30 SLFP MPs join UNP-UPFA National Govt. from today

BY Gagani Weerakoon - Ceylon Today

Following a shock decision worked out in total secrecy last Friday with Premier Ranil Wickremesinghe, President Maithripala Sirisena will this afternoon swear-in 30 SLFP MPs as ministers, 15 of them with Cabinet rank and 15 others as Deputy Ministers, in a political feint that will see the promised Sirisena-Wickremesinghe National Government coming to fruition with more than a month to elapse before government completes 100 days in office.

SLFP members who are holding positions in Parliament and top posts in the party are not among those who will be sworn-in today as ministers, deputy ministers or state ministers, the source added. This would hence leave out Opposition Leader Nimal Siripala de Silva, Chief Opposition Whip John Seneviratne and SLFP General Secretary Anura Priyadarshana Yapa from the list.

None of the Sandanaya Alliance members have been offered anything.

The move will result in the present 29-member Cabinet of Ministers expanded to 44, a further 15 deputy ministers added to the current 13 besides the nine state ministers in the present government..

This marks the official entrée of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) into President Sirisena's promised National Government that will hold its first National Government Cabinet meeting tomorrow, March 23.

The appointment of another 10 state ministers from the SLFP will also be finalized at a meeting set to be held this morning, the sources added. If the suggestion to offer these10 state ministerial portfolios also gets the green light this morning, it will boost the number of State ministers to 19.

Thevarapperuma surrenders to CCD?

UNP Parliamentarian Palitha Thevarapperuma has surrendered to the Colombo Crime Division (CCD), reports say.

The MP is facing charges of being involved in an assaulting incident in Agalawatta on 18 January where he had allegedly made a PS member kneel down.

Earlier, police Spokesperson SSP Ajith Rohana said investigation is underway under directions from IGP N.K. Illangakoon.

The police had arrested three suspects and initiated a manhunt to arrest the rest.

President Maithripala Sirisena has also instructed the IGP to appoint a team of officers to investigate the attacking incident.

Ranil, a qualified statesmen, a strategic thinker with maturity and patience

By Ali Asghar - Lankanewsweb

Nominating Maithripala Sirisena as a common candidate to challenge Mahinda Rajapaksa in the coming presidential election proves the caliber of a matured strategic thinker of qualified statesmen working for the best interest of its citizens.

In 2004 in order to coexist with Chandrika led People’s Alliance in spite of obtaining popularity among the majority Buddhist Singhalese the JVP purportedly created an anti Ranil opinion, a smear campaign against Ranil Wicramasinghe to damage his reputation to portray a negative image of the UNP leadership among the grassroots majority public forecasting the country would be divided and a part of it will be given to the LTTE if UNP regime comes to power. The anti Ranil opinion created by the JVP during the probationary government was further promoted by the UPFA led Mahinda who was continuously ignored and abstained to legislate the 17th amendment preventing to establish the independent commissions bill by not holding free and fair elections thereby obtaining a synthetic majority. The JVP and the JHU gains popularity by being a coalition partner of the SLFP led alliance in order to be a prominent among the majority Buddhist masses. The JVP, who always work only for the best interest of their party, undermined the best interest of the people and failed to take prompt action when necessary. The JVP, who always in searched for an opportunity to support and hold the falling regime and tried to coexist. After the end of the war in 2009 the JVP and the JHU continuously witnessed the deterioration of the law and order of the UPFA administration and continuously had a blind eye and whitewashed the regimes dirty linen and undemocratic conduct nourishing the Rajapaksa regime with enzymes. The JVP who is only capable of criticizing the governance failed to take appropriate action in favour of its citizens in due time. Therefore the JVP and the JHU is directly accountable for the deterioration of the law and order and the current economic crisis the country is faced with. In simple words the JVP and the JHU has played with the lives of its citizens. The JVP and JHU continuously promoted the Anti Ranil opinion witnessing and anticipating a collapse in the economy.

Tissa Attanayake to be the Minister of Health!!!!

This is the most hilarious political story of the year (of  course the other was Maithri joining the opposition as JOC). I am literally lost for words..................

Who wants to go to the Hospital!!!!

Sajith - Tiran - Tissa Conspiracies keep UNP in limbo

With input from Colombo Telegraph

Latest reports say the Private Secretary of Sajith Premadasa is going to join the government. His name is P M A Gunadasa.

Internal sabotage plots within the opposition continue to come to light with UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake expected to join ranks with the UPFA today.

Reliable reports reaching the Colombo Telegraph are now confirming that DNA MP and Businessman Tiran Alles has been in tight negotiations with the Government on Attanayake’s behalf.

UNP Deputy Leader Sajith Premadasa has been a tacit supporter of the move to effect Attanayake’s defection to the Government.

As a precursor to this week’s crossover Premadasa launched into a chorus of high praise for Attanayake at the UNP Convention last Saturday.

Premadasa told the membership at the convention that it was Attanayake who was responsible for bringing unity back to the UNP. Premadasa said that it was because of Attanayake that he was even able to speak at the convention that day.

Highly placed UNP sources said Premadasa was strategically elevating Attanayake’s profile to ensure that his departure is perceived as a severe blow to the main opposition party.

Colombo Telegraph can now reveal that straight after the UNP convention on Saturday, Attanayake went to Alles’ residence. On Sunday night Attanayake spent several hours at the businessman politico’s residence negotiating the details of the crossover deal.

Attanayake who failed to win his electorate in the Kandy District in the 2010 general election is a member of the UNP’s National List in Parliament.

