Columns

• Gammanpila, Weerawansa dabble in numbers game, bank on more defections in Parliament to set the stage for fresh elections, Probe on alleged misdeeds of sacked ministers
• JVP’s Nugegoda rally indicates its rising popularity among middle-income groups; Anura Kumara explains plans to form new Govt.; SJB to hold countrywide protest rallies on April 7
•  President reveals how he struggled to find US$ 42 million for procurement of LP gas; PM plays subdued role in state affairs
•  Diplomatic mission of on Asian country is suspected to be funding campaign to destabilise Govt.
• Ranil ‘man of the match’ at “APC” session; TNA meets President and demands cases against PTA detainees be expedited and those convicted released; TELO boycotts

A delegation of the dissident group within the SLPP-led ruling coalition met the Amarapura Mahanayake, the Ven. Agga Maha Pandita Dodampahala Chandrasiri Thera yesterday at the Thapowanaya in Rajagiriya. The delegation included Wimal Weerawansa, Udaya Gammanpila and the Ven. Rathana Thera. They explained to the Mahanayake their views on the multiple crises the country is facing today. Pic by Indika Handuwala

The mood was one of unease and even sombre when government parliamentarians met at “Temple Trees” for their group meeting last Tuesday, one for which President Gotabaya Rajapaksa declared attendance was compulsory.

Walking to a ‘bar’ in a far corner of the venue to help themselves to tots of Black Label Scotch whisky, they chatted to each other about what the coming days and weeks would hold. Some were worried about going back to their electorates where public anger was mounting. Others were concerned about how they would have their party branches ready for a future election. All this was over the public being livid about shortages — fuel, cooking gas (LPG) and foodstuffs. Added to that were the power disruptions where the hours were rapidly increasing. Some left without a sumptuous buffet dinner that was laid whilst others helped themselves. All-night vigils and public protests have continued to rise in many parts of the country.

Earlier, there was a little wait for the group meeting to start. Both President Rajapaksa and elder brother, Premier Mahinda Rajapaksa, were busy at another event elsewhere in the “Temple Trees” complex. It was a ceremony to mark World Water Day – a United Nations event to raise awareness of the two billion people living without access to water. The Minister in charge of the subject of water, Vasudeva Nanayakkara, dodged the ceremony. State Minister Sarath Nishantha, however, was present.

Seated on a podium were Basil Rajapaksa, Mahinda Rajapaksa, G.L. Peiris and Johnston Fernando with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in the centre. Premier Rajapaksa declared that mey rasveemey aramuna (the aim of this meeting) would be explained by President Rajapaksa. Having uttered those words, the Premier was a silent listener until the meeting ended. It was the same at Wednesday’s “All-Party Conference” (APC) held at the Janadipathi Mandiriya. He had little to say.

During a 40-minute speech, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa explained to government MPs the origins of the ongoing foreign exchange shortage and the resultant crisis. The gravamen of what he said contained the same elements in his address to the nation a week ago. He made clear there were no faults on his part that led to the current situation and pledged that he would do everything to overcome the situation.

President’s shocking revelation

Then President Rajapaksa made an important revelation. He said the previous day, (Monday) had been spent entirely on trying to raise 42 million US dollars for procurement of LP gas. It has been a daunting task. Those disclosures make abundantly clear that the Government has still not been able to raise sufficient funds to meet fuel and other requirements ahead of the national new year. It was a case of hand-to-mouth existence. This was why there were still queues outside fuel stations for cooking gas and in Colombo and most provincial towns, many restaurants had put up shutters. That also showed that other presidential duties had to wait until US dollars were found for one transaction. In the absence of fuel, there are plans now to give more shock treatment to the public — cut electricity supply for longer hours a day. Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa, who has also come under severe public criticism, gave his explanation over the existing shortages and on his visit to India. “There is no issue at all. We have received a credit facility. So, you must go back to work and explain to people the situation,” he declared.

Several MPs complained about the long queues outside fuel stations and prevailing shortages in their respective areas. Recently appointed Minister S.B. Dissanayake evoked some cheeky laughter when he remarked that the current dire economic situation had been brought about by the wrongdoings of the previous government. There were some distractions, too. From the podium, Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa sent word through an office assistant to urge former State Minister, Nimal Lanza to come over and speak to him. He did. Other Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) members opined that he was making an open display that there was no bitterness between him and the former State Minister who resigned after an altercation with a colleague. He has been one of his staunch backers. In fact, Basil told Lanza to meet President Rajapaksa and discuss the difficulties he faced. The President, in turn, said he could come over to his private residence at Mirihana the next day. Lanza did but the discussions did not result in him receiving a State Minister position he preferred.

