Undue political mileage stemmed due to prompt police action:

Familiar 'thief' breaks into Mangala's residence

UNP parliamentarian Mangala Samaraweera’s residence at Panadura was burgled on Monday night. With the Western and Southern Provincial Council elections around the corner, Mangala thought that this was the best chance to take undue political mileage by making use of the isolated incident.

Mangala has a track record of media gimmicks and coming out with concocted stories to get cheap political mileage. Hence, Mangala and experts in his media wing cooked up a story that the Government was behind the incident.

Undoubtedly, he would have thought that this was a good chance to gain public sympathy ahead of the forthcoming elections, claiming that his life was in danger.

But even a kindergarten child would know that Mangala is a bankrupt politician. Neither the Government nor any other political party in the Opposition for that matter would waste time trying to harm Mangala. If anybody was interested in eliminating Mangala from politics it could only be somebody from the UNP Reformist group which did not like his parachuting into the party.

Knowing the true nature of Mangala and the political mileage he would attempt to gain by twisting the incident, the Government took prompt action with immediate police investigation which eventually apprehended the culprit.

Initial police reports indicated that there had been nobody at Mangala’s house at the time of the incident. Following a complaint by the Matara District UNP parliamentarian to the Panadura North Police, four policemen were sent to provide round-the-clock security.

Panadura-North Police subsequently arrested a youth suspected of having broken into Mangala’s residence at Galkanuwa in Keselwatta, Panadura.

Police recovered several bottles of foreign liquor and a laptop that the suspect was alleged to have taken away. Police said the suspect was a resident of Payagala and a frequent visitor to Mangala’s residence. It would be interesting to know why the youth, in his early twenties, had frequently visited the place and his connection with Mangala. Only the ongoing police investigations would disclose the true nature of the youth.

The suspect was produced before the Panadura Magistrate Ruchira Weliwaththa and was remanded till January 8. The Crime Investigation Division is carrying out further investigations.

UNP’s Raththaran joins UPFA

UNP Southern Provincial Councillor Krishantha Pushpakumara alias Raththaran said last week that he has decided to leave the UNP and contest the forthcoming Southern Provincial Council election as a Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) candidate under the UPFA ticket.

Speaking at a press conference at his home in Galle, he said that he already met President Mahinda Rajapaksa and decided to join the government.

“I will obtain SLFP membership soon and would contest at the forthcoming SPC election on the UPFA ticket,” he was quoted as saying.

He also said that the UNP had not treated him fairly and, therefore, he was compelled to take this decision. Krishantha’s crossover comes within days after Southern Provincial Council member and popular actress Ararkalli Aakarsha said that she could jointly do the election campaign with Raththaran if he joins the UPFA.

Meanwhile, Aanarkalli returned to the country last morning after a short holiday in the UK during the festive season. She is expected to start her election campaign shortly after the expected dissolution of the Southern Provincial Council.

Will Maithri follow Raththaran?

The United National Party said last week that its Leadership Council, headed by Karu Jayasuriya, would hold talks with Southern Provincial Councillor Maithri Gunaratne about his nomination for the upcoming Southern Provincial Council election, upon a request made by him.

Gunaratne had requested a meeting with the Leadership Council in writing, stating that he was willing to contest the upcoming Southern Provincial Council election on the UNP ticket. He had also mentioned about Western Provincial Councilor Shiral Lakthilake, UNP Local Government body member, according to what Parliamentarian Lakshnman Kiriella had said at a news conference.

Kiriella said the UNP’s Leadership Council would decide whether to give him nominations to contest the elections after discussions were completed, and will discuss other issues.

But there is a strong rumor that Gunaratne may join the Government and contest the SPC elections on the UPFA ticket. However, indications are that Gunaratne would first try to convince the UNP leadership council to grant him nomination.

Infighting and backstabbing in TNA

Members of the TNA-controlled Local Government bodies in the North and the East were reported to be going berserk, involved in infighting and backstabbing.

They seem to have even ignored a recent warning by TNA leader R. Sampanthan to cooperate and pass the Budget for 2014 of their local bodies.

Repeated warnings by Sampanthan have been ignored by TNA Pradeshiya Sabha and Municipal Council members. As a result, dissident activities within the elected TNA Pradeshya Sabha Councillors continue unabated despite the threat to the so-called Tamil nationalism of the TNA.

