In the middle of Uva Provincial Council election campaign:

UNP seniors battle for deputy leadership

With less than three weeks away from the Uva Provincial Council election – the last election before the next Presidential election likely to be held early next year, the UNP is caught in an internal power struggle that could take the main Opposition into further political wilderness.

The much talk about deputy leadership post has turned out to be the biggest headache for the UNP. While present Deputy Leader and Chairman of UNP’s leadership council Karu Jayasuriya maintains a low profile, former deputy leader and Hambantota district parliamentarian Sajith Premadasa is making a determined bid to regain the post.

Sajith was almost certain of being re-appointed as the Deputy leader of the UNP after a series of discussions with the Opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe. But Ranil’s inner circle was not pleased with the idea.

Colombo District parliamentarian Ravi Karunanayake had claimed that he is also s suitable contender if the UNP is to appoint a deputy leader. Though Ravi has given his qualifications in detail, he could not impress Ranil as the UNP leader pointed out that the grassroots-level demand is for Sajith.

Thereupon, both Karu and Ampara District MP Daya Gamage too aired their views on the matter. Karu has not been in favour of appointing Sajith as the deputy leader while Daya asked Ranil to delay the appointing of a deputy leader until the next Presidential election.

Presenting his case as a prospective candidate for the post, the millionaire businessmen turned politician has told the UNP leader that his name too should be considered for the post and the appointment should be made after the next presidential election. But an irate Ranil had reprimanded Daya, alleging that all of them are anticipating his defeat at the next Presidential election.

Sajith evades polls campaign

Meanwhile, Sajith Premadasa has deliberately kept away from the UNP’s campaign for the Uva Provincial Council elections for reasons better known to him. Ever since the UNP launched its campaign in Uva, its chief ministerial candidate Harin Fernando has pleaded Sajith and Ranil to iron out differences and appear in one platform to show the party’s strength.

But Sajith has not responded to any of the calls and Harin seems to be conformable with the support he gets from the party leader and his confidants. Insiders said that Harin is now in two minds whether to entertain Sajith, even if the former deputy leader changes his mind in the last minute.

Sources said that Harin fears that even if Sajith makes an eleventh hour appearance in the UNP platform and makes a controversial speech criticising the party leadership, it should badly reflect on the UNP’s chief ministerial candidate’s campaign.

Hence, Harin now prefers to go solo without dragging internal battles.

Unconfirmed reports said Sajith has demanded deputy leadership of the UNP if he is to join the party’s campaign in Uva. Though Ranil was prepared to reinstate him, the Opposition leader has been compelled to delay his decision due to internal pressure.

However, Ranil has vowed to take some important decisions within the next few days before the upcoming UNP Convention.

Namal meets Harin

Despite the JVP allegations about political violence in Uva, the two main political parties set an example with an unexpected and unscheduled cordial meeting with UPFA Hambantota district parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa and UNP’s chief ministerial candidate Harin Fernando.

Namal, accompanied by Minister C.B. Ratnayake, Parliamentarian Uditha Lokubandara and several others, were having a break at Uva Paranagama UPFA member Chamika Buddahasa’s residence after a series of SLFP’s ‘Blue Brigade’ meetings in Bandarawela, Haputale and Demodara when a he got a surprise call from his friend Harin.

Despite their engagement in politics under two rival parties, Namal and Harin have been close friends. Hence, when Harin came to know that Namal was campaigning nearby, he set aside his political affiliations to meet his friend and former Parliament colleague.

Minutes after the phone call, Harin arrived at the residence of Buddhadasa to a warm welcome by Namal and his team.

However, the photographers in the media units were asked to vacate on Harin’s request. “You have gone down a lot,” Namal told Harin. “Yes, I have lost weight within these few days due a strenuous campaign,” Harin replied.

But within minutes after the friendly meeting between Namal and Harin, the UNP’s candidates for the Uva Provincial Council elections got the news and they immediately reported the incident to Ranil and Tissa Attanayake.

Dayasiri leaves hospital

On hearing the meeting between Namal and Harin, North Western Province Chief Minister Dayasiri Jayasekera has said that what he had said at a television debate has now been proved. “He (Harin) lost his cool when I spoke the truth at a television debate. But he has contradicted his own statement,” said Dayasiri.

Dayasiri has been engaged in a strenuous election campaign in Uva. He has been addressing a series of meetings and rallies in Uva and after another successful UPFA rally in Badulla, Dayasiri was taken ill.