Still unable to resolve issues related to the lack of foreign exchange, ruling coalition leaders were shaken by another political development on Thursday. That was the visit to the Venerable Mahanayakes of the Asgiriya and Malwatte Chapters by eleven partner party representatives from the ruling coalition. It was led by former ministers Wimal Weerawansa and Udaya Gammanpila, who were sacked from their portfolios. Also present was Minister Vasudeva Nanayakkara. They handed over copies of their road map to resuscitate Sri Lanka’s economy. They conveyed their move to democratically oust the present Government.

It was becoming increasingly clear that the sacking of the two Cabinet ministers had been a politically wrong move. In fact, Premier Rajapaksa advised his brothers, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa, not to embark on that course. They ignored his pleas. Now that it has happened, the group has caused considerable damage to the Government, with revelations at talk shows and public meetings. Many an allegation is being levelled. At the highest levels of the Government, there was suspicion that a Colombo-based diplomatic mission of an Asian country was engaged in moves to allegedly destabilise the Government seizing the current situation. Intelligence agencies are keeping a close watch on this aspect. That includes claims that the mission was doling out funds.

Gammanpila explained to the Sunday Times, “I have been calling on the two prelates on numerous occasions. This time, however, they were both outspoken and emotional.” The Malwatte Chapter Mahanayake, the Most Venerable Thibottuwawe Sri Siddharatha Sumangala Thera, asked me, ‘do you think we can save the country? Don’t you think we have reached a point of no return?’”

Gammanpila said, “I replied to the Venerable Mahanayake that we are doing everything at our disposal to democratically change this Government and save the country. I pointed out that in December, last year, there were 156 MPs with the Government. Three – Wijeyadasa Rajapaksha, Nimal Lanza and Susil Premajayantha – have now left. Our eleven parties have 30 MPs. Thus, the government strength is 123. We only must win 11 members. We know there are last minute deals in a situation like this. Pressure moves get under way. In order not to take a chance, we are aiming at getting 33 members to our side. That way, we have more numbers, and nothing can go wrong. We are confident we can achieve this.

“The Asgiriya Chapter Mahanayake, the Most Venerable Warakagoda Gnanarathana Thera, was very concerned at agreements that have been signed with foreign countries. Cabinet approval has been obtained only after they were handed over. We discussed this matter at length. He was not pleased and expressed serious concern.”

Asked how they proposed to ‘democratically oust’ the Government, Gammanpila said, “We will move a resolution in accordance with the Constitution for Parliament to dissolve itself. We are now busy raising the numbers. Thereafter, we can go for another election.” Queried when this would happen, he replied “very soon, at the correct time.”

However, a government source that did not wish to be identified, claimed that the move could be stymied at least for a month by the President proroguing Parliament. During this period, there could be lobbying that could change numbers. However, the source added, “Everyone has his price” and pointed out that “a resolution in Parliament is bound to fail. Most don’t want an election right now.” On the other hand, investigators are also digging into past complaints related to the former ministers and their close allies for wrongdoing on different transactions. Files are being sought and queries are being raised.

JVP woos the middle class

A move to oust the Government is coming not only from within their ranks but from another political front, too. “We have launched our campaign to democratically oust the Government,” Anura Kumara Dissanayake, leader of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna-led National People’s Power (NPP) told the Sunday Times. He was commenting after the NPP’s largely attended rally in Nugegoda last Wednesday. He said that in the past many weeks after the economic crisis erupted, a wider section of the public, largely the middle class, have come to his party and urged them to save the country. “They are sick and tired of the other opposition groups that have let them down,” he said. Proof of this came when there was a much larger turnout for the party’s first rally in Nugegoda. Some of the arrangements overshadowed that of the Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB). One was the commissioning of a huge fleet of buses and ensuring they had sufficient fuel.

The next rally will be held in Polonnaruwa on Tuesday.

“Our aim is to create a new government which will look after the people and care for their needs,” said Dissanayake. Asked how they hoped to carry out this task, he replied “we are already busy with our plans. Public support for us is growing.” He charged that a group led by a businessman supporting the Government tried to disrupt their rally much the same way he did for their meeting in Gampaha weeks earlier. “We were prepared for them. They backed out when they saw the sea of heads,” he pointed out.

