News
No-faith motion against Govt: Debate on Tuesday, Wednesday
A no confidence motion against the Government over its inability to tackle the increasing proliferation of dangerous drugs into the country will be debated in Parliament on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The motion has been signed by 26 UNP MPs and comes at a time of rumblings within the ruling United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) with both the JHU and the NFF of Minister Wimal Weerawansa being openly critical of some of the Government policies. The motion makes specific reference to the involvement of the Prime Minister’s Coordinating Secretary who had in August last year issued a letter to the Manager, East Asia Gateway Terminal requesting the release of a container which was found to contain narcotic drugs. The Coordinating Secretary resigned in December last year but the motion said this is ample evidence of his complicity in this transaction.
The motion also states that it has been revealed that an international drug cartel operating across South East Asia and the Gulf coast is using Sri Lanka as a focal point for the distribution of heroin to other parts of South Asia and that Pakistani, Indian and Sri Lankan nationals are in this syndicate.
It adds that these drugs are available in every nook and corner of Sri Lanka resulting in increasing consumption of heroin by young people but the Government had failed to co-ordinate with the authorities in India and Pakistan in regard to eliminating this syndicate.
The motion also makes a reference to Kumaran Pathmanathan who is wanted by Interpol in connection with the assassination of Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and says he is reported to be involved in drug smuggling and lives in Sri Lanka under the protection of the Government.