Chandrika plays into Geneva’s hands

Former Presidents J.R. Jayewardene and D.B. Wijetunga had an exemplary retirement after holding the most powerful position in the Executive. They never attempted to cast political remarks or tried to pontificate to their successors. Both President Jayewardene and President Wijetunga refrained from joining unnecessary political controversies and did not respond to call by media for such interviews.

Of all the four past Presidents, only President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga deviated herself from such exemplary conduct. Instead, she has made various political comments that have been damaging to the very same party she had led.

Political observers have found that Chandrika is making such sweeping statements purely because of jealousy as achievements during her 11-year tenure would come nowhere near the eight-and-a-half-year milestone achievements of her successor. Needless to state how inefficient her leadership was. Chandrika was better known as ‘usually late’ as punctuality was never associated with her timetable.

Thanks to a foreign-funded NGO, Chandrika instantly became a so-called ‘peace maker’ among people of different faith. She began talking of a ‘religious coexistence’ and pleaded for meetings with political leaders. Her youth hood buddy Ranil Wickremasinghe was among the first to oblige.

The manner in which she claimed to be promoting religious coexistence sent a different signal to the international community, exactly what her foreign funding agents wanted! At a time when people of different faiths - be it a Buddhist, Christian, Hindu or a Muslim, Chandrika's controversial role gave an impression that there is no religious coexistence in Sri Lanka.

Chandrika dropped another bombshell with a controversial letter. Earlier this week, Chandrika wrote to incumbent Mahinda Rajapaksa, asking that immediate steps be taken to “stop all illegal surveillance” targeting her. However, she had not given specific details on such incidents.

It was crystal clear that Chandrika's move had a hidden agenda as it had come at a time when sinister forces against Sri Lanka are roaring to take our country to task at the United Nations Human Rights Council sessions in Geneva. Either knowingly or not, her letter puts more weight on the international conspiracy against Sri Lanka.

The authorities must take a closer look at Chandrika’s NGO and its activities. It is also important to find out the finding sources of her NGO and the motives behind the operation.

President's response

In a response to the former President’s letter to President Rajapaksa, Presidential Secretary Lalith Weeratunga had said that the allegations mentioned in Chandrika's letter were lacking even a shred of proof to justify such charges of a serious nature.

“His Excellency the President notes that the many allegations made by you in this letter against the Government, the Police and Intelligence Services of this country, are lacking in even a shred of proof to justify such charges of a serious nature,” the letter from the Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga said.

“His Excellency the President wants you to be assured that there is absolutely no surveillance of your telephone and e-mail communications and of your residences in Colombo and Horagolla.”

The letter goes on to state that “although you make a number of allegations about the violation of your privacy, causing harassment to you, raising concerns about your personal safety, as well as, violation of your Fundamental Rights and impinging on your freedom of movement and association, His Excellency the President observes that there is a total lack of substance to warrant such allegations. In fact, what is set out is seen as a litany of generalities, marked for being vague and unauthenticated” the letter said.

The President has rejected the charges made by the former President in her letter on violation of her Fundamental Rights to movement and association, as well as the charges of violation of her privacy, causing her any harassment, and giving her any cause for concern with regard to her personal safety.

The letter further said that the President has observed that the timing of the former President's letter, with an abundance of generalization, was intended to synchronize with the wholly unfair allegations against Sri Lanka being leveled by international forces in Geneva and elsewhere in the West today.

Chandriks is no baby and is a mature politician who had been the Executive President for 11 long years, widely considered as the most unproductive since independence. Hence, none could deny the fact that she was not aware about the consequences of this type of a letter when the UNHRC is debating a US-led resolution against Sri Lanka. It is evident that she has deliberately played in to the hands of our enemies to project a gloomy picture on Sri Lanka to the international community.

Muza-Ravi duel continues

With less than a week to go for the Western and Southern Provincial Council elections, the UNP stalwarts still continue to put their personal differences ahead of campaigning to resurrect the party’s image.

The heated verbal battle between Colombo District MP Ravi Karunanayake and Colombo’s Mayor A.J.M. Muzammil continues to set an ugly experience to UNP voters in Colombo district.

Muzzamil accused parliamentarian Ravi Karunanayake of using funds from the Ministry of Economic Development to build the bus halt, which has been caught up in the centre of a storm.

