UNP's problems deepen - Ranjan recommends JVP candidate

UNP's internal problems are going from bad to worse as elections to the Uva Provincial Council is fast approaching.

Former deputy leader Sajith Premadasa's absence from the main Opposition party's campaign in Uva has puzzles many while candidates within the party are projecting a gloomy picture of UNP's chief ministerial candidate Harin Fernando's unscheduled meeting with UPFA parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa for tea during the election campaign.

While the internal battles within the UNP candidates for preferential votes have also posed a problem, UNP parliamentarian Ranjan Ramanayake has surprised many when he requested people in Uva to support JVP's chief ministerial candidate Samantha Vidyaratne.

Addressing a UNP campaign rally in Uva, the actor turned politician called upon the people to consider JVP's Samantha Vidyaratne's name when it comes to voting at Southern PC polls, recommending the JVP candidate as a man from the working class. Ramanayake's damaging statement comes at a crucial time when his party's chief ministerial candidate Harin is struggling for survival.

Harin has been at the receiving end from his own party stalwarts and candidates after he volunteered to meet his friend and Hambantota District MP Namal Rajapaksa in Badulla. Though it was unintended friendly meeting for tea, it was the UNP candidates in Uva who conspired against Harin and reported their chief ministerial candidate to Opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and Tissa Attanayake.

UNP candidates clash for preferential votes

On top of the internal power struggle among the UNP seniors, a controversial statement from Ranjan Ramanayake to support JVP's Samantha Vidyaratne and the unbelievable silence of parliamentarian Sajith Premadasa, the party stalwarts are now been compelled to find solutions for internal battles among the party's own candidates.

A group of supporters of a UNP candidate contesting the Uva PC polls had allegedly assaulted and stabbed the son of another UNP candidate when he was returning from the Moneragala Divisional secretariat office.

The victim identified as Tharindu Sampath Jayasuriya is the son of Irvin Karunawardhana Jayasuriya, a UNP candidate contesting for Uva PC from the Moneragala district. Tharindu Sampath was admitted to hospital.

Jayasuriya had said that a group of supporters of a fellow UNP candidate arrived in several vehicles and obstructed his son's way and assaulted him. "My son was returning from the Moneragala Divisional secretariat office in the morning and a gang of UNP supporters arrived in several vehicles.

They had obstructed my son's way and assaulted him, stabbed him in the back," Jayasuriya was quoted as saying. Jayasuriya's son Tharindu Sampath was admitted to the Moneragala Hospital.

Take strict action against polls violence, IGP told

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has instructed the Inspector General of Police to take stringent action against anyone restoring to violence during the run up to the Uva Provincial Council elections.

According to available information from police and other independent sources, only 40 complaints have been made to authorities on election violence during the Uva campaign, and of that only about three are serious.

Police Spokesman Ajith Rohana, commenting on the incidents of election violence, has said that acting on complaints the police have arrested about 20 persons for questioning, and they hope to arrest a few more in the days to come with regard to complaints already made.

Independent election violence monitors such as CMEV have also reported less than 25 incidents.

The police spokesman had gone on record stating that in relative terms Uva election violence reports so far are at a minimal, and compared to elections in a different era such as the Lamp and Pot referendum in the 1980s, negligible.

However, unscrupulous elements have been attempting to create a narrative about serious election malpractice in order to create disaffection against the authorities and tilt election results by exploiting such disaffection. Independent commentators said that this has become an election tactic and nothing more.

Certain Opposition parties have instructed their candidates and organisers to lodge "maximum number of complaints possible" so that they could project a gloomy picture and use as an excuse after an impending defeat.

Sajith to break hoodoo

Sajith Premadasa has been a notable absentee from the UNP's election campaign in Uva and the party seniors often had to answer quarries from the candidates as well as supporters of the grassroots level on Sajith's whereabouts.

Sajith has deliberately kept himself out of the UNP's campaign in Uva. Hence he has been out of the party's campaign until this weekend, even the chief ministerial candidate Harin has been hesitant to accommodate him in the last minute, fearing that Sajith may speak against the party leadership, this damaging the former Badulla district UNP MP's lone battle.

But UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake claimed at the beginning of last week that Sajith informed the party that he would participate in its main rallies in the run-up to the elections. Attanayake told a media briefing last week that Sajith had also confirmed his participation in the party's 68th anniversary celebrations that were be held in Badulla yesterday.

Attanayake confirmed that Sajith would participate at main election rallies of the UNP to be held from September 10 to 17 in the Moneragala and Badulla Districts.

