‘Come what may, I’ll eat red rice’

By Shanika SRIYANANDA

Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s son Manoj married Sewwandhi Liyanarachi, daughter of Chandra Liyanarachi in Colombo yesterday. President Mahinda Rajapaksa and First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa were the witnesses. Here the newly weds with President Mahinda Rajapaksa, First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa, Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa, Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Minister Basil Rajapaksa and other family members. Pic: Sudath Silva

The word ‘Arsenic’, sends a chill down the spine of many Sri Lankans following research that the country’s rice was contaminated with this deadly chemical.

It made headline news with scientists debating on the contraversy with some saying ‘Yes’ and others ‘No’.

This led President Mahinda Rajapaksa to order a full investigation and also detain a consignment of agrochemicals suspected to have contained arsenic at the Colombo Port until the probe was completed.

While the panic-stricken Sri Lankans still hold their plate of rice with suspicion, President Rajapaksa, who follows the family tradition of wearing ‘Kurahan satakaya’ similar to his father the late Parliamentarain D.A.Rajapaksa, said that the news did not influence him to say ‘No’ to rice.

“I always eat red rice and will continue to eat rice whether there is arsenic or not. We will only go by the conclusions of scientific studies. We won’t be misled by hearsay”, the President said when he met newspaper Editors and Heads of media organisations at the monthly breakfast meeting at the Temple Trees, last week.

This meeting was a forum for the media to get the government view on most of the issues. At the President’s breakfast meeting last week answers to some of the serious issues, were provided.

The President, said that his government did not have anything to hide the way it, eliminated the LTTE terrorism which made the country, ‘a killing field’ through its brutal atrocities. Refuting the war crimes allegations all, including the Channel 4, President Rajapaksa said two reports - one on the humanitarian operation and the other by the Ministry of Defence countering all false allegations would be released soon.

“Channel 4 Video is a total fabrication. Its objective is very clear. At the Channel 4 screening they mentioned about me, the Defence Secretary and Minister Basil Rajapaksa. We’ve nothing to hide. We do not condone any wrong-doing by our Security Forces”, he said.

He said the Reports were not a response to the biased Channel 4 documentary or the Darusman Report but it gives a clear picture of what his government did to develop the country specially the North and East, which the LTTE had destroyed.

Recalling the opportunity provided to the diplomats in Colombo to witness the true nature of LTTE’s brutality via UAV’s, President Rajapaksa said the Channel 4 video was a mere sensational and fictitious documentary. “ This is not journalism. Bombs were shown as being dropped in one place, for instance, but people were shown as dying in a completely different location. This fabricated video can produce to the LLRC. The closing stages of the conflict were a battle between life and death for the Security Forces.

How could there have been time for committing acts of rapes? he asked.

He said the well organised anti-Sri Lankan segments were even in a position to threaten an EU parliamentarian and excert its influence to have his nominations rejected the next election. “ One British Parliamentarain in EU Parliament is facing pressure from the pro-LTTE activists after his balanced speech in the House”, he said.

When the editors asked whether the government is contemplating legal action against Channel 4, the President said the government was now gathering information and after consulting the legal experts it would resort to legal action.

President Rajapaksa reiterated his commitment to resolve the national issue of power devolution through participatory approach by enlisting the support of all parties in the legislature.

“The Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) will provide an opportunity for all parties in Parliament to participate in finding a solution.

Parliament will take responsibility for its solution, besides emerging strong in the process”, he said adding that when he makes decisions, he is accused of undermining the authority of Parliament and also when he refers matters to Parliament, he is accused of resorting to dilatory tactics.

The President said that the solution would be a result of the joint effort of Parliament and of participatory process and if Parliament comes up with a solution he would implement it.

“Any solution, at last, has to be presented to Parliament for its approval and therefore the best way is to give this opportunity to the Parliament to decide on it. Then I will accept it,” he said.

Urging the Tamil National Alliance, (TNA), which opposes the PSC, to respect the supremacy of Parliament, he asked how could this party repose trust in him , when it does not have faith even in Parliament. “ All political parties have the right to participate in the discussions of national importance.

I think the best forum is the PSC”, he said rejecting the recent allegation by the TNA that a group of its parliamentarians was attacked by men in Army uniforms.

However, the President said that the TNA had exaggerated the incident for political gains and assured that an investigation is being held to bring the culprits to book.

Responding to editors who said it was fair to pay a decent salary for university academics who are demanding a salary hike, President Rajapaksa asked:” Do you want me to print money to pay their increased salaries. “If I do that, then you will blame me for its adverse consequences”, he said in a higher.

He explained that it was not possible for the government to increase their salaries since the government had to adhere to the stipulated salary structures. “ It is impossible to pay a salary of Rs. 200,000 to a university professor.

The university demonstrators’ salary increments are equal to those of my Secretary Lalith Weeratunge”, this refusing to reveal the salary increament of the Secretary President Rajapaksa said it was up to the newsmen to do their investigations to find out it.

The President also explained the government stand on the right to information, the investigations on arsenic contamination and the attack on TNA.

President Rajapaksa conceding that freedom of information was a prerequisite for battling corruption, said that there was no need for new laws to protect people’s right to information.

“I am prepared to ensure that all Sri Lankans had access to any information except what comes under the Official Secrecy Act and also matters related to national security”, he said.

On June 30, President Rajapaksa and First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa were the attesting witnesses at the wedding of the Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s son Manoj, who married to Sewwandhi Liyanarachi.

Ministers – Maithripala Sirisena, Nimal Siripala de Silva, Patali Champika Ranawake, Mervin Silva and Chief Ministers were present. Apart from the special invitees, Defence Secretary’s batchmates in the Army were also present at the wedding, held at the Colombo Hilton.

At a ceremoney held to mark the 60th anniversary of People’s Bank at Temple Trees last Friday President Rajapaksa said that the government had defeated several conspiracies aimed at making state banks bankrupt and also saved them when they were listed for privatization.

“Some interested parties, who were trying to gain political mileage, spread rumors that state banks were nearing bankruptcy. But this government has taken several steps to safeguard People’s Bank, which was established by T.B. Illangaratne as Finance Minister in the Sirimavo Bandaranaike government of 1961” , he said adding that today the governemnt has been able to restore its finacial status and defeated those conspiracies against the State banks.

“The Golden Jubilee of the People’s Bank is a landmark event of national significance. Since its establishment on July 01, 1961, the People’s Bank has been in the forefront of the banking sector. The People’s Bank was established under the guidance of the then Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike by several ministers including T B Illangaratne, Philip Gunawardena and so on aiming at providing a friendly financial service to the people.

Today the People’s Bank has the largest banking network with 686 bank branches throughout the country. It has also won the hearts of 12 million customers. Empowered with state-of -art technology, yet preserving the true Sri Lankan identity, the bank will continue its service to the country with the same level of dedication, President Rajapaksa said. resident Rajapaksa further said that the bank has to be further developed so as to fulfil the public aspirations in the coming fifty years”, he said.

The President who issued a Rs. 1,000 commemorative coin advised the Peoples’ Bank employees to become more people-friendly to accomplish the peoples’ needs in the next 50 years. He said the bank had addressed the financial needs of people in the past as a more people friendly bank while strengthening the country’s economy.