Frontliners of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) have raised serious concern over Election Commission (EC) member Prof. Ratnajeevan Hoole’s controversial statement in Jaffna. SLPP General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam has complained to the EC regarding Hoole’s statement and questioned the credibility of the impartiality of the Commission member. The SLPP told the media that they anticipate a written response from the Commission regarding their complaint.
SLPP Chairman Prof. G.L. Peiris told the media at the SLPP head office that Hoole’s controversial statements raise concerns about the credibility of the impartiality of the Commission and added that the EC should maintain a neutral position to ensure its impartiality.
Prof. Peiris said that they would like the EC to express its opinion about Hoole’s behaviour. He said the Commission should say whether it maintains that Hoole’s behaviour doesn’t meet its standard.
Prof. Peiris queried what the Commission’s other members will do about it to maintain the impartiality of the Commission. He said that Hoole’s statement had discredited articles in Sinhala and the SLPP believes that an official of such a high-ranking position should not make such statements. He said the EC should maintain its standards. Otherwise it would affect the Commission’s reputation and lose its credibility.
The SLPP also called for a background check of the members of independent Commissions before they are appointed, and added that a new mechanism to follow such appointments will be introduced after the SLPP wins the General Election.
SLPP frontliner Rohitha Abeygunawardana told the media at the SLPP head office that the public has raised concerns about the impartiality of certain independent commissions established under the 19th Amendment due to the behaviour of some of their members. He said background checks would facilitate to appoint apolitical members to commissions.
Abeygunawardana said, “If you look at the behaviour of some members of independent Commissions, we have to ask ourselves whether they are independent. This is not healthy for democracy as the purpose of these commissions is to uphold democracy. Responding to the allegations, Prof. Hoole told a Tamil website that you should not vote for the people who lie and corrupt. He said that is part of the March 12 principles. There is a movement called the March 12 Movement. Its basic principle is not to vote for those who are drug dealers, liquor traders and prostitutes. Its principle is not to vote for such people and that principle has been endorsed by the Election Commission and all of us who attended its inaugural meeting held at the BMICH two years ago. Those principles have been enunciated. I am merely repeating the Commission’s policy “don’t vote for bad people. Choose and think carefully and vote for good people.” He said he never called the Sinhalese language garbage.
UNP infighting
It seems that the rifts and infighting between two UNP factions are aggravating daily, with one accusing the other.
A tense situation erupted at a recent meeting chaired by UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe at UNP Headquarters Sirikotha as the attendees got agitated and made angry remarks at the top rung of the party. As arguments became intense, Wickremesinghe, UNP General Secretary Akila Viraj Kariyawasam and other senior members had left the stage ending the meeting abruptly.
The representatives of all Trade Unions attached to the UNP, including the ‘Jathika Sevaka Sangamaya’ had gathered at Sirikotha for a National Executive Committee meeting.
The attendees made Incriminatory remarks after the UNP leader addressed the gathering. Chaotic scenes followed as trade unionists vociferously aired their dissent and then the members on the stage left in a hurry.
However, UNP leader Wickremesinghe had told the trade union members that there would be only two main political parties to contest the General Election: the UNP and the SLPP. He said, “This is what is called democracy. The UNP is the only party that contested all General Elections in the country and we will contest this time too. Some suggested that we aim to become the main Opposition after the polls, but my stance was to form a Government.”
Wickremesinghe said that the UNP has proven it could come out stronger after suffering a defeat. “Our party secured only eight seats at the 1970 election, but in 1977, we increased it to 140 seats. The country’s political landscape had changed with the Covid-19 outbreak,” he said.
An attempt by Ranil’s faction to expel those who have submitted nominations from the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) was thwarted as the Supreme Court decided to dismiss the petition filed seeking a writ order for the Election Commission to reject the nomination papers submitted by the SJB for the General Election.
The petition filed by United National Party (UNP) Colombo District candidate Oshala Herath had named members of the Election Commission, including Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya, former Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, SJB General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara, Chairman of ‘Ape Jathika Peramuna party’ Senaka Haripriya de Silva and its Secretary Diana Gamage as respondents of the petition. The petitioner claimed that the nomination papers submitted by the SJB for contesting the General Election 2020 are illegal and appealed to the Supreme Court to rule that the Election Commission has no jurisdiction to accept the nomination papers and nullify them.