It was reported that the feud between the TNA Chairmen and the TNA elected councilors in many local bodies had reached a point of no return and it was impossible for Sambandan to bring about a compromise, as the hate in their midst had hit the ceiling.

But it is still unclear as to who should be considered dissidents – whether the elected TNA councilors of Local bodies or the Chairmen of the councils, who adopt extra-democratic and illegal measures to get their Budget 2014 passed.

Crisis at TNA-run Valvettiturai UC

At the Valvettiturai Urban Council, its TNA-elected Councilors had forwarded a report to the Provincial Local Government Commissioner against the Urban Council Chairman. They have accused the Chairman of the UC as an undemocratic person and practicing high-handed acts against the principles of democracy and involved in illegal practices.

Valvetiturai Urban Council Chairman N. Anandarajah submitted the Budget proposal for 2014 and saw the Budget proposals passed by depriving the Vice Chairman and four other TNA Councilors of participating.

Of the nine elected members to the Valvetiturai Urban Council seven are from the TNA and the other two from the UPFA. Before the commencement of the meeting, supporters of Anandarajah congregated in front the Council entrance and prevented the Vice Chairman K. Sathees and four other TNA Councilors from entering. The dissident Councilors reported the matter of obstruction to the Police and sought Police assistance to enter the Council building to participate in the proceedings.

Though the Police was present at the scene, they were unable to break the stiff resistance of the Chairman’s supporters who prevented the dissident Councilors from entering the building. Later, the UC Chairman claimed that the budget was passed with the vote of one TNA Councillor and that of the two EPDP Councillors.

Valikamam East Pradeshiya Sabha

The other contentious issue faced by the TNA was the passing of the Budget 2014 at the Valikamam East Pradeshiya Sabha.

Of 21 elected members of the Pradeshiya Sabha, 16 are from TNA and the balance five from the United Peoples Freedom Alliance with the EPDP.

The Chairman of the Pradeshiya Sabha, Annalingham Udayakumar suddenly announced that the Budget for 2014 was passed with the participation of eight TNA Councillors.

What was most surprising was that even the Secretary of the Pradeshiya Sabha had been unaware of such a meeting to take up the Budget Proposals for 2014.

After the announcement by the Chairman, the other eight dissident TNA Pradeshiya Sabha members, along with the five UPFA members brought to the notice of the Provincial Commissioner of Local Government about the unacceptability of the said meeting which passed Budget 2014.

Last year, the Budget proposal for 2013 of the Valikamam South West Pradeshiyaa Sabha was defeated twice and the then Chairman Jebanesan resigned and this year Budget 2014 was passed as the former Vice Chairman Sivakumar was elected as the Chairman.

TNA Councillors ignore Sampanthan’s warnings

TNA Provincial Councilors and Parliamentarians met at Vavuniya on Christmas Eve and discussed the issue of TNA Pradeshiya Sabha Councillors in the presence of TNA leader R. Sampanthan.

Sampanthan warned against the dissident activities of TNA local government councillors and categorically told them to work unitedly and see that Budget 2014 of the local bodies under TNA control be passed without any let or hindrance.

He warned that in case any TNA Pradeshiya Sabha Councillors work against the Budget proposals of any Councils controlled by the TNA they would be dealt with severely.

The TNA leader announced that those who voted against Budget proposals in any Council controlled by them, their TNA party memberships would be rescinded and they would be removed of membership of the local government body where they represent the TNA as elected Councillors.

Ravi opposes Daya and Karu

The internal power struggles within the UNP seems to be never ending. While Sajith Premadasa continues to live in a dream world that he would soon succeed Ranil Wickremesinghe as the UNP leader, its other senior members too are working to personal agendas, pushing the country’s main Opposition further into the political wilderness.

With the news that elections to Western and Southern Provincial Councils would be held by April, the UNP is now struggling to find its chief ministerial candidates. Though Ratnapura District parliamentarian Ranjan Ramanayake has claimed that he is ready to lead the Western Provincial Council to victory, the party’s Leadership Council Chairman Karu Jayasuriya has said that no decision has been taken on the UNP’s chief ministerial candidates.

Continued appeals by the party leadership to UNP’s national list MP Dr. Harsha de Silva to become the chief ministerial candidate for the WPC has been turned down. A dejected Harsha had finally sent a letter to Ranil, stating that he has no intention of contesting the WPC.

