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Ranil, Sajith make peace but political war in Uva
After weeks of hemming and hawing, Sajith Premadasa will now become the Deputy Leader of the main opposition United National Party (UNP).
Their leader Ranil Wickremesinghe told a largely attended 63rd anniversary rally of the party in Passara that he would give prominence to Sajith Premadasa when appointing a Deputy Leader. He said that he had yesterday united the party with so many prominent leaders present on the stage. Among them were General Secretary Tissa Attanayake, Premadasa and Karu Jayasuriya, a one time Deputy Leader.
Premadasa who spoke last after making a request to do so declared this was a repetition of history. The late J.R. Jayewardene had invited his father to unite to replace the then Government. Similarly, he will heed the call of national leader Wickremesinghe to unite the pary to democratically topple this Government.
As Premadasa rose to speak, Ravi Karunayake, a strong opponent of moves to elevate Premadasa to the number two slot in the UNP walked away from the meeting.
Earlier on Friday, Wickremesinghe resisted protests against the move from party stalwarts who asked him not to go ahead with Premadasa’s appointment. He told them he had already made a decision. Whatever the consequences, he said he was willing to face them. Wickremesinghe had originally decided not to make references at yesterday’s rally but made a last minute decision on Friday night. Among the reasons for the change of heart, he told confidants, was a request by the party’s Uva Chief Ministerial candidate Harin Fernando facing an uphill task to secure a game changing victory for the main Opposition party.
Premadasa will be formally ‘elected’ at the next meeting of the Working Committee, the party’s main policy making body. It will be summoned soon after the Uva Provincial Council election on September 20 is concluded. No firm date has yet been fixed.
Paving the way for the exercise was a meeting UNP national leader Wickremesinghe held with Premadasa a week ago. The duo had reached understanding on several matters. Consequently, Premadasa has agreed to take part in the UNP polls campaign in Uva and has given dates to party General Secretary Tissa Attanayake when he will appear, some together with Wickremesinghe.
Though Premadasa had placed a number of demands through interlocutors, before his one-on-one with Wickremesinghe, the Sunday Times learnt that no agreement has been reached on them. These demands included the abolition of the Leadership Council (chaired by former Deputy Leader Karu Jayasuriya) and the inclusion of ten of Premadasa’s nominees as members of the Working Committee.
However, a significant step would still be the appointment of a twenty-member Committee that will work parallel to the Leadership Council. That body will formulate plans for the party’s campaign during the upcoming presidential election where Wickremesinghe expects to be the party’s candidate. The Committee will, among other matters, formulate the party’s manifesto, map out strategy and media operations. Some members of the Leadership Council and parliamentarians including Premadasa nominees will be among those in this Committee.
A high ranking UNP source said, “The party will put up a new team together for the establishment of an alternative Government. We are coming out with new concepts.” Those not in favour of the appointment of Premadasa as Deputy Leader, the source said, would be able under the party constitution to make a signed request for fresh elections. For this purpose a third of the membership of the Working Committee would have to place their signatures. Within ten days, the Working Committee and the Parliamentary Group would then decide on a fresh election, the source added.
In a Working Committee where staunch supporters of Wickremesinghe are in the majority, it is highly unlikely Premadasa’s nomination as Deputy Leader would be vetoed, now that Wickremesinghe has given his nod of approval. This is not to say there is overwhelming endorsement within the UNP hierarchy to the move. There are formidable sections that are strongly opposed to it. That includes those who solidly backed Wickremesinghe in his political tussles with Premadasa in the recent past. Yet, even they will not seek solace under UNP’s constitutional provisions to challenge Premadasa’s proposed election. That is on the grounds that such a move would be a direct confrontation with national leader Wickremesinghe. Yet, the danger of another split in the party may become inevitable and could lead to a cold war. Some resignations from party seniors are also not ruled out.
