Ranil silences Sajith with a carrot

The main Opposition – the UNP, is in a crisis situation though its leader Ranil Wickremesinghe has voluntarily agreed to empower Hambantota District parliamentarian Sajith Premadasa.

Sajith has been daydreaming of becoming the UNP leader. But the UNP leader’s post was so near but yet so far for the only son of former President, the late R. Premadasa. Successive ploys by the UNP’s reformist group have failed to bring Sajith to the UNP leadership as Ranil has been even smarter.

Sajith’s loyalists looked for short cuts to bring the ex-President’s son to the party leadership but Ranil faced the challenges well with the support of the UNP Working Committee which is filled with his loyalists. Ultimately, Ranil cemented his leadership for five years with the support of the UNP Working Committee while Sajith even lost the deputy leadership.

Having lost two successive Presidential elections in 1999 and 2005, Ranil averted his third defeat in-a-row by supporting the candidature of Sarath Fonseka at the 2010 Presidential election.

Though Fonseka had claimed that the UNP and the JVP would once again support him at the next Presidential election, Ranil has claimed that he would contest the next polls to elect the Executive.

When pressure was mounting on Ranil to step down, he sidelined Sajith by empowering his deputy Karu Jayasuriya as the Chairman of the UNP Leadership Council. But now, Ranil has smelt something fishy and is trying to empower Sajith at the expense of Karu.

Amidst widespread reports that Karu is aspiring to contest the next Presidential election, either from the UNP or as a common candidate with the support of a popular monk, Ranil is now trying to cut the wings of Karu.

Unconfirmed reports from Sirikotha said that Ranil has come to an understanding with Sajith over the next Presidential election. Sajith has agreed to support the candidature of Ranil from the UNP. In return, Ranil has agreed to give more powers and responsibilities to Sajith. As the first step, Sajith will soon be appointed to head the notorious UNP trade union wing – the JSS.

But Sajith’s camp feels that it was a wise move, knowing that none of the UNP candidates would be able to defeat President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the next Presidential election. Having discovered that it would be hard for any UNP candidate, or for any other candidate for that matter, to beat the popularity of President Rajapaksa, Sajith agreed to support Ranil’s candidature, knowing that the Opposition leader’s defeat is assured.

A third successive defeat for Ranil would force him to step down from politics and probably to retire from politics and the UNP leadership would come to Sajith on a platter. Hence, Sajith would undoubtedly encourage Ranil to contest and suffer another defeat.

Lankantha blames UNP

From the time the news of a possible Presidential election early next year was speculated, almost all parties in the Opposition except for the TNA, have been talking about a so-called common candidate.

But the concept of finding a common candidate to contest the next Presidential election appeared to be a fairytale after Ranil declared that it would be he who would contest from the UNP and that the main Opposition would not entertain any ‘outsider’. Ranil announced his plans to contest even before he got the nod from the UNP Working Committee, which would not be that difficult for him with the support of his confidants.

But JVP stalwart K.D. Lalkantha last week accused Ranil of sabotaging the common candidate concept. He had said that Ranil’s declaration that he would go solo to contest the next Presidential polls has shattered the dreams of the segments which oppose the UPFA. Perhaps, Lalkantha would have found that none of the Opposition candidates would come anywhere near to the soaring popularity of President Rajapaksa.

Lankantha has said that Ranil has sabotaged the Opposition’s common candidate dream and that they will now have to look for a different option.

Hence Ranil is sure to contest the next Presidential election on the UNP ticket, Lalkantha has urged the importance of a non- political figure as a common candidate.

However, Lalkantha’s so-called non-political figure too would cut a sorry figure as the majority of Opposition votes would go to Ranil.

With the TNA set to field its own candidate to maintain the identity of the former Tiger proxy party and Ranil accounting for a major share of the Opposition votes, one wonders whether Lalkantha’s non-political common candidate could even secure his deposit.

President visits Beruwala

President Mahinda Rajapaksa visited Beruwala hours after his return from Bolivia after the G77+ Summit, to meet Sinhala and Muslim communities on Wednesday.

“We can't let anyone harm any person or property and we will conduct an impartial inquiry,” President tweeted. President Rajapaksa accompanied by Minister Mervyn Silva visited the Beruwala Divisional Secretariat.

