By
Sharmini Serasinghe

When Maithripala Sirisena addressed the nation in 2015 after being sworn in as the Executive President of Sri Lanka with 6.25 million of us having voted for the man – a political nonentity – we did so with the sole purpose of getting rid of his megalomaniacal predecessor, Mahinda Rajapaksa and his corrupt-to-the-core regime, he said, “This country needs a Chief Servant (himself) and not a King (his predecessor)”.

Well, look what our “Chief Servant”, Sirisena has done!

He did a volte-face on his fancy utterances, donned the crown, elevated himself to the status of a dictatorial king, forgot all about being our “Chief Servant”, stabbed us all in our backs and continues to call the shots.
What a disastrous “Chief Servant” he has proved to be! The man should be reminded that he is STILL an ’employee/servant’ of ours – the citizens of Sri Lanka – his ’employers’, who pay his salary and foot the bills for all the perks and luxuries he and his family enjoy.

Continue reading ‘Dangerously Self-serving Maithripala Sirisena Should be Compelled to Make a Dignified Exit as President Before He Causes Further Irreparable Damage To Our Country.’ »

(Text of Interim Order Issued by the Court of Appeal Regarding the Fundamental Rights Petition Filed by 122 Members of Parliament Seeking a Writ of Quo warranto Against Kurunegala District MP Mahinda Rajapaksa and 48 Others Functioning as Prime Minister, Cabinet Ministers, State Ministers and Deputy Ministers Respectively)

In the case at hand before this Court, the 122 Petitioner members of the 225 member Parliament state that a no-confidence motion was passed by a majority in the said Parliament.

The Petitioners allege that the Respondents have usurped the public office namely the respective positions in the office of Prime Minister, Cabinet of Ministers and other Ministers.

This Court has considered the submissions made by the learned President’s Counsel for the Respondents who stated that the granting of interim relief by this Court would result in a situation where the Country would have no Prime Minister, no Cabinet of Ministers as well as no other Ministers.

On the other hand, this Court has considered the submission of the learned President’s Counsel for the Petitioners who stated that a great damage would be caused if this Court after the argument of the case accepts what the 122 Petitioner members of the Parliament have asserted in this case, and concludes that the Respondents are not entitled in law to function in the respective public offices. In such an event, the Respondents would be mere usurpers of office of the Prime Minister, Cabinet of Ministers and the other Ministers.

Continue reading ‘Text of Interim Order Issued by the Court of Appeal Regarding the Fundamental Rights Petition Filed by 122 Members of Parliament Seeking a Writ of Quo warranto Against Kurunegala District MP Mahinda Rajapaksa and 48 Others Functioning as Prime Minister, Cabinet Ministers, State Ministers and Deputy Ministers Respectively’ »

By

Michael Mcgowan

The brother of Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja has been charged with attempting to pervert justice and forgery after he allegedly used fake documents containing a terror plot to kill senior politicians to “set up” his colleague over a personal grievance.

Police confirmed on Tuesday that Arsalan Khawaja had been formally charged after he was arrested on Tuesday as part of an investigation into a fake terrorism “hit list” found in a university notebook.

He faces one count of attempting to pervert justice and one count of forgery for allegedly making a false document. Khawaja has been refused bail and will appear in Parramatta Local Court later today.

Continue reading ‘Arsalan Khawaja Brother of Aussie Cricketer Usman Charged with Fraud and Perversion of Justice for Causing Wrongful Arrest of Sri Lankan PhD Student at New South Wales University Mohamed Kamer Nizamdeen as a Suspect With Terrorist Links’ »

By

Meera Srinivasan

Mr. Rajapaksa plans to move the Supreme Court against the order.
Sri Lanka’s Court of Appeal on Monday temporarily restrained controversially installed Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and his purported Cabinet of Ministers from functioning in their respective offices.

The interim order follows a quo warranto petition filed by 122 MPs on November 23, challenging Mr. Rajapaksa’s continuance in office, after losing two trust votes in Parliament on November 14 and 16.

Mr. Rajapaksa has decided to appeal in the Supreme Court on Tuesday, as he is “not in agreement with the interim order.”

Continue reading ‘Sri Lanka’s Court of Appeal Temporarily Restrains Controversially Appointed Mahinda Rajapaksa and His Purported Cabinet from Functioning as Prime Minister and Ministers Respectively.’ »

Talks between President Maithripala Sirisena and United National Front leaders last night remained at a stalemate, with the latter losing confidence in discussions.

“We are not going to see him again,” Senior United National Party Member Lakshman Kiriella told Daily FT, terming the meeting “unsuccessful”.

“There is no point in discussing with him,” a frustrated Kiriella said, as the latest round of discussions failed to make any headway, with Sirisena refusing to reappoint Ranil Wickremesinghe to the post of Prime Minister.

Continue reading ‘Talks Between President and United National Front(UNF) Reach Impasse as Sirisena Adamantly Refuses to Re-Appoint Ranil Wickremesinghe as Prime Minister Even After Appeal Court Stay Order.’ »

Kurunegala District MP Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday said his camp was not in agreement with the Court of Appeal and would appeal the Interim Order before the Supreme Court today.

“We are not in agreement with the Interim Stay Order issued by the Appeal Court suspending the functioning of the Cabinet of Ministers. We will be presenting an appeal to the Supreme Court tomorrow morning (Dec 4) against this stay order,” the statement said.

Continue reading ‘Kurunegala District MP Mahinda Rajapaksa to Appeal to Supreme Court Against Interim Order Issued by Court of Appeal Restraining him from Functioning as Prime Minister.’ »

By Chathuri Dissanayake

The Court of Appeal yesterday issued an interim order restraining Mahinda Rajapaksa, who was appointed to the post of Prime Minister by President Maithripala Sirisena, and his Cabinet of Ministers from functioning in office. The stay order is in force until the final hearing and determination is given.

The order, latest in a series of setbacks for the Government appointed by Sirisena after removing Ranil Wickremesinghe from the post of Prime Minister, which has failed to show majority in Parliament even one month after appointment, bars Rajapaksa from exercising any authority as Prime Minister or Finance Minister, while 48 other appointees to Ministerial posts are also restrained from functioning in any official capacity. The Court also granted notice calling upon respondents to show cause on 12 December why the final relief of Quo Warranto should not be granted.

Continue reading ‘Court of Appeal Issues Interim Order Restraining Sirisena Appointed Prime Minister MahindaRajapaksa and His Cabinet Ministers From Functioning in Office Until Final Hearing and Determination by Court.’ »

By

Yohan Perera

The status quo that existed before October 26 can be restored now following the interim order given by the Appeal Court as it is given against an individual and not against a post, UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe said.

Mr. Wickremesinghe expressed this sentiment during a public rally in Galle last evening.

“The decision of the Appeal Court is given against an individual and not against the post and against a government. Therefore the status quo prior to October 26 2018 could be restored. In such a situation our administration which existed before October 26 can function as a legitimate government,” Mr. Wickremesinghe said.

Continue reading ‘After Appeal Court Ruling, Ranil Speaking at Public Rally in Galle, Asks Mahinda to Leave in the Name of God Saying “Palayaw Palayaw Sathara Waram Deviyange Namayen Palayaw”.’ »

By Maria Abi-Habib and Dharisha Bastians

A Sri Lankan court issued an order on Monday temporarily preventing the disputed prime minister from holding office, the latest twist in a political crisis that has paralyzed the island nation.

The Court of Appeal ordered Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and his cabinet to appear on Dec. 12 and to explain on what authority they hold office after Parliament voted against them twice last month. The order prohibits them from conducting government business in the meantime.

Continue reading ‘Appeal Court Orders Disputed Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and his Purported Cabinet Ministers to Appear in Court on Dec 12th and Explain on What Authority They Claim to Hold Office after Parliament Passed Two Votes of No Confidence.’ »

(This legal opinion was prepared in response to a request made by Dr Jayampathy Wickramaratne, P.C, Member of Parliament By Gehan Gunatilleke,University of Oxford , Dinesha Samararatne, University of Colombo,Kalana Senaratne, University of Peradeniya and Asanga Welikala, University of Edinburgh)

Since 26 October, Sri Lanka has been in an unprecedented political, economic, and constitutional crisis. The crisis was triggered by a series of decisions taken by President Maithripala Sirisena, each of which, in our view, is in violation of the Sri Lankan Constitution. This opinion aims to offer responses to several constitutional questions that have arisen with regard to the developments since 26 October. These questions relate to the consequences of a party withdrawing from a National Government, the appointment and removal of a Prime Minister, discrepancies between the Sinhala and English versions of the Constitution, and the dissolution of Parliament.

1. Did the withdrawal of the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) from the National Government result in the vacation of the post of Prime Minister?

There is no constitutional provision that stipulates that the withdrawal of one party in a coalition forming a National Government has the effect of dissolving the Government or the Cabinet of Ministers, or the office of Prime Minister becoming vacant. Article 46 (4) and (5) of the Constitution, which deals with a National Government, makes no reference whatsoever to such consequences. The only legal consequence of the formation of a National Government is that the ordinary cap on the number of Cabinet Ministers at 30 and non-Cabinet Ministers at 40 is suspended, with Parliament determining the number of Ministers, which may be higher than the ordinary limit. Conversely, if a National Government ceases to exist, then the only legal consequence is that the number of Cabinet Ministers must be reduced to 30 and the number of non-Cabinet Ministers to 40. The President can do this only on the advice of the Prime Minister, as all ministerial appointments and dismissals legally require the President to act on the advice of the Prime Minister (see articles 45(1) and 46 (3)).

2. Is the President empowered by the Constitution to appoint any Member of Parliament as Prime Minister, who, in his opinion, is most likely to command the confidence of Parliament?

Continue reading ‘Legal Opinion Regarding Current Constitutional Questions Like Appointment and Removal of a Prime Minister and Dissolution of Parliament.’ »

By

Kishali Pinto Jayawardene

Despite the undeniable shock caused to Sri Lanka’s democratic system on October 26th 2018 as a result of President Maithripala Sirisena’s swearing in of a new Prime Minister lacking a majority in the House, several unmistakable positive factors have emerged since then.

Those ‘legal experts’ who led the President up the garden path in persuading him to discard constitutional prudence should hang their deviously plotting heads in shame. Assuming they feel shame in which case, (as that colourful colloquialism sharply puts it), pigs may fly.

Of course, it is very much an open secret as to who these reprobates are, including those who played fast and loose with the country’s judicial system for years. But the President is yet to name them or for that matter, yet to explain himself to the people as to why he did not seek the advice of the Attorney General or an opinion from the Supreme Court prior to bringing the nation to the brink of the edge.

Showing great endurance

True, the damage is considerable. This political tomfoolery has tarnished the country’s reputation, lost preciously needed financial resources at year end when that is needed the most, imperiled the nation’s long praised manner in which peaceful transfer of power took place through the exercise of the franchise and cast a pall of uncertainty over what is in store for us with the dawning of 2019.

Continue reading ‘Political Tomfoolery has Tarnished the Country’s Reputation But Institutional Strength and Civil Rebellion has Risen like the Proverbial Phoenix’ »

By

Lasanda Kurukulasuriya

While the complicated situation that has arisen in parliament today is unprecedented, the origins of this logjam could perhaps be traced back to the period when the yahapalana government was formed. The present instability could be seen as part of a continuum starting with the creation of a ‘National Government’ in January 2015 – a ‘forced marriage’ between two traditionally opposed groups from centre-left and centre-right of the political spectrum.

Till the UPFA quit the yahapalana government – ahead of the President’s sacking of Ranil Wickremesinghe from the job of Prime Minister on Oct. 26, – the UNP-ledcoalition largely depended on the UPFA members for the numbers in parliament. With the new government faced with the charge that it, in turn, lacks a majority, the UPFA has pointed out that Wickremesinghe’s party had only 41 MPs at the time he was appointed PM in 2015 while they had 162 in the 225-member parliament. Wickremesinghe’s appointment, based on a campaign pledge, was not the outcome of his party winning an election. Nor was he appointed on the basis of being the MP ‘most likely to command the confidence of parliament.’

Continue reading ‘Regardless of who the Prime Minister Is any Govt Formed will be Unstable With Parlia Hobble Along Until a Fresh General Election’ »

By

Romesh Madhushanka

A three member committee has been appointed by Governor of Northern Province Reginald Cooray to investigate a financial fraud allegedly committed by former Minister of the Northern Provincial Council Ananthi Sasitharan.

Continue reading ‘Northern Governor Reginald Cooray Appoints Three – Member Committee to Probe Alleged Financial Fraud Committed by Former Northern Provincial Minister of Womens Affairs Ananthy Sasitharan.’ »

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa said, yesterday, that if the Opposition had allowed President Maithripala Sirisena to conduct a general election, political stability would have been restored in the country.

Full of the statement issued by Ex-president Mahinda Rajapaksa

“It is only in Sri Lanka that you will find political parties agitating against the holding of a general election that has already been declared. In the gazette notification dated 09 November 2018 issued by the President in accordance with the provisions of our Constitution and the Parliamentary Elections Act, dates had been fixed to call for nominations from the 19th to the 26th November, to hold the poll on the 5th January 2019, and for the new Parliament to meet for the first time on the 17th January. If things had gone accordingly, stability would soon have been restored to this country.

Last year, in November 2017, there was the danger of the local government elections being postponed indefinitely because certain individuals had petitioned the Court of Appeal against the holding of the local government elections citing delimitation issues. However when the Chairman of the Elections Commission declared that he will proceed to hold elections at least in respect of the local government institutions that were not subject to litigation, the then government reluctantly fell in line and agreed to hold elections. With that the peitioners who had gone before the Court of Appeal quietly withdrew their petitions. It was quite clear in that instance, that the court procedure was being misused for a political purpose.