The moment of truth: Up go the hands of UNP stalwarts, including leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and Sajith Premadasa, while jubilant members at the party’s convention in Passara yesterday click their camera phones to capture a rare portrait of party unity. Pic by Romesh Danushka
Nevertheless, some have already turned strong public critics. At last Wednesday’s meeting of the Leadership Council chaired by Karu Jayasuriya, Colombo District parliamentarian Ravi Karunanayake lashed out not only at Premadasa but also at those who he said were behind the move to foist Premadasa to the number two position. “He wants positions. He is at the Wilpattu National Park today and not in Uva,” Karunanayake said pointing out that the victors of this “conspiracy” was a publisher who supported the Government and brokered their interests. He queried on what basis General Secretary Tissa Attanayake made statements to the media that Premadasa would soon be a Deputy Leader. Karunanayake has in many interviews in the English and Sinhala media launched bitter attacks on Premadasa. He also claimed former UNP Chairman Malik Samarawickrema, Tissa Attanayake and former MP Sagala Ratnayake were among those who wanted Premadasa as Deputy Leader. Attanayake countered the accusations at the meeting saying he spoke in his capacity as General Secretary and did not require approval for what he said.
He later told the Sunday Times, “In the weeks and months to come, our party has to face some serious threats and challenges. Unity in the party is very essential. Sajith Premadasa has a very positive role to play. We have discussed issues with him. The majority view in the party is that he should become Deputy Leader. I have not taken any contract from anyone. I am working towards party unity. That is the need of the hour.”
Another prominent member opposed to the move, who did not wish to be identified, said a media professor advising UNP leaders had forwarded reports, after he was tasked, pointing out that at all Uva polls meetings, UNP supporters had asked “where is Sajith, where is Sajith.” He alleged that the advisor had made up the reports since he backed the move. The member also named a senior executive of a business conglomerate and an electronic media personality turned local councillor as among the interlocutors. “Others ask for rewards after they perform. Here they are asking for rewards to perform,” he added. The argument was countered by a Premadasa loyalist who said Wickremesinghe could not go on forever ignoring the Hambantota MP in view of the grassroots level support he enjoyed among party cadres.
The impending rapprochement between Wickremesinghe and Premadasa also has other ramifications. Though he has not officially declared his candidature for the presidential election, Wickremesinghe has made clear it would have to be a UNPer who would contest irrespective of whether other parties put forward candidates. With Premadasa, who is also opposed to the concept of a ‘common opposition’ candidate now in the leadership fold, the prospects of a single contestant winning the support of the UNP, the largest in the Opposition, appear diminished. Civil society groups and some professional bodies have opined that the only way to defeat the UPFA’s presidential candidate, Mahinda Rajapaksa, was to have one acceptable opponent contesting him with the support of all opposition parties. Some UNP stalwarts who spoke informally to the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) leadership favoured a common candidate but the JVP was unwilling to back Wickremesinghe in that slot.
Among those, UNPers say, is worst hit by Premadasa’s advent as Deputy Leader is Mangala Samaraweera. In the Matara District which he represents, Samaraweera counts as archrival his colleague Buddhika Pathirana, a staunch Premadasa loyalist. Moreover, his relationship with Sagala Ratnayake, a former MP in the District, has not been very cordial either. Samaraweera’s supporters, who came to be known as the “kurundu polu brigade” or cinnamon pole brigade for attacking an anti-Wickremesinghe march were arrested, remanded and are now facing charges in courts. The march from Devinuwara to Colombo, calling for the resignation of Wickremesinghe as the leader of the UNP, was allegedly attacked by Samaraweera supporters in Matara. Ratnayake and Pathirana were notable absentees when the reported attacks took place.
Without doubt, the debate over Premadasa being made Deputy Leader of the UNP has somewhat distracted the Uva Provincial election campaign. Most seniors and those at the leadership level have been preoccupied with meeting Wickremesinghe to air their views. However, some seniors say there would be a stepped up campaign after Wickremesinghe addressed yesterday’s 68th anniversary sessions of the party at the Pradeshiya Sabha hall in Passara. Both for the UPFA and the main contender UNP, the outcome of the September 20 Uva PC polls would be significant. So would it be for the JVP which has launched an intense campaign under its leader, Anura Kumara Dissanayake to increase its vote base.
