The Government moved an Adjournment Motion in Parliament on Wednesday (March 10) on the report submitted by the Presidential Commission of inquiry (PCoI) that probed the Easter Sunday attacks.
The motion was moved by MP Jayantha Weerasinghe, PC and was seconded by MP Nalin Fernando. Commencing the debate, MP Weerasinghe said that every person responsible for the Easter Sunday attacks should be brought before justice despite their position or rank.
He said, “The report states that the former Yahapalana Government should be held responsible. I request the Prime Minister to forward this Commission’s report to the Attorney General so that he can take legal action against all those responsible.”
“We have no animosity towards the Muslim community. However, we reject Islamic extremism. According to the PCoI report, several witnesses have said that the former Government was not in favour of taking action against extremism as it relied on political parties of the minority,” he said.
Joining the debate on the PCoI report on Easter Sunday attacks, Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage said the main reason behind the Easter attacks was the former Yahapalana Government’s inability to prioritise national security.
Western influence
He said, “Especially in 2015, Western influences helped the former Government to come to power. They carried out the contract.” The then Government also acted according to the agenda of these Western powers. During our Government’s tenure, we gave priority to national security as the country can progress only if national security is assured. Minister Aluthgamage said that after the previous regime won the 2015 election, they co-sponsored the UNHRC Resolution against the Forces.
He said that it was former President Maithripala Sirisena who appointed the Presidential Commission to investigate the Easter attacks. A Parliamentary Select Committee was also appointed to safeguard their disciples.
Political slogan
At the Adjournment debate on the PCoI report, SJB Parliamentarian Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka said seeking justice for the victims of the Easter Sunday attacks has turned into a political slogan. Fonseka said, “Many groups have expressed their disappointment over the PCoI report. This report has turned into a postmortem.
Those who are now in power turned the Easter Sunday attacks into an election promise. They promised to seek justice for those who were victimised in the attacks within two months, yet no such thing has happened. These have become mere political promises.”
Field Marshal Fonseka said that even if some were trying to cover up the truth by saying that Zaharan was the real mastermind behind the Easter Sunday attacks, it was not the truth. He said, “Zaharan was only a local who contributed to it. We never used a person called Zaharan as an intelligence agent in our missions against the LTTE. There was a lethargic attitude towards the country’s national security during the previous Government. Former President Maithripala Sirisena did not even care to return immediately from abroad when the attack took place.”
Solid facts
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa during the 13th ‘Discussion with the Village’ program countered with solid facts the falsehoods, over the Report of the PCoI into the Easter Sunday attacks that was submitted to him on February 1, being propagated by certain groups seeking undue political advantage. The President said that his Government was not in power when the attacks took place and the report has concluded that the root cause behind this tragedy was the inefficiency on the part of the Yahapalana Government.
President Rajapaksa said, “We do not want to hide the Report. The people did not even get a glance of the reports of some Presidential Commissions that were appointed in the past. We released the current Report within a month. The Government cannot exercise capital punishment to the guilty. The punishments are determined by the Judiciary. Our Government will take the responsibility of punishing the perpetrators. We will leave no room for separatist terrorism or Islamic extremism under our Government.”
No visitors
SJB Parliamentarian Ranjan Ramanayake, serving a four-year prison sentence with hard labour for Contempt of Court has been banned from meeting visitors for two weeks after pleading guilty to taking selfie pictures with SJB MP Harshana Rajakaruna who visited him. Ramanayake who is at the Angunakolapelessa Prison was produced before the Angunakolapelessa Prisons Superintendent on March 11 on a charge sheet for violating Section 78 of the Prisons Ordinance. The Prisons Department has suspended the services of a jailer attached to the Prison for allowing Parliamentarian Harshana Rajakaruna to bring his mobile phone into the prison premises.
Serious threat
National Freedom Front (NFF) Spokesman MP Mohamed Muzammil called upon the IGP to take action against Azath Salley over several remarks he had allegedly made recently.
Muzamil told the media in Colombo, that Azath Salley has spoken against changing separate laws and thereby had challenged the law of the country.
