Internal power struggles make joint Opposition protest a flop
Many thought that the Opposition has finally united to challenge the
ruling UPFA at the forthcoming Western and Southern Provincial elections
when the so-called joint Opposition protest was held at Hyde Park last
week.
Speaking to media at Sirikotha, the UNP headquarters, last Sunday,
senior UNP organiser Karunasena Kodituwakku claimed that the JVP, TNA
and the Democratic Front will join the main Opposition UNP in Tuesday's
joint Opposition protest against the Government and the ruling UPFA.
Mahinda Deshapriya |
But the so-called joint Opposition protest eventually turned out to
be a flop as none of the party leaders joined Opposition leader Ranil
Wickremesinghe. Instead, the JVP and the Democratic Party had their own
meetings. Wasantha Samarasinghe, one of the JVP trade union leaders, was
the only notable Opposition member who came to the UNP rally held under
the patronage of Ranil.
Though UNP headquarters had instructed its electoral organisers to
get down at least 50 supporters each for the protest march from Lipton
Circus to Hyde Park, less than 500 members took part in the 100m walk.
The Lipton Circus, Ibbanwala Junction and the Hyde Park area has
always been a busy area during working days and the Opposition always
opts for the Hyde Park for their political meetings as pedestrians,
onlookers and passengers would stop at least for a few minutes to see
what happens. Hence, the Opposition could always count on those by
passers to the headcount and claim that they had a decent crowd.
Since the road was blocked, there was a few hundred of addition crowd
which was an added bonus for the UNP organisers. Even the couple of
hundred people who patiently listened to the speech of Ven Maduluwawe
Sobhitha, started leaving the venue when Ranil began to address the
gathering.
Harsha de Silva whispers 'for your ears only' to President
Rajapaksa |
It was obvious that Ranil too had felt the poor response the UNP had
got as there were less than 200 people at the venue. To cover up the
party's political bankruptcy, Ranil gave a lame excuse - that large
number of supporters who had come from outstations have left early to
reach their hometowns before midnight.
Hence, it eventually became a UNP affair with only a couple of
hundred supporters as the TNA and the JVP did not participate. The
Democratic Party, led by Sarath Fonseka, had a separate protest opposite
the Fort railway station but did not join the UNP rally.
It was their greediness for power and attempts to outshine others
that disrupted the joint Opposition protest which eventually exposed the
political nudity of the Opposition. The UNP thought that it could get
the full credit by showing a good crowd with the support of JVP and
Fonseka's supporters. But the JVP did not want to help Ranil indirectly
by adding their party members. Fonseka thought that he could get a
better media attention over the UNP and held a separate rally at the
same time.
All these indicates that the Opposition would never be united to pose
a joint challenge to the UPFA. At a time even a strong and joint
Opposition alliance would find it hard to challenge the popularity of
the Government, one could well imagine how the Opposition would fare at
the forthcoming Provincial Council elections.
UNP support for the Govt
The UNP, on Friday, charged that the Northern Provincial Council has
overstepped its constitutional mandate by passing a resolution that
called for an international investigation on Sri Lanka.
Ranjan Ramanayake as One Shot in the film 'One Shot One' |
The UNP said the resolution passed by the TNA-controlled Northern
Provincial Council calling for an international probe on the human
rights violations is illegal as a Provincial Council has no power over
international affairs.
UNP parliamentarian and President's Counsel Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe
told journalists last week that the 13th Amendment to the Constitution
does not provide provisions to pass resolutions calling for an
international probe.
He has said the central government has the power to dissolve the
Council, but if such a decision is taken the call for a self- rule in
the North could intensify.
He also criticised the Government and said the Darusman committee was
appointed by the UN following an agreement.
But Rajapakshe said the UNP is prepared to support the Government in
overcoming whatever challenges it may have to face in Geneva in March if
it acts genuinely without trying to take political advantage.
NFF warns Govt over NPC moves
While claiming the proposals passed in the Northern Provincial
Council (NPC) last Monday, including a call for an international inquiry
into war crimes allegedly committed by the Sri Lanka's Security Forces
during the final stage of the battle against terrorism, the National
Freedom Front (NFF) urged the Government to take any possible action to
prevent the NPC from forwarding such resolutions in local bodies.NFF
leader Wimal Weerawansa told the media last week that the proposals
passed in the NPC were attempts to strengthen the already rising forces
that insist on an international inquiry into war crimes allegations.