Tiran Alles is well known to be in league with Defence Secretary and presidential sibling Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Colombo Telegraph has previously revealed that Alles has been a member of Gotabaya Rajapaksa‘s Tuesday Tea Party at Central Bank, together with Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal, Chief Justice Mohan Pieris and the Defence Secretary himself. Alles is also a close associate of Gotabaya acolyte and high networth individual Dilith Jayaweera.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Tiran Alles and Sajith Premadasa gathered at Jayaweera’s Citrus resort in April this year to watch the finals of the T20 World Cup in a special private room.

Alles is Premadasa’s main financial backer and political advisor. Alles’ newspapers strongly back Premadasa and recently engaged in a overt campaign to have Ranil Wickremesinghe appointed opposition candidate to contest at the January 8 presidential election. The maneuver was believed to have been made in order to weaken the UNP chances at the election and ensure Premadasa could take control of the party post-poll.

It is now an open secret that the Rajapaksa regime desperately wanted UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe to contest the January election, since his support among the Sinhalese Buddhist majority has taken a beating in recent years. UNP insiders remarked that it was curious how the Rajapaksa administration, Sajith Premadasa and Tiran Alles all wanted the same candidate to contest the presidential poll.

UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake To Join The Government - Resigns From Post of General Secretary!

UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake is to extend his support to President Mahinda Rajapaksa today or tomorrow, highly placed political sources told Asian Mirror.

Attanayake visited Sirikotha this morning and met his personal staff for the last time.

Along with him, UNP Parliamentarian Chandrani Bandara too is join the ruling party, political sources also added.

Asian Mirror reliably learns that the government has assured a national list seat for Attanayake at the next parliamentary election.

Attanayake's mobile phone was switched off this morning and he was not taking calls at least from his close associates. However, he is expected to make a special announcement about the move in the evening.

A few days ago, the UNP General Secretary assured that he would not join the government and his conscience cannot be bought for money.

“The government cannot buy me over. My conscience could not be bought for money. No one in the UNP cannot be bought for money!” an emotional General Secretary said addressing a meeting at Sirikotha, last week, referring to certain media reports claiming the UNP General Secretary was negotiating with the government for a crossover.

Speaking on his efforts to unite the main opposition party, Attanayake said he realized that the party was not in a position to embark on a victorious journey as long as it remains divided. He was referring to the role he played in creating an “understanding” between UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and Hambanthota District MP Sajith Premadasa, who was later appointed as the Deputy Leader of the party.

Hirunika Premachandra ready to Join Maithri Palanayak!!!

SLFP Western Provincial Councilor Hirunika Premachandra has indicated that she is willing to shift allegiance ahead of the presidential election.

She dubbed former SLFP General Secretary Maithripala Sirisena as a “clean politician” in a context where seniors of her party are lashing out at him for becoming the common candidate of the opposition.

It is learnt that Hirunika Premachandra has been approached by the group supporting Maithripala Sirisena and former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga. A few other members of the Western Provincial Council too are now holding under the radar discussions to extend their support to the common opposition.

“Both Maithripala Sirisena and Rajitha Senaratne are exemplary characters, they were with me during my father’s death: the real issue at hand is that both these gentlemen crossed over and they will not come back”, Premachandra said addressing a public meeting in Colombo obtained. The PC member obtained the highest number of preferential votes under the UPFA ticket at the Western Provincial Council election, a few months ago.

“We should learn from this experience, in order to place this government in a position we should be able to protect the ‘respectable’ members of the party”, Premachandra added.

 Premachandra maintained that in earlier days the SLFP was founded on the five concepts ‘Sanga, Weda, Guru, Govi, Kamkaru’, but now it has dramatically changed to ‘Drugs , Ethanol, Murder, Rape and Scams’.

She also said that this situation has occurred as certain newly joined ‘henchmen’ of the powers that be have used their authority for their personal gains.

#Satana special edition - Mathripala Sirisena & the rest (In 4 Parts)

Will the opposition wake up in time?

Short on strategy, long on personal and sectarian partisanship

(Article written before the Common Candidate was picked!)

by Kumar David from The Sunday Island

Political soothsayers say presidential elections are on course for January. I have no idea how Pope Francis’ visit is to be slotted-in, but am certain that Sarath Silva’s constitutional challenge will be seen off irrespective of legal rectitude. The regime did not squander decency and credibility, impeaching, popping up henchmen, and despoiling the higher judiciary for nothing. On the Rajapaksa side, strategy is integrated, unlike the opposition. The tests the regime confronts are circumstances beyond its control. Post-Uva and post-UNHRC, it is more than possible, but less than certain, that President Rajapaksa can be defeated though much depends on how the opposition gets its act together, but the signs are not good. The regime is in better readiness though it has the dilemma of whether to move now and risk being clipped by a year or two, or hang on for a while in worsening circumstances. Its tactical readiness comes from the cohesion of its constituent elements; asses bray in chorus, or you may say they reckon it better to hang-on together than to hang separately.

The disarray in the opposition can be sourced explicitly to fragmentation and implicitly to a deficit of grey matter among political leaders who are unable to get their act together. Some lack the knack for blending ultimate goals (obviously different), with current actions, obviously needing coordination and synchronisation. Let me return to this after crunching some numbers. The numbers-game is mind numbing and wide off the mark at worst; at best it is a rough snapshot to a momentary state of play. But this essay cannot progress without a coarse set of rounded numbers, so here goes.

