The parliamentary sittings had to be abruptly adjourned on Tuesday (July 03) due to the unparliamentary conduct of the Joint Opposition (JO) MPs in the Chamber, who protested against the controversial statement by State Minister of Child Affairs, Vijayakala Maheswaran. Parliament sittings were disrupted when the JO MPs enacted a drama by storming the Well of the Chamber and struggled with the Sergeant-at-Arms and his deputy to grab the Mace ,calling for the removal of State Minister Maheswaran over her statement at a public meeting in Jaffna asking for the revival of the LTTE. The parliamentary sittings were restricted to one hour and 25 minutes due to the protest by the JO MPs.
Unparliamentary conduct
The JO MPs were seen disturbing the Speaker and forcing him to abruptly adjourn the sittings while some of them even used obscenities against the Speaker. MPs Wimal Weerawansa and Prasanna Ranaweera were severely warned by the Speaker as they criticised the Chair and continued to protest ignoring the warning. On the following day, Deputy Minister of Power and Renewable Energy Ajith P. Perera making a statement in Parliament described the behaviour of JO members in the Well of the House resorting to unparliamentary behaviour as a breach of the Code of Ethics and absolutely ridiculous. He requested the Speaker to take action against them. Deputy Minister Perera said the actions by some JO MPs including MPs Weerawansa and Ranaweera amounted to a breach of privilege of some other MPs including himself. He said action should be taken against them under the provisions of the Code of Conduct. The Speaker said that the matter could be referred to the Parliamentary Privileges Committee with a proposal being seconded in the House.
UNP Parliamentarian S.M. Marikkar was the first to register the protest against State Minister Vijayakala Maheswaran’s statement that the LTTE should be brought back. During question time, MP Marikkar demanded to know the UNP’s standpoint from Education Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam who is also the General Secretary of the party. Responding to the MP, Minister Kariyawasam condemned the alleged statement and added that the UNP also rejected it. MP Weerawansa raising a point of order drew the attention of the House to the fact that each MP takes the Oath of Allegiance to safeguard the territorial integrity of the country and pledge to uphold the Constitution and sovereignty of the country. Maheswaran is a State Minister and she called for the revival of the LTTE on a public stage where two Ministers were present. Weerawansa said that her statement amounted to propagating terrorism and she has no further right to be in Parliament and they cannot let her be in Parliament to promote terrorism. MP Dayasiri Jayasekera also demanded an investigation by the CID.
Adjournment
Despite the attempts by the Speaker to restore order and conduct the business of the House, the JO MPs continued to shout demanding disciplinary action against State Minister Maheswaran. The protesting JO MPs demanded to know what action would be taken against her. Leader of the House ,Minister Lakshaman Kiriella told the protesting JO MPs that they are discussing the issue with the Prime Minister and will take a decision. However, as the JO MPs continued to protest, the Speaker adjourned the sittings around 2.20 pm.
Speaker Karu Jayasuriya making a special statement at the commencement of sittings on Wednesday said the unparliamentary conduct of JO MPs Wimal Weerawansa and Prasanna Ranaweera on Tuesday, during a protest against a statement by State Minister Vijayakala Maheswaran was an affront to the dignity and decorum of Parliament and the country at large. The Speaker said at a time when the Sri Lankan Parliament has been recognised as a model Parliament in the world by Inter Parliamentary Union, the conduct and behaviour of some JO MPs caused a very embarrassing situation. He said it is greatly harmful to the good image of the country and Parliament.
Announcing the UNP’s stance on the controversial statement made by State Minister Maheswaran, the Prime Minister told Parliament that action would be taken against the State Minister for calling for the revival of the LTTE. Referring to the commotion triggered by the JO MPs in Parliament on Tuesday, the Premier said that strict action should be taken against their unparliamentary behaviour. He was of the view that the JO made such a commotion in the Well of the House to cover up the revelations made by The New York Times.
He pointed out that these are the very persons who gave SLFP Senior Vice President portfolio to an ex-LTTE boss Karuna Amman, who is held responsible for massacring over 600 Police officers. The Premier further said they are the very people who bribed LTTE leader Prabhakaran to win an election and sent former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka who won the war to prison. The Premier queried how rightful is it for the JO MPs to make such a big fuss about this when they have acted in this manner?
Investigation into NY Times article
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister in reply to a question by UNP Parliamentarian S.M.Marikkar told Parliament that the CID would conduct an investigation into the matters raised by a recent report in the New York Times. He said some politicians speak highly of democratic values while threatening journalists. Those who speak of democratic values should stop issuing threats to journalists.
Two local journalists who had assisted the New York Times to compile their expose are under threat. The New York Times’ International Editor in a statement has observed that the two local journalists who have assisted them in their investigation were threatened and added that such threatening has tarnished the image of the country. The Premier said these people do this out of habit. “When these people were in power, journalists Lasantha Wickramatunga and Prageeth Ekneligoda were killed while journalists Keith Noyahr and Upali Tennakoon were attacked.
They are so accustomed to this habit that they threaten the New York Times while even being in the Opposition.” The Prime Minister also requested the JO to withdraw the threats they had made against media during one of their recent press conference.
National Audit Bill
Fulfilling yet another key pledge of the Good Governance Government, the National Audit Bill (NAB) was passed in Parliament on Thursday (July 05) without a vote. The National Audit Commission, one of the independent commissions mentioned in the 19th Amendment to the Constitution will be established under this Bill.
Commencing the debate on the NAB , the Prime Minister said if the allegations were levelled against the Good Governance Government for delaying the NAB, the former Government didn’t make any attempt even to move the Bill. He said the NAB is an important factor of Parliament.