The plight of DNA parliamentarian Sarath Fonseka figured prominently among opposition members in Parliament once again last week diminishing to some extent the widening rift within the UNP. Even though a group of UNP members had been threatening to sit as independent members in the House owing to their dissatisfaction over the delay in the non-implementation of Party reforms, the issue did not surface in Parliament and instead they focused their attention on berating the government for disallowing MP Fonseka to attend sittings.
However, the confusion within the UNP surfaced at the time the vote on the motion to extend the state of emergency was taken with three senior members of the party abstaining from voting while several backbenchers voted against.
Three front row members, Lakshman Kiriella, Joseph Michael; Perera and Ranjith Maddumabandara remained seated when the vote was taken while backbenchers Buddhika Pathirana, Harsha de Silva, Vijeyakala Maheswaran, Ajith Perera, Palitha Thevarapperuma, Eran Wickremaratne and R. Yogarajan stood up to vote against the motion.
It later transpired that in the absence of the Chief Opposition Whip John Amaratunga who is abroad, the decision on how to vote on the motion had not been clearly relayed to all the parliamentary group members and hence the confusion.
Party differences aside, Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe joined other members of his Party as well as members of the DNA to appeal to Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa to intervene to get the military authorities holding Fonseka to allow him to attend Parliament sittings. But it was to no avail as the former Army Commander was not allowed to attend sittings despite assurances from the Speaker he would “look into the matter.”
UNP MP Dayasiri Jayasekera argued that the three year sentence recommended by the second military court had not been confirmed by President Mahinda Rajapaksa and that meant MP Fonseka retained the same status as he did when he first entered Parliament--that of a person being held in custody but whose Parliamentary privileges allowed him to attend sittings.
“Today you are trying to silence the hero who liberated the country of terrorism. The hero is dead. “Veeraya Marila,” he added to which an irritated Speaker replied that he is not there to decide who is a “veeraya” and who is not but only to see that the rights of MPs are safeguarded.
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| Dayasiri Jayasekera |
However, one got an inkling of the government’s position on what they believe is the status of MP Fosneka after his sentencing. “He is no longer an MP so he has no privileges,” said Deputy Minister of Rehabilitation and Prison reforms Vijithamuni Soysa.
However, the final word on whether he retains his parliament seat or not maybe known before the next sitting date -- October 5.
The government meanwhile pre-mpted a move by UNP MP Karu Jayasuriya to introduce a private members bill titled Freedom Of Information Bill when the Chief Government Whip Dinesh Gunawardena pointed out that it will be merely an exercise in duplication since a similar government bill has already been drafted and the Opposition could extend its support. |
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