He said bus halts within the city limits comes under the purview of the Colombo Municipal Council and therefore could not be used for private purposes.

“The bus halt that was demolished had Karunanayake’s posters on it. He has used the bus halt for advertising purposes,” Muzzamil was quoted as saying.

He said he had taken measures to rectify the situation when he was told about it. “I notified the relevant parties and told them to remove the bus halt if they wished to. When decided to demolish it because it was an illegal construction,” Muzzamil said and added that the Colombo Municipal Council had decided on putting up 100 bus halts.

However, UNP stalwart Ravi, commenting on the bus halt tussle, said it appeared that the sole reason for demolishing the bus stand was his poster. “I did not build the bus halt. It had been constructed by the Economic Development Ministry from the funds allocated to me as a Member of Parliament. MP’s receive about Rs. five million of which Rs. 700,000 is deducted as taxes. We can do social service from the remainder and this bus stand was one such project. It was built by the Ministry and as such there was no question about taking permission,” he said.

Sajith boycotts UNP Hambantota rally under Ranil

The differences among UNP seniors have reached the peak as the Provincial Council elections are drawing near. It had gone to the highest level with UNP’s district leader and parliamentarian Sajith Premadasa keeping away from the party’s final election rally held under the patronage of Opposition leader ranil Wickremesinghe in Katuwana, Mulkirigala on Thursday.

The final rally in the Hambantota district was held under the patronage of Ranil and the party’s leadership council chairman Sajith Premadasa. The Assistant Secretary of the UNP and the party’s chief organiser for Mulkirigala, Ananda Kularatne had invited Sajith for the rally well in advance, in both official and personal capacity.

Apart from Ranil and Karu, several UNP seniors including General Secretary Tissa Attanayake, national organizer Daya Gamage, Hambantota district MP Dilip Wedarachchi and Moneragala district MP Ranjith Maddumabandara attended the rally. However, Sajith had kept away from the final rally in the district he heads for reasons best known to him.

There have been serious differences between Ananda Kularatne and Sajith. Kularatne has been a Ranil loyalist. Sajith has been conducting a solo campaign in Hambantota with the help of his reformist group members. UNP rebels Shiral Laktillake and Maithri Gunaratne, who were not granted nominations for the elections on disciplinary grounds, are taking part in Sajith’s election meetings on the invitation of the former UNP deputy leader.

When the UNP leadership officially informed Sajith to include Karu and Tissa as speakers at some of the party’s main rallies in Hambantota district, Sajith rejected the offer, stating that it is too late and that he had already finalised the lists of speakers.

It was obvious that Sajith was adamant not to accommodate Ranil loyalists in any of his meetings, which have been used to promote himself as the future UNP leader.

People would prove me right, says Basil

Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa said last week that he had made a mistake by commenting on the chief minister posts even on previous occasions but that people in Colombo district would prove him right at next Saturday’s elections to the Provincial Councils of Western and Southern.

He said all the communities and political parties in the UPFA had agreed to abide by his decision as the national organiser of the UPFA and the SLFP to appoint Udaya Gammanpila as the UPFA group leader for the Colombo District at the forthcoming WPC elections.

“Certain separatists tried to give various interpretations to some clauses of the Constitution especially the 13th Amendment. They thus tried to do through the courts what Prabhakaran tried using weapons. Gammanpila took up the task to defeat their attempts,” he said. The Minister of Economic Development had made these observations at the launch of a book - Pradeepaya column written by Gammanpila. The minister said he expected even more from Gammanpila now.

“He who represented the president, the country and peace has done a great job in the provincial council and outside. I have made the mistake of commenting on the chief ministership even on previous occasions but the eople of Colombo will prove my words on March 29 elections. I believe Gammanpila has the ability to serve most efficiently in the Western Provincial Council, he said.

Azwer stands firm

Parliament sessions took a chaotic turn on Thursday when national list MP A.H.M Azwer took the chair amidst strong protests by UNP MPs who charged that there was an agreement that MP Azwer would not be allowed to preside over sessions.

Azwer took the chair when Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa left the chair asking anyone to nominate Azwer to the chair. But UNP MP Eran Wickremeratne raised a point of order when Azwer took the chair.

Eran questioned as to why Azwer took the chair when there was an agreement that Azwer would not be allowed to take the chair.