Unconfirmed Sirikotha sources said that Sajith has been forced to appear in the UNP platform and that Ranil had insisted that his former deputy leader must adhere to party discipline. Attanayake told the media that Sajith's anticipated appearance at UNP rallies was a result of efforts by the seniors of the UNP to bring about unity among the party.

Ranil visits Thirupathi

Opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe is well informed about the conspiracies within his party, including the reformist group embers. Knowing what is on store at the UNP's 68th anniversary celebrations, Ranil decided to get the blessings from Tirupati, a hindu kovil in India patronaged by many politicians in Sri Lanka.

Tirupati Balaji Temple, popularly known as Sri Venkateswara Temple is dedicated to the Supreme God Shrimann Narayan/Maha Vishnu.

It is located in the hill town of Tirumala, near Tirupati in the Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh, a part of earlier Madras Presidency in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.

Accompanied by UNP par;iamentarian D.M. Swaminathan, Ranil attended a special pooja at Tirupati and returned to Colombo on Thursday afternoon.

There has been huge opposition from Ranil's confidants on the proposal to reinstate Sajith as the deputy leader. Leading the campaign against Sajith were parliamentarians Mangala Samaraweera, Ravi Karunanayake and Karu Jayasuriya. But it was Mangala who openly rejected the proposal the bring Sajith back in a bid to unite the party.

"People in villages demand Sajith. That is why the leader wants to re-appoint Sajith, to unite the party. I feel it's a good move to bring back Sajith," former UNP national list MP Dinesh Dodamgoda said.

"Give me just one example! People in which village demand Sajith? Give me just one istance," an irate Mangala said.

"If Sajith becomes the deputy leader and demands that he wants to be the UNP's presidential election andidate, would you allow that also? Ranil had no answer for the question posed by a female media personality loyal to the party.

Mayantha gets appointment letter at roadside

It was a long time ago that Mayantha Dissanayake, youngest son of the former UNP stalwart, the late Gamini Dissanayake, was appointed the party's chief organiser for Yatinuwara electorate in the Kandy district.

Despite repeated reminders by the party's General Secretary, Mayantha delayed the receiving of the official appointment letter mainly due to two reasons - his busy schedule reorganising party activities in his new electorate and also that he was unable to find an auspicious time.

On the advice of his astrologers, Mayantha found an auspicious time and telephoned Tissa last Thurday. "General Secretary, I called to get the appointment letter," Mayantha said. But Tissa and a team of UNP seniors were heading for the Human Rights Commission office in Colombo.

"We are going to the Human Rights Commission to lodge a complaint and you could come there if you want to receive it right now," Tissa replied.

Accordingly, Mayantha rushed to the Human Rights Commission office. Mayantha ultimately received the appointment letter at the auspicious time but at the roadside opposite the Human Rights Commission office!

Namal sees nothing wrong in Harin's meeting

UPFA's Hambantota district parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa asked as to why eyebrows are raised when he meets UNP's Uva chief ministerial candidate Harin Fernando over a cup of tea, when such a meeting between UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and his father was seen as normal.

Commenting on his recent meeting with Harin, Namal has said the opposition's main job was slinging mud at everything.

"Well, I met Mr. Harin Fernando recently and it was nothing new.

We had met earlier too when we were having meetings in Hambantota as well. If I wanted to have secret talks with him, why should I come to Badulla? If we wanted to meet secretly aren't there so many other places to do so." Namal told a UPFA political rally at Thaldena in Badulla last week.

But many moderate political observers have commended the meeting between the two young politicians of two different parties who have renewed their old friendship in the field of rugby.

When the matter came up when the top SLFP seniors met at Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva's residence in Badulla after the party's 63rd anniversary celebrations. "I don't mix politics with personal friendships. I met Harin as a friend but at the end some used it to sling mud at him," Namal said.

"Those are conspiracies within the UNP. I had been in that party and aware of both what had happened and what is happening in the UNP," Minister Johnston Fernando remarked.

Reduced sentence for Chandrika's ex-security chief

The Court of Appeal last week reduced the sentence of four years rigorous imprisonment imposed by Kandy High Court Judge Preethi Padman Surasena on H.A. Nihal Kumar Karunartne, the PSD Chief of former President Chandrika Kumaratunga.

The reduced sentence by Court of Appeal was read by Kandy High Court Judge Manilal Waidyaltilleke and the four year term of imprisonment has been reduced to two years, suspended for five years. The fine of Rs. 50, 000 has remained unaltered.