Police estimates placed the crowd in Nugegoda at more than 30,000 which is larger than the turnout at the Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) protest rally outside the Presidential Secretariat on March 15. Of course, when it comes to crowds, the JVP’s skills are unmatched. But its own members sometimes lament that they do not translate into votes at an election. Asked about this, leader Dissanayake said, “We can measure the new difference. There is a genuine outcry from the people for us to provide leadership. We are getting ready for it.” The crowds thronged outside the Ananda Samarakoon pavilion (opposite the market) and extended along the main road outside the market complex. It went on until the High-Level Road junction on one side. On the other, the road to Nawala was also packed.

The debate on the crowds apart, the organisational capability of the JVP and now the NPP is unmatched. They have been able to permeate the grassroots level in a substantial way than other political parties. Thus, they are not only able to muster public support, but their actions could also have an extremely destabilising effect on the Government. More so since their focus has remained the working class. Now, they are adding another layer in the form of middle-class people. Intelligence circles have been worried about this development since agitations by the NPP, it is pointed out, could cripple the working of the Government.

JVP leader’s speech

What their leader Dissanayake said in Nugegoda rally underscores the NPP’s objectives. Here are excerpts: “The people are aware of the persons who took part in the All-Party Conference today. Among them were those who robbed, wasted money, those who robbed the Central Bank, those who protected the corrupt, those who used political power to get out of their cases, those who maintained their families with public funds etc. We too were invited for the All-Party Conference.

“There is no use of discussions with them. If we had gone, we would have just said one thing, ‘Gotabaya it is enough you have stayed. Go away now.’ We do not want a discussion with persons who have destroyed the country. “We have come to Nugegoda to tell the Rajapaksas to go home. Though we say this politely on stage here, it is not the same tone at the Fuel Stations and LPG (gas) queues. The people tell this well to the Government at these places.

“If a mother cannot find a packet of milk for the infant, the mother feels it. If the question papers for the students’ exams cannot be printed, the parents feel that pain. Won’t the farmers say, “get out” when they cannot purchase fuel for their harvesting machine? The fishermen will feel the same when they cannot get the fuel to go out to sea. What is the point of the rulers if the three-wheel and lorry drivers cannot buy fuel, if you cannot buy the gas to the kitchen? Thousands have gathered at Nugegoda to say Rajapaksa should get out.

“By telling them they would not go. They are numb leaders. When there are so many issues Gotabaya goes to inspect a Yoghurt manufacturing factory and the Dematagoda railway yard. On Saturdays he goes to see Gnana Akka. The rulers are not responsible to the government. They do not find the solutions to the problems of the public. They are the ones who dragged the people to this disaster.

“It is 18 months after the elections were held and we have had 21 cabinet reshuffles. There have been more than 30 resignations of ministry secretaries, directors, and chairmen of institutions. This is a rule which is in a disarray. If you look into that point, too, this Government should be chased away. The country is following a destructive economic system where the corrupt politicians share their profits with close cronies.

A state minister has resigned as he did not get his share. He wrote a letter to the President with four points, and we are demanding that the Government makes this letter public. Rulers who rob public money should be chased away.

“State assets are being sold to other countries, divested to other companies. There are about 36,000 ships that pass the four shipping lanes around the country. The Port is a strategic economic hub. The Government is selling portions of this port too. The Yugadanavi plant too has been sold.

“The Government is losing control over the power supply which is important to protect the sovereignty of the country. Basil (Rajapaksa) before the meeting with the Indian Prime Minister Modi, thousands of acres were given to the Adani firm for a solar power project. Modi has said that if that was not given, not to come that way. Lands are to be given off to India in the Pooneryn and Kachchativu areas. There are seven such instances of vesting lands. These have not been revealed in advance, but just placed on the tables of the ministers at the cabinet meeting.”

“The Government which is selling the assets to foreigners should be chased away. The Government leaders will flee the country when there is a risk. But the people who have gathered here are those who are living on this land with the hope to remain throughout their life in this country. Therefore, to stop the destructions the rulers should be driven away.

“It is our responsibility not to continue with the 74 years of politics we have had. For this we need to build a strong public movement. Just forming a government is not sufficient. The country’s productive economy should be improved. Maximum benefit should be taken from the sea-resources. Our country’s resources should be made use of. We should be ready to work for the country.

“The public movement should be put in place for this purpose. The existing destructive rulers should be driven away, and a new people-centric rule should be established. People should shed political differences to form the public movement.”

The so-called All-Party Conference, the result of a proposal by former President Maithripala Sirisena when he met his successor, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, was paradoxical in many ways. One could argue that such a conference could well have been conducted in Parliament since all participants held representation there. More importantly, finding a solution to the deteriorating economic and financial situation revolves almost entirely on the Government. The main opposition Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) rejected the invitation. The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) took part to make a point – as their leader, Rajavarothayam Sampanthan said if Tamil grievances were addressed earlier, there would not have been an economic crisis.

