Week in Parliament

No one to defend Fonseka in House - Minister Aluthgamage

Tuesday's emergency debate in Parliament turned into a heated affair as the entire debate was focused on the alleged involvement of General Sarath Fonseka's son-in-law's company in providing military equipment to the Army.In order to prove their allegations, Ministers tabled some documents of transactions and payments allegedly made by Fonseka's son-in-law's firm. The Opposition members during their speeches denied these allegations.

Power Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage in his speech gave 24 hours to the JVP to prove that the Opposition Presidential Candidate had never been involved in any corrupt arms deals or accept the fact that the JVP too supporting a such corrupt candidate.The Minister said as the Chief of Defence Staff, he was the chairman of the Board passing tenders for procuring arms and ammunition. He tabled a document on purchasing arms made by Fonseka and invited JVP MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake to reveal them.

"If the JVP is true and honest as they claim, they should withdraw from the campaign supporting Sarath Fonseka if these allegations are true. If not, the JVP should also be called as a bunch of thieves."

Minister Aluthgamage said "I also challenge the Opposition which goes throughout the country saying that the President and his brothers involved in corrupt deals, to produce any documentary evidence. If they do, entire Cabinet of Ministers will resign."

He said when the Government members were levelling these allegations against Sarath Fonseka, there is nobody in the Opposition to defend him. This clearly shows the low level of support extended by the Opposition members to their Presidential Candidate. If President Mahinda Rajapaksa did not appoint Sarath Fonseka as the Army Commander, nobody would have known him. The President provided all the required facilities to him and also provided employment to his wife and provided expenses for his children's education abroad.

UNP MP Lakshman Seneviratne questioned why the Government couldn't level these allegations when Sarath Fonseka was the Army Commander. General Sarath Fonseka was called as a patriot until he completed the war. But after he became the Opposition Candidate, the Government banded him a traitor.

The MP noted that there would be no room to speak on the extension of the state of emergency in the House after January 27. He said the Government was using the emergency to suppress its political opponents. If the Government is fully confident of its victory, it should conduct their election campaign in a moral and dignified manner, the MP said.

Information and Media Minister Anura Priyadharshana Yapa interrupting to Seneviratne's speech said the MP is slinging mud at the Government using Parliamentary privileges.

Construction and Engineering Services Minister Dr.Rajitha Senaratne joining the debate said he had documentary evidence to prove a forged transfer document to change the ownership of Sarath Fonseka's son-in-law's company. The Minister said he regrets to speak about a fraud committed by one of his friends from school days.

He said it was this Government which provided 350,000 jobs to youth and increased the salaries of public servants. The Government could also eradicate the Underworld. The President will take steps to eliminate corruption. The Opposition cannot prove their allegations of the Government. The JVP has become the advocate of corrupt elements.

JVP MP Bimal Ratnayake said the Government had resorted to mudslinging as it had nothing to show by way of achievements. The MP challenged the Government Ministers to show if they have evidence to prove that anything has been imported to Sri Lanka via Sarath Fonseka's son-in-law's company "Hicorp International".

Leader of the House Health Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva tabled invoices and bank details of the alleged fraudulent transactions. He pointed out that Fonseka's son-in-law had entered into a partnership with a British firm called British Borneo Defence Limited engaged in the supply of defence equipment.

JNP Leader MP Wimal Weerawansa said in an interview with Sirasa TV, Sarath Fonseka has said that some video equipment needed to the Army were imported through Hicorp. "Fonseka sat in the tender board to give tenders to his son-in-law. When this fraudulent deal made through Hicorp International was exposed, steps were taken to vest that company in another person. As Hicorp does not have three years of registration, all these deals have been made through British Borneo Defence.

Weerawansa said a few TNA MPs have extended their support to Sarath Fonseka with the intention of releasing the LTTE cadres in custody to re-originate terrorism. Referring to a earlier interview given by Sarath Fonseka to a newspaper, he quoted Fonseka as saying that if he comes to the politics, he would be the most unsuccessful politician. He has also said that they could end three decades old war within three and half years due to great assistance extended by the President, the Defence Secretary and the Forces.

Meanwhile, the motion moved by Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka to extend the state of emergency by another one month was passed with a majority of 79 votes. All the constituent parties of the Government including the JHU, JNP and CWC voted in favour while the TNA members voted against. The UNP and the JVP were absent at the voting.

The Premier said threats against the country both nationally and internationally were not completely over yet although terrorism had been militarily defeated. The need for extending the state of emergency was to counter these threats and not to suppress the political enemies as the Opposition claims. He stressed that the Government doesn't need extend emergency to achieve its political aims. "We are not that bankrupt."

Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said the Opposition just makes allegations. Both Government and Opposition members need time to engage in the election campaign. All the time when a Presidential Election was called, the sittings of the House had been confined to a few days. If the Opposition thinks this is undemocratic, then they can take their case before the public. Various views were expressed on the forthcoming Presidential Election during the oral question session. The Chief Government Whip Urban Development and Sacred Area Development Minister Dinesh Gunawardene said Ranil Wickremesinghe dreamed of becoming the President. "But he couldn't do it. He ran away due to fear. Now he is asking me who will be the President? We are not scared at all. The Opposition can understand this on January 26."

Agriculture Minister Hemakumara Nanayakkara responding to JVP MP Pemasiri Manage said this would be the last three months of the JVP in Parliament. After that they would not be even in a Death Donation Society, he quipped.