By
Maheesha Mudugamuwa
Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) yesterday announced that it had decided to extend conditional support to common presidential candidate Maithripala Sirisena at the forthcoming presidential election.
According to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by JHU leader Omalpe Sobitha Thera and Maithripala Sirisena on Monday, the party would support common candidate Sirisena to win the election and for a period of 100 days after he becomes the President, JHU General Secretary Patali Champika Ranawaka said.
Other agreements on the MoU are
1) Constitutional reforms as regards the executive powers, good governance and electoral system
2) Abolishing the draconian powers of the executive presidency without jeopardizing national security and territorial integrity. Introducing and electoral system with features of the first-past-post and proportional representative systems to ensure stable government
3) Introduction of a Right to Information Act without compromising national security
4) Establishing independent commissions to ensure the independence of judiciary, auditing service, elections and corruption free society
5) Retaining existing constitutional provisions in respect of Buddhism and other religions
6) Action against efforts to arraign the Commander-in-Chief and other military leaders with war crimes at international tribunals
7) Presidential commission to probe corruption and abuse of power
8) A short-term economic agenda to bring down cost of living and improve welfare measures
9) Formation of a national government.
Addressing a press conference at Solis Hotel in Pitakotte, former Minister Ranawaka said that the JHU’s aim was to change the way the country was run and the party had no hidden agendas.
He said that the party had agreed to form an all-party government with the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), United National Party (UNP), Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and other parties in Parliament.
“The all-party government will not be Chandrika Kumaratunga’s or Ranil Wickramasinghe’s government, but it will consist of all political parties and it will be a people’s government,” Ranawaka noted.
He also invited president Rajapaksa to join them.
Responding to a query by a journalist, Ranawaka explained that the content of the JHU and UNP MoUs were similar, but the JHU’s agreement was only a short term political agenda and for a period of 100 days.
Meanwhile common opposition candidate Sirisena said that there were no secret pacts with any political party and all agreements he had signed were open for public scrutiny.
He also noted that he would not misuse security forces and they would be given their due place.
He pledged that he would not let anyone take the President, Defense Secretary or any single security forces personnel to an international war crimes court or let any international force harm them.
Courtesy:The Island