Today, six of the nine provinces in the country do not have functioning provincial councils. The previous government avoided holding elections to the provincial councils for more than one year. We held the Eastern Provincial Council election in 2008 even before the war had ended, immediately after clearing the province of the LTTE. Once the de-mining of the Vanni was complete, we held provincial council elections in the northern province as well in 2013. Today, without any war in the country, both those provinces do not have provincial councils. The previous government put off provincial council elections indefinitely by deliberately refraining from fulfilling the conditions relating to the delimitation of constituencies in Act No. 17 of 2017 which was rushed through Parliament last year just days before the Sabaragamuwa, North Central and Eastern Provincial Councils were to stand dissolved.

I am placing on record this explanation because the UNP and its affiliated political parties have been making misleading statements from the political platform with a view to deceiving the general public. From the time of our first Parliament, elections were called early whenever necessary to overcome situations of political turbulence. In 1952 when the then Prime Minister

Continue reading ‘Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa says Political Stability Woud Have Been Restored in the Country if President Sirisena Was Allowed to Conduct a General Election in the Country.’ »

By The “Sunday Times” Political Editor

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa faces removal next week after just six weeks in office, with Parliament set to approve a motion this coming Wednesday for his ouster.

The motion has been agreed to by President Maithripala Sirisena during consultations with Opposition parties, provided it does not describe his dissolution of Parliament as being illegal.

Mr. Rajapaksa has so far rejected calls to resign and insisted that President Sirisena, if he so wished, could remove him.

Continue reading ‘With Defiant Mahinda Refusing to Resign Voluntarily, President Sirisena Prepares to Remove his Appointed Prime Minister Rajapaksa After Parliament Passes Motion on Dec 5th/’ »

President Maithripala Sirisena appeared to have softened his hardline position and was seeking a face-saving exit from the political crisis of his making, according to legislators who had closed-door talks with him.

The president was acutely aware of the consequences should the Supreme Court this week hold that his November 9 sacking of parliament was illegal, a Tamil legislator at talks on Friday evening said.

The Tamil National Alliance leader R. Sampanthan assured Sirisena that the minority party, which commands 14 crucial seats and holds the balance of power in parliament will not support an impeachment.

However, an adverse ruling from the highest court could be the basis to institute criminal proceedings against both Sirisena and the entire bureaucracy, legislators had indicated to the President.

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena Fearing Adverse Supreme Court Ruling Could Bring About Legal Consequences Desperately Seeks Face -Saving Exit From the Political Crisis of his Own Making Before Dec 7th.’ »

By

Lucien Rajakarunanayake

President Maithripala Opinion Sirisena is obviously enjoying the new game that both he and so-called ‘Prime Minister’ Mahinda Rajapaksa has introduced to Sri Lanka.

Boycott is the new political game in our threatened Democracy.

It is the Boycott Keliya. Members of the so-called Government are enjoying this game that ensures them of all the privileges of team play, without the actual game they were elected to or crookedly pulled into the team.

The game today is the Chamber Boycott. We can’t help being reminded of the chamber pot politics of the players in this game. Parliament comprises the Government and the Opposition, and the Government usually has the majority in the Chamber. We are in a situation when a so-called Government has no majority in the Chamber. The Opposition to this so-called governing authority has it. Therefore, the Chamber Boycott.

It is a wonderful play for this Boycott Team. They talk loud of boycotting parliament – ‘parlimenthuva varrjanaya karanava’ not a ‘sabha garba varjanaya’. But, they only boycott the Chamber. They don’t boycott or even cut down on any of the privileges of being a member of parliament, by election or crooked dragging in. Which means they boycott the very purpose they were sent to parliament – to discuss matters of national or administrative importance and take decisions on them. Nothing of the sort. Boycott.

Continue reading ‘Maithripala and Mahinda Have Started “Varjanaya Sellama”( Boycott Game) Where MP’s Get Their Monthly Salaries and Perks Like Fuel &Telephone Allowances, Subsidized Food at Parliament Restaurant but Just Keep Away From Chamber.’ »

By

Sanjana Hattotuwa

It is a month after Sri Lanka learnt of a new Prime Minister over SMS. In the catastrophic, chaotic four ensuing weeks, some of us maintain that Mr. Wickremesinghe is the sole, legitimate Prime Minister. This is widely perceived to be a position that is a consequence of either being partial to or voting for the UNP, or a fan of the individual. Both, it is argued, gloss over the significant failure of the individual and the party, as well as the government the PM led, to bring about what they were elected to do. This, in turn, becomes the circular logic that goes on to justify the President’s actions and the support for Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The conversation is a difficult one to have forthright, because every single thing the President and the Rajapaksas have done, since the evening of October 26, was intentionally and strategically done to curtail, censor, contain and control the flow of information. Legitimate, constitutional appointments need not fear scrutiny or debate. And yet, the first frames of the coup d’etat was of violent mobs invading and occupying state media. This doesn’t help set a foundation for any reasonable argument around the validity of the appointments by the President. But some continue to support him. It becomes important then to make clear where we stand and in public because it is precisely at times like these that what we say, stand for and do, recorded in history, judge us.

Continue reading ‘Clear Propensity in November of Twitter and Facebook Users, in their Millions, to Gravitate Towards Content that holds the President, Rajapaksas and the SLPP in a very Critical Light.’ »

By

Tisaranee Gunasekara

“The history of madness is the history of power.”
Roy Porter (A social history of madness: The world through the eyes of the insane)

The current crisis is a contestation about the nature of Sri Lanka and her future.

Will the country continue along the path of democracy or will she re-embrace some form of autocracy? Will rule of law prevail or will it be replaced by the law of the rulers? Will justice remain a possibility or will impunity become sovereign again? Is Sri Lanka a country of free men and women or a land yearning for the heavy hand of a political overlord?

At a subjective level, Maithripala Sirisena’s anti-constitutional coup was motivated purely by personal-political considerations. He wanted and wants a second presidential term. Objectively, though, his actions have a systemic relevance. They are an attempt to reclaim for the presidency the powers it lost with the 19th Amendment. If that attempt succeeds, it will render the presidency omnipotent again, and reduce the legislature and the judiciary into mere appendages of a sovereign president.

The saga of Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne is a microcosm of this battle by the executive to regain control over the other branches of the government. The way that saga ended, with a handcuffed and deflated admiral being escorted to remand prison, indicates that there is hope of rolling the presidency’s power-grab, and restoring a degree of balance between the executive, the legislature and the judiciary restored.

The President was protecting the Admiral. That was common knowledge. So the admiral was able to ignore three judicial warrants, make a mockery of the courts, and remain a free man.

Continue reading ‘Leaders Like Maithripala Sirisena and Mahinda Rajapaksa who have Neither Shame nor Justice can Plummet to the Lowest of Depths, Because for them Everything is Permissible’ »

By

Kelum Bandara

Mahinda Rajapaksa, former President and Prime Minister appointed by President Maithripala Sirisena on October 26, in an interview with the Daily Mirror, spoke about the current status of the country and the plans he wishes to carry out after the Supreme Court ruling on dissolution of Parliament, expected on December 7, 2018.

Excerpts:

Q Now, the country is ungovernable. There is instability in the country. How do you intend to end this crisis?

There is no instability in the country as I can see. There is a certain dispute involving Parliament only. That is all. It has not affected the country as a whole. People get on with their normal work. Public servants report to work. I travel all across the country. That is what I see. Likewise, we have meetings and demonstrations throughout the country.

During the previous rule, we saw underworld killings. On a daily basis, four to five persons got killed. The situation has changed now. Actually, things have changed for the better in the country in some aspects.

Q Now, there is a crisis involving Parliament. It has hampered decision making. Won’t it affect the country in another month or two?

Whatever it is, we have to wait for the ruling by the Supreme Court on December 7. The matter is pending before court. We will be able to talk about the country’s situation subject to the court ruling only. Until then, we cannot talk anything about it.

Continue reading ‘Mahinda Rajapaksa Says They Will Get Majority with 113 MP’s and Continue if Supreme Court Rules Out Dissolving Parliament and Holding Elections on Dec 7th.’ »

By Shamindra Ferdinando

IGP Pujith Jayasundera, yesterday, flew to Batticaloa, where a major police investigation is underway into the killing of two police personnel in Vavunativu, a one-time LTTE stronghold.

Jayasundera was accompanied by Senior DIG in charge of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

Immediately after the killings were brought to the notice of the government, police headquarters authorised the deployment of the elite Special Task Force (STF) in support of the police.

Police spokesman SP Ruwan Gunasekera told The Island that initial reports indicated the incident had taken place between 1 am and 6 am on Friday.

Sources said that the police found their bodies with hands tied behind their backs and shot through their heads at close range. They were identified as 35-year-old father of one Walpita Gamage Niroshan Indika Prasanna, a resident of Udugama, Galle and 29-year-old Ganeshanwaran Dinesh, a resident Periyanilawane, Kalmunai. They were attached to Vavunativu police.

Continue reading ‘Two Policemen With Hands Tied Behind Their Backs Shot in the Head and Killed in Vavunatheevu in Batticaloa;Major Investigation Launched but Eastern Governor Rohitha Bogollagama Says Ex-LTTE Cadres Involvement Possible.’ »

By The “Daily Financial Times” Special Political Correspondent

It is now just over 30 days since Sirisena did the most unbelievable thing of appointing his feared rival Mahinda Rajapaksa as the Prime Minister. Then he took it one step further by dissolving a legitimate Parliament. Then he went further by appointing a Cabinet that had no legitimacy.

This Cabinet having lost two no confidence motions in Parliament went to the extreme extent of signing multi-million dollar port contracts to Chinese companies. On Thursday a motion was passed in Parliament to curtail expenditure to the Office of the Prime Minister, making him effectively a toothless Prime Minister.

Continue reading ‘It is in Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Best Interest to Step Down Gracefully From the Post he is Hanging On to Forcibly as the Ex-president is no Longer the Legitimate Prime Minister of Sri Lanka.’ »

Disna Mudalige, Camelia Nathaniel and Amali Mallawaarachchi

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya told Parliament yesterday that he would draw the attention of President Maithripala Sirisena and Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando to the concerns expressed in Parliament on the killing of two Police officers in Vavunathivu, Batticaloa.

UNP MP Nalin Bandara requested to probe whether there is a link between the killing of two Police officers in Batticaloa and Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan’s (Karuna Amman) threatening tweet on Thursday. MP Bandara read out former MP Muralitharan’s tweet which said, “Please remember I am Karuna Amman from Batti”.Maybe you ask other people who Karuna Amman was before 2004”. The MP raised concerns as to whether this means Amman was trying to reorganise his former terrorist outfit.

TNA MP M.A.Sumanthiran supported MP Bandara’s statement adding that Amman was making various statements in public over the past few days.

Continue reading ‘UNP’s Nalin Bandara MP Expresses Concern about Killing of Two Policemen in Batticaloa and Requests Probe Into Whether Ex- Minister Vinayagamoorthy Muralidharan alias “Karuna Amman” is Trying to Re-organize his former Terrorist Outfit.’ »

By
Lakmal Sooriyagoda

The Court of Appeal yesterday commenced hearing into the writ petition filed by United National Party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and 121 other Parliamentarians.

They sought an order in the nature of Quo Warranto declaring that Mahinda Rajapaksa is not entitled to hold the office of Prime Minister and the matter was fixed for further support on Monday (December 3).

When the petition came up before Court of Appeal President, Justice Preethi Padman Surasena and Justice Arjuna Obeysekara, the Defence Counsel appearing on behalf of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and other respondent parties raised preliminary objections against the writ petition. They moved Court of Appeal that the petition be dismissed in limine.

Continue reading ‘Hearing of Petition Filed by Ranil Wickremesinghe and 121 MP’s Seeking Quo Warranto Writ Against Mahinda Rajapaksa and 48 Other Respondents Holding Ministerial Office Put off by Appeal Court for December 3rd.’ »

Sri Lanka penned two multi-million dollar contracts with Chinese firms for a port upgrade project on Thursday in the middle of a political hiatus that has raised doubts over the legitimacy of the Government and the legality of the deals.

The debt-saddled island has long been a target of Beijing’s ambitious Belt and Road infrastructure scheme to connect China with countries cross Asia and beyond, while regional power India has also been vying for deals to counter China’s influence.

But a political crisis triggered by President Maithripala Sirisena’s replacement of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe with Mahinda Rajapaksa, who was in turn sacked by Parliament, has raised doubts over who can legitimately make decisions in the country.

Continue reading ‘Maithripala -Mahinda “Purported Govt” Signs Two Contracts With Chinese Firms to Enhance Deep Berth Capacity of “Jaya” Container Terminal in Colombo Harbour.’ »

The deadlock between the Executive and Legislature showed signs of easing yesterday as President Maithripala Sirisena and Speaker Karu Jayasuriya met after a hiatus of close to two weeks and Sirisena scheduled to meet the United National Front (UNF) and Tamil National Alliance (TNA) today(Nov 30).

President Sirisena has agreed to take a decision after meeting TNA leader R. Sampanthan and UNF party leaders this evening. UNF to date has maintained that they are not willing to accept alternatives, insisting that the pre-26 October status in the House should be restored. Sirisena, however, has categorically refused to reappoint removed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to the post creating an impasse.

The decision by the Speaker to meet the President comes as a result of requests made by a number of Party leaders and other groups concerned over the deepening political crisis in the country, a statement issued by the Speaker’s media unit said.

Continue reading ‘President Maithripala Shows “Signals” of Climbing Down From Earlier Stance After Positive Discussions With Speaker Karu Jayasuriya.’ »

By Ashwin Hemmathagama

Parliament yesterday voted in favour of the motion to cut off budgetary allocations made to the Prime Minister’s Office and pledged to take similar steps regarding the rest of the Cabinet Ministries appointed by President Maithripala Sirisena post- 26 October, which will be taken up today(Nov 30).