Immediately after the unruly incidents in Dharga Town and Beruwala were reported, Ministers Maithripala Sirisena and Kumara Welgama telephoned President Rajapaksa in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. He immediately ordered the ministers to take prompt action and assure the security of all communities.

The President also called several other ministers and Government officials and instructed them to ensure the safety of the Muslims affected.

‘Lanka keen to establish new friendships’

On Monday, President Rajapaksa told Bolivian President Evo Morales that establishing relationships with new nations is a part of the Government’s policy.

President Rajapaksa, who travelled to Bolivia to attend the Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Group of 77 and China (G77 + China), during bilateral talks with Bolivian President at the Presidential Palace in the city of La Paz, expressed his willingness to work closely with Sri Lanka.

The Lankan leader said that his visit to Bolivia is a new beginning in diplomatic, economic and trade relations with South American nations.

President Morales had inquired about Sri Lanka’s political, economic, industrial, export and import sectors and showed particular interest in Sri Lanka’s apparel sector.

He asked President Rajapaksa whether Sri Lanka could assist Bolivia in developing its apparel sector and whether a team of experts could be sent to Bolivia for this purpose.

President Rajapaksa readily agreed. President Morales also inquired about the possibility of importing Sri Lankan cinnamon to Bolivia and expressed Bolivia’s interest in learning from Sri Lanka’s experiences in the hydro-power sector. President Morales also accepted President Rajapaksa’s invitation to visit Sri Lanka.

Highest Bolivian honour for President Rajapaksa

President Rajapaksa was awarded with the ‘Parliamentary Order Merit Democratic Rep. Marcelo Quiroga Santa Cruza’, the highest honor presented by the Plurinational State of Bolivia, by the Bolivian Government on Monday. The award recognizes contributions to peace and democracy. Vice President of Bolivia and President of the Legislative Assembly Álvaro García Linera presented the award to President Rajapaksa at the Legislative Assembly in the city of La Paz.

Bolivia said President Rajapaksa was selected for this prestigious award for defeating terrorism and restoring peace and development in Sri Lanka. It also recognizes President Rajapaksa’s commitment to human rights and his initiative to improve and expand relations with South America, including Bolivia.

President Rajapaksa was in Bolivia attending the Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Group of 77 and China (G77+China) that took place June 14 and 15 in Santa Cruz.

UNP suffers setback even before Uva polls

UNP has been making every effort to win the next Uva Provincial Council elections. Knowing that it is the last chance for them to regain the winning formula before an expected Presidential election next year, the UNP has been working hard to make their presence felt at the Uva PC polls.

UNP media spokesman Gayantha Karunatillake declared that a 15-member committee has been set up to plan UNP’s programs for future elections.

The committee, headed by Ranil, include Karu, General Secretary Tissa Attanayake, UNP chairman Kabir Hashim, Daya Gamage, Gayantha, Joseph Michael Perera, Sajith, Thalatha Athukorala, Mangala Samaraweera, Akhila Viraj Kariyawasam, Ranjith Maddumabandara, P. Harrison, Ruwan Wijewardene and D.N. Swaminathan.

As usual, the committee is filled with Ranil’s inner circle such as Akhila Viraj, Mangala and the youth wing leader groomed as Ranil’s successor – Ruwan.

However, even before the inaugural meeting of the UNP election committee scheduled for later this week, the UNP suffered a severe setback in Uva.

Uva Provincial Council’s UNP member Ravi Gunawardena crossed over to the UPFA last week after making a special statement during the last Council session. Political observers said that this could signal what would be on store for the UNP at the forthcoming Uva PC election and could well mark the 30th successive election defeat for the main Opposition.

SLFP in agreement with Wimal’s party

The main constituent party of the ruling UPFA, Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) came to an agreement with the National Freedom Front (NFF) based on its proposals, at a discussion held between the two parties on Monday, NFF spokesman Mohammed Muzammil said last week.

Twelve proposals were approved at the second National Convention of the NFF calling upon the government to follow a different political direction.

“The two parties discussed the 12 proposals of the NFF. SLFP representatives commended the proposals in agreement with its principles. We also agreed to formulate an action plan based on the proposals, within a time frame,” Muzammil told a news conference.

He said they hoped to present the action plan to the President shortly. The agreement between the parties on the proposal was important but implementing its action plan was more important, he said.

