With CBK help, Amaraweera gears up to fix SLFP rifts :

UPFA rebels threaten separate MR-led May Day rally

The UPFA and its main political party, the SLFP, are yet to see the light at the end of the tunnel where its internal power struggle is concerned.

The newly appointed General Secretary of the UPFA coalition, Minister Mahinda Amaraweera, chosen troubleshooter of President Sirisena, had to deal with an unexpected issue early this week. A group supporting Amaraweera carried out a poster campaign in many parts of the country, hailing the Alliance’s move to appoint the Minister as its new General Secretary. And, some of these posters were later found to have been defaced or torn down, not by the UPFA’s political rivals, but by groups who claim to be partners in the Alliance.

By damaging Amaraweera’s posters, they indicated that they did not consider the Minister as a suitable candidate for the position. This incident alone showed the level of hostility prevailing between the two warring factions within the Alliance despite numerous attempts by SLFP seniors to bring about “peace and reconciliation”.

In the face of the continuing internal tensions, the SLFP hierarchy is yet to decide on disciplining those SLFP MPs who took part in the UPFA rebels’ rally at Hyde Park on March 17. Over 30 MPs of the SLFP attended the rally openly defying the party Central Committee’s diktat to stay away from the event.

Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, addressing a public meeting a few days after the rally, said in no uncertain terms that the party would take stern action against those who defied the central committee decision. However, despite Kumaratunga’s remark, the party maintains a stony silence on the issue. Cautious party leaders seem to want to buy more time without resorting to quick action against the dissidents – clearly a fear of a party split.

Some views expressed by Minister S.B. Dissanayake, a staunch supporter of President

Sirisena, explain the SLFP’s indecision on the matter.

Dissanayake, addressing a recent public meeting, said the main goal is to ensure that the party stays united even when there are differences of opinion among some members.

“Action will be taken to ensure party discipline. But there is no hurry,” the Minister said, keeping the party and its supporters guessing as to when the promised crackdown will occur.

Amid this indecision, key members of the UPFA rebel group, who have now formed the so-called ‘joint opposition’, held a ‘progress review’ meeting on the night of May 21. The main objective of the meeting was to discuss the future course of action of the UPFA rebel group.

May Day

At the meeting, the UPFA rebels decided to hold a separate May Day rally, distancing themselves from the rally organised by the SLFP. They decided to conduct the rally with former President Mahinda Rajapaksa to preside.

The SLFP rally will be led by President Sirisena, in his capacity as the party chairman. Political observers have already opined that SLFP MPs attending the rebel group’s May Day rally will be an ominous sign where the party unity is concerned.

Current differences of opinion among front-line members of the party have frustrated a sizable proportion of party seniors who remain ‘neutral’ over the long-drawn-out internal power struggle.

During a meeting attended by SLFP MPs and representatives for the Kandy district, former Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratne broke down in tears while talking about the current state of affairs in the party. UPFA General Secretary Mahinda Amaraweera and Minister S.B. Dissanayake were present at the meeting when the former Prime Minister, the senior-most active member of the party, expressed his sorrow and disappointment.

“I was among the first group of members of the party and until my last breath I will remain a member of the SLFP. I will not live long and I am aware of my situation. But, before I end my life, I want see the end of this power struggle. The party is falling apart due to divisions and this is a great loss for the country. I talked to President Sirisena, former Presidents Rajapaksa and Kumaratunga personally to bring this issue to an end. But, it is beyond our control. I think outside factors are playing a role in this division,” the former Prime Minister said, weeping, breaking his silence on the matter.

Even the former Prime Minister’s emotional speech could not douse the anger of the supporters of the rebel group who attended the Kandy meeting. When Amaraweera and Dissanayake rose to speak, some dissidents attempted to interrupt the two ministers saying they ‘betrayed’ the party and its supporters.

Gota vs Fonseka

Disappointed by this intra-party rivalry, some SLFP seniors are exploring various options to prevent a division in the party and work out at least an ‘interim settlement’ between the two warring factions. One potential solution they looked at last week was offering a senior position in the party to former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa in a bid to draw the support of the pro-Rajapaksa group to the party.

According to authoritative party sources however Gotabhaya Rajapaksa is still a long shot. The former Defence Secretary is actively involved in political activities of the Rajapaksa group while being openly critical of the conduct of the current government, led by President Sirisena. The group supporting the incumbent President holds ministerial portfolios under the national unity government and they too are accountable and responsible for the decisions made by the government.

The party’s decision-making bodies, including the central committee and the all-island executive committee, support President Sirisena’s leadership. The large majority of Central Committee members belong to the group supporting the President and they are hostile to former President Rajapaksa’s comeback bid. The central committee, headed by President Sirisena, makes every decision on senior and national level positions in the party. Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga too is a prominent member of the SLFP central committee, in addition to her role as a Patron of the party. Kumaratunga’s inclusion in the central committee sends a strong message to the Rajapaksa supporters within the SLFP camp. It is almost impossible to believe that they will support any move to install the former Defence Secretary as a senior party official, at least at this juncture.