Dayasiri was just coming down the platform after addressing the UPFA’s Badulla rally when photographers stormed to take photographs of the popular Kurunegala politician who polled a record number of preferential votes at the last North Western Provincial Council elections. Flash lights of cameramen attempting take photographs at the same time made things worse for an exhausted Dayasiri who fell unconscious.

He was admitted to the Badulla Hospital but had left hospital on his own accord after an overnight stay, undergoing several tests.

Dayasiri was the third key UPFA politicin to fall sick during the UPFA’s Uva election campaign. Several UPFA politicians including Minster Pavithra Vanniarachchi and parliamentarian Sudarshani Fernandopulle fell ill during the election campaign in the Badulla District.

JVP attack UPFA supporters

The JVP which has been making a big hue and cry over an attack at their minor election campaign stage, has been the biggest culprit in the election violence in Uva.

The JVP supports play havoc last week, damaging several vehicles of UPFA supports of chief ministerial candidate Shasheendra Rajapaksa.

Over 115 election violation complaints connected to the Uva Provincial Council polls campaign, according to the Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE). Some 84 complaints were reported from Moneragala district while 24 complaints were reported from Badulla district. There are six complaints common to both districts.

“In the last few days there has been a spike in election related violence in Moneragala and the widespread use of firearms is a great concern. CaFFE has written to the commissioner of elections and the IGP to take immediate steps to enforce election laws in the province,” the CaFFE says.

In the wake of a surge in election law violations in the Moneragala District, Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya has instructed Inspector General of Police, N.K. Ilangakoon to beef up security in the district in the run-up to the elections to the Uva Provincial Council.

JVP claimed that a group of their supporters were attacked by a mob at Badalkumbura in Moneragala when they were putting up decorations for a rally to be addressed by party leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

The election monitoring group, People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) had also written to the IGP requesting to him to identify the vulnerable areas and ensure more police patrols especially in the night to curb possible violence. PAFFREL Executive Director Rohana Hettiarachchi said he requested the IGP to issue weapons to police personnel on duty.

Mervyn rejects Malsha’s challenge

While rejecting Western Provincial Council member Malsha Kumarathunga’s Ice Bucket Challenge, Public Relations Minister Mervyn Silva said it was better to raise money for charity through projects that protect our culture and was not detrimental to our economy.

“I must thank Malsha for inviting me to take part in the “Ice Bucket Challenge”, but in a situation where people in several areas were badly affected by the drought, it is better to help them. I helped them with bottles of water and I invite everybodyelse to do it as well,” the minister said.

He said even in case the drought situation improved, people must think of the wastage of electricity in making ice before taking up challenges or this nature. “It is better to raise money for charity with a good motive and in a manner that is not detrimental to our economy and our culture,” the minister said.

Malsha, a daughter of Minister Jeevan Kumaratunga, had recently nominated President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Minister Mervyn Silva and Provincial Councillor Hirunika Premachandra to take up the “Ice bucket challenge”.

Hirunika took up the challenge and uploaded a video to her Facebook page as requested by Malsha.

But UNP parliamentarian Mangala Samaraweera had rejected the Ice Bucket Challenge concept, started by an American to raise funds for his friend suffering from a deadly Motor Neurone Disease.

Mangala said the IBC has been converted into a publicity stunt by some local politicians who blindly follow whatever comes from the West.

He said these politicians have begun to waste water by taking part in this so-called challenge when people in several parts of the country including Moneragala and Hambantota Districts are suffering from the severe drought.

“No one has noticed that people living in Bandarawala, Badulla and Nuwara Eliya face an ice bucket challenge whenever they wash themselves,” Mangala said in a statement to the media.

Mangala’s arch political rival in Matara too shared same idea on this instance. UNP MP Buddkika Pathirana also asked whether it was fair to waste water when people in ten districts were suffering without water. Pathirana said the ice bucket challenge was similar to the reviled pyramid racket. Therefore he urged all Sri Lankan citizens to reject this game.

Helpless TNA agrees to talks

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has been forced to go back to the negotiating table after its unsuccessful tour of India.

Though the TNA thought that it could use India to exert undue pressure on the Government, the new Indian leaders of the BJP have nor followed the previous Congress Government policy. Instead, the TNA was asked to abandon their separatist agenda and talk with the Government by the Indian leaders.