The motion, signed by UNP lawmakers Navin Dissanayake, Ravi Karunanayake, Nalaka Prasad Colonne, Dr. Kavinda Heshan Jayawardana, Hector Appuhamy and Chathura Sandeepa Senaratne, challenged the use of funds by MP Mahinda Rajapaksa after two votes were taken on a no confidence motion earlier this month. The motion received 123 votes in its favour and zero votes against it as the Parliamentarians supportive of Rajapaksa decided not to attend Parliament.

A subsequent motion was presented by a group of parliamentarians including UNP MP Ravi Karunanayake to block access to public funds by the secretaries of Cabinet ministries appointed after 26 October by President Maithripala Sirisena. This motion will be taken up in the House today(Nov 30).

According to the motion, the Parliamentarians held that the Secretary to the Prime Minister had no authority to approve any expenditure drawn from the funds of the republic as a no confidence motion against the Government was passed on 14 November 2018 in Parliament.

Moving the motion, MP Karunanayake highlighted the misuse of public money by the purported Government during the last 30 days while requesting state officers to stop executing illegal orders.

Continue reading ‘Parliament Votes in Support of Motion To Cut off Budgetary Allocations to Purported Prime Ministers Office.’ »

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) yesterday requested President Maithripala Sirisena to appoint a member of the UNP led UNF who in his opinion could muster the required number of MPs in Parliament to prove he commands the confidence of the majority in the House.

The following is the text of the letter sent by the TNA parliamentary group comprising 14 lawmakers:

We write to you in regard to the above in the background of all that has happened since 26th of October.

The Member of Parliament appointed as Prime Minister on the 26th of October has not been able to prove that he commands the confidence of Parliament though one month has lapsed since the said appointment and though Parliament has met several times during this period. On the other hand, Motions of No Confidence in the said Hon. Member as Prime Minister have been passed in Parliament on 14th and 16th November.

Continue reading ‘14 MP’s of the TNA Urge President Sirisena to Appoint a Nominee of the UNF who Commands the Confidence of Parliament as Prime Minister.’ »

President Maithripala Sirisena indicated a softening of his stance and agreed to end the constitutional deadlock by recognising the United National Front as being the largest single group to form a new government, official sources said.

Talks between him and Speaker Karu Jayasuriya ended on an optimistic note, the Speaker’s office said without giving details of their closed-door talks with the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo.

Sirisena will have a round of talks with the leaders of the UNP an their allies on Friday before announcing a decision, officials said.

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena Gives Indications of Being Willing to Recognize the United National Front as the Single Largest Group Capable of Forming a New Govt With a Majority.’ »

By

Meera Srinivasan

A magistrate court on Wednesday remanded Sri Lanka’s top-most military officer for allegedly harbouring a key suspect in a case of disappearance of 11 men in the final years of the war. All 11 are believed to have been subsequently murdered.

The Fort Magistrate Ranga Dissanayake ordered the detention of Chief of Defence Staff Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne until December 5 after he evaded arrest for weeks ignoring warrants.

Given his position of power as the country’s highest-ranking military officer, Admiral Wijegunaratne could influence witnesses or disrupt the ongoing investigation and hence could not be granted bail, the magistrate had noted.

Continue reading ‘Fort Magistrate Ranga Dissanayake Refuses Bail to Chief of Defence Staff Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne as the Country’s Highest Ranking Defence Officer could Use his Power to Disrupt On Going Investigations or Influence Witnesses/’ »

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena has removed the state and deputy minister posts under a ‘caretaker’ government, a spokesperson of the disputed cabinet said.

“This is a caretaker government. Therefore, the President has said there will be no state and deputy ministers,” parliamentarian Mahinda Samarasinghe said.

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena Removes All Purported State and Deputy Ministers Leaving Behind only Purported Cabinet Ministers In His Purported Interim Govt .’ »

A photojournalist attached to The Sunday Morning newspaper was assaulted by a Naval Intelligence officer who accompanied the Chief of Defence Staff Ravindra Wijegunaratne to the Fort Magistrate›s Court yesterday.

Indika Handuwala was assaulted when Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne was leaving the courtroom upon its adjournment for a few hours after surrendering to court yesterday morning.

Continue reading ‘Photojournalist Indika Handuwala Assaulted by Naval Intelligence Officer Within Magistrates Court Premises in Fort While Covering Case Concerning Ex-Navy Chief and Chief of Defence Staff Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne’ »

By a Special Correspondent

Stunning scenes unfolded outside the Fort Magistrate’s Court yesterday, when the country’s highest ranking military official, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Ravindra Wijeguneratne, was remanded for allegedly protecting the leader of a Navy abduction racket, accused of the kidnapping and suspected murder of 11 Tamil youths during the height of the war.

Fort Magistrate Ranga Dassanayake, who has been pressuring the CID to arrest the top military official over several weeks, denied the suspect bail after a full day of hearings on Wijeguneratne’s bail application, and remanded the CDS until December 5. The Magistrate ordered special protection for the CDS while in custody.

Three warrants had been issued for the arrest of the Chief of Defence Staff, but the burly officer has been evading the CID and flouting summons for interrogation. Yesterday morning, when the inquiry was taken up at the Fort Magistrate’s Court, Wijeguneratne turned up in uniform, with security and escorts in tow. He was asked to surrender to court by the Magistrate, and was named as second accused in the case.

Continue reading ‘Ex-Navy Commander and Current Chief of Defence Staff Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne Placed in the Dock and Remanded Until Dec 5 by Fort Magistrate Ranga Dassanayake.’ »

By

Sharmini Serasinghe

On 6th December, 2018 at 3.30 pm, many of us apolitical journalists, writers, artistes including musicians, film stars and other’s in diverse professions are gathering at the Open Air Theatre at the Viharamahadevi Park to “Stand Up for Democracy” in peace.

I appeal to all my countrymen and women to join us in our mission.

It’s human nature to appreciate the value of something only when it’s lost. Today, many of us Sri Lankans who took the sacred institution of Democracy for granted realise its value only now, after it’s gone.

Our country was once regarded as the epitome of a Democratic country which upheld all what Democracy stood for, but not anymore. We have today become the laughing stock of the world!

Sri Lanka is said to have the highest literacy rates in the South Asian region at 92% and overall, one of the highest literacy rates in Asia.

Continue reading ‘An appeal from me to all my fellow Sri Lankans who wish to see Democracy restored in our country……….’ »

By

Ranga Jayasuriya

Not long ago, the stooges of Mahinda Rajapaksa, and MR himself, spewed some fanciful justifications for the contested ( and obviously unethical) sacking of Ranil Wickremesinghe, and MR’s appointment as prime minister in one Friday night quirk by President Maithripala Sirisena.

One argument was that MR was appointed to salvage the crumbling economy.

That Ranil though had a vision, was a poor implementer of his own economic policies provided some credence to the claims of saturation of economy during his tenure. However, MR, the purported prime minister for over a month, has presided over an accelerated economic collapse. The Rupee continues to depreciate under his watch, hitting yesterday, the all-time low of Rs.181against the US$.

The initial depreciation of rupee during the previous months correlated to a world-wide trend of emerging market currency depreciation against the Benchmark as a result of rising interest rates and boost in Capital investment in America. However, the current slump of the Rupee is taking place while other emerging market currencies are appreciating against the Dollar.

Continue reading ‘Mahinda Rajapaksa was Supposedly Appointed by Sirisena to Salvage the Crumbling Economy but the Purported Prime Minister Has only Presided Over an Accelerated Economic Collapse for a Month.’ »

By

Lucien Rajakarunanayake

Mr. Johnston Fernando says he did not throw the Bible during last Friday’s violent session of Parliament. He also says he is one who respects the religion, and would not do such things. Makes one think that this talk of Bible throwing by him is only an ‘Opinion’, which is very important these days, by those of the UNP who are opposed to him.

Whatever we think of Bible throwing by him or any other wild politician, what is interesting is to know whether he thinks that throwing a chair at a rival MP or a policeman is part of the religion he respects, whether learnt from the Bible or not? Just for the record, I will reproduce the caption of the photograph published in the international press, credit to Reuters/Stringer: Parliament member Johnston Fernando, who is backing newly appointed prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, throws a chair at police. It looks like chair throwing at people, and possibly even chilli powder-water throwing in parliament, is a deeply religious performance by these highly opinionated politicians of today. Amen.

Continue reading ‘Biggest “Opinionist” in the World Today is Maithripala Sirisena, who has moved beyond all political thinkers in the field of anti-democratic thinking and action.’ »

By Chathuri Dissanayake

President Maithripala Sirisena will use constitutional provisions that enable him to access public funds sans parliamentary approval to fund government expenditure until March 2019 in place of a Budget if Parliament is dissolved, his spokesman said yesterday.

A Vote on Account to access funds was given the nod at a meeting of the Cabinet appointed by President Sirisena which he presided over yesterday.

Speaking at a press briefing held at the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) head office, MP Mahinda Samarasinghe said the Vote on Account seeks to access funds to manage state affairs for up to three months in 2019. The Vote on Account (VoA) was presented by Sirisena’s Finance Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa.

However, it is uncertain when the VoA is to be presented in Parliament or if it will be presented. Samarasinghe also argued that there were provisions in the Constitution giving the President power to gazette the VoA in the event the Parliament stands dissolved. The provision allows access to money from the Consolidated Fund for a period of three months.

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena May if Necessary Utilise Constitutional Provisions Enabling Him to Access Public Funds Without Parliamentary Approval to Fund Govt Expenditure For 3 Months Until March 19.’ »

By

Ashwin Hemmathagama

Professing his innocence,UNP MP Field Marshall Sarath Fonseka yesterday called on the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to be summoned before Parliament within 48 hours to reveal the truth about allegations of his involvement in an assassination plot against President Maithripala Sirisena, insisting Parliament should be given reasons for such public statements.

Fonseka also challenged Sirisena to arrest him over the intelligence reports Namal Kumara had given about the alleged assassination plot he had masterminded.

MP Fonseka, who labelled President Sirisena’s statements linking him to the alleged assassination attempt as unfair, requested Speaker Jayasuriya to get the Inspector General of Police to conduct an investigation and make arrests.

Continue reading ‘Field Marshall Sarath Fonseka Wants IGP to Be Summoned to Parliament To Reveal Truth Behind Maithripala Sirisena’s Allegations of Assassination Plot Involving Ex – Army Chief.’ »

(The text of a speech delivered by the Ex-president Mahinda Rajapaksa at the Prime Minister’s Office on Sunday the 25th of Novermber 2018 issued as a media release)

Most venerable members of the Maha Sangha, Clergymen of all religions, People of Sri Lanka, and friends,

In my speech in Parliament on the 15th of November, I proposed to all political parties that we agree among overselves to hold a general election to enable the people to exercise their sovereign right to elect a government of their choice. the JVP agreed but the UNP has been evasively saying that we should hold a presidential election instead of a general election. The problem is in the Parliament. Hence there is no need to hold a presidential election at this stage. No party obtained a clear majority at the general election held in August 2015. The UNP obtained 106 seats, the UPFA obtained 96. The difference was just 10 seats.

A UNP led government was formed only on the basis of an agreement entered into with a group of UPFA Parliamentarians. The UPFA group left the government on the 26th October. Thereafter several UNP Parliamentarians joined our ranks. Today, I am the leader of the largest group of MPs in Parliament. After the parliamentary elections of 1994, 2001 and 2004, Presidents D.B.Wijetunga and Chandrika Kumaratunga who held office at that time, invited the largest group in Parliament to form a government. On that basis, governments were formed by the People’s Alliance in 1994, the UNP in 2001 and the UPFA in 2004.

What we did on the 26th of October was to form an interim government that would have lasted only until the conclusion of the general election that has already been declared, but temporaily put on hold by the courts. We never had any intention of running an administration through the government that has been formed at present. The whole country can see that only a few members of the Joint Opposition hold office in this government. That is because this is only an interim arrangement. I have been stressing ever since I took oaths as Prime Minister that our foremost aim was to go for an election in order to establish a stable government. However the objective of the other side is to revive the previous government and to rule the country for as long as possible without holding any election at all. That is the reason for the present political situation.

Continue reading ‘“I have heard members of the UNP saying that if I had been patient for another 18 months, I could have won the ensuing election with a two thirds majority”- Ex-president Mahinda Rajapaksa’ »

Following is President Maithripala Sirisena’s statement at the meeting with foreign media correspondents on 25 November:

I see that there is some kind of political unrest with the development that took place on 26 October. I would not even consider this as a serious political crisis, though there is a minor political unrest. It is because of the removal of Ranil Wickremesinghe from Prime Minister and appointment of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa as a Prime Minister and the dissolution of the Cabinet and the appointment of a new Cabinet.

You may ask, what were the issues for this change? This was not an unexpected sudden decision. This was not due to developments in two or three weeks. The period of differences is much longer. I appointed Ranil Wickremesinghe as a Prime Minister as soon as I was elected President on 9 January 2015 at about 6:10 p.m. When the Prime Minister was sworn in, 162 of the 225 members belonged to Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratne. When Ranil Wickremesinghe was appointed as PM, he had only 41 seats in Parliament.

According to the powers vested in me as the President and as clearly stated in the Constitution, the person who had the backing of 162 MPs was ignored and I appointed a person who had only 41 MPs. At the same time, when the Parliament met subsequently, Ranil Wickremesinghe was provided all facilities and privileges as Prime Minister.

However, in that situation, a contradiction had also taken place between Ranil Wickremesinghe and I as that was the beginning of our differences. That was in the first week of January 2015. In fact, there was a clash over our work methods.