War Ustaad

However, there are many indications to suggest that the former Defence Secretary will enter national level politics at some point. When he addressed a gathering of some Sri Lankans in Japan via Skype last week, Rajapaksa said anyone could engage in politics and he did not see any barrier blocking his way. MPs Wimal Weerawansa and Rohitha Abeygunawardena facilitated the former Defence Secretary’s ‘skype speech’ to Sri Lankan expatriates in the Diaspora.

“Anyone can join active politics. But I don’t know whether engaging in active politics means entering Parliament” Rajapaksa said in his brief speech. The major focus of his speech was countering statements made against him by former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka over the past few days. Rajapaksa said although Fonseka was a member of the military service for more than 35 years, he could not achieve any progress on the war front until Mahinda Rajapaksa came to power.

The former Defence Secretary fired another salvo at Fonseka when Rajapaksa appeared before PRECIFAC last Thursday. Rajapaksa sarcastically referred to Fonseka as the ‘War Ustaad ” when a journalist posed a question about scathing attacks launched by the former Army Commander on the former first family.

“The so-called ‘War Ustaad’ could not even protect his own Army Head Quarters from suicide bombers. He himself faced a terrorist attack within the Army HQ. How can such a person win a war?” Rajapaksa asked, during a brief interaction with a group of journalists. However, it was the very same Gotabhaya Rajapaksa who, as Defence Ministry Secretary, dubbed Fonseka as the ‘best Army Commander in the world’ shortly after the final phase of the Eelam war.

Commenting further on his erstwhile Army colleague, the former Defence Secretary said he fully endorsed allegations levelled against Fonseka by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, Minister Mangala Samaraweera and former Minister Joseph Michael Perera a few years ago.

Fonseka’s party

Meanwhile, Fonseka has already given strong indications that he will join the UNP, accepting an electorate organiser post. When he visited the Kelaniya Rajamaha Viharaya last week, the former Army Commander, now a Minister of the national unity government, said there was an invitation from the UNP to be its organiser for the Kelaniya electorate.

“There is no final decision on the UNP’s invitation. If I get an opportunity, I will do my best to serve the people in the Kelaniya area,” Fonseka said, revealing his position on the UNP’s offer.

However, in the event Fonseka joins the UNP, the Democratic Party, led by him, faces the risk of being dissolved. If not, the former Army Commander will have to officially resign from the party he founded after his defeat at the Presidential election in 2010. Multiple sources close to the former Army Commander told the Sunday Observer that the best option for Field Marshal Fonseka, at this juncture, was to join the UNP.

They also opined that Fonseka’s own political party, which performed poorly at the last Parliamentary election, would be a burden on the former war veteran in the future.

Cabinet

President Maithripala Sirisena took an important step in the direction of ironing out issues between provincial councils and the central government when he invited Provincial Chief Ministers to join the weekly Cabinet meeting this week. However, Northern Province Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran did not attend the meeting and the reason for his absence was not very clear.

Several key issues relating to allocation of funds to Provincial Councils were discussed at the Cabinet meeting. The Chief Ministers complained that the power of fund allocations to provincial councils had been given to the central government’s Ministry of Local Government and Provincial Council Ministry giving rise to unforeseen problems.

Central Province Chief Minister Sarath Ekanayake and Southern Province Chief Minister Shan Vijayalal de Silva were quite vociferous about the matter. Both the President and the Prime Minister admitted that the issue relating to fund allocation was a legitimate grievance.

“We need to find a solution to this. Otherwise, people will say we have deprived Provincial Councils of their powers,” the Prime Minister said.

Following the discussion, there was a unanimous agreement to channel funds directly to Provincial Councils in a bid to avoid unnecessary issues between the provincial councils and the central government.

Meanwhile, a remark made by Western Province Chief Minister Isura Devapriya on the garbage issue in the province ignited a heated argument between him and Megapolis Development Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka.

Garbage

Devapriya said the Provincial Council had already taken action on the garbage issue and it needed more authority over the subject.

Minister Ranawaka was the first minister to respond to this request and he immediately shot down the idea. He said his ministry was in the process of formulating a comprehensive plan to resolve the problem and the provincial councils did not need more authority.

Devapriya angrily responded to Ranawaka’s remark and it looked as if both the Minister and the Chief Minister were ready for a heated debate. It was President Sirisena who played the peace-maker’s role and he urged every party to formulate a solution in an amicable manner, through negotiation.

The President also briefed the cabinet about allegations made by a section of pro-Rajapaksa Buddhist monks over the death of Maduluwawe Sobhitha Thera, former Convener of the National Movement for a Just Society.