Ranil Wickremesinghe |
"These proposals are just fuel for the upcoming resolutions against
the country in United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva in
March," the Minister said.
Weerawansa said that some other proposals passed in the NPC were to
conduct an international inquiry into the Mannar mass grave site and to
build a monument for those who had died in Mulliwaikkal during the last
phase of the battle.
"Provincial Councillor Ananthi Sasidharan has called for an
international inquiry into the Mannar mass grave site, alleging that the
census carried out by the Census and Statistics Department into the
casualties during the battle was wrong," the minister said.
President reiterates that he is custodian and not king
After the successful crushing of the LTTE, many people began
comparing President Mahinda Rajapaksa to prominent ancient kings who had
waged battles against various extraneous forces to unite the country.
Despite all those views expressed by the masses in expressing their
gratitude to President Rajapaksa for his unmatched political sagacity
and the inspiring leadership to the Security Forces during the battle
against terrorism, the President continues to show his humbleness and
affection to the people. He has always pointed out that he is not the
king but the temporary custodian of the country.
Wijedasa Rajapakshe |
The President once again shared the same view at a ceremony in
Makandura, saying that he is not a king but only a temporary custodian
of the state.
"When I was coming to the function here, these children called me
'dearest king'. Please, children, I would appreciate it if you call me
'dearest father'. I am not a king," he told the students of Makandura
Maha Vidyalaya.
"As I point out every day, I am just a temporary custodian of the
state," the President said at a ceremony held at Makandura Maha
Vidyalaya on Thursday.
Gammanpila takes begging bowl
Former Western Provincial Council Minister and JHU legal adviser
Udaya Gammanpila set a unique example by inviting public to contribute
towards his election campaign as he has no money to meet the huge
expenses.
He requested the public to contribute Rs 100 each for his election
campaign as he is unable to afford the campaign this time.
"I do not have a vehicle of my own and I have handed over my official
vehicle. I have never been corrupt. Anybody can check my personal assets
or bank accounts. Politicians become corrupt when they start earning for
their next election campaign or when they let their supporters to earn
on behalf of them" he said.
Udaya Gammanpila |
Gammanpila claimed that he stands for good governance and if anyone
has faith in him could offer Rs. 100 for his campaign as he does not
have any means to run his election office.
"I have faith in me that I can do justice to people if I am
re-elected as I do not mortgage principles for money but I do not have
big money to enter a competition with the money spinners as I have never
earned money through unfair means. If I take money from big businessman
I will be under obligation to help them after the polls so I kindly
request the public to help me in this campaign" he pleaded from the
public.
Harsha in hot water over assault
Parliamentarian Dr. Harsha de Silva is better known as the UNP's
economic advisor. But he caught attention of media last week for a
different - turning as a thug to threaten a driver.
But it was an unexpected incident. When Harsha was returning home
last he had seen a driver clearing adjoin land at the Thimbirigasyaya
Road end of the Longden Place. He got down from his vehicle and walked
up to the driver of the heavy vehicle and fired a series of questions.
The driver seemed to be annoyed by the back to back questions of the
stranger whom he did not recognise. "Do you know who I am?" Harsha
asked, identifying himself as a Member of the Parliament. But that did
not bother the drive who was said to have been beaten by Harsha's
bodyguard.
The driver, serving a medical officer who wons the land next to
Harsha's home, then lodged a complaint with the Narahenpita police last
Sunday for allegedly assaulting him over a land dispute.
The driver had admitted himself to the hospital after lodging the
complaint stating MP Silva had hit him on the head. Harsha had entered
the next door land when the driver and his employer had attempted to
clear their land.
But Harsha later claimed that the entire incident was a complete lie
and the incident had been fabricated. "There was a bulldozer adjacent to
a land to my house and when I asked the driver what was happening he
responded in an arrogant way. There were words exchanged, but I never
hit him. This is a complete lie," the economic pundit said.
Wimal Weerawansa |
Though the incident was looming up to be another black mark for the
UNP, Harsha was lucky to go scot free as the driver later agreed to
withdrawn his complaint. The police said that the complaint was
withdrawn after the driver and the parliamentarian had agreed it was not
necessary to investigate this matter any further.
