulsions like polls in five states.

“I imagine a lot of things were factored in,” Khurshid told CNN in an interview. “We are now into five elections and important elections, the last round of elections before the general elections sometime in the middle of next year. We are also handling some very, very critical economic issues including issues which are far-reaching reform issues, some of which will come before the next session of Parliament that's now a few weeks away,” Khurshid said, explaining the reasons for Singh's absence at the summit.

High praise for Lanka

Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma on Thursday congratulated President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the government, the task force, host ministers and people of Sri Lanka for their generous preparations and the national state of readiness for CHOGM 2013 in Sri Lanka.

Speaking at Thursday's pre-CHOGM press conference held with the participation of President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the BMICH CHOGM Media Centre, Colombo, Sharma said: “CHOGM is not just an intergovernmental meeting, it has a very well attended productive parallel forums, the youth, the business and the people's forum.”

It is these associated meetings that give the CHOGM summit its distinctive and uniquely valuable Commonwealth dimension, he pointed out.

“The pressure of such full and rich programs has been greatly eased thanks to meticulous planning and careful arrangements by our host, the government of Sri Lanka,” he said.

Speaking at CHOGM 2013 opening ceremony, Sharma said for the Commonwealth family it is not a matter of political values at one end of a spectrum and our development values at the other. “All are found indivisibly in our Commonwealth Charter.”

He said it is essential to undo what divides us and to do what unites, to see each other not through a reductionist lens, but through a prism in which our unique individual identities with their full richness and complexity can be valued and respected and celebrated.

'Sri Lanka among greatest nations'

Business tycoon James Packer was among the top business leaders who addressed last week’s Commonwealth Business Forum at the Cinnamon Grand. He gave an analytical study to prove his claim that Sri Lanka is one of the best countries to invest in.

Packer said Sri Lanka could be turned into a leading tourist M0ecca for the rising middle class of India, China and the rest of Asia. The Australian business tycoon said he was committed to providing an opportunity to develop the country as a base and destination for mass, luxury and business tourism through his company Crown Resorts and “plans to establish an integrated resort right here in Colombo on the Beira Lake”.

“Sri Lanka is among the greatest in the world for foreign investments and tourism with the dawn of peace and tranquility in the country," said Crown Limited, Australia, Chairman Packer at the Commonwealth Business Forum.

“Sri Lanka is now poised to take international stage as one of the world's most unique and exciting global destinations. The government is wisely investing in its people, giving them the opportunity to participate in an emerging economy. The country's major infrastructure roll out is having an impact in all provinces and is being successfully delivered,” he said.

“Sri Lanka has all the ingredients to become a tourist hub in the region because it has the macroeconomic stability, political stability, strong leadership and infrastructure level in the country. Colombo has always been a great trading and maritime city, and of course was part of the old spice route. But I believe that now, along with the rest of the country, it has the potential to become one of the region's great destinations for business, tourism and investment, “ he said .

Meanwhile, Investment Promotion Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena said it was very disappointing that UNP parliamentarian Harsha de Silva lodged a Police complaint to arrest James Packer at a time Sri Lanka is hosting the biggest ever business conference in the history of the country.

The Minister added that this was a deliberate attempt by the opposition to drive away foreign investors from Sri Lanka.“The UNP did the same thing during the height of the war and even requested HSBC not to grant credit facilities to Sri Lanka.

They even went to the extent of stating that if this loan was granted, a future UNP government would nullify it. The Minister questioned the wisdom and patriotism behind the UNP lodging a complaint against investor Packer and inviting the Channel 4 team for press conferences at the UNP headquarters.

The Opposition can have different political agendas but stooping to this low level at a time went the country is poised to host a historic event is unacceptable. The Minister said several UNP members and supporters and have rightly criticized this move.

Cameron plays cricket at CCC

British Prime Minister David Cameron visited Colombo’s oldest British club – the Queen’s Club, yesterday and played a little cricket at CCC grounds.

He also met former Sri Lanka cricketer and world record holder Muttiah Muralitharan during his visit to the CCC grounds and was impressed to hear the social work carried out by former Sri Lanka spin wizard in the North.

Cameron said it was an “enormous pleasure” to meet the bowler - who took a record 800 Test wickets.

Meanwhile, Channel 4’s Callum Macrae too visited Sri Lankan cricket legend to discuss his charity work and other development activities in the Northern Province.

It was learnt that Macrae and his television crew visited Murali at his residence in Battaramulla to talk about the celebrated cricketer’s initiative to bring together youngsters from Tamil and other communities through cricket as part of post-war reconciliation efforts.

They have also discussed various other development activities taking place in the North as well as topics concerning cricket and rehabilitation.

Murali had reportedly suggested the British Prime Minister had been ‘misled’ by certain quarters on the latest situation in the North.

“I’m a sportsman and we don’t think about politics. My opinion is, there were problems in the last 30 years in those areas.

Nobody could move there. I had been to the North with the UN during the period of terrorism and had seen how it was. “I regularly go there now and I see the place and there is about a 1,000% improvement in facilities,” Murali was quoted as saying.

“Cricket is the main game to narrow the bridge between the people. But facilities-wise, schools and roads are being built.

"Businesses have started. So many things have happened. It is improving. Thanks to the Sri Lankan army. They are putting a lot of effort there,” he said.

“I can’t say whether the British Prime Minister is wrong or not. He’s from United Kingdom and hasn’t seen the site.

"He visited these places only yesterday. But other than the political side, what we basically want is food, shelter, education, happiness in the family,” Murali said.

Asked by media about Muralitharan’s comments at a press conference, the British Prime Minister said: “I think he acknowledged that I was right to come and right to visit the North.”