Continue reading ‘Maithripala Sirisena Meets Foreign Media Correspondents in Colombo and Issues Statement Attempting to “Defend the Indefensible”.’ »

By

D.B.S.Jeyaraj

November 27th 1989 was the day on which the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam(LTTE)first observed its annual “Maaveerar Naal” or Great Heroes Day (GHD). Twenty –seven years have passed since then and the 27th anniversary of the event is today Nov 27th 2016.

Sathiyanathan alias Shankar

The event continues to be observed on a large scale by sections of the Global Tamil Diaspora despite the military debacle suffered by the LTTE in May 2009. The event has lost much of its lustre after the demise of tiger supremo Veluppillai Prabhakaran.These are days of decline when compared to the manner in which Great heroes day was observed when the LTTE ruled the roost. Nevertheless commemorating the fallen tigers as great heroes annually remains an enduring tiger legacy despite the LTTE being militarily decimated in Sri Lanka.

There is a mystique about “Maaveerar Naal” that has captured the imagination of a very large number of the Sri Lankan Tamil Diaspora. What makes the GHD tick despite the debacle of Mullivaaikkal?
Continue reading ‘“Maaveerar Naal” (Great Heroes Day) on November 27th is a “Tiger” Event and Not The Tamil National Day of Mourning’ »

By Hemantha Randunu and Dinasena Ratugamage

Acting on a tip-off, the police yesterday chased away Ex- MP&Ex- Northern Provincial Councillor M.K. Shivajilingam and four others who had gathered at the late LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran’s Vevetithurai home to commemorate the latter’s 64th birth anniversary with a cake, candles and decorations.

Continue reading ‘Police Raid LTTE Leader Prabhakaran’s Valvettithurai Home and Chase Away Ex -MP Shivajilingam and four Others Trying to Celebrate Tiger Leader’s 64th Birthday on Nov 26 with a Cake, Candles and Decorations.’ »

By S. S. Selvanayagam

The Court of Appeal yesterday deferred hearings on the Writ of Quo Warranto filed against Mahinda Rajapaksa and 48 others, challenging their authority to hold office as Prime Minister and Cabinet of Ministers, until 30 November, after counsel for the respondents claimed they had not received notice in the case.

President’s Counsels Sanjeewa Jayawardane, Gamini Marapana, Manohara De Silva, Ali Sabry and Shavindra Fernando appeared as counsel for several respondents cited in the writ application filed 23 November, and told the Court that notice in the case had not been issued to their clients.

They had appeared in court on the instructions of their clients, having heard about the case, the lawyers said.

Continue reading ‘Court of Appeal Defers Hearings Until November 30 on Writ of Quo Warranto Filed Against Mahinda Rajapaksa and 48 Others Challenging Their Authority to Hold Office’ »

The Chief Justice yesterday nominated a fuller Bench, comprising seven judges of the Supreme Court, to hear the 10 Fundamental Rights petitions filed against the Declaration of Dissolution of Parliament by President Maithripala Sirisena on 4, 5 and 6 December.

The Bench comprises Chief Justice Nalin Perera and Justices Buwaneka Aluwihare, Sisira J de Abrew, Priyantha Jayawardena, Prasanna S. Jayawardena, Vijith K. Malalgoda, and Murdu Fernando.

There were 10 Fundamental Rights petitions filed against the Declaration of Dissolution of Parliament by President Sirisena. Three sought to intervene to counter the main petitions. After hearing the petitions, the Supreme Court Bench, comprising Chief Justice Nalin Perera and Justices Priyantha Jayawardane and Prasanna S. Jayawardena, granted leave to proceed on 13 November, and also issued Interim Orders effective till 7 December, staying the operation of the proclamation of dissolving Parliament by President Sirisena and the holding of elections.

Continue reading ‘Seven Judge Bench Comprising Chief Justice Nalin Perera and Justices Buwaneka Aluwihare, Sisira J de Abrew, Priyantha Jayawardena, Prasanna S. Jayawardena, Vijith K. Malalgoda, and Murdu Fernando Will Hear 10 FR Petitions Filed Against Dissolution of Parliament.’ »

Lieutenant Commander G. Laksiri, a key witness in a case regarding the abduction and disappearance of 11 youths in an alleged Navy abduction racket, has been threatened by six navy officers, including the Chief of Defence Staff Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne, Police Spokesperson SSP Ruwan Gunasekara confirmed.

The victim is one of the main witnesses in the investigation where a key suspect, former Navy officer Lieutenant commander Prasad Chandana Hettiarachchi, was given protection at a Navy base by the then Navy Commander and current CDS, Wijegunaratne.

Continue reading ‘Ex-Navy Chief and Chief of Defence Staff Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne and Five Other Naval Officers Go to The Navy Officers Mess and Assault and Threaten Lt. Cmdr G.Laksiri the Key Witness in Abduction and Murder of 11 Youths Case’ »

By Pani Wijesiriwardena

Sri Lanka’s political crisis took another turn yesterday (Nov 23) when all the MPs backing Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse walked out of parliament after the Speaker refused to allocate them a majority on a key committee that could trigger the cutting off of funds to his government.

Factions around Rajapakse and ousted Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe battled for control of the Parliament Select Committee (PSC) because it determines the parliament’s functions, including its agenda.

Last Sunday, at an “all party conference,” President Maithripala Sirisena told the opposition led by Ranil Wickremesinghe’s United National Party (UNP) he did not accept the no-confidence motions passed against Rajapakse, his appointee, because they did not follow parliamentary standing orders.

At the beginning of yesterday’s parliamentary session, Speaker Karu Jayasuriya said that as party leaders could not agree on the PSC’s composition, he had nominated members according to “the provisions secured by the constitution.”

Jayasuriya allocated five seats each to Rajapakse’s faction and the UNP, and one each for Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and Tamil National Alliance (TNA). As the JVP and TNA back the UNP, the opposition now controls the committee, as well as the Speaker’s post. Jayasuriya is a senior member of the UNP.

House Leader Dinesh Gunawardena, a Rajapakse supporter, declared that his faction would walk out to “oppose the unconstitutional composition” of the PSC. He accused Jayasuriya of acting partially.

Continue reading ‘Political Turmoil Intensifies in Sri Lanka as Pro- Ranil Wickremesinghe MP’s EStablish Majority in Parliament While Pro-Mahinda Rajapaksa MP’s Stage Walk out of House’ »

Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court Monday expanded the bench that will hear the petition against the dissolution of parliament, but left out controversial justice Eva Wanasundara.

Chief Justice Nalin Perera constituted a seven-judge bench to hear the petition that could end the power struggle between a hostile president and a rebellious parliament.

A three-judge bench headed by Perera himself had granted interim relief by staying the dissolution of parliament ordered by President Maithripala Sirisena on November 9. Parliament was restored in a November 13 judgment.

Continue reading ‘Chief Justice Perera Expands Supreme Court Bench Hearing FR Petitions Against Parliament Dissolution Case from Three to Seven Judges Excluding Eva Wanasundara and Including Three Judges Who Recused Themselves From Hearing Cases Against Gotabhaya Rajapaksa.’ »

Renowned epigraphist Iravatham Mahadevan, who passed away early Monday, was instrumental in reviving interest in Sangam literature, said R. Nagaswamy, veteran archaeologist.

Recalling Mahadevan’s contributions, Dr. Nagaswamy said the epigraphist’s reading of Tamil Brahmi inscriptions in Pugalur near Karur had shown that there were three successive generations of Chera kings of the Sangam era, and this had re-kindled interest in the Sangam literature.

His study of Tamil Brahmi inscriptions in Tamil Nadu was “thorough and systematic” and his work came to be recognised nationally and internationally. Mr. Mahadevan’s ‘Indus Script – Texts, Concordance and Tables’ had generated enormous scope for further research, said Dr. Nagaswamy, who headed the Tamil Nadu Archaeology Department between 1966 and 1988.

Continue reading ‘Iravatham Mahadevan Whose Epigraphical Studies of Indus Valley Scripts and Tamil Brahmi Inscriptions Helped Prove the Classical Antiquity of Tamil Civilization and Language Passes Away in Chennai.’ »

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena has granted an exclusive interview to the Political Editor of the “Sunday Times” which appears in the latest issue of the paper dated November 25th 2018. The following excerpts are from the “Sunday Times” interview.

Q;
You have caused a serious political crisis in the country by your actions. Why did you do it?

A;

The person responsible is Ranil Wickremesinghe. Not I. After the January 8, 2015 Presidential elections, both of us were sworn in. One minute after I was sworn in as President, he took his oaths as the Prime Minister. We began work as a new government. In the first week itself, he went against our manifesto.

What did he do?

He was very stubborn and was not accommodative. He even exercised my powers. That continued.

Can you give an example?

It began with the formation of a Cabinet of Ministers in January 2015. We had asked a three-member Committee of University academics to allocate ministerial subjects on a scientific basis. I don’t think he even read their report. The allocations were made in a haphazard way. It generated laughter among people. One was the setting up of a Ministry of Higher Education and Highways. Another was how state owned banks which have traditionally been with the Finance Ministry were placed in a different Ministry. He took under his purview the Central Bank which had also earlier been under the Finance Ministry. These financial institutions have never changed hands since 1947.

But you continued thereafter with those arrangements. Why now?

He not only exercised Prime Ministerial powers. He also began using the powers of the President. That began to increase.

Why did you allow him to usurp your powers?

Some may argue about that. As a gesture of gratitude in electing me to power and not to hurt him, I allowed him to carry on with the work. That was also a gesture of humanity from my side. However, he took advantage of it.

Continue reading ‘“Whoever has the majority of 225 member House will be the Prime minister…………….. I have no possibility of appointing Mr Wickremesinghe as the Prime Minister again. I will stick to that principle” -President Sirisena in Interview With “Sunday Times”’ »

By Chandani Kirinde

A month after the shock appointment of Mahinda Rajapaksa as Prime Minister by President Maithripala Sirisena after sacking Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and his government, the new appointee has failed to show he commands the confidence of the majority in the House.

Instead the UPFA group has shied away from facing a vote in the House on numerous occasions, the latest being on Friday, during the vote to confirm the nominees to the Committee of Selection. The UPFA lawmakers staged a walkout before the vote was taken. With only MPs of the UNP/UNF, the TNA and the JVP remaining in the House, all 121 members present voted to support the Speaker’s nominees with no one left to oppose it.

This week’s two sittings days were rather restrained compared to the previous week when Speaker Karu Jayasuirya had to enter the Chamber under police protection to conduct sittings. Probably, the adverse publicity has dampened the over enthusiasm of the UPFA MPs, and even though their enemy number-one is the Speaker, those present in the House remained subdued.

Continue reading ‘Pro-Mahinda Group of MP’s Walk – out of Parliament to Avoid Participation in Voting so as to Prevent Their Lack of Majority in the House Being Exposed.’ »

By

Kishali Pinto Jayawardene

Beyond the distasteful power squabbles that presently make up the sum total of Sri Lankan politics or ‘politricks’ as cynics are wont to say, the three men at the core of the crisis undermining the nation’s constitutional text, (viz; Maithripala Sirisena, Mahinda Rajapaksa and Ranil Wickremesinghe) need to realise a basic fact. Their currency of political credibility has been virtually exhausted, to a greater or lesser extent as the case may be.

It is time for all three to step aside and hand over their tasks to others in party ranks who may hopefully act with greater discretion if not common sense in the interests of the country.

Parliamentary infamy will not be forgotten

Since that fateful Friday of October 26th, each Parliamentary sitting expending millions of tax rupees exemplifies constitutional comedy of a particularly grim kind. On three consecutive days, the House resembled more a lunatics asylum with former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s newly minted Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) members attacking Speaker Karu Jayasuriya and defenceless police officers tasked to guard him. That was infamy which will not be easily forgotten.

Continue reading ‘SLPP and SLFP Boycotting House Due to Lack of Majority May be the First Instance Where a So -Called Govt Does not Participate in its own Parliament!’ »

The Attorney General has requested that a full bench of the Supreme Court be constituted to hear the Fundamental Rights petitions filed by political parties and other organisations, challenging the dissolution of Parliament by President Maithripala Sirisena on November 9.

The Motion making the request that the proceedings be heard by all judges of the nine-member Supreme Court was filed by the AG under Article 132(3) of the Constitution this week.

Continue reading ‘Attorney – General Files Motion Under Article 132(3) Of Constitution Requesting Chief Justice to Appoint Nine Judge Bench of the Supreme Court Instead of Earlier Three-Judge Bench to Hear the FR Petition Cases against Dissolution of Parliament by President’ »

By S.S. Selvanayagam

The Attorney General yesterday withdrew his appeal against the High Court Judgment wherein Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thero and two Buddhist monks as well as 10 other laymen were acquitted on the indictment against them for the alleged attack on the Calvary Church at Araliya Uyana in Talahena.

The Bench comprised Justices P. Padman Surasena (President/CA) and Arjuna Obeysekera. The Attorney General had, in his appeal, cited S.A. Athula Seneviratne, W.M. Sudu Banda, H. Thamara Beatrice, A.K. Denzil Premakumara Perera, D.S.P. Kandana Arachchi, T.K. Somadasa, E.M. Victor Ratnayake, K.W. Karunananda, E.M.H. Ratnayake, Aththaragama Gnanawimala Himi, Galgoda Aththe Gnanasara Himi, Angulagalle Siri Jinananda Himi and Dhanuska Sanjeeva as Accused-Respondents.

The Accused-Respondents had been indicted in the Colombo High Court for having committed offences of being members of an unlawful assembly to attack the said Calvary Church; for causing mischief to the said church and causing injuries to Sydney Roshan Anderson and John Anton Anderson as well as for robbery of two gold chains.

