By Dilrukshi Handunnetti, our Lobby Correspondent
With the UNF government pinning much hope on the peace initiative despite the jolting it received with the clash between the Navy and the LTTE in Mullaitivu on Thursday morning, the Legislature was a hive of activity last week with the opposition seeking to tear the government apart by heaping criticism on what it termed the 'adhoc peace move' or 'ali koti havula'as something that has only brought about destruction.
Amidst so much opposition and reservations being expressed, especially in the aftermath of the Mullaitivu incident, an apparently flustered Defence minister Tilak Marapana rushed with a damage controlling explanation which only earned further condemnation.
Chaos began on Tuesday itself with opposition militancy reaching a high point.
The first round of artillery was fired by JVP group leader Wimal Weerawansa who charged that the alleged MoU between the government and the LTTE was a move to confine the troops to barracks or withdraw from LTTE- held territories which amounted to recognition of a separate state. He demanded a statement from the government to which minister G.L. Peiris replied that there was no final draft.
" The Premier will make a full statement once the final draft is ready. But here is no such document" protested the law professor. Soon afterwards, home affairs minister Alick Aluvihare moved the second reading of the local authorities amendment bill, which was met by a howl of protests by opposition leader Mahinda Rajapakse, Mangala Samaraweera, Richard Pathirana and the like who thundered that the government was pushing the debate even before copies of the bill have been distributed among legislators!
Opposition leader Mahinda Rajapakse, straining to be heard amidst the din said that while the 46- paged bill contained some beneficial clauses, it included some draconian provisions that infringed upon the rights of citizens.
"You call this an urgent bill but you are furnishing copies of the bill after twelve days. Then what was the urgency?" thundered Mangala Samaraweera, to which government chief whip Mahinda Samarasinghe promptly responded.
But the former media minister who had made it his vocation to unleash verbal attacks on opponents struck back with venom- calling the proposed bill a 'koti panatha' to appease the LTTE.
When Justice minister W.J.M. Lokubandara commenced the debate the following morning, he decided on the positive aspects of the bill. His contention was that the government was introducing the bill in furtherance of its commitment to introduce democratic and legal reforms. " Candidates who indulge in bribery, corrupt practices or election law violations could be disqualified under the new legislation. What's more, the existing law provided for the postponement of a local election not by the elections commissioner, but by a junior officer" he noted, earning Jeyaraj Fernandopulle's instant rejoinder that then there was no purpose in introducing fresh legislation to postpone polls.
He criticised that there was no legal interpretation given to the clause that referred to ' an urgent and unforeseen circumstance' leaving it wide open for whimsical interpretation.
Prof. G.L. Pieris assured the House that there was no need to get alarmed about the bill as it was moved in furtherance of a legal reforms package that the government intended to introduce. " There is no such possibility, but the act only provides for the postponement by 14 days and not indefinitely. Using this 'unforeseen' clause, this election could be postponed forever, and that's just what this government intends doing" accused the Badulla parliamentarian.
However strong the assurances were, JVP's Nandana Gunathilake was not that certain as he accused the government of concealing the real motive- a need to postpone polls in the north and east.
Protesting against the PA- JVP thinking was TULF's R. Sampanthan who said that this attitude demonstrated a total lack of understanding of the actual situation in the north and east.
Thursday morning throbbed with anticipation, and following a decision of the PA group meeting, opposition leader Mahinda Rajapakse was all set to make a statement alleging that a series of politically motivated arrests are being made to stifle the PA's political activities.
The opposition leader charged that activists such as their national organiser Anuruddha Ratwatte, D.M. Dassanayake, Sarana Gunawardane and others have been arbitrarily arrested without charges being framed.
Taking the cue, up jumped PA legislators bearing posters and placards while some sported black armbands, demanding the release of Anuruddha Ratwatte and others.
Moving adroitly to bring in order to the chaotic House with its din increasing by the minute, the Speaker recognised the next speaker, Lakshman Yapa Abeywardhane of the UNP. Nothing could be heard as the shouting increased along with name calling, flaying of arms and flinging accusations at the chair. Despite attempts by the opposition leader and Anura Bandaranaike to hold the peace, the PA legislators by that time had formed a circle and had advanced to the level of tuneful thumping led by Mahindananda Aluthgamage, rendering Abeywardhane's speech inaudible.
With the opposition hell bent on sustaining their protest and the Speaker equally determined not to suspend sittings, a group of legislators led by Fernandopulle himself occupied the centre isle still continuing with their slogan shouting. A few minutes later the Speaker agreed to allow Fernandopulle to speak.
Jeyaraj Fernandopulle tore apart the provisions of the bill that were hailed as beneficial and democratic by both sides of the House, claiming that this was one impractical piece of legislation that would set one candidate against another of the same political hue.
By Thalif Deen
UNITED NATIONS_ President Chandrika Kumaratunga is billed to speak at the UN Special Session on Children scheduled to take place May 8-10.
The Special Session, which is a virtual summit meeting of world leaders, is expected to be attended by over 75 heads of state and heads of government.
Since the United Nations is urging member states to facilitate the active participation of children, the Sri Lankan delegation may include children, for the first time.
A follow-up to the 1990 World Summit for Children in New York, the Special Session is expected to adopt a plan of action endorsing the rights of children and also launch a global movement to elevate the status of children worldwide.
The issues before the summit include child labour, child soldiers, and the sexual exploitation of children.
The meeting will take stock of the successes and failures since the World Summit for Children 12 years ago, and also devise a new plan of action to benefit children worldwide in the next decade.
Breaking new ground, the Special Session will be dominated by child delegates. Carol Bellamy, Executive Director of the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), says that it may seem like common sense to invite young people to a conference completely dedicated to their well being.
"But this is a radical change for such high-level meetings," she admits, adding that children will be literally rubbing elbows with presidents and prime ministers.
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