It appears that post-Uva the UNP can count on a base vote of say 30% from the south – I say south excluding north and east, I do not say Sinhalese. Again in rough and rounded numbers the JVP can haul 6% and Sarath Fonseka 4%. The hard question is how much can the ‘Abolish Executive Presidency’ campaign, sometimes called the ‘Sobitha Movement’ draw, excluding what has already been counted; one must avoid double counting. If you ask me to guess about this as yet untested quantity, I will opt for 5%. If you deem 30%, 6%, 4% and 5% to be on the low side, let me remind you that I mean percentages on a national base. For example, I am saying the UNP core vote, which is located almost entirely outside the north and east, is only 30% of the national vote; of course this is much lower than the percentage it polled in Uva measured on a local scale.

These four numbers add to 45%. Next the Ceylon Tamils and Muslims not already counted in the UNP’s southern 30% (a large number of Muslims and all Ceylon Tamils in the south are already in the 30%). The additional elements are Tamils in the NP and EP, and EP Muslims; safely 10% together. The sum of this potential, but not watertight anti-Rajapaksa vote is 55%; but don’t get excited. Violence and electoral fraud (in this life-and-death gasp of a regime that dare not go out of office) can reduce this by 5%, 10%; I don’t know, your guess is as good as mine. Shall we settle for a potential anti-Rajapaksa vote of between 45% and 55%?

These numbers make sense if you start at the other end too. The Sinhala-Buddhist electorate is about 70% (I have put the bulk of Sinhala Catholics in the UNP camp) and a neither too optimistic nor too pessimistic estimate is that Rajapaksa will take 60% thereof. That is 42% of the national vote; in addition he will (unless Thonda splits) collect most of the 5% Upcountry Tamil and a minority of the southern Muslim vote. This puts Rajapaksa in the 45% to 50% bracket; more if some voters in any of the groups counted in the previous paragraph throw him a lifeline.

OK, that’s enough for the numbers-game; my purpose, most emphatically, is not to attempt electoral predictions, it is insanely too early for that. Rather, the case I am making is this: Things are quite finely balanced and can swing either way. A real fight is on; therefore my objective in this numbers-game is only to insist that the opposition leaders, one and all, deserve to be certified as jointly and severally insane if they do not get their act together NOW.

Sectarian obstacles

Senior UNP MP Joseph Michael Perera made sensible conciliatory remarks according to a newspaper report: "We have not yet decided who our presidential candidate will be. We cannot do so since the election date has not been announced. A common candidate will be picked by a joint opposition front".  This is tactically wise, though as the largest group by far, its pick of candidate will have to be endorsed by everybody who is serious about jettisoning Rajapaksa. So far so good, but uncertainty is contingent on Mr Perera’s next point: "The executive presidency is the cause of mounting problems in the post war era. It has to be scrapped if democracy and the rule of law are to be re-established; national security can be maintained under any system".

This indeed is the formula on which a winning common candidate can be ratified by the whole opposition; but the public at large, and this correspondent in particular, cannot banish lingering doubts. Does the UNP really mean it? Will it really abolish EP? Yes Ranil has said it a few times and Karu several times; I believe an internal UNP committee has endorsed it as policy. But still it has not been proclaimed from the rooftops; no statement issued as a policy charter, nor has a road map of the procedure been enunciated. The UNP has still not woken up to grasp that the most important step to stabilise a common opposition against the incumbent is a thunderous call to abolish EP.

The JVP is in something of a pickle because its cadres are unable to disentangle fundamentals from tactics; Anura Kumara and some leaders are probably clear about what to do eventually, but not in a position to get round the party as a whole, at least so it seems. Their concern is simple, the JVP cannot support Ranil, the class enemy, but it also sees that if defeating Rajapaksa is the priority, then there is no option but to work with the UNP. The dilemma is easy to resolve if they prioritise issues. The JVP needs to declare that it will support anybody, even a broomstick, even Ranil, if it is for a brief presidency for the sole purpose of abolishing EP. The UNP in its turn can lubricate this outcome by issuing a clear unambiguous and solemn pledge and a road-map promising this. It is all so obvious; you will appreciate why I say these all guys need to have their heads examined.

Post election pitfalls

Though the election will be violent, fraudulent and rigged, the worst may come afterwards; certainly if Rajapaksa rides again; even otherwise unless the winning opposition is mature and tolerant. If Rajapaksa wins by a large majority the UPFA terror machine will rampage again, drug dealers will have carte blanche, and what is there to stop kleptomania? The family will run amok romping through social and business circuits. If Rajapaksa only scrapes through, regime and state will be as stable as a pack of cards in a typhoon. Who will recognise the legitimacy of a Rajapakse who gets, say only 51% of the vote, in rigged elections? Such a regime cannot survive the ensuing civil unrest and open defiance.

More important is if Rajapaksa is defeated. When power-centralising rotten regimes, accused of gross rights violations, are thrown out, a turbulent power hiatus follows. A winning but diversified opposition must then act wisely and responsibly. The current regime has undermined ethnic, social and political cohesion, but it is not a worst case scenario like Libya after Gaddafi (a good friend of the Paksa family) or Iraq after the Americans destroyed the state and put nothing acceptable in its place. Even in monolithic China, rigid Stalinism has stoked rebellion in Xingjian, instability in Tibet and endemic protest in Hong Kong. The moral is: After a dictator, national cohesion has to be carefully reconstructed by the victorious democratic alliance.

The UNP, TNA, JVP and Fonseka do not dance to the same social and economic policy melody; that’s fine by me, that’s how it should be. However, it is crucial for them all to appreciate in the event of victory that we are passing through a very fragile period in world history. From the Middle East to the Far East, from Sub-Saharan Africa to the eastern borders of Russia, cracks can become chasms and swallow society in brutal conflict if not properly managed. Indian democracy is a fine example to learn from, but more important, the winning alliance right here must appreciate that it cannot let the country lapse into anarchic internecine conflict as has happened in Libya and Iraq.