The intensity of the different campaigns is explained by the spike in violent incidents. Although the Police Department celebrated its 148th anniversary on Wednesday shorn of a parade due to rains and hosannas were sung of their efficient service, its role to ensure a free and fair election has been dismally poor if not non-existent. Ruling party supporters have been attacking opposition offices, particularly those of the JVP, and intimidating their supporters. The worst hit has been the Moneragala District. Of the 287 complaints received until Friday, the Network of the Intellectuals for Human Rights (NEM-IHR) said, 195 were from that district. Most complaints were over violations of election laws. Next were violent attacks on opposition party supporters.
“The ruling party candidates are openly violating election laws but the Police are not taking action to stop them. Ironically, Police officers are assisting the ruling party supporters to paste posters in Uva province during nights,” Dr Uditha Gunasekara, Chief Executive Officer of the NEM-IHR told the Sunday Times.
Keerthi Tennakoon, Director of the Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE), an independent election monitoring body recognised by the Commissioner of Elections, said that in all recent provincial polls intra-party rivalry (within the ruling UPFA) had been high. However, in Uva, violence against opposition parties had been higher, he said and added, “We see an intense campaign.”
He added that in a significant move, the Human Rights Commissioner Dr. Prathibha Mahanamahewa, who summoned the Commissioner of Elections, Secretaries of the Ministry of Public Administration, Ministry of Economic Affairs, Director General of Divineguma and the Director General Combined Services on Thursday has directed that public officials should not be used for election propaganda work. It came after the UNP and JVP lodged complaints.
Peoples Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL), another independent monitoring group also said the trend of violence and violation of election laws were mounting. “We are not happy about the situation in the Monaragala district,” Rohana Hettiarachchi, Executive Director of PAFFREL told the Sunday Times. “The JVP’s campaign meeting in Badalkumbara (in Monaragala district) was attacked. The Police Station is located within 50 metres. But they could not control the situation,” he charged. Police, however, claim they have received only 43 complaints and have made 18 arrests since nominations ended.
Karu Jayasuriya, Chairman of the UNP Leadership Council, told the Sunday Times, “Highly placed persons are running around escorted by armed men in Defender Jeeps. They are provoking their supporters to attack opposition supporters and destroy their offices. The Police are helpless. They simply look on. Some of the officers including seniors have told us they cannot do anything for fear of reprisals like transfers or other forms of punishment. How can we therefore blame the Police altogether? This is gross abuse by the Government. State sector workers are canvassing for votes. They are also resorting to all forms of unethical practices.”
An angry JVP leader Dissanayake told the Sunday Times, “Incidents of intimidation and attacks on opposition party supporters in Uva by the UPFA continues unabated. This action has interrupted a free discussion and campaigns. Our party supporters too have been affected. Yet, they are braving these threats. We cannot be suppressed. The Police are not playing their role. There was an incident where a local politician was seen walking in the town with a sword, but no action was taken. There are similar incidents like this where the police have failed to take action. The Government is also misusing state resources for its campaign despite warnings from the Elections Commissioner.”
The breakdown in law and order in the Uva Province ahead of the PC election is a grim warning that the next poll, the upcoming presidential election, could assume a more frightening character. That is bound to leave the opposition political parties in a much more difficult situation than what they presently face in Uva. With the Police heavily politicised and their hierarchy losing control over the chain of command to such high levels and their inability to enforce even limited directives, it would be a battle for life in all respects from those opposition contenders and their supporters.
If this is an advantage to the ruling UPFA Government, the events that have been playing out in the recent weeks will sure be a windfall. Grandiose deals running into billions of rupees from Chinese loans are being approved by the Cabinet of Ministers. This is ahead of the arrival in Sri Lanka of Chinese President Xi Jingping. Here are details of some of them:
(1) The “Construction of Roads and Flyovers in Hambantota International Hub Development Project.” The Export-Import (EXIM) Bank of China has agreed to provide a loan of Renminbi Yuan 1,555,995,249 or nearly Rs. 32 billion under the Government Concessional Loan (GCL) facility to cover the total contract price of the project, according to President Mahinda Rajapaksa who is also the Minister of Finance and Planning. With a repayment period of 20 years the loan will carry an interest of two per cent per annum and a management fee of 0.25 per cent. A further 0.25 per cent has to be paid per annum on the undisbursed amount of the loan.
