The people welcome the traditional Sinhala and Tamil New Year tomorrow with only bleak hopes as the island nation is embroiled in political and social unrest in the middle of a crippling economic crisis.
A political deadlock continued throughout the week, while tragic news of more deaths at queues for fuel shocked the entire nation that watched miserably. Caught in political and economic chaos, the people were in no festive mood to celebrate the New Year in a festive manner.
The people’s calls for the exit of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his Government grew louder on the streets over the week. The protesters in large numbers occupied the Galle Face Green, adjacent to the Presidential Secretariat building in Colombo, also re-naming the place with a tongue-in-cheek “Gota Go Gama” (Gota-Go Village). The youth spirit and creativity were high at the site, and peaceful demonstrations continued day and night braving heavy rains, while volunteers supported with food, water and other provisions. In an attempt to counterweigh the anti-Government protests, a series of protests supporting the Government and the President also sprang up in several areas in the last few days.
Even though many eyes were on Parliament sittings last week to find a way out of the prevailing mess in the country, our Legislators only let the people down for the umpteenth time with their usual antics, a blame game, and useless political cacophony. No solution was discernible and no clarity prevailed on the future course of action, at the end of three days of debate from any quarter. This further enhanced the public disappointment with all 225 Members of Parliament (MPs).
Yet, in a context where the country cannot afford to go for a national election any sooner, the people depend upon the 225 MPs to come up with interim governance arrangements to avoid anarchy. The National Election Commission (NEC) as well as outspoken former Election Commission Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya have pointed out that conducting a national election is a costly affair that will require more than Rs. 10 billion from the public purse, (not to mention the cost for campaigning and propaganda) and that it is near-impossible with the prevailing power cuts, fuel shortage, and the non-availability of required paper.
Political stalemate
The main Opposition, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) led by Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa and the National People’s Power (NPP) led by MP Anura Dissanayake have set the resignation of President Rajapaksa a pre-condition to any talks of forming an Interim Government, observing that the people have given a loud and clear message that the entire Government should go home. “There can be no voice that runs counter to that voice heard on the streets. We are here to represent the people,” the Opposition Leader said.
Chief Government Whip and Minister Johnston Fernando told Parliament emphatically that the President would not give in to the pressure and resign. He stressed that any unconstitutional attempt to unseat the President or oust the Government would be defeated, adding that the anti-Government protests, mushrooming in the country, were instigated by the Opposition parties.
The only significant development in Parliament last week was that 41 MPs in the Government, including 14 MPs in the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) led by former President Maithripala Sirisena, about 15 MPs in the minor party coalition led by former Ministers Wimal Weerawansa, Udaya Gammanpila and Vasudeva Nanayakkara and a group of disgruntled Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) MPs led by MP Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, chose to sit as an Independent Group.
In the wake of recent political developments, the SJB started collecting signatures of MPs for a No-Confidence Motion (NCM) against the Government, and spoke of the intent of presenting an Impeachment Motion against the President. Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Spokesman MP M. A. Sumanthiran, PC, told the media on Sunday that his Party would have no alternative but to support both the Motions. The NPP has also expressed its support to them.
The proposed NCM against the Government will be a flop unless the SJB garners the support of a simple majority (113 MPs) in the House, and that means it has to rope in the support of the SLFP, the minor party coalition led by MP Wimal Weerawansa et al., and a section of the SLPP. The 41 MPs, who decided to work as an Independent Group, have not thrown in their lot with the Opposition’s moves. In fact, MP Vasudeva Nanayakkara, a frontline member of this group, poured cold water on the proposed NCM, stating that it would only complicate matters.
Back-to-back talks
The group of 41 MPs wrote to President Rajapaksa with a set of their proposals to work out an Interim Government model. They have proposed to appoint an Executive Council and a new Prime Minister and a Cabinet, with the least number of portfolios and sans any Rajapaksa Member, to start with. The SLFP MPs led by the former President and the group of rebel MPs of minor parties were granted an audience with the President on Sunday, but the meeting ended inconclusively.
This group suffered a setback when SLFP MP Shantha Bandara was sworn in as State Minister of Agriculture to replace former State Minister Shasheendra Rajapaksa. Subsequently, Bandara has been stripped of all positions in the SLFP, according to its General Secretary Dayasiri Jayasekara. He also announced that the SLFP MPs would boycott a discussion with the President which was slated for yesterday. In a separate development, the President’s Office announced that the President has not accepted the resignation of Priyankara Jayaratne as the State Minister of Foreign Employment Promotion and Market Diversification.
The SLFP group also held a discussion with the SJB to discuss a way forward. Both the SLFP and the SJB seem to be on the same page when it comes to re-introducing the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, with appropriate amendments, in place of the 20th Amendment.
Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, taking the floor in Parliament, urged to use this window of opportunity to abolish the Executive Presidency, adding that his Party would initiate a piece of legislation for that purpose.
Former Prime Minister and United National Party (UNP) Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, the sole MP in the House from that party, however, pointed out that Parliament must come together to cater to the demands of the youths, who are protesting on the streets. “This is a revolution by the youth in this country. They demand a system change, and we, the conventional politicians, have to listen to them. The youth uprising is for a complete political transformation whereas we, in Parliament, try to topple the Government,” Wickremesinghe remarked, while also advising the youths to seek the change they want within the country’s constitutional framework.
Commenting on reinstating the 19th Amendment, he said, “The youth demands the Government and the President to go home. The 19th Amendment will not make that happen. The 19th Amendment will help take back the powers of Parliament. It is necessary, but that is not where the priority lies with today. The country faces an economic crisis. Survival in the coming few months is critical. We will have no foreign exchange even to pay for essential imports. Inflation will continue to soar and the ordinary public will find it difficult to put food on the table. Solutions must first be sought to these problems”.
PM’s appeal
A section of the crowd protesting at the Galle Face Green
New Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe, in his first encounter with the media last Friday, said in no uncertain terms that political and social stability is sine quo non to turn around the crisis-ridden economy.
The prevailing social and political turmoil reflects badly on the country as it seeks an International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout package. Formal discussions with the IMF begin next week. An official delegation, comprising Finance Minister Ali Sabry, PC, Finance Ministry Secretary Mahinda Siriwardena and CBSL Governor Dr. Weerasinghe will attend the IMF-World Bank Spring meetings in Washington DC and continue the negotiations from April 18-23.
Against this backdrop, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa in a special statement on Monday night appealed to protesters to end their agitation and have patience, while assuring that his Government is working around the clock to address their woes.
“Every second you protest on the streets, our country loses opportunities to receive potential dollars. The reform that is being sought is currently
The SLFP led by former President Maithripala Sirisena held a press conference ahead of the meeting with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Sunday
secondary to the collective responsibility and the urgency that is required to stave off this crisis,” he underscored.
The PM cautioned protesters against rejecting all 225 MPs, stating that it is a rejection of the democratic system. Referring to the JVP insurrection in 1988-89, he reminded that thousands of youths died on the roadsides as a result of rejecting Parliamentary democracy.
“Although we invited all parties to come forward in unity to address the current situation, they have not stepped forward. With this call being unanswered, we as the party commanding a majority have taken up this responsibility. We will overcome these challenges successfully,” he stressed.
– Daily News Sri Lanka
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