The Court of Appeal Bench Justice Anil Gooneratne and Justice P.W.D.C.Jayatilleke in the course of the order had stated that the sentence was in accordance with Section 486 of the Penal Code and the accused was sentenced to four years rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs. 50,000.

The Appeal Court said that the offence had taken place on November 20, 2001.

The order said that the accused - appellant was the Director of the Presidential Security Division (PSD ) and that there was a meeting of the then President at Dorammadulla. Chandra was due to be present at the meeting.

According to the facts revealed at the Kandy High Court the OIC of Hanguranketa was also present at the meeting at Dorammadulla where the then President was due to arrive.

It was revealed that there was an exchange of words between the Accused -Appeallent and the OIC. According to the sentence, the Court of Appeal sets out that it was fit case to act on section 303 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

The Court of Appeal said subject to the varied sentence the appeal is dismissed.

Malsha says IBC wasn't a publicity hunt

Western Provincial Council member of the ruling UPFA, Malsha Kumaratunga said last week that she did not take up the Ice Bucket Challenge to gain publicity but she was happy that she was able to open the eyes of the people of Sri Lanka to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) which was not talked of earlier.

"I did not even think of getting publicity but it came unexpectedly. I did it as it was a good deed to help combat a fatal disease," said the daughter of Minister Jeevan Kumaratunga.

Malsha added that she would not let this talk about ALS be forgotten but would discuss the subject with the health minister to help persons afflicted by the disease. She said several who were afflicted by ALS had telephoned her after seeing her video and thanked her for her good deed as no one had talked about the disease before.

"One lady named Salgado phoned me and invited me to see her husband who was suffering from ALS. I went there myself and witnessed the agony the family was going through.

I realised that I had done the correct thing to draw peoples' attention to this disease which had been a secret so far, she said.

Asked whether it was waste of water to take up such a challenge, she said one who took up the challenge did not waste water, but some Opposition MPs who bathed in swimming pools alleged that it was a waste of water.

"Though some alleged that we donated money to foreign countries through IBC, it was done for a good cause such as research work to find a cure for ALS. Medicines for AIDS and cancer were not discovered in Sri Lanka, but Sri Lankans benefited from the medicines. So when a cure is found for ALS it will help Sri Lankans as well", Malsha pointed out.

Swamy takes on Jayalalitha

Tamil Nadu chief minister Jeyaram Jayalalithaa on Tuesday took exception to reported remarks of BJP leader Dr. Subramanian Swamy that he had advised the Sri Lanka not to release the boats of Tamil Nadu fishermen.

In a letter to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a copy of which was released to the media, the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister pointed to a televised interview of the BJP leader on September 1.

"It is particularly distressing that a senior member of the BJP has, in a televised media interview, stated it was he who advised the Sri Lanka government not to release the boats of Tamil Nadu fishermen.

This statement of Swamy has given rise to resentment and angst not only among the fishing community but also among people of the South Indian state," she was quoted as saying.

She expressed confidence that Swamy's remarks were not the official views of the BJP or the Union government.

State BJP chief Tamilisai Soundararajan said Swamy's comments pertaining to release of Indian fishermen's boats were "spoiling the efforts" of the party and the Centre to resolve the problems of fisherfolk.

But a day after Jayalalitha slammed Dr. Swamy, the latter hit back at the Chief Minister dismissing the allegations. Swamy said, Jaya's allegations are baseless and he had not asked Sri Lanka not to release the fishermen

Viko allowed to present his arguments

India's MDMK General Secretary Vaiko was on Wednesday was allowed to present his arguments before a special tribunal constituted by the Delhi High Court to look into the ban on LTTE as an "unlawful organization".

The tribunal headed by Justice G P Mittal had in July issued an advertisement calling for responses from the LTTE and any other persons on the review of the ban on the group.

The LTTE has been banned for a further five years under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act by the central government.

While Vaiko, known for his vocal support for Tamil people in Sri Lanka and the LTTE, was allowed to present his arguments in the matter, his impleadment application was dismissed.

The application, if it had been allowed, would have allowed him to present evidence and cross examine the evidence put forward by the government.

The tribunal will now examine the evidence brought before it by the central government and the government of Tamil Nadu before giving its opinion on whether a five-year ban on the group under the UAPA is correct.

The tribunal will also hold its hearing in Chennai on September 26 and 27, giving an opportunity to any person belonging to LTTE to appear and give evidence on why the ban on the organisation should not be upheld.