Responsible democratic opposition is what the TNA and JVP must pledge if a common candidate wins with their support. Fonseka may take a portfolio (why not Defence?) but these two parties, I presume, will be in the parliamentary opposition. If the UNP forms the next government my place too will be in the democratic opposition. There is much essential democracy rebuilding to be done if we get rid of this regime. The opposition is the right place to be.

A historic defection and a political thunderbolt

By Rajan Philips - The Sunday Island

The defection of Mr. Maithripala Sirisena, the Minister of Health and the SLFP General Secretary, from the Rajapaksa government is historic and momentous on several counts. As a political party, the SLFP is not unaccustomed to defections. The founding of the party itself was the result of the defection of SWRD Bandaranaike, himself a Minister of Health and Local Government, from the first UNP government after independence. But his defection was a personal statement of political frustrations as well as aspirations that had no immediate impact on the (DS Senanayake) government of the day. In the election that followed in 1952, the newly formed SLFP did not fare well at all while the UNP romped to a landslide victory. Mr. Sirisena’s defection, on the other hand, is a political thunderbolt that has the potential to become the grave digger of the Executive Presidency. He has given Sri Lanka the chance to avoid being spirited away on a 99 year lease by the Rajapaksa brotherhood.

The SLFP’s fortunes and numbers swelled in 1953 when it became the beneficiary of defections from the LSSP led by TB Subasinghe, PH William Silva and Lakshman Rajapaksa, all of whom went on to become frontline Ministers in future Bandaranaike-led SLFP governments. These defections and crossovers were the result of open debates and democratic disagreements about political goals and paths, unlike the opportunistic UNP squatters in the UPFA cabinet who have been simultaneously enjoying their (UPFA) government ministership and their UNP membership thanks to President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s executive inducements and ex-CJ Sarath Silva’s cooked court rulings. Maithripala Sirisena’s defection has created the opportunity to put an end to this nonsense once and for all. It is the SLFP that is now on the verge of a split, triggered by the prematurely called presidential election for an illegitimately constitutional third term in office.

The impending SLFP split is also different from the third major defection in the history of the SLFP. That was the defection of 14 SLFP Ministers and MPs led by CP de Silva in 1964 to cause the parliamentary defeat of the short-lived SLFP-LSSP coalition. The 1965 election that followed benefited the UNP with Dudley Senanayake as Prime Minister, although Mr. Senanayake did offer the premiership to CP de Silva who declined the offer. In the present instance, with the UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe gallantly standing down, the chief SLFP defector Maithripala Sirisena has instantly become the common candidate thunderbolt. He has the blessings of Chandrika Kumaratunga (nee Bandaranaike), the first SLFPer to become President under the Jayewardene constitution and who is now the spiritual matriarch of the SLFP revolt against the pretenders to the ownership of the SLFP. The political stakes now are also more fundamental and much graver than they were in 1964. And the Old Left in the UPFA is now in a pickle having prematurely thrown its support behind the incumbent president and now caught unawares by the Sirisena bolt from the old SLFP blue. It was rather saddening to see someone like Dr. Tissa Vitarana being part of the triumvirate, in the distinguished company of Wimal Weerawansa, doing the media errand for the government.

While the pundits now say that they knew all along this was coming, nothing should be taken away from those who pulled this off. The defection of Mr. Sirisena and his acclamation as the opposition common candidate is a stunning development considering the kerfuffle over common candidacy that has been going on for weeks with the government doing everything to stir up confusion among the opposition forces. Special kudos must go to former President Chandrika Kumaratunga and UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe. They have individually and collectively contributed much of the political mess that the country is in, but their contributions to making Maithripala Sirisena the Common Candidate against President Rajapaksa will be huge credit entries on their political balance sheets. It would be easy to make fun of Ranil Wickremasinghe for getting cold feet for the second time to be a presidential candidate against Mahinda Rajapaksa. But in this instance, Mr. Wickremasinghe has shown exceptional equanimity in endorsing Maithripala Sirisena as the opposition’s Common Candidate. One would hope that he will remain a vigorous force throughout the campaign and mobilize the party machinery and its base in support of the common candidate he has endorsed.

Whatever opinions one might have about Chandrika Kumaratunga’s performance as a President, nobody can deny that she was the political fighter who upended the UNP government after it had been in office for seventeen years. Another twenty years later, history is giving Chandrika Kumaratunga another chance to play a vicarious role in terminating a regime that behaves as if it is interminable. Only a few weeks ago a Rajapaksa loyalist with Leftist pretensions shamelessly wrote that that the SLFP is as much a party of the Rajapaksas as it was of the Bandaranaikes. With Maithripala Sirisena leading the new SLFP breakaway and playing the role of the mythical saviour of the people, the SLFP finally has the chance to shed its tag as Sri Lanka’s family party. And there cannot be a better midwife to this new transition than Chandrika Kumaratunga.

It is still early days and the candidates are still to go through the nomination formalities. There is a long way to go before the election that has been fixed for January 8, and nothing can be taken for granted. The country will see the good, the bad and the ugly before it is through with the election. Even if the opposition campaign stays good all through, there will be plenty of the bad and the ugly from the government side. The decadent regime will spare nothing to prevail in the January election. There is too much at stake for those in power to lose power. Organized violence, intimidation of opposition groups, abuse of state power, the igniting of chauvinistic hatred and a great deal more will be unleashed from the war room of the state sponsored election campaign of the Rajapaksas.