Names of former UNP Minister Dr. Karunasena Kodituwakku and UNP National Organiser Daya Gamage have now been proposed for the post. But it was reported that Colombo District MP Ravi Karunanayake had objected to the move, fearing that it would be a threat to his political dominance in the Colombo district.

Crucial UNP meeting

However, another crucial meeting among UNP seniors is expected to be held at Ravi’s residence in Colombo today. UNP seniors Lakshman Kiriella and Kabir Hashim are due to attend the meeting at which initial problems pertaining to the Western and Southern Provincial elections would be discussed.

The crossover of Ranil-loyalist Southern Provincial Councillor Raththaran has disturbed UNP seniors and moderate party leaders are now struggling to obtain nominations to sitting councillors Shiral Laktillake and Maithri Gunaratne who have been at the receiving end from the party leadership.

But a senior UNP member had questioned what sin has Maithri and Shiral done to get step motherly treatment from the UNP leader. They question the justice in treating the duo in such way and making Karu Jayasuriya, who had betrayed the party with 17 others and joined the Government to accept ministerial positions, as Chairman of the Leadership Council.

It seems that Sajith Premadasa has decided to lie low, after all his recent dreams were shattered. Fearing that he would be challenged once more to contest the Southern PC as the UNP’s chief ministerial candidate, Sajith has decided to keep away from all the main events.

President leaves on State visit

President Mahinda Rajapaksa left on a week-long state visit to Jordan, Palestine and Israel yesterday. He will be accompanied by External Affairs Minister G.L. Peiris and First Lady Shiranthi Wickremesinghe.

President arrives in Jordan first on the first leg of his tour and will hold discussions with King Abdulla 11 Ibn Al Hussein.

President Rajapaksa will be the first ever Sri Lankan leader to tour Palestine which was granted non-member observer status at the United Nations General Assembly last year.

Palestine will confer President Rajapaksa with the ‘Star of Palestine’, its highest accolade in recognition of his solidarity with the Palestinian liberation struggle. A road has also been named after President Rajapaksa in the Palestine Capital of Ramallah.

The state visit will be followed by a two-day visit to Israel where the President will hold talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Nethenyahu.

‘US, the biggest threat to world peace’

The United States has been voted as the most significant threat to world peace in a survey across 68 different countries. Anti- American sentiment was not only recorded in antagonistic countries, but also in many allied NATO partners like Turkey and Greece.

A global survey conducted by the Worldwide Independent Network and Gallup at the end of 2013 revealed strong animosity towards the US’s role as the world’s policeman. Citizens across over 60 nations were asked: “Which country do you think is the greatest threat to peace in the world today?”

The US topped the list, with 24 percent of people believing America to be the biggest danger to peace. Pakistan came second, with 8 percent of the vote and was closely followed by China with 6 percent. Afghanistan, Iran, Israel and North Korea came in joint fourth place with 5 percent of the vote.

The threat from the US was rated most highly in the Middle East and North Africa, those areas most recently affected by American military intervention. Moreover, the survey showed that even Americans regard their country as a potential threat with 13 percent of them voting the US could disrupt global status quo.

Latin America expressed mixed feelings towards its northerly neighbor, with Peru, Brazil and Argentina all flagging the US as the most dangerous country.

After its numerous threats of a strike on Iran, many countries voted Israel was the biggest threat to prosperity. Morocco, Lebanon and Iraq all chose Israel as the number one danger to world peace.

In the survey participants were also asked: “If there were no barriers to living in any country of the world, which country would you like to live in?” Despite being the perceived largest threat to world peace, the US still topped the tables by a narrow margin of 9 percent.

In general 2013 saw a drop in approval ratings for the Obama Administration. A poll conducted by the AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research revealed that 50 percent of those asked thought that the political system in the US needed a “complete overhaul.”

In addition, 70 percent of Americans believe the government lacks the ability to make progress on the important problems and issues facing the country in 2014.”

The survey comes two months after the first government shutdown in 17 years in the US which cost the country an estimated $10 billion.

The American government’s credibility was dealt a blow earlier this year when President Obama made a call to strike Syria following a suspected chemical weapons attack by the Syrian government on civilians.

The American public and the international community both opposed the action.