Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa said China has been friendly with Sri Lanka at every crucial juncture and it is our hope and responsibility to continue to strengthen the friendship between China and Sri Lanka.
The Premier said that the whole of Asia has undergone a change today due to China which rose from friendship and self-reliance between countries.
The Prime Minister was speaking at a ceremony at the Nelum Pokuna Theatre on Thursday to mark the 65th anniversary of Sino-Sri Lankan diplomatic relations and the 70th anniversary of the Rubber-Rice Agreement.
Acting Chairman of the Communist Party of Sri Lanka, Weerasumana Weerasinghe presented the Commemorative Summary on the 65th anniversary of China-Sri Lanka Diplomatic Relations to Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, former President Maithripala Sirisena, former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and other party leaders.
Premier Rajapaksa thanked the President of China Xi Jinping for all the kind words and the action behind those words. He said, “I am confident that the strong bonds between our nations will be further strengthened by the deep-rooted friendship that we share among our people.”
The Prime Minister said, “China is a country with a long history and it’s a great history. I think the philosophy of Confucius may have helped to nurture that great history.”
He said another important point in Chinese history is that China was a large country but never invaded any country and never allowed its motherland to be subjugated by any foreign force. In the past, all attempts by world powers to capture China failed. To this day, China has been able to remain a united state. History states that relations between Sri Lanka and China date back to 2,000 years.
Friendship between the two countries has grown through Buddhism, international trade and cultural ties. The Premier said China stood on its own two feet with the friendship between countries.
“China is our historical ally. China is also a true friend. I should mention that here. The current President of China Xi Jinping is a personal friend of ours as well as a good friend of Sri Lanka. He assists us in development projects in Sri Lanka,” he said.
Attack condemned
The Government on Tuesday condemned the attack on the residence of journalist Chamuditha Samarawickrama.
Media Minister Dullas Alahapperuma told the weekly Cabinet press briefing that the Government unequivocally rejects the attack with unreserved disgust. He said, “The Police is investigating the incident and we urge the media to expose the attacker, this faeces lover. It is clear that this faeces lover is someone with no voice for democracy and is hiding in a lavatory. It is the stink of a festering group of society that is emanating from this attack.
The four thugs involved in the attack on Chamuditha’s house must be exposed before long.” Foreign Minister Prof. G. L. Peiris told reporters on Monday that an impartial inquiry will be carried out by the Police and that the Government will not intervene. “The Government will never intervene in incidents such as this. There is a proper mechanism for it, such as the Police, the Attorney General’s Department and the judiciary.”
Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has called for a transparent, impartial and fair investigation into the attack on journalist Chamuditha Samarawickrama’s home and to ensure stern action is taken against all those directly or indirectly involved in the attack.
The Opposition Leader said that he understood the pain journalist Chamuditha Samarawickrama is undergoing due to this incident and would unhesitatingly extend any support he could in this regard.
Premadasa in his message also condemned the heinous attack by thugs. He said, “The media is considered to be the fourth Government in the country and journalists should never be censored and that the only censorship should be “self-censorship”. He said the same is true of journalist Chamuditha Samarawickrama and added that the Samagi Jana Balawegaya will stand together sans any situation on his behalf and everyone who engages in struggles on behalf of media freedom.
The UNP has also condemned the attack on journalist Samarawickrama’s home. In a media release issued, the UNP said, “It is concerned by the recent attack launched against renowned journalist Chamuditha Samarawickrama in the early hours of Monday morning. In 2015, one of the key aims of the UNP Government was to ensure that members of the media were no longer victims of violence.
“The impunity in which Sri Lanka’s media industry was targeted was brought to an end and the country is now enjoying the benefits of media freedom. This attack is a sad reminder of the past that once haunted Sri Lanka.” The JVP said in a statement that only a powerful, well-connected group could have forced their way into a gated community carrying arms. “It’s a very serious situation indeed that these incidents are taking place in a context of the Government maintaining armed groups in the name of providing security,” the party stated.
Lanza to resign?
There is media speculation that ruling Party MP Nimal Lanza will resign from his post as the State Minister of Rural Roads and other Infrastructure.
According to some media reports he had removed his personal belongings from his ministry office. Lanza’s frustration comes due to his ministry not being entitled to adequate powers and funding. Compared to last year, the financial allocation for his state ministry has been cut by more than half. The State Minister was also disappointed in the fact that the investigations into the Easter Sunday attacks were being delayed.
State Minister Lanza outlined his views to the media for the first time on Thursday. Responding to a query made by the journalists, he had said that he was disappointed and had no hope of returning to the Ministry of Rural Roads and other Infrastructure. Lanza had reportedly withdrawn his personal staff from Ministry duties on Tuesday, February 15, following alleged mistreatment of certain ministry officials and continuous obstruction of his duties.
Sources close to Lanza, had said that the State Minister has instructed his personal staff to remove their personal belongings and hand over state property. Some media had reported that Lanza is in the midst of a running dispute with SLPP colleague State Minister Sanath Nishantha.
Development work
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said that the nature or extent of the challenges will not matter in fulfilling the promises made to the people. Development work continues in the country while taking steps to control the Covid-19 pandemic.
