Col R Hariharan | 31-3-2018
The
future of the ruling national unity coalition of the United National Party
(UNP) and the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) is nearing a make-or-break point when
the joint opposition (JO)’s no confidence motion against Prime Minister Ranil
Wickremesinghe of the UNP comes up on April 4, 2018.
In
normal circumstances, the UNP as the largest single party with 106 seats in the
225-member parliament with the support of President Sirisena-led SLFP should be
able to defeat the no confidence vote against the PM.
But
there is uncertainty about the SLFP support for UNP; in fact the party is
divided over the issue. Sirisena is known to be unhappy with the PM over the bond
issue scam; he has unceremoniously removed the PM from the chairmanship of the
Cabinet Committee on Economic Management (CCEM) after cabinet ministers
complained about it. The three-member CCEM had powers to fast track investment
projects with the ministries. Probably, the ministers were feeling sidelined by
the CCEM, as it controlled all the development projects.
The JO,
which is a proxy for former president Rajapaksa, claims the support of 94
members. But there is uncertainty about the numbers as there is lack of
unanimity over it within JO ranks and its supporters. However, the JO should be happy after the
six-member Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) announced it would vote for the
motion.
Apparently
PM Wickremesinghe seems to have won the confidence of the UNP members after the
party working committee unanimously decided to vote to defeat the motion
against the PM and the government. According to State Minister Dr Harsha de
Silva all UNP MPs barring one or two will vote against the motion. The Tamil
National Alliance (TNA) with 16-members in parliament is expected to support
the PM and vote against the motion. However, perhaps rattled by the controversy
over the motion, TNA has announced it would discuss the content of the motion and
take a call on it on April 2.
But
speculations over no confidence motion has shown how vulnerable loyalties of
members to the leaders within their own parties or to their party’s political
affiliates. This was evident in the sinister plots within plots discussed in
the media. Colombo Telegraph quoted sources to say that Sirisena was confident
the no confidence motion would be supported by the majority in parliament. He
plans to replace Wickremesinghe with Speaker Karu Jayasuriya and bring the
controversial former defence secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa to parliament through
the National List.
On the
other hand, Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera said the real target of the no
confidence motion was the President and not the PM. He said the motion aimed to
“remove the protective layer, bring in a new PM, the can manipulate, change the
Speaker and finally make Mahinda Rajapaksa the PM, through the backdoor.
“Thereafter they will bring in an impeachment motion against the President that
is their true aim,” he added.
Perhaps
rattled by speculations of certain UNP backbenchers on bringing an impeachment
motion against President Sirisena if the SLFP voted for the no confidence
motion, Minister for Provincial Councils Faiszer Mustapaha said the SLFP was
ready to face any challenge as a result of the no confidence motion. He said
the SLFP would decide on the motion would before April 4.
Such
speculations show the dark side of personality based politics of Sri Lanka
marred by personal schism, inner-party and intra-party intrigues of political
heavy weights. It has become a preoccupation of political parties that could
cost the country dear in the long run.
Speeding
up investigation and prosecution
Action
taken during the month in the following cases were presumably prompted to
disprove widespread belief that the Sirisena government was intentionally delaying
action against those involved in criminal deeds during former president
Rajapaksa’s rule.
- · Wellikada jail killings: Police have arrested Prisons commissioner Emil Lamabewage, who was in charge of prison in connection with the execution style killing of 27 inmates in Wellikada jail, in the wake of a prison riot in November 2012. The arrested officer, who was superintendent at that time had put down the riot with the assistance of army and Special Task Force personnel. The killings were tardily investigated, raising the concerns of human rights bodies already incensed over the Rajapaksa regime’s poor rights record. Civil society suspected the police investigation was delayed in a bid to cover up those involved in the massacre. The case was reopened in July 2016.
- Arrest of former ambassador: Former Sri Lanka ambassador to Russia Udayenga Weeratunga, who was wanted in a case of fraud in the purchase of Mig-27 fighters in 2006, was arrested in UAE on February 4, 2018. Weeratunga, a former businessman and a first cousin of former president Rajapaksa, had been eluding arrest ever since investigations had revealed that a total of $1.5 million had been deposited in 16 bank accounts belonging to him. The Ukranian government had accused him of selling arms to separatist rebels fighting the government. The Financial Crimes Investigation Division had frozen his bank accounts; however it could not secure an Interpol warrant for his arrest in September 2016. The delay in arresting him had reflected poorly on Sirisena government’s much heralded clean up act.
Aftermath
of attack on Muslims
Pakistan
has expressed serious concerns over the recent mob attacks by extremist Sinhala
politicians and organisations on Muslims in Ampara and Digana leading to loss
of life and property. The Island report quoted informed sources to say
President Mamnoon Hussain told President Sirisena during his visit to Islamabad
late last month that they were disappointed and shocked at the way in which
Muslims had been treated following an incident of road rage. He emphasized the
President should rein in the extremists so that Muslims could live as equal
citizens and free from harm.
Apart
from Pakistan, the European Union and the 57-member Organisation of Islamic
Cooperation have expressed concern over the anti-Muslim incidents. Five
countries –Singapore, the UK, the US, Australia and Canada - have issued travel
advisories on visiting Sri Lanka.
The
government has said organized attacks carried out by extremist mobs belonging
to Mahason Balakaya and some politicians from pro-Rajapaksa Sri Lanka Podujana
Peramuna (SLPP) resulting in either full or partial destruction to over 400
houses, businesses and mosques. The SLPP has refuted the allegations.
Col R Hariharan, a retired MI officer, served as the head of
Intelligence of the Indian Peace Keeping Force in Sri Lanka from 1987 to 90. He
is associated with the Chennai Centre for China Studies and the International
Law and Strategic Analysis Institute, Chennai. E-mail: haridirect@gmail.com Blog: http://col.hariharan.info
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