Continue reading ‘Attorney-General Withdraws Appeal Against High Court Verdict Acquitting Bodu Bala Senas’s Gnanasara Thero in Case Concerning Alleged Attack on Calvary Church at Araliya Uyana in Talhena/’ »

Delivering another Friday night twist to the ongoing political turmoil, 122 members of Parliament filed legal action yesterday, challenging the authority of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa to hold office as Prime Minister, after a no confidence motion was passed against him in the House.

All 122 MPs – comprising members of the UNF, JVP and TNA – filed an application for a Writ of Quo Warranto against the former President, who was controversially appointed Prime Minister by President Maithripala Sirisena on 26 October. Legal experts have called the appointment an unconstitutional and illegal power grab.

The Quo Warranto Writ challenges former President Rajapaksa to prove on what authority he holds office as Prime Minister after the legislature voted twice to defeat him on 14 and 16 November.

Translating literally to ‘By what authority’, the Writ Quo Warranto, if granted, has power to declare that the person challenged was not entitled to hold that office, lawyers said. The application [CA (Writ) 263/2018] has cited 49 respondents, including Mahinda Rajapaksa, the entire Cabinet of Ministers, State Ministers and Deputy Ministers.

Continue reading ‘122 MP’s From UNF,TNA and JVP File Application in Courts for Quo Warranto Writ Against Mahinda Rajapaksa Challenging Him To Prove on What Authority He Holds Office as Prime Minister Without a Majority in Parliament.’ »

By Ashwin Hemmathagama

The United National Party (UNP), Tamil National Alliance (TNA), and Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) joined forces once again to show that parliamentarians supporting MP Mahinda Rajapaksa do not command a majority in the House when the Selection Committee membership was taken up for vote yesterday.

As a result of the group backing Rajapaksa staging a walking out as the vote was called, their votes were not recorded. However, the UNP, TNA and JVP together with other constituent parties managed to show 121 votes. This resulted in the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) being given five slots and the UNP five, as well as one position each for the TNA and the JVP in the Selection Committee.

Sessions began with Speaker Karu Jayasuriya explaining to the House the reasoning behind his decision to allocate an equal number of seats to both the UPFA and the UNP.

Unable to reach a final verdict at the party leaders’ meeting held in the morning, Speaker Jayasuriya proposed to include lawmakers Lakshman Kirella, Rauff Hakeem, Rishad Bathiudeen, Mano Ganesan and Patali Champika Ranawaka from the United National party (UNP); MP Mawei Senathiraja from the Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK); and MP Vijitha Herath from the JVP following the provisions of Standing Orders 136 and 143. With the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) lawmakers boycotting, the vote was taken by name using the electronic system and received 121 in favour of the appointment.

Continue reading ‘Pro -Mahinda MP’s Walk -Out of Parliament But 121 Votes Cast In House Proved Clearly That Purported Prime Minister Rajapaksa Has No Majority.’ »

President Maithripala Sirisena has stopped members of his disputed cabinet from making key appointments to state-run institutions signalling early cracks in the uneasy coalition.

In a circular to all ministry secretaries, the President’s Secretary Udaya Seneviratne told them that there cannot be any appointment to boards and statutory bodies under them without first clearing with the President.

The move followed highly controversial appointments to Sri Lankan airline and Sri Lanka Insurance.

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena Orders His “Cabinet Ministers” Not To Make any Appointments to Govt Institutions Without Clearing Names With Him First:Fall-out of Kapila Chandrasena and Nalaka Godahewa Appointments?’ »

‘Sri Lanka- The Elusive Miracle of Sri Lanka’ is Writer and Mass Communications veteran, Sharmini Serasinghe’s first book which no publisher or printer in Sri Lanka was willing to risk being associated with, fearing for their lives.

Their fears are justified. Under the despotic political regime headed by the megalomaniacal Mahinda Rajapaksa, journalists and writers in Sri Lanka who stood up for the truth were brutally murdered, tortured, kidnapped or made to disappear for good.

Self-described Buddhists, Mahinda Rajapaksa and his cohorts embraced all that is ugly in his Sinhala-Buddhist toxic political ideology, using and abusing Buddhism to the maximum.

With this book, the writer has placed her head on the block and in her words: “I may face the same fate as my late colleagues Lasantha Wickrematunge and Richard de Zoysa, but it’s a sacrifice I am ready to make for the sake of future generations of Sri Lanka!”

Continue reading ‘Well-Known Media Personality Sharmini Serasinghe Ventures Into Forbidden Territory By Launching Her Fearlessly Explosive First Book -‘Sri Lanka – The Elusive Miracle of Asia’.’ »

(Text Of Press Release Issued by the Hon. Speaker’s Media Unit)

2018.11.21

Press Release

The Hon Speaker extends his heartfelt gratitude to all the religious leaders and Sri Lankans living within and outside Sri Lanka for the blessings invoked and the unfathomable love extended on him over the commitment towards protecting democracy by bravely facing the acts of sabotage that engulfed the Parliament recently.

Meanwhile, baseless allegations levelled against the Hon.Speaker through regular press conferences by political parties that failed to show their majority in Parliament in the proper manner and through political protests organized with the participation of their party members, can be observed.

Continue reading ‘Speaker Karu Jayasuriya Emphasizes His Total Commitment to Protection of Democracy in the Motherland Regardless of the Enormity of the Abuses, Insults, Protests and Threats to His Life’ »

Sri Lanka’s parliament Wednesday released the official record of proceedings when two no-confidence motions were passed, on the disputed government of Mahinda Rajapaksa clearing the way to mount legal challenges.

The Hansards on November 14 and 16 contain the two resolutions that were passed by a voice vote of the majority of the 225-member assembly. The November 15 Hansard has the Speaker’s declaration that there is no legitimate government in the country.

Continue reading ‘It’s Official Now! Parliament Releases Hansards With Records of Two No Confidence Resolutions Passed With a Majority and Speaker’s Declaration That There is No Legitimate Govt in the Country.’ »

A person calling himself the Prime Minister is occupying that office by force after Parliament passed two no faith votes against him, the Tamil National Alliance told a group of 15 Colombo-based diplomats last evening.

The Speaker ruled on 15 November that after the no confidence motion against the purported Prime Minister and his Government was carried, under Article 48 (2) of the Constitution the Cabinet of Ministers stands dissolved, Opposition Leader R. Sampanthan told the diplomats during the meeting.

Continue reading ‘TNA Tells Group of 15 Colombo Based Diplomats that a Person Calling Himself the Prime Minister is Occupying That Office by Force After Parliament Passed Two No Faith Motions Against Him.’ »

By Bishop Duleep de Chickera

In the midst of the recent legislative vandalism, an anonymous policeman stood tall above the chosen 225.

Struck on the face by a cowardly law maker, he unflinchingly stood his ground to perform his duty. In a moment he become an image of courageous conscientiousness.

The moment added a lesson. Regular replays also replayed the teaching of Christ on offering the other cheek. Struck once, the anonymous policeman refused to retaliate or withdraw, remaining within reach of the next slap.

Continue reading ‘The Teaching of Christ Was Reflected in the Courageous Conscientiousness of the “Anonymous” Policeman in Parliament who Stood His Ground Unflinchingly Doing his Duty after Being Struck on the Face by a Cowardly MP.’ »

Parliament on Monday (Nov 19) was a calmer affair than what was observed last week, partially because the session was completed within minutes with Deputy Speaker Ananda Kumarasiri presiding in the House.

But the scenes of surface peace are unlikely to last as parliamentarians on both sides of the divide have failed to come to a compromise and both are steadfastly adhering to their version of events.

On the side of the United National Party (UNP) the consensus remains that a no confidence motion was passed in Parliament with the vote taking place twice.

On the basis of this UNP Deputy Leader Ravi Karunanayake submitted to Parliament a proposal insisting that since MP Mahinda Rajapaksa does not have the confidence of the House the Secretary to the Prime Minister should not deploy public funds.

Continue reading ‘Stand -Off In Parliament Continues With Both Sides Unprepared to Back Down Until Supreme Court Makes a Determination on Dec 7th’ »

By Chathuri Dissanayake

Facing severe criticism over a move to transfer a key detective of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) probing a number of attacks on journalists and high-profile cases, the Inspector General of Police yesterday reversed the decision.

Transfer orders issued to CID Officer in Charge of Organised Crime, Nishantha Silva, were cancelled at the eleventh hour on Monday, with a letter conveying the decision being sent to the CID yesterday. The Daily FT exclusively reported the move in its yesterday›s edition.

In a letter dated 19 November, issued to Silva last morning, IGP Pujith Jayasundara reversed with immediate effect the transfer order which was issued on 18 November. Both letters, the transfer order and cancellation cited an immediate service requirement as a reason.

Continue reading ‘IGP Pujitha Jayasundara Issues Back -dated Letter Reversing Transfer of CID Officer Nishantha Silva to Negombo as Ordered by Law and Order Minister Maithripala Sirisena.’ »

Following is a letter by slain The Sunday Leader Founding Editor Lasantha Wickrematunge’s daughter Ahimsa Wickrematunge to President Maithripala Sirisena on his decision to remove Criminal Investigations Department OIC – Gang Robberies Nishantha Silva from the department, raising serious concerns about the high profile abduction cases being handled by the official:

President Maithripala Sirisena,

20th November 2018

Dear President Sirisena,

Your Decision to Remove Inspector Adrian Nishantha Silva from the Criminal Investigation Department

Sunday 18th November 2018 was the 73rd birthday of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa. To mark this occasion, President Rajapaksa participated in a ‘Pinkama’ at a temple near his official residence, attended by your Inspector General of Police, Mr. Pujith Jayasundara. After celebrating the former President’s birthday in the company of former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Mr. Jayasundera proceeded to police headquarters, where he signed transfer order D/HRM/ADM/1869/2018 dated 18th November 2018.

As you are fully aware, this was an order to remove Police Inspector Adrian Nishantha Silva, Officer‐in-Charge of the Gang Robbery Branch (GRB) of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) due to unspecified “service requirements”. While the order is ostensibly from the IGP, he has made no secret of the fact that he issued this order hesitantly, at your insistence. This was a thoughtful birthday gift on your part, but it was Mahinda’s birthday, not Gotabaya’s.

I know Inspector Silva as the lead investigator into the murder of my father, Lasantha Wickrematunge, who was bludgeoned to death on 8th January 2009, exactly six years before you were historically elected President on a platform pledging to solve heinous murders like my father’s.

Continue reading ‘Slain Editor Lasantha Wickrematunge’s Daughter Ahimsa Writes to President Over His Transferring CID Chief Inspector Nishantha Silva Probing Her Father’s Murder and Cautions Sirisena” If you try to stand in the way of justice for my father and other victims of brutality, you will fail”.’ »

Disruptions: Political, Legal, Economic and Social Facets of the Crisis

The October 26 parliamentary debacle pushes us to seek a broader understanding of the causes and implications of this crisis for parliamentary democracy.

The seminar is a gathering of academics, activists, and interested persons looking for answers and a way out of this debacle.

The seminar seeks to develop analysis of the current crisis drawing on both the longer-term developments leading to recent disruption and the future political, legal, economic and social trajectories that are at stake.

The half day discussion-oriented seminar will be facilitated by short (10 minute) presentations on the following topics:

· Politics and Parties
· Law and Constitution
· Economy and Labour
· Democracy and Society

All Are Welcome

At 9:30 am on Friday, the 23rd of November, 2018

Postgraduate Institute of English (PGIE)

The Open University of Sri Lanka, Nawala Road, Nugegoda 11222

(Google maps: https://goo.gl/maps/brTa6Zhsw5E2)

Contact for further information: 0773602436

Sri Lanka’s former finance minister Mangala Samaraweera warned of an economic collapse as a political crisis triggered by President Maithripala Sirisena’s controversial appointment of a Prime Minister left foreign investors shaken and the country was hit by the first credit downgrade.

“We managed the economy very carefully trying to put as little burden on the people as possible, because we inherited a lot of debt,” Samaraweera told reporters.

“But the political crisis has now put the country on the path of a crisis.

“As a result of these actions, Sri Lanka is on the brink of economic anarchy and chaos as never experienced before.

“The cavalier and irresponsible actions of the president starting on October 26th based on personal animosities and precipitating a series of illegal acts, places at risk Sri Lanka’s ability to meet its immediate debt obligations.”

Continue reading ‘Ex-Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera Warns of an Economic Collapse Due to Political Crisis Triggered by President Sirisena’s Controversial Appointment of Mahinda Rajapaksa as Prime Minister.’ »

By Uditha Jayasinghe

Sri Lanka is on the precipice of an “economic abyss”, warned prominent members of the United National Party (UNP) yesterday, calling on President Maithripala Sirisena to accept the decision of Parliament so Budget 2019 could be presented at the earliest and approved by the House.

UNP MPs Mangala Samaraweera, Dr. Harsha de Silva and Eran Wickramaratne were harshly critical of President Maithripala Sirisena’s actions on 26 October and insisted that both he and MP Mahinda Rajapaksa should accept responsibility for what they termed the economic crisis heading in Sri Lanka’s direction.

The trio emphasised that the political turmoil, which has resulted in international rating agency Moody’s downgrading Sri Lanka’s credit rating yesterday, would result in the country having to pay higher interest rates when it needed to raise funds from international capital markets to repay pending debt in 2019.

According to rating agencies, Sri Lanka has to repay an estimated $ 12 billion in debt repayments from 2019-2022 with about $ 3 billion tagged for next year.

Continue reading ‘UNP’s “Economic Expert” Trio of Mangala, Eran and Harsha Warn That Sri Lanka is on the Precipice of an Economic Abyss and Urge President Sirisena to Accept Majority Decision of Parliament’ »

On video, the audacity of the attack is difficult to miss. A man who hands Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal a letter outside his office, swoops down to touch his feet, gets up and forcefully smears chilli powder on his face.