As against the might of the state, the opposition forces have a just and moral purpose. They now have the enthusiasm following the dramatic defections last week. In Maithripala Sirisena, the opposition has a more seasoned political player than what it had in Sarath Fonseka in 2010. Mr. Sirisena also has the organizational advantage, having been a long time Secretary of the SLFP, as well as the territorial advantage of an established political base in the Rajarata. He could certainly benefit from being not only the Common Candidate of the opposition but also its Only candidate. The other opposition parties and groups, especially the JVP and the TNA, must realize the seriousness of the stakes involved and avoid fielding their own candidates for the sake of contesting, or causing political digressions that the Rajapaksas will be all ready to exploit. Let it be a two way race and let the people decide.

MASS CROSSOVERS TOMORROW

By Ravi Ladduwahetty of Ceylon Today

Mass scale crossovers are expected from both the government to the Opposition and vice versa on Monday, coinciding with the vote on the Third Reading of the 2015 Budget.

A large number of Ministers and Members of Parliament will be crossing over, from the government, to the Opposition following Friday's announcement that former SLFP General Secretary and Health Minister, Maithipala Sirisena would be the Opposition's common presidential candidate, authoritative political sources told Ceylon Today.

UNP Spokesman and Galle District MP, Gayantha Karunatilleke, also confirmed that there would be mass scale crossovers across the Well of the House on the final day of the final reading of the 2015 Budget. But, he was tightlipped on the numbers.

Former Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Dr. Rajitha Senaratne, while confirming to Ceylon Today that there would be mass scale crossovers from the government to the Opposition, said that it would be done in different stages as planned.

Asked for the names and the numbers, he said: "I cannot talk right now, but, you will have to wait and see!."

Meanwhile, Government Spokesman and Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella told Ceylon Today that there were a large number of Opposition MPs, who were waiting to join the government, but he was extremely tightlipped on the numbers.

"I am not at liberty to talk right now, the minister said, speaking from a wedding ceremony in Kandy yesterday.

Rambukwella reiterated the comments that he made at the weekly post Cabinet news conference, that the Sri Lankan political landscape had proved that there were numerous crossovers at these times.

Lalith Athulathmudali commemoration today

The commemoration of late Lalith Athulathmudali is due to take place today at the Booker Hall at No. 10, Hedges Court, off Deans Road, Colombo 10 at 5.30 p.m.
A sermon under the theme of ‘A Sri Lanka free of an Executive Presidency’ will be delivered by Ven. Maduluwawe Sobitha Thera, Chief incumbent of the Sri Naga Vihara, Kotte and convener of the National Movement for Fair Society.

Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe will also be present. Meanwhile the Lalith Athulathmudali Memorial Oration will be held on November 26 at the BMICH (Committee Room A) at 6 p.m.  The oration will be delivered by Dr. Subramaniam Swamy, Ph.D. (Harvard), Member of BJP National Executive Committee and former Cabinet Minister, Government of India. The subject of his address will be ‘SAARC Reforms and Globalisation’.

Amid polls fever, over hundred police officers transferred - Is this right????

From The Sunday Times

By S. Rubatheesan

Questions raised as to who gave the orders; opposition sees political motives

More than one hundred police officers, including officers in charge of stations, were suddenly moved out ahead of nominations for the January 8 presidential election – while questions were being raised as to who transferred them.  Police spokesperson Ajith Rohana said the officers, including 85 OICs, were being moved out but insisted no permission was required from the Commissioner of Elections to do so.

The transfers took effect on Thursday. “We do not require the permission of the Commissioner of Elections as the transfers were made before the proclamation for the election,” SSP Rohana said. The main political parties on Friday met Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya and raised concerns about the possibility of police transfers in the coming weeks.
The Commissioner had assured them he would discuss the matter with Inspector General N.K. Illangakoon and also secure a list of the names and stations police officers were currently serving.

Party representatives at the meeting charged that recent transfers of more than one hundred police officers were made without the approval of the IGP. They claimed that the list had been recommended by the Law and Order Ministry Secretary Mahinda Balasuriya and signed by a DIG. Commissioner Deshapriya said he could not take action regarding transfers made prior to the announcement of elections.

The opposition parties also raised issues regarding allocation of grounds to conduct public meetings. They said it was difficult to reserve playgrounds as most of them came under local authorities controlled by the UPFA.  The Commissioner said he would intervene and take action in such cases. Mr. Deshapriya also said he would introduce special criteria for the campaign activities in which limitations would be made on number of cutouts and the size of cutouts displayed by candidates.

The Commissioner said Commonwealth monitors would be invited for the polls.  Peoples Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) Executive Director Rohana Hettiarachchi said the Elections Commissioner had agreed that his group could invite 35 foreign monitors.

Will Maithri be the next ‘Minneriya Deiyo’?

From Daily Mirror
Yesterday’s historic political events where the ruling SLFP’s veteran General Secretary Maithripala Sirisena crossed over and was named as the opposition’s common candidate for the next Presidential Election on January 8 brought back memories of a similar historic event 50 years ago. We can learn a lot from the 1964 crossover, the only time crossovers served to bring down a government. According to a report in the Sunday Times, it was meticulously planned by some political masterminds of the era after the government made an abortive attempt to introduce a Press Council Bill to take over the Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited (ANCL). This was seen by many analysts as the first major blow to media freedom, which has been suppressed to a large extent today, and is one of the causes for the current crossover of Mr. Sirisena who pledged to fully restore media freedom if elected president. The efforts of the masterminds in 1964 bore results when the Sirima Bandaranaike Government was defeated at the vote on the Throne Speech (the government policy statement delivered by the Governor General).

