Sacked from Premadasa Commemoration Committee:

Karu’s dirty games come to light 

UNP’s Leadership Council chairman Karu Jayasuriya has been removed from the R. Premadasa Commemoration Committee and the organisers have decided not to invite Karu for any of its functions in future. Karu served in the committee since the LTTE assassinated President R. Premadasa on May 1, 1993.

This followed after Karu was instrumental in moving the UNP’s main May Day rally to Ampara from the originally planned city of Hambantota, the district in which the UNP is led by the only son of the late President – Hambantota District parliamentarian Sajith Premadasa.

The organisers of the Premadasa commemoration at Hullsdroff and the official garlanding ceremony near the Premadasa statute at Armour Street have found that Karu has not shown any interest in the events, especially after his appointment as the Chairman of the UNP leadership council.

Karu’s conduct right throughout his political career has not been transparent and appears to be selfish.

He conspired against his party leader and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s government. Later, he crossed over to the UPFA with 17 other senior UNP parliamentarians. That weakened the UNP further but Karu was only interested in his ministerial position.

After getting rid of senior party colleagues who could possibly be a threat to his position in the UNP, Karu returned to the party again and became Deputy Leader, due to the sympathy of Ranil.

But he wasn’t a loyal confidant to Ranil, though the UNP leader originally thought he would. Behind the scene, he supported the UNP rebels who demanded reforms to the party, including the removal of Ranil for the top seat.

Sajith too thought Karu would be a source of inspiration in his struggle for party reforms.

But Karu took one step behind when Sajith lost his deputy leadership. Ranil knew exactly how he could play his cards to tackle power-greedy Karu.

He offered chairmanship of the newly formulated UNP leadership council. Karu grabbed the opportunity without any hesitation, ignoring the struggle of Sajith and the other reformists such as Shiral Laktillake and Maithri Gunaratne.

At a time Ranil is away, on a special study tour to the US, Karu is making every effort to consolidate his position in the UNP. In the absence of Ranil and the party is headed by Karu’s leadership council, the UNP decided to boycott yesterday’s function at Temple Trees to celebrate the “Cultural diversity of the Commonwealth to mark the Sinhala and Tamil New year”.

Karu’s Leadership Council of the UNP instructed all UNP members not to attend yesterday’s ceremony. A senior UNP parliamentarian said Karu was a shameless politician who had weakened the UNP to obtain a ministerial post in the UPFA government and then returned to the party to become the deputy leader.

“He has no principle. He has proved that he is a shameless person through his conduct.

Jumping from the UNP to the UPFA in his lust for power, Karu once again returned to the UNP to grab the leadership ahead of Sajith,” he said.

Sajith has been adamant that the Premadasa commemoration should be head as planned, despite Karu’s lethargic approach. A Colombo District UNP parliamentarian said it was the late President who introduced Karu to politics but the leadership council chief has forgotten his past.

Elections when the Opposition wants

Opposition political parties became panicky when a local Sinhala newspaper said that the next Presidential election would be held in January next year. Quoting an astrologer introduced as an advisor to President Mahinha Rajapaksa, the Sunday Sinhala language newspaper even went to the extent of giving the date fixed for the next Presidential election.

When President Rajapaksa hosted the chief editors and media heads for his monthly breakfast meeting, this issue was not raised by any of the media chiefs almost until the end of the meeting. But during the latter stages of the breakfast meeting at Temple Trees on Thursday, a chief editor questioned the accuracy of the news item.

“I thought you would pose this question much earlier,” a smiling President said. “I also saw the news report in a Sinhala paper quoting an astrologer. But no such decision has been taken yet. But why do you hurry for a Presidential election? There is long way to go, more than two years. A general election is scheduled prior to that,” he said.

Another media head questioned whether the presidential or general election would be held first. “The general election is scheduled to be held first. But I could hold the presidential election first if the Opposition wants. It depends on when the Opposition wants to face an election and which one. We are ready to face an election whenever they want,” a confident President said, adding that it would all depend on when the Opposition leader is ready to face it.

Nobody above the law

President Rajapaksa said that nobody is above the law and that no organisation or individual would be allowed to take law in to their hands. Responding to a question on the actions of the Bodu Bala Sena over the past few weeks, the President said that no one, not just Bikkhus, is above the law.

He added that a special Police Unit will be formed and subsequent to training will be given to the deployed officers to ensure that religious harmony and face such situations.