Rajapaksa has told his ministerial colleagues that the completion of the Southern Expressway will be at Hambantota. “It will link the Southern part of the country including Hambantota Sea Port and Mattala Mahinda Rajapaksa International Airport with Colombo City and Northern Part of the country through Outer Circular Highway, Colombo-Katunayake expressway and the proposed Northern Expressway.
He adds: “The Southern Expressway Extension Project with a total length of 96 kilometres consists of four main sections namely Section 1 (from Matara to Beliatta-30 Km), Section 2 (from Beliatta to Wetiya – 26 km), Section 3 (from Wetiya to Mattala- 15 km) and Section 4 (from Mattala to Hambantota via Andarawewa – 25 km). China Exim Bank has agreed to finance the above extension to the Southern Expressway.
“The construction of Roads and Flyovers in Hambantota International Hub Development Project contains Section 3 of the Southern Expressway Extension with Sooriyawewa – Galwela Junction – Moraketiya – Embilipitiya Road (18.28 km) and Ranna-Wetiya Road (16.15 km). The cost of Construction of Roads and Flyovers in Hambantota International Hub Development was estimated to be Rs. 31,574,100.00 (Remnimbi Yuan 1,555,995,249.34) equivalent to US$ 252,532,200. The relevant Commercial Contract was signed between the Road Development Authority of Sri Lanka and China State Construction Engineering Corporation Ltd. on 7th February 2013. The Scope of the works in the contract was changed on 23rd August 2013 keeping the same contract amount after the Cabinet of Ministers granted their approval at the meeting held on 22nd August 2013.”
(2) The extension of “Southern Expressway Section 4 – from Mattala to Hambantota via Andarawewa.” Ministers have given the green light to a request by Rajapaksa, again as Minister of Finance and Planning, to obtain a Government Concessional Loan (GCL) from the Exim Bank of China for Remnimbi Yuan 2,528,171,834.05 or Rs. 52,156,184,936.52 or US$ 412,432,270.57. The loan with a grace period of five years will also carry an interest rate of two per cent with a repayment period of 20 years.
Rajapaksa has said that “Incorporating terms and conditions for initiating action to implement the Construction of Section 4 from Mattala to Hambantota via Andarawewa Project, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed on 22nd November 2012 between Road Development Authority of Sri Lanka and China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd.”
(3) A “Loan Facility of US$ 100 million from China Development Bank Corporation to Finance the Improvement and Rehabilitation of Priority Road Project 3 (Phase II).” The Cabinet of Ministers have given approval to obtain this loan from China Development Bank (CDB) for this project.
According to Rajapaksa, the road sections for which the loan is to be obtained have been selected to “ensure the connectivity among already improved road sections.” The interest rate of this loan is LIBOR plus 2.95 per cent per annum with a repayment period of 15 years including a grace period of three years. Rajapaksa has said that 85 per cent of the project concerned would be completed with the Chinese loan whilst a balance of Rs. 2,298,092,009.67 will be channelled through the consolidated fund.
(4) The “Construction of the Outer Circular Highway – Northern Section II (from Kadawatha to Kerawalapitiya)” costing Rs. 66,689,836,694.34 (US$ 520,039,275.53). Rajapaksa, as Minister of Finance and Planning, has obtained the approval of the Cabinet of Ministers to enter into a Loan Agreement with the Exim Bank of China to obtain a loan of US$ 494,037,400.00 under the Preferential Buyer’s Credit (PBC) facility. The loan, Rajapaksa has said, would meet 95 per cent of the project whilst the balance monies are to be obtained from the Consolidated Fund. The loan will carry an interest rate of two per cent per annum with a repayment period of 20 years including a grace period of five years. The commercial contract for the project has been signed between the Road Development Authority and the Metallurgical Corporation of China Ltd.