Esmond Wickremesinghe, father of UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, was active behind the scenes and a number of parliamentarians and ministers led by C.P. de Silva crossed over from the government to the opposition. Significantly C. P. de Silva also hailed from Minneriya in the Polonnaruwa District, which is the home-base of the man of the moment, Maithripala Sirisena. C. P. de Silva went on to be hailed as the ‘Minneriya Deiyo’ and political analysts were left wondering yesterday whether history was repeating itself.
Government MP for Passara Amarananda Ratnayake could not attend parliament on that fateful day to vote with the government owing to a flat tyre as reported by him to the party Whip. Later, there was a disciplinary inquiry against him and his political career came to an end. But J. R. Jayewardene commented that “a flat tyre saved democracy”.

Mr. Ratnayake’s absence in parliament rendered the government one vote short to save it from a crisis situation. The book ‘J. R. Jayewardene of Sri Lanka – Vol. II’ records the episode in vivid detail.

The Parliament of Sri Lanka published by the Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd., states: “This decision of Mrs. Bandaranaike to bring in left-wingers to her Cabinet caused apprehension, particularly among sections of the right-wing of the SLFP Ministers and other Members of Parliament, but they decided to carry on, nevertheless. The unexpected happened on December 3, 1964 just six months after her coalition with the Trotskyites. The right-wing of the SLFP grew tired of the policies of the LSSP Ministers, and on that fateful day in December, 14 members of the SLFP government defied the Party Whip and voted against the government of Mrs. Bandaranaike on the debate on the Throne Speech.

“Those who defied the Whip were Messrs. C.P. Wickremasuriya (Devinuwara), Wijebahu Wijesinghe (Mirigama), Edmund Wijesuriya (Maskeliya), A.H. de Silva (Polonnaruwa), Indrasena de Zoysa (Ampara), C. Munaweera (Rattota), Albert Silva (Moneragala), Razik Fareed (First Colombo Central), S.B. Lenawa (Kekirawa), Lakshman de Silva (Balapitiya), Mahanama Samaraweera (Matara) (father of Mangala Samaraweera who is playing a key role in the current realignment of political forces), D.E. Tillekeratne (Ratgama) and R. Singleton-Salmon (Appointed MP).

“In a memorable speech he made when he crossed the floor of the House, on December 3, 1964, C.P. de Silva declared: ‘It is my painful duty to state, and I do so in all responsibility, that from what I have known, what I have heard, and what I have seen in the inner councils of the Coalition Government of Mrs. Bandaranaike, our nation is now being inexorably pushed towards unadulterated totalitarianism.’ ”

Mrs. Bandaranaike called it ‘a stab in the back’ and added: “C.P. de Silva betrayed the common people of this country and the progressive policies enunciated by the late Mr. Bandaranaike in his march towards democratic socialism.”
Shortly after the defeat of Mrs. Bandaranaike’s government, a proclamation was issued by the Governor-General dissolving the 5th Parliament, on December 17, 1964. The general election for the 6th Parliament was fixed for March 22, 1965. At this election the SLFP contested 100 seats and won 41. Dudley Senanayake, whose UNP won 66 seats, formed a National Government with the assistance of the Federal Party (14 seats), the SLFSP (5 seats), the Tamil Congress (3 seats), and the MEP, Jathika Vimukthi Peramuna and LPP (1 seat each.)

In an appreciation written in the Sunday Times of April 15, 2012, former Presidential Secretary K.H.J. Wijayadasa paid a glowing tribute to C. P. de Silva. According to him, men of great distinction and high calibre such as Charles Percival de Silva were rarely born. C.P. was an eminent civil servant, gentleman politician and above all, a lover of humanity. His sincere dedication and selfless service to the people of Rajarata in general and the people of Polonnaruwa in particular was indeed legendary. Even today the people of Polonnaruwa fondly refer to him as ‘our Minneriya Deiyo’.

The saga of C.P. de Silva and D.S. Senanayake with regard to the restoration and rehabilitation of major irrigation works and the establishment of peasant colonisation schemes in Rajarata is indeed synonymous. The giant Minneriya reservoir which remained abandoned and engulfed by jungle for over 800 years was restored and inaugurated by D.S. Senanayake in 1934.

After serving in Polonnaruwa for nearly five years, C.P. was appointed Assistant Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture in 1939. C.P’s long period of service in Rajarata gave him an insight into the sad plight as well as the psyche of the poverty stricken Rajarata peasantry.

The secret of C. P.’s success can be attributed to his ingenuity, inborn talents and dedication to duty. He spent most of his time outdoors with the people, grappling with their problems and finding practical and sustainable solutions.
The first political upheaval of the post independence era took place in 1951.

The ruling United National Party (UNP) was split into two when S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike formed the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP). The fledgling SLFP was short of suitable candidates and S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike managed to convince C.P. to contest, and he won the Polonnaruwa electorate with a big majority. In the 1956 landslide victory C.P. retained the Polonnaruwa seat in parliament with a bigger majority. C.P. was appointed Minister of Agriculture, Lands and Irrigation. Concurrently, he was also appointed Leader of the House. Out of his 18 years in parliament, C.P. was a Minister and Leader of the House for 14 continuous years, except for a couple of months when he was removed from the Cabinet by W. Dahanayake and when he resigned from the Cabinet of Sirimavo Bandaranaike. It is also significant that C.P. held the same portfolio of Lands, Irrigation and Power as well as post of Leader of the House in both the SLFP and UNP governments.