He said, “This is a very serious threat to other communities in this country and to those who are against extremist views. These separate laws called for by Azath Salley and others will create more suicide bombers and will help followers of Zahran to pursue their narrow political interests. We believe that the Attorney General and the Police Department will take action against Azath Salley who is challenging the law of the land.”
Will not leave Govt
SLFP National Organiser and State Minister Duminda Dissanayake told the media although their Party does not agree with the recommendations of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) into the Easter Sunday attacks, it does not mean that SLFP has any intention of leaving the present Government.
He said the SLFP made great sacrifices to help set up the present Government and as a result no one will leave the Government they helped to set up. Dissanayake said he is pleased that certain facts mentioned in the report of the PCoI are about preventing extremism and steps should be taken soon to implement the recommendations made regarding that.
He said although some injustice was done to the SLFP and the party was not considered, he said that everyone has to think of the country and as a result those things are being tolerated. He also said the SLFP will protect the present Government on behalf of the country and in the future too will provide assistance to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa.
Legal action
Co-Cabinet Spokesman Minister Dr. Ramesh Pathirana said that the Government has no intention of hiding the report of the PCoI on the Easter Sunday attack. Responding to a question by a journalist at the weekly Cabinet press briefing, he said that it is with the utmost respect that the Government will take measures to institute legal action against the perpetrators of the Easter Sunday attack.
Minister Pathirana said that the Easter attack took place in 2019 when the former Yahapalana Government was in power and the Presidential Commission was also appointed by the same Government and the present Government did not interfere with the proceedings of the Commission.
The Minister said that the report of the Committee clearly states that the national security of the country was completely neglected during the previous Yahapalana Government and that all those who were involved in the governance of the country should be held responsible for that.
First anniversary
The first anniversary of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) will be celebrated on March 15 at Hyde Park, Colombo under the theme Ekata Sitagamu (Let’s stand together), starting from 2.30 pm.
At the press conference at the Opposition Leader’s office, SJB Parliamentarian Harin Fernando said that the ceremony will be held in compliance with the health guidelines in response to the prevailing Covid-19 situation.
He said the new concept of standing together is being held with pride, while maintaining Social Distance. Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa is expected to make a statement pertaining to the future plans of the party.
Bond scam
Minister Johnston Fernando said those who had insulted the Colombo Archbishop Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith when the Easter Sunday attacks took place, were now trying to use him to gain political mileage.
Opening the first Home Shop at Piyagala, the Minister said, “When President Mahinda Rajapaksa was defeated in 2015, our GDP growth was second only to China. A lot of development activities were taking place here and the country was secure.
The Treasury had a lot of reserves. That’s why the Yahapalana crooks carried out the bond scam.” Fernando said that the Opposition now claimed that the Government was not punishing those who had carried out the Easter Sunday attacks. “After the attacks, the Cardinal asked Catholic MPs to push for a Presidential Commission of Inquiry. We also asked the former President to appoint a PCoI.
Earlier, there was a Parliamentary Select Committee on the attacks. Rauff Hakeem was also in that Committee whose party members were associated with terrorists. There were JVP members who had fielded Ibrahim who had links with terrorists on their National List and his sons blew themselves up during the terror attacks.
Minister Fernando said, “It will take months for them to study the PCoI report. Even the Cardinal said he was studying the report. Most people have not read it. This is the first time that such a sensitive Presidential Commission report has been made public.”
Boat ride
SLPP Parliamentarian Madhura Vithanage came to Parliament by boat on Tuesday (March 9), after obtaining permission from Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena.
This will go down in Sri Lanka’s Parliament history as the first occasion where an MP obtained the Speaker’s permission to come to Parliament by boat. Serjeant-at-Arms Narendra Fernando confirmed the Speaker had given permission to Vithanage to come to Parliament by boat.
Vithanage also told the media he has commenced discussions with the authorities to start a boat service in Colombo, especially in Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte to reduce traffic congestion.
Website
The official website of the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus was launched parallel to International Women’s Day in Parliament on Tuesday (March 9).
The website was launched by the Prime Minister and the Speaker on the invitation of the Chairperson of the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus, State Minister Dr. Sudarshini Fernandopulle.
Leader of the House and Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunewardena, Chief Opposition Whip Lakshman Kiriella and Secretary General of Parliament Dhammika Dasanayake were also present.