Prince Hussein, Pillay’s successor

United Nations General Assembly on Monday unanimously approved Prince Zeid Ra’ad Zeid al-Hussein of Jordan as the new High Commissioner for Human Rights, succeeding Navi Pillay of South Africa.

“I am going to be the first High Commissioner from the Asian continent and from the Muslim and Arab worlds,” Prince Zeid said after the 193-member body approved his appointment by consensus.

“Needless to say this reflects the commitment of the international community towards this important dossier and its commitment to push it forward in this continent as well as in other regions of the world,” he added.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon nominated Prince Zeid, who is currently Jordan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, earlier this month to replace Ms. Pillay, whose term lasts until the end of August.

After the world body approved his nomination by applause, Prince Zeid joked: “My supportive wife told me to enjoy this moment, to soak it all up, after all, she said, you are among friends who you’ve known for a very long time.

Because when you start this job, she added, you may not have them for very long.”

Headquartered in Geneva, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is mandated to promote and protect the enjoyment and full realization, by all people, of all rights established in the UN Charter and in international human rights laws and treaties.

UNP, JVP indirectly supports UNHRC, says NFF

National Freedom Front (NFF) last week charged the United National Party (UNP) and Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) had indirectly supported the UNHRC probe on Sri Lanka.

Speaking about the voting session held in the Parliament on Wednesday on the UNHRC probe on Sri Lanka, NFF spokesman Mohammed Muzammil said the UNP and the JVP had avoided an opportunity to defend the country for petty political gains.

However the resolution against the UNHRC Probe was passed in Parliament with 144 votes in favour and 10 votes against.

Meanwhile, Minister Wimal Weerawansa told Parliament on Tuesday that the victory over terrorism brought protection not only to a single family but to the entire country.

He said if parliamentarians do not stand against the move to hold an international investigation against Sri Lanka to investigate the final stage of the humanitarian operation against terrorism, it would be the biggest betrayal in Sri Lanka's history.

Gammanpila takes on Rankin

Western Provincial Council Minister Udaya Gammanpila lambasted a statement British High Commissioner John Rankin made at the Queen's birthday celebrations in Colombo on Thursday night.

“We call upon the British to publish immediately the Chilcott Report to qualify to make such a statement,” Gammanpila said in an interview with our sister paper the Daily News.

British High Commissioner Rankin said that Sri Lanka should cooperate with the international investigation mandated by the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva in March and fully implement the specific recommendations in the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) report.

Gammanpila said, Britain knowing well that Sri Lanka is a sovereign state, has no right to force its will upon Sri Lanka.

He (Rankin) said that Sri Lanka should cooperate with the UNCHR.

They have forgotten or are willfully forgetting the prerogative of the Sri Lankan State.

‘'Once the government with a massive majority passes a motion in the House of Representatives, refusing to comply with the demand for a probe, they should know that and must respect the sovereignty of our country.”

Provincial Minister Gammanpila said that “the true war criminals are in the United Kingdom and not in Sri Lanka.

That is why the British Government under pressure appointed the Commission to investigate into the war crimes committed by the British in Afganistan and in Iraq.

Pointing out to what Sri Lanka has done in a similar situation, Gammanpila said that a Commission was appointed and the report of the Lessons Learned and Reconciliation Commission was out within one year and most of the recommendations are implemented and the rest are in the process of being implemented. In contrast, Gammanpila observed that the Chilcott Report is yet to see the light of the day.

Pillay’s report is unilateral, baseless, says Keheliya

The report on Sri Lanka submitted by UN High Commissioner on Human Rights Navaneetham Pillay is a unilateral baseless report because it had been compiled as per her own private agenda even before the investigation teams had been appointed, said Mass Media and Information Minister Keheliya Rambukwella.

“Therefore any action taken on the basis of this report would also be unilateral and baseless,” the minister said at a press conference at his Kandy office last week. The minister said whenever Navi Pillay made various statements regarding Sri Lanka, the Opposition too started to level various accusations against the government.

“The motion tabled in Parliament by five UPFA Parliamentarians objecting to an international probe against Sri Lanka for alleged Human Rights violations during the humanitarian operation gave the opposition an opportunity to announce its stand on the issue,” Minister Rambukwella added.