Nobody dared challenge his work and conduct or his policies on agriculture and lands. As Leader of the House, C.P. won confidence and respect on both sides of the House. Incidentally one of his last acts as a minister in 1970 was the presenting of the Bill in Parliament to establish the Mahaweli Development Board. In presenting the Bill he said: “During that seven year period I lived and worked in Rajarata, I saw while standing helplessly on the Manampitiya bridge just six miles from Polonnaruwa how the poor suffered when the Mahaweli overflowed during the Monsoon, and sufferred again without water to irrigate, drink or bathe during the Yala season. I dreamt for hours how to plan the diversion of the Mahaweli waters coming down the awesome Mahaweli river from the wet zone hills to the dry zone.” It was this dream of C.P. that resulted in the planning of the Mahaweli Scheme in 1970.

If C.P.’s resignation from the Ceylon Civil Service in 1950 surprised the people of Rajarata the role he played to trigger the fall of the Sirimavo Bandaranaike Government in 1964 shocked the whole country. C.P. was a live wire in the SLFP from its inception. He steered the SLFP to a landslide victory in 1956.

Thereafter, he ensured a smooth transition of power to Mrs. Sirimavo Bandaranaike the ‘reluctant widow’ in 1960. However, it is said that the intrigue against him from within the SLFP engineered by the aristocrats had reached intolerable proportions by the mid 1960s. Yet, he remained faithful to the party and Sirimavo Bandaranaike until the inevitable happened on December 3, 1964 when the Press Takeover Bill was taken up in parliament. C.P. was always a true democrat who cherished the freedom of thought and expression. He has gone down in history as the person who fired the first salvo for press freedom in Sri Lanka. He ended his address in parliament on that day with the words, “I wish to remain a free man in a free society”. He crossed over to the opposition benches with 13 Members of Parliament which caused the downfall of the Srimavo Bandaranaike Government.

As the dramatic events began to unfold from 3 p.m. onwards yesterday, with speculation about more crossovers ranging from 20 or even more, political analysts were asking whether the day marked the birth of another ‘Minneriya Deiyo’. (DM)

Sajith to back Maithri!

Strongly approving the decision of the UNP Working Committee to name Maithripala Sirisena as the common candidate, party deputy leader Sajith Premadasa says that he would extend his utmost support to ensure Sirisena's victory.

He has stated thus while welcoming Maithripala Sirisena to a special discussion held at the opposition leader's office last night (21).

The meeting which was held to discuss future plans, was attended by Ven. Maduluwawe Sobhitha Thera, Ven. Athuraliye Rathana Thera, former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga,
Arjuna Ranatunga, Rajitha Senaratne, Wasantha Senanayake, Rajiv Wijesinghe, Duminda Dissanayake, UNP leadership council chairman - Karu Jayasuriya, UNP Assistant leader - Ravi Karunanayake, UNP chairman Kabir Hashim and leadership council member - Mangala Samaraweera.

Political party leaders including Mano Ganesan, Vickramabahu Karunaratne, Sarath Manamendra and Senaka de Silva have also attended the discussion.

Although political issues such as abolishing executive presidency, enacting the 17th Amendment and electoral reforms would be important to a limited crowd from urban areas, the majority masses would want to know what they would benefit from a common candidate, Premadasa has said at the meeting.

Therefore, Premadasa urged to table an effective 'economic package' that would be felt by the masses.

This suggestion has received the complete approval of the former President and the UNP leader and Premadasa had been tasked with holding rural campaigning activities within the main political campaign.

Lanka minister defects to challenge president at polls - Gulf Times

AFP/Colombo

A senior minister quit Sri Lanka’s ruling party yesterday to stand as the main opposition’s candidate in January elections, accusing President Mahinda Rajapakse of being a corrupt dictator.

As organisers confirmed the election would be on January 8, Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena said he was confident of toppling his boss in an announcement that earned him the sack from his other post as general secretary of the president’s Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP).

Underlining the scale of the threat facing Rajapakse, Sirisena was joined at his defection announcement by former president Chandrika Kumaratunga who also said she was leaving the SLFP.

The defection by Sirisena to the main opposition United National Party (UNP) appears to have taken Rajapakse by surprise and represents a major challenge to the authority of the region’s longest-serving ruler.

“I thank the UNP for choosing me as the common opposition candidate,” Sirisena told reporters in Colombo. “We will definitely win.”

Rajapakse declared on Thursday that he will seek an unprecedented third term as president — a move that was only made possible after he pushed through changes to the constitution.

While Rajapakse remains generally popular with majority Sinhalese voters after overseeing the end of a 37-year war against Tamil separatists in 2009, critics say he has become increasingly authoritarian.

“The country is heading towards a dictatorship,” said 63-year-old Sirisena, who also accused the president of nepotism and corruption.

“The entire economy and every aspect of society is controlled by one family.”

The president’s brothers include the speaker of parliament Chamal Rajapakse, the economic development minister Basil Rajapakse and the powerful defence secretary Gotabhaya Rajapakse.

His eldest son Namal is a lawmaker and heads the SLFP’s youth wing.

“Corruption is rampant, there is no rule of law,” added Sirisena who promised to reverse the constitutional amendments brought in under Rajapakse which have increased the powers of the president.

“I urge you to support me to scrap the executive presidency. I will scrap this executive within 100 days.”

His endorsement by the former president Kumaratunga, who is the daughter of two former prime ministers, is seen as a major boost to Sirisena’s electoral fortunes.

“After nine years I am ending my silence. I have decided to re-enter active politics to help bring down a corrupt regime,” said Kumaratunga who has kept a low profile since handing over the leadership of the SLFP to Rajapakse in 2005.

“The question is whether we allow one family to destroy the country or restore decency in politics.” Kumaratunga, who served as president from 1994-2005, told reporters.

“It will be a betrayal of the nation if I do not help this group.”

Three other ministers appeared alongside Sirisena to declare that they were also

defecting.

Officials close to Rajapakse said that the president only realised that Sirisena was about to jump ship a couple of days ago.

