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UNP ‘NL imbroglio’ continues, resignation of Gen. Secy makes matters worse 

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By Shamindra Ferdinando

The filling of the solitary UNP National List vacancy is likely to be further delayed due to the recent resignation of its General Secretary Akila Viraj Kariyawasam. 

Sirikotha sources yesterday told The Island that in terms of the UNP Constitution the appointment of the General Secretary was solely the prerogative of the leader contrary to the belief that it required Working Committee approval.

Responding to another query, sources pointed out that as only the General Secretary is constitutionally authorized to notify the Election Commission (EC) of the appointment of NL members, recent resignation of Kariyawasam caused an additional issue. 

When The Island sought an explanation from former minister Kariyawasam as regards his sudden decision to quit the post of General Secretary ahead of the NL appointment, the UNPer emphasized that he wanted to quit the post even before the last parliamentary election in August. The unsuccessful Kurunegala district candidate said that he would continue to work with the party regardless of his resignation.

Of the 225 MPs, 29 are appointed through the National List. The UNP and Ape Janabala Pakshaya are yet to appoint their NL slots of one each.    

Well informed sources said that former minister Arjuna Ranatunga recently recommended UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe as their best option to fill the vacant NL seat after the resignation of Kariyawasam. In the previous parliament, the UNP group comprised 106 lawmakers whereas Ape Janabala Pakshaya hadn’t been represented in parliament before.

The breakaway UNP faction registered as the Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) said that the UNP should name its NL member without further delay. SJB NL MP Mayantha Dissanayake told The Island that the current leadership should accept responsibility for its failure to resolve the NL issue before the vote on the 20th Amendment to the Constitution. MP Dissanayake questioned whether the delay in filling the vacancy was deliberate. “In the case of the UNP, the strength of the parliamentary group is immaterial. The leadership should have ensured the participation of the UNP at the debate over the 20th Amendment as well as the 2021 budget debate,” lawmaker Dissanayake said.

Responding to several other queries, MP Dissanayake emphasized that his personal opinion was that Sajith Premadasa was the most suitable person to take over the UNP. Declining to recommend who should be the UNP NL member, lawmaker Dissanayake said that should be the prerogative of the party. However, the SJB would find it comfortable to initiate unification talks once the UNP picked its new leadership.

The SJB won 54 seats, including seven NL slots at the last election. Lawmaker Dissanayake said that his father the late Gamini Dissanayake and SJB leader Sajith Premadasa’s father the late Ranasinghe Premadasa perished in LTTE terrorism. “Our party was mercilessly targeted over the years. We survived. Current crises shouldn’t be allowed to destroy Sri Lanka’s foremost registered political party.”

MP Mayantha Dissanayake’s brother Navin, another defeated candidate, remains with the UNP. The SJB spokesman stressed that their party basically followed UNP policies and remained committed steadfastly to what he called sound UNP political strategy.

The Island also raised the issue with lawyer Nimal Punchihewa, widely expected to receive the appointment as the Chairman of the EC. Punchihewa, long standing member of the Human Rights Commission said that there were several issues to be tackled. Punchihewa said that those issues could be discussed following the formalization of the EC. He however acknowledged that the current law didn’t make it mandatory for filling of the NL vacancies. Similarly, vacancies at Local Government bodies, too, could remain vacant indefinitely in the absence of required provision in the law pertaining to LG authorities. Punchihewa assured that once finalized, the EC would take appropriate action to address issues at hand.

Warring Ape Janabala Pakshaya factions hadn’t been able to resolve their differences, political sources said, adding that former MP Ven. Athureliye Rathana and Ven. Galagodaatte Gnanasara remained at loggerheads over the party NL slot. Ven. Rathana unsuccessfully contested the Gampaha district whereas the Kurunegala list containing Ven Gnanasara was rejected on technical grounds.

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AG not bound by its recommendations, yet to receive report

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PCoI on Easter Sunday attacks:

By Shamindra Ferdinando

Attorney General Dappula de Livera, PC is not bound by recommendations made by the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (P CoI) into the 2019 Easter Sunday carnage, or presidential directives in that regard, according to authoritative sources.

They said that the AG couldn’t under any circumstances initiate legal proceedings until he had received the full PCoI report.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa received the PCoI report on Feb 1. The President’s Office delivered a set of PCoI reports to Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena on Feb 23, a day after the report was presented to the cabinet of ministers. The Island raised the matter with relevant authorities in the wake of a section of the media reporting the PCoI recommending punitive measures against former President Maithripala Sirisena, Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando, IGP Pujitha Jayasundera, Chief of State Intelligence Senior DIG Nilantha Jayawardena, Chief of National Intelligence retired DIG Sisira Mendis and All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC) leader and Samagi Jana Balavegaya MP Rishad Bathiudeen et al over the Easter Sunday carnage.

Sources pointed out that due to the inordinate delay in sharing the PCoI report with the AG, the department hadn’t been able to take preliminary measures required to initiate the proceedings. Sources said that a team of officers would take at least six weeks or more to examine the report before tangible measures could be taken.

