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| Sunday, 6 July 2003 |
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UNP Ex-Co meets in Embilipitiya N-E interim admin. to protect all communities - PM from Don Asoka Wijewardena in Embilipitiya Affirming the UNF Government's commitment to building democracy in the country, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday said that the Government would present proposals for an interim administration in the North-East region that would protect the rights of all communities. In a wide-ranging address to the United National Party's annual Executive Committee sessions yesterday in Embilipitiya, the Prime Minister also stressed the need for disciplined governance and warned UNPers against the abuse of power and indiscipline behaviour. Mr. Wickremesinghe told his packed audience of party officials and branch representatives at the Embilipitiya Mahaveli sports complex yesterday that the United National Front Government faced the challenge of bringing the LTTE into the democratic fold. As this was the only way to a permanent peace, the Government would not flinch from this task and would make every effort to achieve this goal, he said. The Government would make proposals for an interim administration in the North-East that could then be the basis for discussion and negotiation, he said, pointing out that the Government was acting to fulfil the popular mandate it had received at the general elections. He noted that the fears and doubts that many people had earlier harboured regarding the peace process no longer prevailed. The Prime Minister said that the Government was committed to the building of a consensus and invited all political forces to collaborate in the peace initiative. The Government's moves for peace would be made in a transparent manner. The Prime Minister observed that the recent Tokyo aid meeting, at which 4.5 billion dollars in assistance had been provided to Sri Lanka, had emphasised the responsibility of both the Government and the LTTE in ensuring the success of the peace initiative. Mr. Wickremesinghe dwelt at length on the numerous tasks facing the government to revive the economy and improve public administration and said that the United National Party had to take a new path that was free of old political practises followed for so long by most major parties in the country. He rejected what he described as the "traditional politics" of making promises of providing jobs in order to win votes and of the use of political power to cling to governmental power. Political parties also had the habit of formulating policies and programmes purely in response to the policies of rival parties. The UNP was instead seeking to formulate policy on the basis of the people's needs, he said. The people of the country were observing the behaviour of the political parties, he pointed out and called on the UNP to break out of this mould. "We cannot build democracy in the country if disciplined behaviour is not maintained within the party," the Premier pointed out and warned that the party's disciplinary committee would act firmly against members found misbehaving or violating institutional norms. Mr. Wickremesinghe also urged the party membership to ensure that the UNP maintained its close links with the people, arguing that successful government policy did not bring full results if the party had distanced itself from the people. ****** Four UNPers to be expelled from party Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has recommended to the newly established Disciplinary Committee of the United National Party, that four UNP Provincial Councillors and Pradeshiya Sabha members accused of murder, violence and corruption be expelled from the party. Addressing the UNP executive committee meeting, he also said the membership of another councillor, whose behaviour is under investigation, will be suspended, until such time the investigations are completed. |
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