Rajapakse had believed the UNP would field its own leader and former premier Ranil Wickremesinghe in the contest.

Soon after Sirisena’s announcement, chief commissioner of elections Mahinda Deshapriya confirmed that the elections would be on January 8, exactly one month after the close of nominations for

candidates.

It means that the elections will be held only days before a scheduled visit by Pope Francis from January 13 to 15, with the Church warning that parties should not use the trip for

political advantage.

The contest is taking place against a backdrop of growing international pressure over the Rajapakse administration’s

human rights record.

The 69-year-old also faces accusations that his administration has silenced dissenting voices, including the media and judiciary after he sacked the chief justice last year.

Ranil Does A Gandhi - Master Craftsman at Work in inhospitable Conditions!!!

By Shyamon Jayasinghe - Colombo Telegraph

Strange things sometimes happen with canny drama. It was only two days ago- last Wednesday evening (20th November)-that I played the DVD of the Gandhi movie to educate my young grandson.

Just as India was about to get independence after the long Gandhi-led struggle Ali Jinnah, one of the leaders of the national struggle, expressed his decision to go for a separate Pakistan explaining that “Muslims cannot have the British removed in order to be ruled by Hindus.”  Throughout the campaign for Indian independence the Muslim-Hindu mutual tension had been running like a hot high voltage wire in the sky. Jinnah’s statement broke Gandhi’s heart. Gandhi went up to Jinnah and assured the latter that he could be the first Prime Minister of India. This incident was cinematically represented as sheer statesmanship in the larger interests of India. In the eyes of viewers the stature of Gandhi soared high and high.

The dramatic happenings today in Sri Lanka seemed to me to resonate somewhat with the above scenario. The United National Party Working Committee, the single biggest party in the country, met to decide on a ‘common candidate.’ The party is just out of its remarkable performance at Uva and is consolidating itself in the country, having united dissident factions. Ranil Wickremesinghe, who had valiantly held the party together through unbelievably turbulent years of Rajapaksa dominance and manipulation, was developing considerable self-confidence as a leader. Yet, Ranil is someone with a sharp sense of strategy. He thinks far ahead. What does he do? He goes up to Maitripala Sirisena, the SLFP General Secretary, and offers him the position of common candidate thereby putting his own self- interests aside.  He knows the country’s interests come first and that the abolition of the vicious Presidential Executive system is a sine qua non if Sri Lanka is to move forward. It is not possible to  engage in any sane politics without bringing down the system. A faulty political system can ruin its players-whoever they may be and whatever background they may come from. Wider social situations born of political arrangments often make evil of good men and women. The Executive Presidential system must go and the parliamentary election system must go. We have seen how under the current incumbent the twin systems have been dangerously toxic to the body politic and how it seriously degraded the dignity of citizens. The cry for its eradication was been raised across the island.

Wickremesinghe’s move would ensure the defeat of the regime whereas had he gone it alone with his party that task would have been compromised badly paving the way for a “third term of madness”. Only a man with a vison, and a sense of honesty would do a thing like this. Maitripala, while addressing via Sirasa TV rightfully praised the UNP Leader. Maitripala has been an honest guy among a pack of rogues.

I stand vindicated in having thought that Ranil Wickremesinghe has been the most underrated political leader in Sri Lanka. In times of national crisis leaders must follow this example. The flag of hope now waves for Sri Lanka.

I'm the common candidate: Maithripala (Part 01)

"I Am The Common Candidate" - Maithripala Officially Announces

I wonder what media moguls like Killy Mahendran & Tiran Alles is thinking when they hear about the official Common Candidate for the Presidential Election! Starting from Rupert Murdoch to all other media moguls have their own agendas & political scheming. Sri Lankan politics since time immemorial has been very devious & manipulative. After we gained independence from the British Raj successively all incumbent governments have given the electorate & country a raw deal without any doubt. The past ten years or so we have been having the best & worst of it. Without any doubt the defeat of terrorism was the peak of good times. I personally would not agree with the methodology used to defeat terrorism but they say you have to fight fire with fire. Red Adair said once -

" If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur."

I personally think we used more brawn than brain but the job was sorted. Then things changed politically in USA, there was a sea change with Obama administration & with the help of other western countries UNHRC got involved. What did our political administrators do, they forgot DIPLOMACY & used the Sri Lankan methodology - started berating the west. This was like adding fuel to the fire & so called militant & not so militant Tamil Diaspora became so strong they started using Political clout in countries like United Kingdom in the marginal electoral constituencies. Similarly non influential & non persons in the Tamil Diaspora started lobbying in countries like Canada & USA. All this was not necessary if we used real political diplomacy like what happened to the Five Indian fisherman in death row. My father always used to tell me if you have a problem talk & talk till cows come home!

Present government has now started to play the patriotic tune that every malaise in this country is a western conspiracy with town Town crier AKA Wimal Weerawnasa in the led role, accompanied by other "Dhobis". Even today he was at it condemning all who will join the common opposition. While all this is going on a privileged few is reaping the benefits of development on the monies that are being spent. Recently a friend of mine told be on Road Development Projects a minimum of 30% is being ripped off from the contractors as commissions by the political big wigs allegedly! 

All this has to stop & a political sea change has to take place. That is why I endorse Mr Maithripala Siresena's candidature to the Presidential Election.    

  

Good riddance of bad rubbish! - Range Bandara says he will cross over

Good riddance of bad rubbish!

Opposition United National Party (UNP) MP Palitha Range Bandara says he has decided to join the Government.

The MP told the Colombo Gazette that he will cross with a few UNP members but refused to name those members.