TNA leaders meet the President

In fact, some of the grievances formed the subject of discussion when a delegation of the TNA led by Sampanthan met President Rajapaksa on Friday morning. This was just ahead of the arrival in Colombo of India’s External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishanker today. He will take part in the BIMSTEC ministerial level meeting and travel to the Maldives. It was New Delhi that had urged the Sri Lanka government to resume the reconciliation talks. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had to accommodate the request despite his schedule being predominantly taken over by the ongoing crisis.

The TNA leader spoke in detail of some of the pressing issues Tamil speaking communities are facing and stressed the need for a lasting solution for the ethnic conflict which he said remains to be resolved although the separatist war had ended twelve years ago. Details appear elsewhere in this newspaper.

Among the issues TNA delegation raised are the early release of 48 people who were convicted under Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and other detainess whose cases are pending over ten years. Their cases should be expedited and concluded at the earliest, the TNA demanded. The delegation also underscored that seizing land, both private and state, in the Northern and Eastern provinces for use by the tri forces and other government institutions should be stopped.

A constituent partner of the TNA, the Tamil Eelam Liberation Organisation (TELO) boycotted Friday’s meeting. The move has displeased both the TNA leadership and the Modi government in New Delhi.

Ranil shines

Now to the “All Party Conference.” If one is to speak in cricketing parlance, the man of the match, best bowler, best batsman etc. would all go to one man — the sole MP for the United National Party (UNP) in Parliament and former Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe. He dealt a verbal blow to Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabral when he placed the blame for all ills on the previous regime (UNP included). Wickremesinghe asked whether they were invited only to be blamed. An embarrassed President Rajapaksa apologised on behalf of Cabraal after Wickremesinghe noted that the blame game could go on until the arrival of Prince Wijaya. The UNP leader, who, to his credit, prepares his speeches for delivery in detail, also dealt a blow to Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa. He asked for the International Monetary Fund Report on Sri Lanka. The IMF had prepared it after a team visited Colombo. At first, Basil denied the existence of a report but later claimed he had only a draft. He was proved wrong by the IMF.

However, the 95-page document was released by the IMF from Washington on Friday. A tweet from the IMF said, “It is urgent for Sri Lanka to implement a credible and coherent strategy to restore macroeconomic and debt sustainability, while protecting vulnerable groups and reducing poverty through targeted social safety nets. Read our latest economic report.”

Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa is due to meet IMF officials in Washington DC on April 11. That meeting and other efforts by him run counter to Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabral’s claim that Sri Lanka would not seek IMF help.

SJB plans more protest rallies

The main opposition SJB rejected the invitation to take part in the “APC.” General Secretary Ranjit Madduma Bandara told the Sunday Times, “It is the Government that oversees the country’s finances. They are not listening to their own people. If there are issues, they could be taken up in Parliament. This APC is a façade. They want to mislead the people through this mechanism. The people know it. We know it too.” He said that the SJB would continue its protest campaigns with countrywide rallies on April 7.

After their protest rally outside the Presidential Secretariat, the SJB held a public rally in Agalawatte last Tuesday. SJB leader Sajith Premadasa declared that “the current Government has destroyed the country; it has dragged the people towards destruction. The situation is so worse that term tests cannot be held at schools in the Western Province. How can a government which cannot even hold a school term test develop the country? How can a country which fails to provide fuel to the people protect the country? People appointed him as the hero who protects the country (Rata Rakina Wiruwa).”

The developments in the recent weeks make abundantly clear that there is a surge of public opinion against the ruling coalition over shortages of fuel, LP gas and food items. They are kept in the dark every day for over four and half hours with fears of blackout hours being increased.

An incident on March 20 at a fuel station in Horagolla where a three-wheeler taxi driver allegedly stabbed a motorcyclist sent shockwaves. It prompted the Government to deploy the Army in all fuel outlets that service Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) products. Thus, an arm of the security forces has already entered the fray paving the way for more deployment. The move by itself is an acknowledgement that troops are necessary to maintain law and order as unease in the country grows. With that, the Government has reached a delicate area and must make sure there is a harmonious balance.

On the one hand, there is the Police which have so far played a tactful role in dealing with crowds at queues and those blocking traffic in anger. An exacerbation of the situation would only mean the troops will have to supplement that role. A government which has been responsible for many a slip cannot afford to ensure that national security interests are haphazardly handled. One must be more than conscious that it is the divide between calm and chaos. There is no space beyond for excuses or explanations.