The incident took place inside one of the capital city’s most protected buildings today, the Delhi Secretariat, provoking outrage from Kejriwal’s party and even critics.

The attacker, identified as 40-year-old Anil Kumar Sharma, has been taken into custody, the police said. However, they said they were investigating if the chilli powder “fell unintentionally”.

Kejriwal was leaving for lunch after finishing up meetings when the incident took place outside his chamber on the third floor, AAP lawmaker Alka Lamba said.

Continue reading ‘After Chilli Powder Mixed Water Attacks on Speaker by MP’s in Sri Lankan Parliament, India’s Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is Victim of Chilli Powder Attack’ »

By

Dr.Dayan Jayatilleka

The main contradiction, and the main fight, in Sri Lanka today is between neoliberalism and the nation. Or more correctly between, on the one hand, the elite which is the agency of the project of neoliberal globalization and its corollary, the ideology of neoliberal globalism, and the ‘people-nation’ (Gramsci) on the other. Those who accuse the Rajapaksas of ‘neoliberalism’ do not know what neoliberalism is and isn’t. They may be ‘red’ but are not well-read.

Neoliberalism is not the capitalist market economy. Neoliberalism is not mere privatization –the crucial question being what is privatized and what is not. Neoliberalism is not the Open Economy. It is perfectly possible to practice an Open Economic policy which is not neoliberal. This is what Presidents Premadasa and Rajapaksa did.

Neoliberalism is not merely an economic policy. It cannot be understood as a checklist of economic policy measures such as privatization.

Neo-liberalism is a new stage of imperialism. It can be understood not by economics alone but through Political Economy. That too has to be understood dialectically. Lenin was the most prominent to point out that at a different stage of its development and decomposition, global capitalism abandons its progressive slogans and projects of the past. It is such an abandonment, a negation, that has found form in neoliberalism.

At the heart of neoliberalism is not a list of economic polices but precisely the questions of the Nation and the State.

Continue reading ‘The main contradiction, and the main fight, in Sri Lanka today is between neo liberalism and the nation.’ »

By

Meera Srinivasan

Sri Lanka’s persistent political crisis “without a government or a Prime Minister” could embolden anti-social elements to take law into their own hands, Leader of Opposition R. Sampanthan has warned. “In such a situation, the country’s minorities, especially Tamils, may become the victims,” he said.

Mr. Sampanthan, who also leads the Tamil National Alliance, told reporters that its 14 MPs on Tuesday briefed Colombo-based diplomats on current political developments. “Such turbulence seriously impairs ongoing efforts for a political solution through constitutional reform,” he said.

The government’s assurance on returning the remaining military-occupied land belonging to civilians in war-affected areas, the release of political prisoners, ongoing work of the office on missing persons and efforts to set up the office for reparations are all in serious question, according to the Tamil leader.

Continue reading ‘TNA Leader Sampanthan Concerned About Country Being “Without a Govt or Prime Minister” Situation Which May” Embolden Anti-Social Elements ” and Could Result in the “Minorities Especially Tamils Becoming Victims”.’ »

The transfer of the Officer-in-Charge of the CID’s Organised Crime Investigation unit, Inspector of Police (IP) Nishantha Silva, has been cancelled by the National Police Commission, the Office of the Inspector General of Police reports.

Silva was transferred to the Negombo division with immediate effect, with the orders coming directly from the President, police sources said.

Continue reading ‘National Police Commission Cancels Transfer of CID Inspector Nishantha Silva Who Had Been Sent to Negombo With Immediate Effect Under the Orders of President Sirisena.’ »

UNP Parliamentarian Hirunika Premachandra said President Maithripala Sirisena’s habit of passing the bucks had not changed even after the appointment of his chosen Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa

“When Ranil Wickremesinghe was the Prime Minister was the Prime Minister, President Sirisena often said he got to know things from the newspapers. The remark he made today, during a meeting with Bodu Bala Sena monks, show that his habits still remain the same,” Premachandra said addressing a press conference at Temple Trees.

Continue reading ‘Hirunika Premachandra MP Mocks Maithripala Sirisena for Telling Bodu Bala Sena That He Did not Know About Police Action While Being the Law and Order Minister in Charge of the Police.’ »

President Maithripala Sirisena expressed regret over the Police using tear gas and water cannons on Bidu Bala Sena monks protesting in front of the Presidential Secretariat, this afternoon.

Issuing a media statement a short while ago, the President’s Media Division said the President has ordered an investigation into the incident.

Continue reading ‘Police Disperse Bodu Bala Sena De,onstration at Presidential Secretariat with Tear Gas and Water Cannon But Maithripala Sirisena Apologizes to Bhikkus Saying he was not Aware of the BBS Protest.’ »

By

Meera Srinivasan

The Sri Lankan Parliament — which met on Monday following violence and disruption last week — was adjourned minutes after it convened, without a resolution to the ongoing political crisis.

Lawmakers aligned to ousted Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and from other opposition parties in the House, have sought the suspension of state funds to the Prime Minister’s office, now occupied by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, whose administration they consider illegitimate. The debate on the motion is expected to commence on Friday.

The development is the latest in the series of events since President Maithripala Sirisenacontroversially sacked Mr. Wickremesinghe on October 26, and replaced him with Mr. Rajapaksa. The political stalemate in Sri Lanka’s legislature has been dragging since, because MPs backing the Sirisena-. Rajapaksa combine continue opposing a vote in the House that could test claims to a majority.

Last week, Mr. Wickremesinghe’s front, with support from opposition parties Tamil National Alliance and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna proved its majority through a voice vote thrice, braving the chaos and violence caused by Mr. Rajapaksa’s MPs. However, Mr. Rajapaksa’s side has rejected the vote citing “breach of parliamentary procedure’, a claim that the opposition has since countered.

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena Transfers CID Chief Inspector Nishantha Silva Who was Heading Probe into Allegations Against Rajapaksa Family Members and Was Allegedly on the Verge of Making a Crucial Arrest.’ »

By Ashwin Hemmathagama and Chathuri Dissanayake

Upping the ante after two votes on the No Confidence Motion, a group of United National Party (UNP) Parliamentarians yesterday presented a motion to limit access of public funds by the Prime Minister’s Office, to a quieter than usual Parliament.

Adhering to the view that the no confidence vote passed in Parliament on MP Mahinda Rajapaksa last week was valid, the group of UNP MPs, which included UNP MPs Ravi Karunanayake and Navin Dissanayake, presented the motion on the basis that Parliament is responsible for public finance.

The latest motion by the UNP was supported by 122 Parliamentarians, which is the same number as those who signed the No Confidence Motion.

Key Opposition parties such as the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) extended their support as well.

The motion was presented at the party leaders meeting, which took place before sessions commenced on Monday. The motion was accepted according to the Agenda, and will be given five days’ notice in the Order Book, before it is taken up for debate. Proponents of the motion insisted that it would be taken up during the Parliamentary sitting on 29 November, while pro-Rajapaksa MPs claimed that no final decision has been made on the date for the debate.

Continue reading ‘UNP Presents Motion Supported by 122 MP’s In Parliament To Restrict Quantum of Public Finances to the Prime Ministers Office Headed by Mahinda Rajapaksa.’ »

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya said that he had received reports that there were attempts to disrupt Parliament proceedings yesterday as well.

He said, in a media release: “I got intelligence reports that there would be attempts to disrupt Parliament proceedings today as well. That’s why I took necessary steps to ensure security in Parliament. I also informed the sergeant at arms, director of Parliament police division, IGP and the defence secretary about this.”

Continue reading ‘Speaker Karu Jayasuriya says that He Received Intelligence Reports of Attempts to Disrupt Parliament on Nov 19th also and Took Steps to Nip such Moves in the Bud by Strenthening Security Measures.’ »

by Rathindra Kuruvita

Yesterday’s party leaders’ meeting, convened by President Maithripala Sirisena to break the political deadlock, in parliament ended inconclusively.

“We told the President that we could show a majority again but the President didn’t show much interest,” UNP MP Lakshman Kiriella said last night.

MP Ajith P Perera added that the UNP had requested a meeting with the President at 10 am today at the Presidential Secretariat to hand over affidavits from 113 MPs pledging their support for ousted Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

“However he evinced little interest in our request,”Perera said.

Continue reading ‘Sirisena Cold Shoulders Wickremesinghe at All Party Meeting and Refrains From Responding to Submissions made by Ranil; Maithripala Shows no Interest in Accepting Affidavits from MP’s Expressing Support to Ousted PM.’ »

By

Dr.Asoka Weerakkody

The MR regime is back (even if in a caretaker capacity). The following episodes give us an idea of what to come, if they were to continue substantively.

1. The starkest example of their misuse of power, waste, nepotism and corruption must be what they did to Sri Lankan Airlines (SLA). A once profitable and reputable business venture, became a money-losing shadow of its former self, due to the forced attachment of a parasitic sibling, which had no chance of ‘taking off’ from the word go (from a Rs 4.4 billion profit in 2008 to a 28 billion loss in 2016).

After a very slow start, a PCoI into the past activities of SLA and Mihin Air has been going on where, ‘juicy’ details of how the gravy train was run, have been emerging. One of the top men facing accusations is Kapila Chandrasena, the CEO at the time. On Tuesday the 13th, the new minister Nimal Siripala de Silva, appointed the said Kapila Chandrasena as the new Chairman of SLA (in effect a promotion). The following day, an employee from the SLA who was due to appear at the PCoI failed to turn up. Fortunately, some NGOs made a lot of noise denouncing this appointment. As a result, and I would say only as a result, it had to be rescinded the following day.

Continue reading ‘Appointing Kapila Chandrasena as SLA Chairman and Appointment of Weerawansa and Premajayantha as Ministers Shows What Is Going to Happen if the Rajapaksa Regime is to Continue Substantively even in a caretaker Capacity.’ »

The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) yesterday told President Maithripala Sirisena that he was the architect of the country’s anarchy and the situation could only be resolved by him.

This strong assertion of responsibility on the part of Sirisena was conveyed by the JVP yesterday via a letter which listed the reasons why the opposition party would not attend the all-party meeting convened by the President yesterday.

“You are the architect of the anarchy and instability the country is subjected to at present. It could be corrected only by you,” JVP informed the President via the letter.

Continue reading ‘JVP Refuses to Attend Meeting Convened by President and Accuses Sirisena Bluntly ” You are the Architect of the Anarchy and Instability the Country is Subjected to at Present”.’ »

In an extract that is circulating in social media, Chathurika Sirisena, daughter of President Maithripala Sirisena describes her father in her book Janaadhipathi Thaaththa (‘Presidential Father’) as a very innocent man who however doesn’t know what he is doing when he is angry. The younger Sirisena recalls an incident in Maithripala Sirisena’s childhood where he was admonished by his own father with a knock on his head (‘tokka’). In retaliation,Sirisena reportedly set fire to a lush paddy-field!

These days, Sirisena certainly appears to be an angry man, setting alight the country’s pillars of government. A fortnight after he summarily dismissed Ranil Wickremesinghe through a Friday night gazette notification, he issued another Friday night gazette on November 9, announcing the dissolution of Parliament and calling fresh elections. Many questioned as to whether he knew what he was doing.

That is because the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, introduced by his government with Sirisena himself working overtime and being personally present in Parliament to see it through, specifically precludes him from doing so.

Continue reading ‘Maithripala Sirisena’s Daughter Chathurika Says Her Father “Does not Know What He Does When Angry” and Reveals That The President as a Child Had Burnt Down a Paddy Field in Anger After Getting a “Tokka” (Knock on the Head)From His Father.’ »

President Maithripala Sirisena has notified the founder of the ‘Pohottuwa’ party Basil Rajapaksa to take measures to provide him with affidavits to show majority in parliament within the next 48 hours, according to government internal sources.

The President had summoned the SLFP –MPs yesterday and notified them to prove that they have parliamentary majority within the next three days.

Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena who was appointed by the President told media that, “The President insisted that he would not carry on with a government headed by Ranil Wickremesinghe under any circumstance. He asked us to show our majority and continue with our work,” he said.
The President had said this when he met the SLFP members after the no confidence motion.

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena Wants MP’s Supporting Mahinda Rajapaka as Prime Minister To Provide Affidavits Within Three Days Demonstrating a Majority in Parliament’ »

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya resisted ordering police into parliament on Friday, but changed his mind 42 minutes after being denied entry into the chamber by an aggressive mob of MPs who occupied his desk and chair.

Official sources said the 78-year-old Jayasuriya was offered a specialized Special Task Force unit trained in anti-hijacking and hostage rescue operations to clear the way for his entry into the House accompanied by the mace.

But Jayasuriya refused the offer, hoping that over 40 legislators of the Joint Opposition supporting Mahinda Rajapaksa would end their agitation and allow the assembly to go ahead with an amended no-confidence motion against the former president.

“The IGP (Inspector-General of Police) telephoned the Speaker and offered the STF units as he had been instructed by the President,” an official said. “But the Speaker would not hear of it.”

Continue reading ‘IGP Telephoned Speaker and Offered to Deploy STF Personnel Trained In Hostage Rescue Operations to Remove Obstructing Mahinda Loyalist MP’s and Clear the Way But Karu Jayasuriya Refused Such Drastic Action.’ »

By

Kishali Pinto Jayawardene

As pro-Rajapaksa parliamentarians threw water lethally spiced with red chillie into the eyes of police officers valiantly guarding Speaker Karu Jayasuriya, the seventy-eight year old Speaker may take heart from the fact that his grace under fire will stand out as the most remarkable example of steadfastness in parliamentary history. Images of him resolutely facing down parts of a chair, a copy of the Bible and the Constitution aimed at his head, as the House (euphemistically) ‘sat’ this Friday will be indelibly imprinted in the nation’s memory for a long time.