The President said these groups were trying to gain petty political advantages by making false allegations and the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) should be entrusted with the task of conducting investigations.

“We have nothing to hide. That was why I suggested that the CID should proceed with this investigation. I am even ready to set up a Presidential Commission. They should not be allowed to gain cheap publicity and petty political gains out of such sensitive matters,” the President explained. The rest of the Cabinet members, including Prime Minister Wickremesinghe, fully endorsed the President’s position.

Meanwhile, the President also went on to share his opinion on the Hyde Park rally organised by the rebel group of the UPFA.

“Their main objective was to show the crowd. I received information that 450 buses had been used to transport people to the rally. This is a common phenomenon in Sri Lankan politics. There is nothing much to discuss about their so-called crowd support,” the President said.

“But, I noticed a very important development. In their speeches, they tried to exert pressure on the country’s judiciary. This is something we need to take into serious consideration. Their ulterior motives are quite clear. But, I must assert that no party will be able to interfere with the affairs of the judiciary,” the President stressed. Cabinet ministers present at the meeting hailed his firm position on this matter.

Ranatunga enigma

Former Sri Lankan cricketer and cricket administrator Dhammika Ranatunga made headlines a few months ago when he was appointed as the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority by his Minister-brother Arjuna Ranatunga.

This appointment in fact made the Ranatungas the most enigmatic family in the country’s political sphere. While two Ranatunga brothers – Dhammika and Arjuna – hold important positions under the current government, Prasanna Ranatunga, former Western Province Chief Minister, plays a significant role in the pro-Rajapaksa camp. Sanjeewa Ranatunga, a former cricketer who later re-invented himself as a sports broadcaster, was an open supporter of former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka.

Meanwhile, their younger brother, Nishantha Ranatunga, was remanded on criminal charges along with presidential scion Yoshitha Rajapaksa. But, Ruwan Ranatunga, the youngest member of the family, received a party electorate organizer’s post from President Sirisena. The Ranatunga family have their tentacles in every political camp and some say their family ties are much stronger than those of the Rajapaksas.

Dhammika Ranatunga again drew the attention of news media recently when he confronted a journalist at the Colombo High Court premises. The incident happened when the SLPA Chairman’s younger brother, ex-CEO of Carlton Sports Network Nishantha Ranatunga’s bail application was taken up.

Photo-journalist Subramaniam Gunaratnam of the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Cooperation (SLRC) lodged a complaint with the Keselwatta Police in this regard alleging that he was threatened with death by Dhammika Ranatunga, when the photo-journalist was taking video footage outside the court room.

Mother intervenes

Ranatunga’s mother, a former teacher at Ananda College, Colombo, who had been present, had intervened to calm the situation at this point and apologised to the journalist over her son’s behaviour. After her intervention, both Ranatunga and the journalist walked away, avoiding what could have been an unpleasant clash.

According to the Police complaint, he had further threatened the journalist stating that he would “take care of this later”. Video footage aired on TV channels showed the SLPA Chairman taking pictures of the journalist who was covering the event.

Following the complaint, the SLPA Chairman received summons to appear before court and the case was taken up on Thursday. Although Ranatunga was released on bail he was severely warned by the Colombo Chief Magistrate for allegedly threatening the media in the Colombo HC premises and behaving in an ungentlemanly manner.

The SLPA chairman was ordered to be released on two sureties of Rs.100,000 by Chief Magistrate Gihan Pilapitiya.

The Chief Magistrate further ordered the Keselwatta Police that the mobile phone belonging to the suspect that was allegedly used to photograph journalists on the day of the alleged incident took place, be handed over to police as a production item in the case.

The Chief Magistrate reprimanded Dhammika Ranatunga, stating that being a member of a respected family and being a sibling of a famous cricketer who brought good reputation to the country, he should take more care of his behaviour. The suspect himself was a national level cricketer who represented the country in two test matches and four ODIs in 1989.

The Chief Magistrate further observed that the Court could imagine the manner in which the suspect behaves at his work place, if he behaves in this manner in the premises of the High Court. The Chief Magistrate also reprimanded the police for failing to obtain a statement from Dhammika Ranatunga when he arrived at the police station on March 17.

The case was forwarded to the Mediation Board and further magisterial inquiry into the incident fixed for July 28.

Former BASL secretary Ajith Pathirana, counsel Asela Rekawa, Sunil Watagala, Namal Rajapaksha, Chrismal Warnasuriya, Achala Seneviratne and Srinath Perera PC appeared for the aggrieved party. President’s Counsel Anil de Silva appeared for the suspect. Filing a B report before Chief Magistrate Gihan Pilapitiya, the Keselwatta police had named SLPA chairman Ranatunga as a suspect. Police alleged that he had committed an offence coming under section 486 of the Penal Code.