“There are special units for tourism, environment, women and children. Similarly, there will be another special unit that would tackle these religious matters to maintain law and order against actions of various groups,” he said.

Inspector General of Police N.K. Illangakoon, who was also present, admitted that there were incidents where followers of other religious faiths had been implicated in disruptive activity, but said that actions was taken to bring culprits to book.

President said that he will be meeting with all relevant groups separately, including the Bodu Bala Sena, to ascertain grievances and resolve them.

Hambantota incident, nothing new

Commenting on the recent attack on UNP parliamentarians for a fact finding mission in Hambantota, the President reiterated that no one is above the law and strict instructions have been give to the Police to apprehend the culprits. He said such an unfortunate situation could have been averted if the UNP parliamentarians had visited Mattala and Magampura with their fellow MPs from the area.

“They should have gone with their fellow UNP parliamentarians in Hambantota - Sajith (Premadasa) and (Dilip) Wedaarachchi because they know the area and its people,” he said.

He refuted the claim made by some UNPers that the MPs were attacked in a ‘high security zone’, adding that such zones do not exist any more, apart from a small area in Colombo Fort.

The President pointed out that politicians using strong-arm tactics or being subjected to attack are not a new phenomenon, citing numerous incidents where prominent politicians were beaten up.

“'The Speaker was attacked at Deduru Oya. You all wrote about it. I myself have been beaten up and subjected to tear gas attacks on many occasions when I was in the Opposition. Minister Dinesh Gunawardena was beaten up. The difference is that on such occasions it was the police that carried out the attack in civil, sans uniform. Dr. Colvin R. de Silva was also beaten up by the Slave Island police. Then there was an ex-Minister who got people beaten up by thugs wielding kurundu polu in Matara,” he added.

“However, these politicians provoked the crowds by saying the Hambanthota harbour would be made a swimming pool and making similar uncalled for statements.

A special police unit would be established to swoop in and take necessary action if complaints about ‘vigilante’ action by various groups are correct,” the President said.

The President said that this state of affairs cannot be allowed to continue and strict action would be taken against those how violate law and order.

The IGP added that the initial investigation has been completed and a full report will be submitted to court on July 2.

Strategic Projects Act passed

On the Strategic Development Projects Act the President said categorically that no casinos are to be established in the hotel complex that is to come up in D R Wijewardene Mawatha. Speaking further at the breakfast meeting with chief editors and media heads, the President said that the UNP protests are ill informed and are in the main due to a lack of issues they can deal with.

The two Orders under the Strategic Development Projects Act were passed with a majority in Parliament on Friday as the Opposition’s attempts to take political mileage out of the Act turned out to be a flop.

The votes for the two Orders were taken separately. The first Order was passed with a majority of 68 votes.

One hundred and twelve members voted in favour while 44 members voted against.

Sixty nine members were absent. The second Order was passed with a majority of 65 votes. One hundred and nine members voted in favour while 44 members voted against. Seventy two members were absent.

The two Orders under the Strategic Development Projects Act were related to the Gazettes on John Keells Holidays’ Investment on an integrated tourism resort in Colombo and Crown Ltd's investment on a hotel project in Colombo.

The UNP, TNA, DNA and the JHU voted against. JHU members Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka and Ven. Athuraliye Rathana Thera voted against. Ven. Ellawala Medananda Thera was absent.

The divisions were asked by name by Acting Opposition Leader John Amaratunga and DNA MP Sunil Handunnetti.

The Opposition organised protest on Thursday in Colombo turned out to be an utter failure as they could attract only seven UNP parliamentarians and around 125 supporters.

Interested parties made a disgraceful attempt to twist the absence of Hambabtota district parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa at the time of voting. But it was well-known that Namal was in Inchon, South Korea, leading Sri Lanka national rugby team in the Asian Five Nations tournament.

Cat jumps out of Fonseka’s bag

The hidden political agenda of Sarath Fonseka came to light when the Democratic Party leader sought the “assistance of the international community and the United Nations (UN) to change the leadership” in Sri Lanka.

Claiming that there is no relief for the people and there is no way out of the misery, Fonseka said he would seek the help of the UN and the international community for a regime change.