The Outer Circular Highways with a total length of 29.22 kilometres begins from Kottawa and traverses through Kaduwela, Kadawatha and will end at Kerawalapitiya. It will radiate from the City of Colombo and link Southern Expressway, Colombo-Katunayake Expressway, Northern Expressway and other major National Highways. This project consists of three main sections namely Kottawa to Kaduwela (11 km), Kaduwela to Kadawatha (8.9 km) and Kadawatha to Kerawalapitiya (9.32 km).
(5) To award a US$ 69.4 million plus Rs. 6,767,949,900 contract to the China National Aero Technology International Corporation and China Geo Engineering Corporation JV for the design and building of the Thambuttegama Water Supply Scheme. If the Government is borrowing Chinese funds for other mega projects, this time the ministers have requested that the Treasury find the money for these two firms to undertake the task for three years. In addition to the design and build cost, they have also been told to make provision for contingencies.
This is by providing a sum of US$ 1.6 million plus Rs. 200 million with applicable VAT. Ministers have decided that the External Resources Division in the Treasury negotiates with China Development Bank to secure the foreign component of US$ 71 million. The project is intended to enhance pipe borne water supply coverage and to achieve a “sustainable growth in the safe drinking water to Grama Sevaka Divisions in Thalawa, Thambuttegama and Galnewa Divisional Secretary Divisions.”
In addition to these, the Colombo Port City Development Project undertaken by the China Harbour Engineering Company (the holding company of China Communication Construction Company of China) is to be further expanded. For this purpose, the Cabinet of Ministers have decided that a Gazette notification issued on January 24 granting them strategic enterprise status (giving a wide array of tax concessions) would be rescinded. In its place, a further notification under the Strategic Development Projects Act is to be issued. The expanded activity includes a project to construct wave protection breakwater, land reclamation, ground improvement, revetment, canals to connect seawater, artery roads, and utilities and to transfer/lease reclaimed lands to prospective buyers.
The ambitious Colombo Port City Development project aims at reclaiming 233 hectares of sea off the Galle Face Green at a cost of US$ 1,337 million. Of the land to be reclaimed, 170 hectares have been classified as saleable land and the remaining extent for water front roads and park for public use. Investment Promotion Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena claims that the project “creates (sic) new land as a new part of Colombo which attracts highest priority in economic development as per the development strategy of the Government.” He forecasts that “changing the landscape of the country with the creation of this new city and the consequent large Foreign Exchange Turnover that could be generated from the foreign tenants.”
More deals, UPFA Government sources say, are on the cards when Chinese President Xi arrives in Colombo on September 16 on a two-day visit. This will include an MoU between the two countries on the electricity sector as well as others. Ahead of this visit, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will arrive today in a visit that will last some 20 hours. The highlights will be his participation at a ceremony connected with the expansion project at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), talks with President Rajapaksa and tea in Parliament with members of the Sri Lanka-Japan Parliamentary Friendship Association. Premier Abe will make a short speech to them. Most MPs were in Uva engaged in the polls campaign and since Parliament is not in session during the visit, an address to the House is not possible. President Xi also will not visit Parliament but will travel a little distance away to inspect the new defence complex that is under construction at Pelawatte in Battaramulla.
As previously reported, to pave the way for Premier Abe’s visit to Sri Lanka, the Government had to heed a few suggestions from Tokyo. One was a ‘domestic investigation’ into alleged war crimes. Another, it has now come to light, is the Witness Protection Bill. The debate on this in Parliament was put on hold after Minister Douglas Devananda raised issue. Now, the Government has decided that the Bill will be debated to a finish on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the debate over the impending presidential election, whether it would be in early January or in March, continues. Whilst most UPFA stalwarts claim that it was more likely in January, on the basis of astrological predictions, there are sections who still opine otherwise. Nevertheless, there is little doubt that the UPFA Government has got into presidential election mode even before the conclusion of the Uva PC elections. Parliamentarians and party organisers are busy spending the Rs. 300 million allocations that have been made to their respective divisional areas. At the macro level, Rajapaksa is pouring in millions into infrastructure development. With fears of another crisis within the UNP following the elevation of Sajith Premadasa as the party’s Deputy Leader, and the prospects of a single common candidate waning, Rajapaksa no doubt would be quite ensconced where he is.