Harsha later said that the complaint was withdrawn despite
considerable pressure. "I am happy to state that all charges of assault
made against me by a person by the name of Upali Silva have been
withdrawn fully. Despite considerable pressure, the conscience of the
accuser could not be bought, and the truth has finally prevailed. I'm a
person who lives by the law, and fights to protect the law.
I have maintained my innocence throughout this episode, and now I
have been exonerated," Harsha was quoted as saying.
Plastic ballot boxes ready
Nominations for the forthcoming Provincial Council elections to
Western and Southern which were to close on Thursday has been extend by
four more days. The date for the election will be announced thereafter.
All political parties, except for the TNA, has been busy finalising
their nomination lists and working out their campaign strategies.
Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya said on Wednesday that the
Department would use see-through plastic ballot boxes imported from
Kenya for the forthcoming elections to the Western Provincial Council.
"We have 250 plastic ballot boxes. We will use them this time in the
Colombo area on a experimental basis," Deshapriya told a news
conference. He said the Treasury had instructed him to opt for the use
of locally manufactured plastic ballot boxes as a cost cutting exercise.
"Wooden ballot boxes are very expensive. We are going to use plastic
ballot boxes manufactured locally out of recycled plastic waste.
It will be cost effective for us," he said. Deshapriya said the
Department had extended the period for accepting applications for postal
voting till February 10. "We will not back down from the new stand.
It is a fixed date. There is no bargaining on it. You cannot bargain
whenever there is a fixed price on a product at a super market. This is
also like that," he said.
SOS for Ranjan
The UNP leadership has sent an SOS call to its Ratnapura District
parliamentarian Ranjan Ramanayake after the party heavyweights Ravi
Karunanayake, Dr. Harsha de Silva and youth wing leader Ruwan
Wijewardene refused to sacrifice their seats in the Parliament to
contest the Western Provincial Council elections.
Ranjan, who is now expected to be the UNP's chief ministerial
candidate for0 the Western Provincial Council elections, went to Sri
Dalada Maligawa yesterday to invoke the blessings. He is expected to
contest from the Gampaha District which covers his native Katana
electorate. Though early reports indicated that UNP's Kalutara District
MP Palitha Thewarapperuma too would contest the PC elections, he has
decided against it. But it was Ramanayake who declared his willingness
to sacrifice his seat in the parliament and lead the party at the
Western Provincial Council polls.
Early reports said that Ranil had not responded initially as it could
become a challenge to the party's grooming leader - Gampaha District MP
Ruwan Wijewardene who is a close relative of the UNP leader. But with
the UNP leadership failing to persuade a party senior to contest, Ranil
has no option but to allow Ranjan to contest as the chief ministerial
candidate.
Meanwhile, the UNP is still struggling to find a popular leader as
its chief ministerial candidate for the Southern Provincial Council
(SPC) elections. Repeated calls to former deputy leader Sajith Premadasa
to take over the challenge has not been fruitful. Knowing that it would
only make him the SPC's leader of the Opposition at the expense of his
Hambantota District seat in the Parliament, Sajith is not ready to take
the challenge at a time the UNP is guaranteed of another election
defeat.
President solves rugby dispute
Days after opening the new Sports Ministry building built at a cost
of Rs. 400 million at Race Course, President Rajapaksa had to step into
solve another problem in sports. The differences between the Sri Lanka
Schools Rugby Football Association and the national body - the SLRFU,
has been widening over a sponsorship issue. Several school principals
too had telephoned the President to express their concern over the issue
which had threatened to disrupt school rugby.
The President called the SLRFU and SLSRFA officials, and told them to
continue the schools rugby sevens tournament as scheduled. It was due to
the timely intervention of the President that the tournament, which
would have been postponed indefinitely, began this weekend.
When the most awaited school sevens tournament seemed headed for a
postponement, the sporting President moved into the scrum and found a
solution.
The schools rugby body and the SLRFU were at loggerheads to share the
sponsorship money with the national governing body demanding a lion's
share.
It was finally a bog relief for the players and school rugby
supporters as the tournament finally got under way due to the efforts of
the President.
Earlier this week, the President met the officials of the Sports
Ministry and the organising committee and instructed to expedite the
preparations for the 2017 Youth Asian Games in Hambantota.
He said every effort should be made to host the best ever Games and
make Hambantota an international sporting destination. |