The President said that the economy, which had collapsed for nearly two years, is gradually recovering. He was participating in the first round of discussions in a series of sessions with professionals representing various fields, held at the President’s House recently.
The professionals who participated in the discussion said that they are further committed to make the national program a success by giving the necessary strength to achieve the goals desired by the President. The majority of the people are positive about the President’s program.
The professionals vehemently rejected the allegations spread by some sections with the objective of achieving narrow political agendas. They pointed out that Sri Lanka is moving forward systematically at a time when the entire world is in a deep economic crisis.
Experts in the field said that the new approach to agriculture initiated by the President is being continuously supported by researchers and entrepreneurs engaged full time in these fields. The experts highlighted the need to focus on renewable energy sources and stressed that they would unconditionally support the government to remove the barriers in this regard.
New journey
SJB Parliamentarian Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka said that a future SJB Government will take measures to recover all the money and resources plundered by corrupt rulers and politicians since Independence.
He was addressing a series of SJB meetings in Habaraduwa and Karandeniya in Galle.
Fonseka said the people of this country do not act wisely when electing the political representatives. Voters in Sri Lanka should be determined to exercise their voting right wisely in the future. He said today the country is in a deplorable state due to this anomaly. Fonseka said the Yahapalana Government had not done its job properly and the then Opposition had come to power due to infighting by the leaders of the Yahapalana Government and their weak decisions.
Therefore, the SJB is ready to embark on a new journey of building the country. For that we all are ready to rally round a new political leadership. The SJB has the potential to boost the economy, he said.
Divisions
Jathika Janatha Balawegaya (JJB) Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake said some political parties divide communities for their own benefit, adding that there is no future for a society where there is disunity among communities.
At a recent public meeting in Kurunegala, Dissanayake said, “Though the public has elected 225 members to Parliament, there was no one to talk on their behalf and be the voice of the people because the 20th Amendment has turned them into puppets who agree with anything.”
He said it was unfortunate that the country has been dragged backwards, where leaders have to beg for loans from neighbouring countries to import essential goods to the country.
He said, “Citizens who were deceived by this Government have no faith in the present system. Some parties are dismayed by the actions of individuals who are only focused on remaining in politics. In addition, the public has no faith in the current judicial system.”
He alleged that the public could predict the outcome of a case, based on those involved in the case.
No dispute
Mass Media Minister Dullas Alahapperuma made an appeal to the media not to portray different views by different politicians of the coalition Government of SLPP as a split within its ranks.
He said, “The SLPP is a coalition with dissenting views, policies and ideologies. Therefore, every constituent partner of the SLPP Government has the right to express their independent and dissenting views on any issue. Therefore, you must not interpret it as a breakup of the Government. The diverse opinion among our coalition partners shows the internal democracy in the Government.”
Minister Alahapperuma said there is no dispute between the Power Minister and Energy Minister. When the Energy Minister says that he is not in a position to supply oil to the CEB any longer due to the sharp escalation of oil prices in the global market and the depletion of oil stocks of the CPC, it is the truth. When the Power Minister says unless the CEB does not get ample fuel supplies to run the thermal power plants, it is also the truth. Therefore, there is no malicious intent in it.
Corruption
JVP Politbureau member K.D. Lal Kantha said among the senior officials of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) there was a significant number who were involved in theft, fraud and corruption during the previous Government.
He said the people do not accept their statements when they come on to platforms and say that they will establish a Government free of fraud and corruption.
He said, “If these people are expelled from the party, only a handful will remain in the higher ranks of the SJB.”
He told the media in Kandy, that the people should carefully check who is on the SJB stage. If an administration sans fraud, corruption and theft is to be established the leadership will first have to clean out the Party.
He said, “A significant number of Ministers and district leaders accused of looting public property are in that group. There are a few who do not have such allegations against them. They do not have any position in that camp.. Is it credible if someone claims to bring those involved in fraud and corruption on stage and state that they will create a regime that is not? If the leader is a proper person, prior to setting up a Government, he should clean the Party first.”
PC elections
TNA Leader R.Sampanthan said the postponement of the Provincial Council elections by the Government was an issue for Tamils and Muslims in the North and the East. He said the Government should take immediate action to hold the elections.
He told journalists in Jaffna recently that the 13th Amendment to the Constitution was made with the full involvement and consent of India, the direct intervention from India was needed to force the Government to hold the PC polls.
Sampanthan said that he does not expect a reply to a letter sent to the Indian Prime Minister by several Tamil and Muslim parties, including the TNA but what was needed was for India to intervene in resolving the issues of Tamil speaking people in the North and the East.
The TNA Leader said that the Tamil and Muslim people in the North and the East have many problems and that India should take the initiative to resolve these issues and talk to the Sri Lankan Government.
Petition
Colombo Archbishop Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith has signed the petition being signed by the people calling on the Government to abolish the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA).
The signing of the petition is being carried out countrywide with the assistance of civil and political forces representing all communities under the auspices of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA). Signatures for the petition were obtained in front of the Fort Railway Station in the Colombo District.TNA Parliamentarian Shanakyan Rasamanikkam had met the Archbishop and handed him the petition.