Government lawmakers said that former MP Mangala Samaraweera’s decision not to contest the General Election from the Matara District is a flexion on the imminent defeat to be faced by the SJB at the election. Samaraweera told the people of Matara to refrain from casting their preferential votes for him at the General Election although his name appears on the electoral list as a candidate of the SJB.
The Former MP has informed his decision to several Local Government representatives during a meeting held at his residence on June 9. Samaraweera has expressed his deep regret at the division within the UNP.
He has emphasised the need to initiate a movement towards a progressive political trajectory in Sri Lanka with people who respect democracy, social identities and cultural traditions.
He said that over 30 years, he worked for united principles and policies within parliamentary politics to raise the standards of living of all citizens of Sri Lanka, as well as forging reconciliation and enhancing a sense of humaneness.
However, the internal conflict in the Sajith Premadasa camp has taken a new turn as SJB Galle district candidate Major (Rtd) Denat Paniyandoowage has also withdrawn from contesting and pledged his support to the SLPP. Major (Rtd) Paniyandoowage had met Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa at his Wijerama Mawatha residence in Colombo after the resignation.
“There is no point in engaging in politics with leaders who have no backbones. That’s why I made this decision,” he said criticising SJB leaders.
Ending the inordinate delay of holding the General Election, the Election Commission unanimously decided to hold the election on August 5, which was postponed twice due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The parliamentary polls were initially to be held on April 25, but had to be postponed due to the outbreak of Covid-19, which prompted the authorities to announce a nationwide lockdown from March 20.Later, the Election Commission shifted the date to June 20 and it was again deemed not suitable due to the pandemic.The Opposition parties and civil society groups had filed FR petitions at the Supreme Court challenging two gazette notifications issued on the dissolution of Parliament and the election date. However, the Supreme Court dismissed the FR petitions.
Non-political Govt service
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has instructed the Heads of all Government institutions and their directors to refrain from engaging in political activities during the General Election. This is a clear testimony that the President is making a genuine effort to create a new political culture as he pledged to the people at the last Presidential Election.
The President has instructed the Heads and members of the Board of Directors of Government institutions, including State corporations and statutory boards to refrain from engaging in political activities for any political party.
The President does not expect the Heads of Government institutions or officials to engage in politics for the Government and they are expected to develop their institutions to be profitable, more efficient, disciplined and devoid of corruption.
The President said that the vehicles, equipment and other physical resources belonging to State entities, such as ministries, departments, corporations and statutory boards should not be used for political activities of any party. He said that any Head of a state institution, a director board member or other official who wishes to engage in politics can do so by resigning from their position. It has been stated that the law will be strictly implemented against the Heads of Government institutions, director board members and state officials who violate this directive.
Former Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne who was arrested in connection with the white van press conference prior to the Presidential Election was granted bail by the Colombo Chief Magistrate on June 10. During the Presidential Election campaign, Senaratne had brought before the media two men said to be drivers of a ‘white van’ allegedly used for abductions during the tenure of the former UPFA Government.
In December 2019, the Attorney General instructed the Criminal Investigations Department to arrest Senaratne in connection with the incident. The Attorney General in January 2020 filed a revised application in court against a court order to grant bail to Senaratne.
The Colombo Magistrate’s Court also extended the overseas travel ban imposed on the former minister and called on him to hand over his passport to the Court. The Colombo Magistrate’s Court also ordered Senaratne to provide a statement to assist the investigations.
Former UPFA parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa has condemned the assault on protesters by police officers in Colombo on June 9 and called for an investigation into the incident.In a Twitter message, former MP Rajapaksa said that “the recent behaviour of some members of Sri Lanka Police shouldn’t tarnish the track record of the Department and the great job done during the Covid-19 outbreak in Sri Lanka. I strongly condemn the assault on protesters and call for it to be investigated and proper action to be taken,” he tweeted.
Police on June 9 arrested a number of Frontline Socialist Party (FSP) members and supporters who attempted to stage a protest outside the US Embassy in Colombo in support of African-American George Floyd, whose custodial killing stoked widespread protests in America and other countries over racial injustice.
Thirty policemen who had blocked the protest organised by the FSP opposite the US Embassy in Colombo have been sent to a quarantine centre.