Both the calling of police into the Chamber and the use of chillie water, ironically a favourite torture tactic against alleged (Sinhalese) criminals and (Tamil) ‘terrorists’ in Sri Lanka’s detention centres, were a first in the legislative assembly.

Enduring several vulgar indignities

Shamefully Speaker Jayasuriya was prevented from sitting in the Chair and had to sit on a bench at a lower level as more than twenty police officers and parliamentary staff stood their ground against the deadly rush of the Rajapaksa-led Sri Lanka Podujana Party (SLPP) supporters, many of them regularly traipsing to court in ongoing corruption cases.

As several vulgar indignities were visited on him, Kipling’s words came to mind; ‘if you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs and blaming it on you…’

Continue reading ‘Redoubtable Speaker Karu Jayasuriya has Stood his Ground Against Very Heavy Physical and Verbal Fire During the Palpable Horror that is Taking Place in the House by the Diyawanna Oya.’ »

The United National Front (UNF) is to ask Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa to prove his majority in Parliament when the House meets Monday Noc 19 afternoon.

UNF leaders are expected to ask President Maithripala Sirisena who appointed Mr. Rajapaksa as Prime Minister, to ask him to move a Resolution in the House, setting aside the proceedings that took place in Parliament this week, i.e. on November 14, 15 and 16 where Votes of No Confidence on the Mahinda Rajapaksa Government were moved by the UNP, TNA and JVP and voted upon.

According to the Speaker, the No Confidence motions were carried by a voice vote as there was no request for any other form of voting according to Standing Orders of Parliament.

Continue reading ‘UNF Wants Purported Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa to Prove He Has a Majority By Moving a Resolution Setting Aside the No Confidence Motions Passed Against Him.’ »

By Dharisha Bastians and Jeffrey Gettleman

Lawmakers hurled chairs, thick books and stinging chile powder at one another as violence and chaos erupted again on the floor of Sri Lanka’s Parliament on Friday.

At least four lawmakers and several police officers were injured. The proceedings were carried live on TV and beamed across the island nation.

The trouble began when lawmakers allied to Mahinda Rajapaksa, a former president who, in a contentious move, was appointed prime minister last month, arrived in the chamber early and occupied the speaker’s chair.

The lawmakers broke microphones and staged mock sessions. They also blocked the mace, a gold-tipped ebony staff that is the symbol of authority, from being brought into the chamber to begin the session.

Continue reading ‘The Newest Weapon in Sri Lankan Politics: Chilli Powder in the Eyes:At Least 4 MP’s and Many Policemen Injured.’ »

By

Lucien Rajakarunanayake

Friday, was an efficient and devoted employee, of Robinson Crusoe, later known as Man Friday, an especially faithful or one’s best servant or right-hand man.

In recent weeks Maithripala Sirisena emerged more as Friday’s Man than the Man Friday, he was meant to be serving the people of this country, the job he was elected for.

Friday is Sirisena’s game day with governance and the Constitution. The Friday Game or ‘Sikuraada Keliya” is what people watch out with fear and dismay – what will he do with the basic concepts of governance? What more can he do about blundering with the Constitution?

Way back in January 2015, when the people elected him to serve them, there was little known about his gamesmanship, or that of inequity and unfairness. He was a wholly silent Cabinet Minister for nearly a decade, serving the Rajapaksa Regime, in the servitude that was more that of a slave than a devoted employee.

Continue reading ‘The Friday Game or ‘Sikuraada Keliya” is what People Watch out for with Fear and Dismay as Friday is Maithripala Sirisena’s Game day with Governance and the Constitution.’ »

By

Disna MudaligeCamelia Nathaniel and Amali Mallawaarachchi

Parliament marked the lowest point in its entire history yesterday with a series of violent assaults, bloodshed, and rancorous behaviour of some MPs which led to mayhem in the House.

The MPs were conducting a mock sitting with MP Arundika Fernando in the Speaker’s Chair flanked by fellow MPs when the quorum bell rang at 1.30 pm to commence sittings.

Ministers Pavithra Wanniarachchi and Dilan Perera were leading slogans which demanded the immediate arrest of UNP MP Palitha Thewarapperuma for sneaking in a knife and UNP MP Ranjan Ramanayake for grabbing it and keeping it with him.

MP Susantha Punchinilame was seen seated on the Secretary General’s chair and video recording the scene. The MPs, who flocked near the Speaker’s Chair, shouted slogans which said “Palithaya pihi genawa”,

“Gon-Ranja pihi genawa”, “Pihikaraya remand karau”, “Karuwalayata enna kiyapiya, mewata uttara denna kiyapiya, berinam daala yanna kiyapiya” and “Oka tamai api kiwwe-mehema karala be kiwwe”.

Continue reading ‘Mahinda Rajapaksa Loyalist MP’s Run Riot in the House:Arundika Fernando Takes Speakers Seat;Susantha Punchinilame Sits in Secretary – General’s Chair; Pavithra Wanniarachchi,Wimal Weerawansa, Bandula Gunawardena and Mahindananda Aluthgamage Make Speeches in Mock Session.’ »

By Chathuri Dissanayake

A deeply moved MP Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday lamented over what he termed as the ‘destruction of Sri Lanka’s democracy’ by parliamentarians loyal to MP Mahinda Rajapaksa and condemned their actions while pledging to restore democracy.

“This is a blow to democracy; it is a blow to all of us who are voters in Sri Lanka in whom the sovereignty lies,” Wickremesinghe told reporters after Parliament was adjourned.

“This disgraceful incident – the incident that shamed the whole nation – must be condemned in the harshest possible terms. The people of this country did not give us their vote to behave like this. We will work to restore democracy and order,” he added.

Continue reading ‘“The wounds of Jayawickrama Perera, Vijitha Herath and Malik Samarawickrama will Heal, but what About the Damage to the Country?” – Asks Ranil Wickremesinghe’ »

Mahinda Rajapaksa loyalists yesterday rejected that President Maithripala Sirisena had made a promise at the party leaders meeting on Thursday night to allow an undisrupted vote for the no confidence motion in Parliament.

Addressing media well before the House assembled in the afternoon, MP Dayasiri Jayasekara confirmed that President Sirisena’s intention was different, and gave no assurance to the party leaders during the meeting.

“The President has told the party leaders who met him on Thursday night that most issues can be sorted if MPs act according to the Standing Orders. He was misquoted by media and people who took part in this meeting,” he said.

Continue reading ‘Dayasiri Jayasekara MP says President Sirisena Wants Speaker Jayasuriya “to Acknowledge the Appointment of Prime Minister, Leader of the House, and the Chief Government Whip Before Moving the No Confidence Motion”.’ »

President Maithripala Sirisena has refused to accept the second vote on the no confidence motion yesterday, setting the stage for the constitutional deadlock to continue into next week.

Despite three weeks lapsing since President Sirisena replaced sitting Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe with former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the constitutional crisis remains at a stalemate with the Executive refusing to accept the decisions of Parliament.

“The President’s statement clearly said to follow Standing Orders, and what happened today is not that. The President is not going to accept the vote as procedure was not followed,” Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) MP Dayasiri Jayasekara told Daily FT.

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena Refuses Again to Accept the Majority Vote Decision Taken for the Second Time by Parliament.’ »

By Ashwin Hemmathagama

A second vote on the no confidence motion against MP Mahinda Rajapaksa passed yesterday with Speaker Karu Jayasuriya being forced to conduct the session from behind a human shield as Rajapaksa loyalists unleashed havoc in the House.

Regardless of President Maithripala Sirisena’s promise to party leaders on Thursday night to allow the vote to pass uninterrupted, UPFA MP Arundika Fernando occupied the Speaker’s Chair with the support of his colleagues who were loyal to MP Rajapaksa by forcefully standing on the Secretaries’ Platform.

Continue reading ‘Parliament Passes No Confidence Motion Against Mahinda Rajapaksa For Second Time Despite Ex-President’s Loyalist MP’s Engaging in Violence To Prevent Voting.’ »

By

Meera Srinivasan

Amidst furore and violence caused by his MPs in Parliament, Mahinda Rajapaksa on Friday lost a trust vote for the third time this week.

The no-confidence motions were taken up in the wake of Mr. Rajapaksa’s controversial appointment as Prime Minister, replacing Ranil Wickremesinghe who was abruptly sacked by President Maithripala Sirisena three weeks ago.

Former strongman Mr. Rajapaksa has however refused to accept the outcome of the first two motions — on his appointment and his address to Parliament — after failing to prove a majority in the House.

President Sirisena, who has now realigned with Mr. Rajapksa, did not endorse the earlier votes, but had promised to accept Friday’s vote. He is yet to acknowledge it or state his decision on future course, in the absence of a PM or cabinet.

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena and his Group Violated Their Promise. Their parliamentarians Behaved Like Beasts, not Like Human Beings,” Says JVP MP Vijitha Herath.’ »

By

Zacky Jabbar

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya has informed President Maithripala Sirisena that a fresh vote of no-confidence on Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and the government was passed by Parliament yesterday.

Continue reading ‘Speaker Karu Jayasuriya Informs President Maithripala Sirisena That a Fresh Vote of No Confidence has Been Passed by Parliament Against Purported Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and his Government.’ »

Following an interim injunction issued by a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court, suspending, until Dec. 07, the presidential proclamation dissolving Parliament, Gamini Marapana, PC yesterday, through a motion filed on behalf of added respondent Mallika Arachchige Channa Sudath Jayasumana, moved the Chief Justice to appoint a fuller bench of the Supreme Court to hear the petitions.

The CJ has been requested to ‘make order in terms of Article 132 (3) of the Constitution constituting a Divisional Bench comprising of five (5) or more Judges, and in the totality of the circumstances attendant upon the above styled and numbered Application and the said connected Applications, comprising of seven (7) Judges, of the Supreme Court” presided over by the CJ, to hear the relevant petitions.

Marapana PC has pleaded that the subject matter of the Application and the said connected Applications are of grave general and public importance including inter alia the interpretation of several critically important provisions of the Constitution, the executive power of the People exercised by the President of the Republic, the separation of powers, the Constitutional safeguards and checks and balances vis-à-vis the Legislature and the Franchise and the inalienable Sovereignty of the People;

Continue reading ‘Gamini Marapana PC Files Motion Seeking an Enlargement of the Three Judge Supreme Court Bench Hearing the Dissolution of Parliament Fundamental Rights Petitions To a Seven Judge Bench Presided Over by the Chief Justice.’ »

By

Dharisha Bastians

At 2.20PM when the side doors to the Chamber opened, about 30 police officials entered in a human chain, forming a barricade around the Sergeant at Arms who held tight to the Mace, the symbol of an official session of Parliament.

The Speaker walked in behind the Mace.

JO MPs pelted the police officers with chairs, thick bound books and threw water mixed with chillie powder at the wall of police officers who were unmoved and never retaliated.

Johnston Fernando led the charge.

Amidst the chaos,with parliament security holding cushions over his head to prevent attacks from projectiles, Speaker conducted a sitting from a makeshift bench on the aisle of the chamber. His mic worked and the Hansard recorded all of it.

Standing orders were suspended by majority vote. The no confidence motion against PresRajapaksa passed on Wednesday tabled again with first clause deleted.

The Speaker called for order so he could take a vote by name. Since JO MPs did not heed him, he took a voice vote.

“The Ayes have it” the motion was carried, Speaker declared shortly before he adjourned the session till the 19th of November.

Through all this the JO continued to hurl things at MPs, the police and the Speaker.

Realising he had been defeated Mahinda Rajapaksa turned and walked out of the chamber as the packed gallery hooted at him. His MPs continued to roar with protest but the UNF/TNA/JVP had declared victory.

These were some incredible scenes.

Courtesy:Face Book

Sri Lanka’s Parliament, on Friday, passed a No Confidence Motion on the government as Speaker Karu Jayasuriya took a vote under heavy police presence.

The Speaker, for the first time in Sri Lanka’s history entered the floor of the House, well protected behind hundreds of police officials.

The Parliament session which was expected to start at 1.30 pm, was delayed for over 30 minutes as government legislators had begun a protest surrounding the Speaker’s desk and chair and a government legislator occupying the Speaker’s seat.

Continue reading ‘For the First Time in Sri Lankan Parliamentary History , the Speaker ( Karu Jayasuriya) Is Forced to Enter Floor of the House With Police Escort For Protection from (Mahinda Rajapaksa’s) Violent Members of Parliament.’ »

Keheliya Rambukwella, spokesman of the Sri Lankan government led by President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, on Friday clarified what the President meant when he asked opposition leaders to follow the set procedure and Standing Orders in regard to a No Confidence Motion (NCM) against the government.

Rambukwella said that the motion cannot be passed in one-day as there is a set procedure to follow which will take a few days. There are parliamentary Standing Orders in this regard.

Firstly, the motion has to be submitted to the Secretary General of parliament for scrutiny as to whether it is written as per parliamentary norms and the country’s constitution. It is then sent to the Speaker who in turn circulates it to among MPs to inform them as to its contents. The next step is to call a meeting of parties to fix a date for a debate and a vote after a five-day notice. And the vote cannot be a voice vote. It has to be by a show of hands upon names of MPs being called out.

Continue reading ‘What President Sirisena Supposedly Meant when he Asked Opposition to Follow Procedure vis-à-vis No Confidence Motion’ »

Several Parliamentarians came under chillie powder and water attacks by protesting UPFA Parliamentarians, after the second No Confidence Motion was passed in Parliament amid severe interruptions.

JVP Parliamentarian Vijitha Herath, UNP MP Malik Samarawickrma, UNP MP Lakshman Kiriella and UNP MP Gamini Jayawickrema Perera were among MPs who came under attack this afternoon.