On their return to Sri Lanka empty handed, the TNA declared that it was ready to resume talks with the Government in search of a lasting solution and power devolution within a united Sri Lanka. TNA parliamentarian M.A. Sumanthiran told a news conference last week that it did not have a hidden agenda and said it was strongly committed to finding a solution to the problems of the people in the North.

“We do not have any hidden agenda. We strongly believe a solution to the issue in a united country and we do not want a separate state,” Sumanthiran was quoted as saying.

The TNA has also sought India’s help in the return of Sri Lankan refugees from India.

TNA parliamentarian Mavai Senathirajah, who is set to replace R. Sambandan as the TNA leader at the three-day convention of the Tamil party coalition to be held in Vavuniya from Friday (5), was in the TNA delegation that met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi recently.

“The population of Sri Lanka’s Northern Province declined considerably after the dawn of peace and the return of refugees was crucial, he said. “They have to come back and be resettled in their own lands with secure livelihoods,” he added.

Kaushal urges India to respect SL’s sovereignty

India has been urged to respect the sovereignty of Sri Lanka and its independent stance.

Avdhash Kaushal, the Indian social worker, who has been appointed as one of the five advisors to the Sri Lankan Presidential commission on missing persons and war crimes, has said that India should respect Sri Lanka’s sovereignty while trying to help the latter resolve the issues in the North.

“You can talk to the Sri Lankan government and give them advice, but you cannot ask them to behave. India and Sri Lanka must respect each other’s sovereignty,” Kaushal told a telephone interview with the Indian Express.

“How will we in India feel if Sri Lanka calls and talks to Indian separatists?” he asked.

The 77-year-old Padma Shri award winner’s plea to India and Lanka to respect each other sovereignty came in the context of a meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Sri Lankan Tamil National Alliance (TNA) in New Delhi last weekend, after India had objected to an earlier meeting in New Delhi between Kashmiri separatists and the Pakistan High Commissioner.

“We should not add fuel to the fire, but help Sri Lanka solve the problem. “We should not pose as the Big Brother and apply pressure on it, but attempt to convince it of our stand,” Kaushal said.

‘NPC must work with existing powers’

Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa said on Thursday that the Northern Provincial Council (NPC) should work with existing powers before demanding further devolution.

“They have not done anything yet,” he told media at a press conference to announce a new bank loan scheme.

His comments come less than a week after the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), which leads the Northern Provincial Council, met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi. On the TNA’s visit to New Delhi, Basil Rajapaksa said: “We knew they were planning to go. Some others, former politicians, also seem to be trying for an appointment, but the TNA got it.”

While the Sri Lankan government was yet to hear about it from the Indian government formally, India had acted “professionally and responsibly as always,” he said.

Speaking on the Northern Provincial Council’s role in development projects in the island’s former war zone, Minister Basil said the government’s development work in the north had slowed down because of little cooperation from provincial government, pointing to the delay in completion of the railway line to Jaffna. Attributing it to inadequate action by the NPC — clearing squatters and making certain roads available for the project – he said “We are willing to work with them if they work with us.”

Indian SC refuses to entertain TN issue

The Indian Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to entertain the Tamil Nadu fishermen’s issue vis-a-vis Sri Lanka and advised the parties concerned to “resolve the issue politically and diplomatically”.

“These are matters in which the court cannot intervene”, a three-judge bench headed by the Chief Justice of India, R M Lodha told AIADMK MP M Thambidurai and former DMK MP A.K.S. Vijayan, who had sought a direction to the Indian government to secure the release of Tamil Nadu fishermen languishing in Sri Lankan jails.

The two Dravidian leaders through their writ petitions had also asked the court to direct the government to prevent fishermen from being attacked by the Sri Lanka Navy on the high seas.

The issue should be resolved politically and diplomatically, observed the bench which included Justice Kurian Joseph and Justice Rohinton Nariman.

“Can we ask the Sri Lankan Navy not to arrest Indian fishermen who stray into their waters? These are all political issues and you raise them in Parliament.

We can’t give a mandamus to resolve the issue as it falls within the domain of the government”, the Chief Justice reportedly told the counsels for the petitioners.

The hearing saw some exchanges between the Attorney-General Mukul Rohatgi and the Additional Advocate General of Tamilnadu, reports said.

When Tamilnadu counsel said majority of incidents of attack on Tamilnadu fishermen take place when they go near Kachatheevu area for fishing, Rohatgi told him blandly to raise the issue in Parliament. Kachatheevu became part of Sri Lanka in 1974.