His statement comes at a crucial time when the sinister forces in the West and the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) are exerting undue pressure on Sri Lanka over alleged human rights violations during the final phase of the country's relentless battle against terrorism. Thus, Fonseka would have thought the UNHRC and the godfathers in the West would offer him the presidency in a platter.

Fonseka's party goes by the name the Democratic Party, though he has no faith whatsoever in democracy and conducts himself as dictator within the party. He is conspiring with the West to look for undemocratic means to capture power with the support of the West which is keen to have a Government that would dance to their tune.

Fonseka should bear in mind that it is only the voters who have the supreme right to change the President or the Government and certainly not his paymasters in the West. Fonseka is relying heavily to keep his political fortunes alive.

Most politicians make it a habit of embarking on an overseas holiday during the Sinhala and Hindu New Year season.

The most notable and exemplary exception is President Mahinda Rajapaksa who always prefer to remain at ancestral Carlton residence in Tangalle, following the rituals and New Year customs with his family, relations and fellow villagers.

GL briefs diplomats

External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris last week briefed the Colombo based diplomatic community regarding the action taken by the Sri Lankan government against groups and individuals involved in terrorist funding and other activity connected with plans to revive terrorism.

The Minister said that the government’s action in designating 16 groups and 424 individuals had been taken under United Nations Security Council Regulation1373 which not only empowered governments to resort to such measures but imposed on States an imperative duty to effectively suppress terrorist funding. Regulations had been framed for this purpose under Sri Lankan legislation, and timely action has been taken on the basis of these Regulations, he said.

The Minister has conducted the briefing with the assistance of Chief of National intelligence Major General Kapila Hendawitharana, representing the Ministry of Defence and Urban Development.

“The principal purpose of the briefing was to give the diplomatic community authentic information regarding action taken by the government against groups and individuals involved in terrorist funding and other activity connected with plans to revive terrorism,” the ministry statement said.

China, Sri Lanka’s ‘all-weather’ friend

Describing Beijing as an ‘all-weather’ friend to Sri Lanka, China on Thursday pledged to continue its support to Sri Lanka at UN forums.

The pledge was made when China’s Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin met President Mahinda Rajapaksa at Temple Trees on Thursday.

“We will continue to support Sri Lanka in the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and the United Nations Security Council (UNSC),” Mr. Liu said.

“Sri Lanka will always find a friend in China.” President Rajapaksa thanked China for its support to Sri Lanka at the UNHRC this year. China voted against the resolution on Sri Lanka in Geneva last month and defended Sri Lanka’s sovereignty and national security.

“We suffered for 30 years and with your help, we managed to defeat terrorism,” the President said. Mr. Liu thanked President Rajapaksa for his personal interest in Sri Lanka-China bilateral relations.

“You have established a close friendship with the Chinese leadership,” Mr. Liu said, adding that this personal relationship “will play a guiding role in China-Sri Lanka relations.”

President Rajapaksa thanked China for its support to Sri Lanka in the past decades, pointing out that many of Sri Lanka’s landmark infrastructure projects were carried out with Chinese assistance.

The President also encouraged Chinese investors to come and invest in Sri Lankan industries.

President Rajapaksa visited China in May 2013 during which the two countries elevated their relationship to one of “strategic cooperation,” a significant milestone in bilateral relations.

During discussions in China last year, Vice President Li Yuanchao said China will continue to strengthen relations with Sri Lanka and to expand cooperation into new sectors in what he described as an equal partnership.

Upholding that pledge, Liu, at last week’s meeting, told President Rajapaksa that China places great importance on development projects in Sri Lanka and would like to focus on continuing development on infrastructure, including southern highways and railways.

US$ 1,360 million FDIs

The most Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) to Sri Lanka last year had came from China with an estimated US$ 240 million inflow, of the total US$ 1,360 million, according to Investment Promotion Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardene.

“Next to China, it was Malaysia (US$ 176 million), Hong Kong US$ 139 million, the Netherlands US$ 118 million, Singapore US$ 112 million and the United Arab Emirates US$ 111 million,” the minister said.

“The major contributor to the FDI generated during 2013 was the manufacturing sector, followed by the port development, telecommunication and property development sectors,” the minister added.

Meanwhile, non-BOI companies received FDI inflows amounting to US $ 22 million in 2013, in addition to US $ 7 million received in the form of direct investments in listed companies in the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) which are not registered with the BOI.

Accordingly, the total FDI inflows in 2013 amounted to US $ 1,420 million.