With the AG scheduled to retire on May 24, 2021, even if the AG Department received the P CoI it would be quite a tough task to initiate proceedings ahead of retirement, sources said. However, in terms of the 20th Amendment to the Constitution enacted in last October, both the AG and the IGP could receive extensions beyond 60 at the President’s discretion.

 

Dappula de Livera received an Acting appointment as the AG a week after the Easter Sunday carnage whereas his predecessor Jayantha Jayasuriya, PC, was elevated to Chief Justice.

Responding to another query, sources said that the Attorney General two weeks ago requested Secretary to the President for a copy of the P CoI. However, the AG was yet to receive one, sources said. In spite of the AG not receiving a P CoI copy, the AG had instructed the IGP to obtain a copy of the report when he requested the police to complete investigations into the Easter Sunday carnage. The AG issued specific instructions after having examined police files pertaining to the investigations.

The IGP, too, hadn’t received a copy so far though some sections of the report were in the public domain.

Agriculture Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage displayed at a live political programme on Derana a copy of the P CoI report he received at the cabinet meeting earlier in the day.

Sources said that the Attorney General’s Department couldn’t decide on a course of action in respect of the Easter carnage on the basis of a section of the report. In terms of the Commission of Inquiry Act (Section 24), the AG enjoyed significant powers/authority in respect of investigations; sources said adding that the Department urgently required both the P CoI report and police investigations report. The Attorney General’s Department has raised the delay in receiving a P CoI report amidst the Catholic Church attacking the government over the same issue.

Sources said that ministerial committee appointed to study the P CoI report couldn’t decide on how to proceed with the recommendations and the matter was entirely in the hands of the AG. Sources pointed out that the delay on the part of the government to release the report had received the attention of sections of the international media, including the New York Times. Public Security Minister retired Rear Admiral Sarath Weerasekera having met Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith at the Bishop’s House on Dec 8, 2020 said that the AG would get a copy of the P CoI report once the President received it. Minister Weerasekera said that the CID had handed over the relevant files after having completed investigations into eight blasts. Referring to the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) report on the Easter Sunday carnage, the former Navy Chief of Staff said that all such documents would have to be brought to one place and considered before initiating legal proceedings. Acknowledging that there could be delays, lawmaker Weerasekera said that on the instructions of the Attorney General a 12-member team of lawyers was working on the case. The minister vowed to expose the mastermind behind the Easter Sunday attacks. Investigations continued while some of those wanted were overseas, the minister said.

The minister acknowledged that the Attorney General couldn’t proceed without the P CoI report. Minister Weerasekera reiterated that once the President received the P CoI report, it would be sent to the Attorney General. The minister said that there were documents two to three feet high that needed scrutiny. The minister assured comprehensive investigation. The minister said that investigations pertaining to eight blasts had been completed and the reports handed over to the AG. However, the Attorney General had found shortcomings in those investigations.

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JVP picks holes in PCoI report

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By Saman Indrajith

The Presidential Commission of Inquiry on the Easter Sunday bombings had failed to identify the mastermind of , the JVP said yesterday.

Addressing the media at the party headquarters in Pelawatte, JVP Propaganda Secretary MP Vijitha Herath said that the PCoI report had levelled accusations against former President Maithripala Sirisena, former IGP and head of intelligence for their dereliction of duty, shirking of responsibilities and not taking action to prevent the attacks and negligence. There were reference to the causes of the terror attacks and actions to be taken to avoid such attacks and the influence of extremist organisations. “However, there is no mention of the mastermind of the attacks, the handlers of the attackers and those whose interests the carnage served. It is also not mentioned whether there has been any foreign or local organisation behind those attacks. As per the PCoI report the attack took place as a result of culmination of extremism.

“According to the PCoI the extremist activities were a result of the prevailing political situation then. The entire nation was waiting to see who was responsible and who masterminded those attacks. The PCoI has failed to identify the true culprits responsible for the terror attacks. The report says that the leader of the suicide cadres killed himself in the attacks and it was a puzzle. That means those who are actually responsible for the attacks are still at large. The report does not provide exact details of the sources of the attacks. The PCoI had sittings for one year and five months. It summoned various persons and got their statements but it has failed to shed any light on the terror attacks. Everybody knows that the top leaders of the government and heads of security and intelligence establishments failed in their duties. Ranil Wickremesinghe was the second in command and he too is bound by the responsibility but the PCoI report fails to identify him as one of the persons against whom legal action should be instituted. The PCoI has treated Wickremesinghe and former President Maithripala Sirisena differently. We are not telling that this report is a total failure but we cannot accept this as a complete report. The PCoI handed over its report to the President on Feb 1. After 23 days it was sent to Parliament. Now, a copy of the report is there in the parliamentary library for the perusal of MPs.”

Herath said that the PCoI did not have powers to take punitive action. “It only has powers to name those responsible and recommend action to be taken against those named.

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