By

Disna Mudalige

A set of con artistes staged an all-night show at the House by the Diyawanna Oya providing entertainment and amusement to the spectators for a long time to remember. More than anything, they were keen on capturing photos and videos of their own drama with their high tech iPhones, iPads and mobile phones and instantly upload them on their fan pages and profiles in the Face Book and other social media. That was how the ‘selfies’, ‘wefies’ and other photos of double faced MPs sat on floor of the chamber engulfed the social media early this week.

A group of UPFA MPs, particularly the pro-Mahinda ring, started a protest on Monday morning at the Parliament chamber demanding not to summon former President Mahinda Rajapaksa before the Commission to Investigate Allegations on Bribery or Corruption. The former President was asked to appear before the Commission on Friday to record a statement with regard to a complaint on appointing MP Tissa Attanayake as a Minister after the Presidential Election was called.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe categorically stated it was not a complaint against former President Rajapaksa, adding that the Commission has only wanted to record his statement. However, the MPs who were not satisfied with this reply flocked near the Speaker’s chair demanding his intervention to settle the matter. The Speaker said he would inform the House his decision the next day on the privilege matter raised by UPFA MP Dinesh Gunawardena which caused a heated debate. Thereafter he adjourned the House till the next day, but a faction of MPs continued the sit down protest creating ugly scenes in the well of the House. An all-time first of its kind in Sri Lanka.

They were totally ignorant of the provisions of the Presidential Election Act or deliberately disregarded it for their own political advantage to score brownie points from the audiences throughout the country.

MPs Bandula Gunawardena and Wimal Weerawansa were the protagonists of this melodrama, while over 50 Opposition MPs including almost all MPs who were recently questioned by the Bribery Commission and the Police Financial Crimes Investigation Division also joined in. Weerawansa especially spilled venom in and outside the well of the House, when he attempted to charge that the government was part and parcel of a well-designed witch-hunt against the Rajapaksas.

Seeking publicity

The members themselves had to leak information to seek publicity for their show as the entrance to the public gallery including the press gallery was locked after the sittings ended at around 10.30am on Monday.

Sleeping on the floor of the chamber would have been a novel experience for these unruly Parliamentarians, away from the comforts at home, while the security personnel and some of the Parliamentary Staff had to stay overnight to provide for the needs of the protesting MPs.

The drama undoubtedly unveiled the frustration among the pro-Mahinda faction over the investigations of the Bribery Commission, and their spontaneous outpouring of anger transformed into a motion to the Speaker carrying 116 signatures of MPs stating that the current Director General of the Commission is unsuitable to hold that position. The motion received the support of some of the newly appointed ministers of the SLFP as well, demonstrating their uneasiness as the investigations into the allegations of bribery and corruption gathered momentum in catching sharks responsible for the wrong doings of the previous regime.

Prime Minister Wickremesinghe observing the agitation among the Opposition MPs over the Bribery Commission snapped back at them stating not to use Parliamentary privileges to shield the corrupt politicians. “Shame on you. You are a set of thieves trying to cover up your fellow thieves,” he hit back at them raising his voice over the noisy hecklers so that he was heard by the others.

The protest which commenced in the chamber extended to the Parliament roundabout on Tuesday blocking traffic for a few hours. Even though the placards held by the protesters stated ‘the hard won freedom is in danger’, it was not hard to comprehend the real concern of the organizers of the protest was that their ill-gotten wealth was in danger.

Amicable settlement

The Speaker was able to settle the disputed matter amicably putting an end to the protest of the MPs on Tuesday. He stated in the House that Justice Minister Wijayadasa Rajapaksa had informed him that Bribery Commission officers would visit former President Rajapakshe and record the statement instead of summoning him before the Commission. The Speaker also ruled that he should be informed prior to the summoning of MPs before the Commission, and the confidentiality of the investigations must be maintained till the individual is produced before court. The Speaker made this ruling following a discussion with the Chairman and Commissioners of the Commission.

However Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa came under heavy fire outside Parliament when human rights lawyers and politicians pointed out that the Speaker has no role to play as regards the functions of the Bribery Commission. There was no apparent rejection of this claim by the lawyers collective and politicians who were opposed the pro-Mahinda faction in the UPFA.

Monday was an extremely busy day for Parliament, not just because of the protest inside the chamber, but also because of the series of meetings that took place within the Parliament complex to arrive at a final agreement on the 19th Amendment to the Constitution as it was scheduled to be taken up for debate on Tuesday.

Meetings

President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Wickremesinghe presided over these meetings including the Party Leaders’ Meeting and the Government Group Meeting held at Committee Rooms. The President remained in Parliament for long hours trying to simmer down the conflicting opinions within his own party and the government in order to secure two thirds majority for the bill. However, these meetings ended without a final agreement.

The sittings of the House were subsequently suspended twice on Tuesday. First it was suspended following a tense situation by the protesting MPs, and secondly it was suspended on the request of MP Dinesh Gunawardena to allow the party leaders to meet the President before commencing the debate on the 19th Amendment. President Sirisena was also waiting in Parliament on Tuesday morning to present the bill to provide for the 19th Amendment.

When the sittings resumed after this special meeting with the President, Leader of the House and Minister Lakshman Kiriella moving the adjournment of the House, informed the debate on the 19th Amendment to the Constitution would be taken up on April 27 and 28.

Thus the crusade to bring in the much needed legislation was sabotaged by the protests by the pro-Mahinda clique as well as by the political rivalries among the parties.

At the end, a date which would have been written in gold in Sri Lankan history ended with nothing, except frustration and disappointment for the people. Yet, it was not the end of road for this important piece of legislation and the hopes continue to stay alive till April 27.

Courtesy:Daily News