However, Azwer argued that one cannot question the actions of the speaker. UNP parliamentarian Ajith P Perera who joined in the argument said an agreement was reached between the government and the opposition that Azwer would not be allowed to take the chair because of an incident that took place earlier.

UNP parliamentarians Ravi Karunanayake and Sujeewa Senasinghe also raised the same argument when Chief Government whip Dinesh Gunawardene responded saying there was no issue with Azwer taking the chair as he is included in the panel of MPs who will take the chair during the absence of the speaker or his deputy.

However, the UNP MPs stormed into the well of the House demanding that Azwer steps down from the chair.

There were verbal arguments between the government and opposition MPs at that time. Accordingly, Deputy Ministers Lalith Dissanayake and A. R. M. Abdul Cader were seen engaged in a verbal war with the UNP MPs. Later Deputy Speaker Chandima Weerakkody took the chair.

Most UNP parliamentarians have raised objections as Azwer is a no nonsense statesman who has always defended the President and the Government.

He has always protected the dignity of the House without allowing the Opposition MPs to conduct themselves in disgraceful manner with abusive language.

GL rejects sanctions phobia

Most Opposition politicians seem to have arrived at their own conclusions after day dreams, claiming that there would be trade sanctions against Sri Lanka soon after the UNHRC debate on Sri Lanka.

But External Affairs Minister prof. G.L. Peiris has given a firm answer to all those political opportunists.

Nobody would put trade sanctions on Sri Lanka nor had anyone raised the issue of imposing sanctions on us, the External Affairs Minister said last week.

He emphasised that the UN was not in a position to impose sanctions against Sri Lanka on the instigation of the UNHRC as two out of the five members of the Security Council, China and Russia would no doubt veto it.

Minister Peiris said Sri Lanka would never accept an international probe and compromise the sovereignty of the country and its people, as it was against the basic law of the country.

The Minister, however, maintains that countries such as the US or the UK individually or the EU collectively can impose sanctions on Sri Lanka, but it was extremely unlikely.

Commenting on the one-sided and arbitrary actions taken by the EU on Sri Lanka, Prof. Peiris said it was like a cricket match played by giving 50 runs to one side at the start of the match.

“The EU takes decisions en-block in Brussels and 17 countries vote together on any issue at UNHRC or at the EU Parliament. Therefore Sri Lanka is at a disadvantage because the EU has already has taken a decision on its voting at the UNHRC,” he said.

“Who is suggesting punitive actions against Sri Lanka on alleged human rights violations after all? She is none other than UN High Commissioner on Human Rights Navaneethem Pillay who termed the humanitarian operation that was launched to eradicate separatist terrorism as ‘an attempt to persecute Tamils under the guise of terrorism’ and added giving the responsibility to probe Sri Lanka on alleged HR violations – similar to asking prophecy from the mother of the thief. Do we have confidence in this lady?” Prof. Peiris asked.

Minister Peiris said diplomats of several smaller member countries of the UNHRC had told him in Geneva during the High Level Segment interactions that they did not agree with the attitude towards Sri Lanka at the UNHRC but they were helpless because they relied much on countries like US on their defence and economic development matters.

“The US and western countries keep these smaller countries in Africa and elsewhere as their satellite states by providing them with defence and economic aid. Their plight is understandable but what is important is that they do not vote with the resolution on their conscience.

They even asked me why this unprecedented and unusual interest on Sri Lanka on Human Rights. Is Sri Lanka the only country where internal troubles were prevalent? What about other troubled spots like Afghanistan, Iraq or Syria? What is this injustice? What is this transgression?” Prof. Peiris questioned.

‘Wignes more dangerous than Prabha’

UPFA Colombo district candidate Nishantha Sri Warnasinghe said last week that the Northern Province Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran was more dangerous than LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran.

“Prabhakaran fought with weapons but Wigneswaran fights using the constitution, the law and international support to divide the country while enjoying perks as Chief Minister,” he said.

Warnasinghe, who is also the JHU Nataional Organiser, expressed these views at an event held in Colombo where the 18-fold program he had complied to counter Geneva was launched.

He said the Government should take steps to ban the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) which was attempting to divide the country while enjoying Government perks.

Warnasinghe said it was the responsibility of all Sri Lankans to get together and counter the international challenges and protect the peace we had won.a