Continue reading ‘Several MP’s Including Kiriella,Samarawickrama, Jayawickrama Perera and Vijitha Herath Along With Police Officers Attacked by Mahinda Rakapaksa’s Minions (MP’s) Running Amok in Parliament.’ »

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya declared that the second No Confidence Vote against former President Mahinda Rajapaksa was passed in Parliament.

Amidst severe interruptions by UPFA MPS, Speaker Jayasuriya, standing in the aisle of Parliament, conducted a voice vote on the second No-Confidence Motion against Rajapaksa.

Continue reading ‘No Confidence Motion Passed for the Second Time Against Mahinda Rajapaksa With Beleagured Speaker Conducting Voice Vote Under Police Protection.’ »

THE SCHEMES of Maithripala Sirisena, the president of Sri Lanka, are blowing up in his face. On November 13th the Supreme Court suspended his order dissolving parliament and calling a snap general election. The next day the reinstated parliament raucously approved a motion of no confidence against the government that the president had only just installed. It was a stinging rebuke to Mr Sirisena, who had stretched the constitution in his attempt to replace a supposed ally, Ranil Wickremesinghe , with a supposed enemy, Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The president has put Sri Lanka in a constitutional quandary. It now has no clear government. Mr Rajapaksa’s team have occupied all the ministries, but Mr Wickremesinghe’s insists that it remains the legitimate cabinet. “We went from one prime minister to two prime ministers to no prime minister in a span of 20 days,” says Thishya Weragoda, a bemused lawyer.

Continue reading ‘A “bloodless coup” in Sri Lanka is Going Awry With The Schemes of Maithripala Sirisena Blowing Up In His Face – “The Economist”’ »

By Ashwin Hemmathagama

Turmoil continued in Parliament yesterday with both MP Ranil Wickremesinghe and MP Mahinda Rajapaksa camps clashing with each other, with the furore descending into fisticuffs and foul language hurled at Speaker Karu Jayasuriya along with a dustbin, a file folder, a water bottle and even a copy of the Constitution.

The mayhem inside the main Chamber began shortly after the House met at 10 a.m. Speaker Jayasuriya was greeted by hoots from the Rajapaksa camp. Seeking the MPs’ support to continue the day’s proceedings with necessary decorum in the House, the Speaker said “thank you” to the disturbing lawmakers.

Highlighting the vacuum in the post of prime minister, Speaker Jayasuriya said: “I will not recognise any MP as the prime minister, minister, state or deputy minister, chief government whip or leader of the house as the cabinet of ministers stands dissolved after the no confidence motion on Wednesday. A new prime minister and cabinet of ministers are not yet appointed. There is free seating for the convenience of business of the House today. I also remind you that according to the Standing Orders, the final decision on all Parliamentary affairs lies with the Speaker. Such decision can only be challenged inside the Chamber,” he said.

Continue reading ‘” Brave Lion”Karu Jayasuriya Faces Cowardly Attacks From Mahinda Loyalist “Hyena MP’s” Who Throw a Dustbin, File Folder,Water Bottle and Copy of Constitution at Speaker.’ »

Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga yesterday said the country needs enlightened governance and unity by people to save Sri Lanka from anarchy.

Following is the full statement issued by Kumaratunga:

I am watching with concern and regret the efforts by some SLFPers to betray the peoples’ demands for a better Sri Lanka which gained victory on 8 January 2015.

The SLFP, together with most other parties and civil society, built a massive unprecedented movement to win the struggle for a decent, honest and prosperous Sri Lanka. It is regretful that some sections of our beloved party finds it fit to betray all our policies and once again join hands with a political group that destroyed fundamental rights, democracy, democratic institutions and built a destructive network of graft and corruption.

Continue reading ‘Chandrika Kumaratunga Lashes Out at Maithripala Sirisena Without Specifically Naming Him for “Betraying Policies” and ” Joining Hands With a Group that Destroyed Democracy and Built up a Network of Graft and Corruption”.’ »

By Chathuri Dissanayake

The standoff between President Maithripala Sirisena and United National Party (UNP) led Parliamentarians showed signs of easing yesterday with the Executive agreeing to accept the decision of the Legislature if the vote for no confidence motion is taken following ‘Parliamentary conventions and proper process’ and Clause No. 1 of the document is omitted.

Representatives of parties who supported the no confidence motion against Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Government appointed by Sirisena after the shock sacking of sitting Premier Ranil Wickremesinghe on 26 October met the President yesterday with hopes of ending the ongoing battle between the Executive and the Legislature. Speaker Karu Jayasuriya, who was engaged in a battle of words with Sirisena, was also present at the meeting spanning over two hours.

“The President informed them to show majority following Parliamentary conventions,” the statement issued by the President’s Media Division said.

The President also agreed to not prorogue Parliament and to keep all members of MP Mahinda Rajapaksa’s camp under check to ensure a vote by name is possible, a UNP Spokesperson told Daily FT.

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena Prepared to Accept Parliament Decision if No Confidence Motion With Deleted Clauses is Passed Through Voting by Name Instead of Voice Vote.’ »

By Dharisha Bastians and Jeffrey Gettleman

When the parliamentary speaker tried to call a vote, several lawmakers heckled him, and a gang of them swarmed the podium and broke his microphone. Someone threw a garbage bin at him. Then a bound copy of the Sri Lankan Constitution soared through the air.

Fists swung wildly. Several lawmakers were injured. The speaker, Karu Jayasuriya, 78, had to be hurried out a back door and the session canceled. Several members of Parliament were left dabbing their wounds with tissue paper.

But the chaos on the floor of Sri Lanka’s Parliament on Thursday may have finally focused the deeply divided government. For the first time since a constitutional crisis erupted last month, pitting the president against his own prime minister, the two sides are meeting.

Lawmakers in Colombo, the seaside capital, said Thursday night that they had talked to the president, trying to find a way to break the deadlock.

Continue reading ‘78 Year old Sri Lankan Speaker Karu Jayasuriya Hurried Out Through Back Door as Gang of MP’s Attack Him Throwing Things and Swarming Podium.’ »

By Joanna Slater

Since late last month, politicians in Sri Lanka have engaged in a war of words over who is the country’s rightful prime minister. On Thursday, their battle turned physical.

A scuffle broke out on the floor of Sri Lanka’s Parliament after the speaker attempted to call the body for a vote, the latest maneuver in a three-week-old power struggle that has pitted the country’s president, Maithripala Sirisena, against its sitting prime minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Lawmakers pushed and grabbed one another. One threw a garbage can at the speaker. Another clutched the speaker’s microphone and tried to take it away, injuring his hand in the process and requiring a trip to the hospital.

The fight came as the turmoil in Sri Lanka reached a crucial stage. Sirisena first moved to oust Wickremesinghe as the prime minister on Oct. 26, replacing him with Mahinda Rajapaksa, a controversial former president.

Continue reading ‘Sri Lankan Parliament Descends Into Chaos as Lawmakers Engage in Scuffle Pushing, Kicking, Punching and Shouting at Each Other.’ »

By

Dr.Harsha de Silva

Sequence of events that led to the was most shameful day in Parliament.

Starting with MR (Mahinda Rajapaksa) forcing himself on the PM chair even after Speaker stating he has lost the no confidence motion yesterday thus he is no longer PM;

MR making statement as PM by force;

Speaker calling for a vote by name on ‘PM statement’ as per request by Lakshman Kirielle;

Thilanga Sumatipala (disgrace to be called an honorable MP) approaches Speaker and starts yelling obscenities at him;

Others from his side join him to a scream at Speaker getting close to physically assault him;

Our MPs approach the Speaker’s chair to protect him and get entangled in brawl.

What a shame.

All the while the illegal PM occupies the chair reserved for PM and directs the show.

In the melee Speaker calls for vote again and we all rise to vote against the ‘PM Statement’ and Speaker leaves Chair for short adjournment.

(Excerpted from Dr. de Silva MP’s Facebook)

(Speech of His Lordship The Chief Justice H. N. J. Perera at the Ceremonial Sitting held on October 22, 2018)

It is with humble gratitude that I receive the warm welcome, kind sentiments and expressions of confidence that you have expressed in this august assembly today. I wish to approach this great honour with a full appreciation of the magnitude of responsibility that this office brings with itself. It is with a sincere and passionate heart that I assume this position granted to me for the service of my country.

I am painfully aware that we live in a society that is increasingly losing confidence in the ability to uphold justice. The increasing depravity of human values and practices has had its impact on the trust that people in a country may place on the judicial system itself.

We live in a world where people almost by default expect those in power to misuse the same. We are taken by surprise if those in power actually make true their promises. Public often assume that speeches such as this are merely sugar coated and loaded with empty words outside of real commitment. In a society like this we are almost programmed to look at each other with mistrust and much more at those who hold power in positions. As such I am aware that all of this makes it difficult for the general public to look to the judiciary in trust, expecting an independent and just solution.

And to this reality I speak today. I understand some may find it hard to believe that ‘I’ stand here without a political bias or favouritism or a secret strategic personal agenda that brought me here.

Continue reading ‘“Some may find it hard to believe that ‘I’ stand here without a political bias or favouritism or a secret strategic personal agenda” – Chief Justice Nalin Perera’ »

(Text of the speech made by Kurunegala District MP Mahinda Rajapaksa in Parliament on Thursday the 15th November 2018)

Hon Speaker,

The President has explained why he dismissed the previous government and appointed an interim government until the conclusion of the next general election. By the 26th of October, the people of this country were living under enormous pressure. The cost of living was increasing on a daily basis due to the fuel pricing formula and the rapid depreciation of the Rupee. The unprecedented tax burden, the doubling of interest rates as a result of the Central Bank bond scam, the preparations being made to sell off harbour terminals, airports and profitable government ventures to foreign parties, the laws being drafted to enable foreigners to purchase freehold land in Sri Lanka, the signing of free trade agreements against the advice of professionals and local businessmen, the soliciting of bribes from potential investors were all weighing down on the people and there was a great deal of popular resentment against the previous government on that account.

We saw the President making some effort to mitigate the damage that was being done to the country by taking steps such as dismissing the UNP’s economic affairs committee. We heard that there had been sharp exchanges between the President and the Prime Minister in cabinet over these issues. It was at this stage that the media began to broadcast voice recordings relating to a conspiracy by persons associated with the UNP to assassinate the president and the former Defence Secretary with the involvement of certain elements in the police. It was only after things reached such a pass that the President decided to take the UPFA out of the coalition government. The withdrawal of the UPFA led to the dissolution of that government and the President under the powers vested in him by the Constitution, invited me to accept the Premiership and form a government.

I had the choice of either accepting that invitation or declining it. I could have simply said that it was best to allow the UNP government to continue in office for the remaining one year or so. However, we were the main opposition force in the country. We are the largest political party in the country. When the President hands the country over to us in order to prevent a major catastrophe from taking place, it is our duty to accept that responsibility. I accepted the responsibility of running the country on that basis. Another matter that I had to take into consideration was what would have happened to the country if the UNP had continued in power for another year. Since January 2015, that government had borrowed more than USD 21 Billion in foreign currency loans.

Continue reading ‘” When the President hands the country over to us in order to prevent a major catastrophe from taking place, it is our duty to accept that responsibility” – Parliament Speech by Mahinda Rajapaksa’ »

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By

Meera Srinivasan

In a watershed floor test in the Sri Lankan Parliament, a majority of lawmakers on Wednesday voted for a no-confidence motion against disputed Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa.

“I hereby declare that the appointed government has no majority in this House,” Speaker Karu Jayasuriya told Parliament shortly after it reconvened.

Parliament had been shut for nearly three weeks since President Maithripala Sirisena prorogued and subsequently dissolved it, in the wake of an unprecedented political struggle in the country.

The vote was taken up after Leader of the leftist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), Anura Kumara Dissanayake, moved a motion against Mr. Rajapaksa and his Cabinet, terming their appointment “unconstitutional.”

Continue reading ‘JVP Leader Anura Dissanayake Tells Media That “Mahinda Rajapaksa is at the Lowest Point of his Political Career” After No Confidence Motion is Passed Against the “Disputed” Prime Minister’ »

Sri Lanka was for long a bastion of Western culture in social and political behavior. But these markers, which distinguished it from its neighbors in South Asia for decades after independence from British rule, are fast disappearing in the political sphere.

Politics in Sri Lanka is now a crass and unabashed pursuit of self interest and power, irrespective of its impact on institutions so painstakingly built up and so carefully nurtured over the years since 1931 when universal adult franchise was introduced in the island for the first time in the British Empire.

The on-going sordid saga relating to the Premiership of the country involving the President, two Prime Ministers and the Speaker of parliament, brings out the nature of the disease in all its ugliness.

The malaise could become endemic if not checked in time. As on date, Lankans have little or no hope that it will be checked in the absence of a larger than life messianic figure who can take the people on a new path.

Continue reading ‘Sri Lanka’s Political Culture Deteriorates Drastically with Violation of Constitutional Provisions and Breach of Parliamentary Provisions Becoming the New Norm.’ »

President Maithripala Sirisena last night escalated a war of words with Speaker Karu Jayasuriya, accusing him of disregarding the Constitution, Standing Orders of Parliament and conventions of the House in allowing the passing of a no confidence motion against Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and his Government.

Issuing a strongly-worded letter to Speaker Karu Jayasuriya, Sirisena insisted that only the Executive was empowered by the Constitution to appoint the prime minister and rejected the no confidence motion passed in Parliament.

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena Reprimands Speaker Jayasuriya For Allowing a No Confidence Motion Against Mahinda Rajapaksa and Insists Only he is Empowered by Constitution to Appoint a Prime Minister.’ »