{"id":20360,"date":"2013-04-19T19:02:09","date_gmt":"2013-04-19T23:02:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=20360"},"modified":"2013-04-19T19:02:09","modified_gmt":"2013-04-19T23:02:09","slug":"citizens-can-either-commit-collective-suicide-or-band-together-to-fight-the-rajapaksa-regime-hemakumara-nanayakkara","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=20360","title":{"rendered":"Citizens Can Either Commit Collective Suicide or Band Together to Fight the Rajapaksa Regime -Hemakumara Nanayakkara"},"content":{"rendered":"

By <\/p>\n

Dharisha Bastians<\/strong><\/p>\n

Issuing a clarion call against what it called the Government\u2019s \u2018economic thuggery\u2019 and \u2018power shocks\u2019 for the New Year, the Joint Opposition yesterday urged political parties, media personnel and ordinary people to unite in a fight to defeat a ruling party it said had no business being in power.<\/p>\n

In a blazing critique of the electricity tariff hikes commencing retroactively from 12 April, Vipakshaye Virodhaya representatives told a news conference in Colombo that the ruling regime was making ordinary Sri Lankans pay the price for its bad energy policies and the massive losses incurred by the Ceylon Electricity Board exacerbated by State sector extravagance and wastage.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

UNP Communications Director and Parlia-mentarian Mangala Samaraweera told journalists that the Government was perpetrating \u2018economic thuggery\u2019 on the citizens. He said CEB losses had increased by 217% in a single year, from Rs. 19.3 billion in 2011 to Rs. 61.2 billion in 2012.<\/p>\n

\u201cCEB losses now amount to 1% of this country\u2019s GDP,\u201d the UNP MP said. \u201cThe common people are not responsible for this sorry situation with the CEB. If the people don\u2019t pay their bills, their electricity supply is suspended immediately. Who pays the bills for the Colombo night races? How much did it cost to light up Colombo Fort for one night of those races in December last year?\u201d Samaraweera charged.<\/p>\n

He said it was ironic that the poor man would have to pay exponentially higher electricity bills starting this month, while massive ministerial residences with search-lights and other energy draining equipment paid a subsidised rate of Rs. 2,000 for electricity, irrespective of usage. \u201cThe Government has given the people a power shock as a New Year gift,\u201d he charged.<\/p>\n

Seeking the recommendations of the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) on the tariff hike had been an eyewash the UNP MP claimed, saying the Ministry of Finance had already decided on the new pricing formula when the matter was referred to the Commission.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe new Power and Energy Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi has reneged on the promise she made when she took office in January, that she would not permit the increase of electricity prices,\u201d Samaraweera charged. \u201cWe cannot allow the Rajapaksa Government to run this country any longer.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mawbima People\u2019s Party Leader and former Government Minister Hemakumara Nanayakkara called on the UPFA constituent parties to leave their ministerial perks and quit the Government if they truly represented the people who voted them into office.<\/p>\n

\u201cI say to those parties of the Left, if you have any pride remaining, to Rauff Hakeem and his SLMC if they believe in the words of the Holy Koran, and to Thondaman and his CWC if they truly represent the working class, to leave this Government and join the people\u2019s fight against this Government \u2013 have the backbone to do this,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Nanayakkara said he had quit the perks of Government and set up his own party because it was not possible to be part of a regime that victimised the people. \u201cThis is the only government in the world that has sought the views of the public and increased electricity prices,\u201d Nanayakkara said.<\/p>\n

Making a reference to the recent twin attacks on the Uthayan newspaper in Jaffna, Nanayakkara said the newspaper was repeatedly attacked because it had refused to bend to the will of the ruling regime. \u201cSirasa, which has also been attacked twice before, is now being warned of another attack against them in the near future,\u201d he said, calling on the media to join the Opposition\u2019s fight against the Government.<\/p>\n

\u201cUse your pens to save this country, don\u2019t be stakeholders in this great national tragedy that is about to befall us,\u201d Nanayakkara appealed.<\/p>\n

Nanayakkara said the Vipakshaye Virodhaya will commence a massive campaign against the Government with its May Day Rally in Kurunegala.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe situation in this country has reached a stage where we have only two choices before us as citizens \u2013 either we commit collective suicide or we band together to fight this regime. Enough talking, the time has come to get out on the streets,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Muslim Tamil National Alliance Leader Azath Sally who also addressed the press briefing said that the Government needed a problem between communities to keep its grip on power. \u201cWhat started out as a witch hunt against the Tamils has now been turned against the Muslims,\u201d he said.
\nCOURTESY:Daily FT<\/em><\/p>\n

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By Dharisha Bastians Issuing a clarion call against what it called the Government\u2019s \u2018economic thuggery\u2019 and \u2018power shocks\u2019 for the New Year, the Joint Opposition yesterday urged political parties, media personnel and ordinary people to unite in a fight to defeat a ruling party it said had no business being in power. In a blazing …<\/p>\n

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