Parliament

Free and fair elections with or without emergency rule: Govt.
By Chandani Kirinde, Our Lobby Correspondent
The Emergency Regulations promulgated by the Government in August were extended for a third month by parliament last week, with 80 votes for and 19 against. While the UNP, the JVP and the JHU supported the Bill, the SLMC abstained and the CWC kept away.

What drew much attention during the sittings was a harsh exchange of words between Chief Government Whip Jeyaraj Fernandopulle and Speaker W.J.M. Lokubandara.

It was a stormy start for the day’s business on Tuesday morning when Mr. Fernandopulle stood up to answer the question raised by Colombo district UNP MP Thiagarasah Maheswaran regarding the vehicles and buildings rented or leased by the Ports and Aviation Minister.

The Minister said many vehicles had to be hired as the Sri Lankan ports were large but statements by some that the world’s largest natural harbour was in Trincomalee was false and proceeded to read a list of some of the well-known man-made and natural harbours in the world.

This angered the UNPers present especially Dr. Rajitha Senaratna.
The uproar occurred when Mr. Fernandopulle refused to move to the next question though asked to do so by the Speaker.

During the exchange of words Mr. Fernandpulle – much to the embarrassment of several senior government members made a number of accusations against the Speaker including that he was biased.

Order was restored when Foreign Affairs and Tourism Minister Anura Bandaranaike, a former Speaker himself, rose to his feet. Mr. Bandaranaike said MPs must respect the Chair irrespective of who occupies that seat.
“We must not act in a way that brings disrepute to the Chair”, he said.
Mr. Bandaranaike quoted from a speech by his mother where she advised the then Speaker to be firm when handling the business of the House.

The Tourism Minister then presented the Tourism Bill and said the new law resulted from the initiative by President Chandrika Kumaratunga in 1999 where she appointed a presidential task force to make vital recommendations for the betterment of the tourism industry. He said the new Law provided for the setting up of a Tourism Development Authority in place of the Tourist Board and this would promote private sector expertise into the tourism industry.

The Bill was passed supported by all members of the House.
The next item listed for debate was the Emergency Regulations and it was approved after some of its clauses were relaxed by the Government on a request by the UNP.

It was agreed the regulations would be allowed to lapse before the November 17 elections. Public Security Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake said he was hopeful the emergency regulations need not be extended after it lapses on November 13, but assured that emergency rule or not, there would be no hindrance by the government to the holding of a free and fair election.

He said because of the regulations the police were able to detain several suspected LTTE cadres who were planning to attack VIPs. While several vital clues in the killing of former Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar were also uncovered.

UNP MP Mahinda Samarasinghe welcomed the Government’s decision to withdraw certain clauses in the emergency regulations that would have interfered with the election campaign and said the poll must be conducted minus emergency rule.

JVP MP Nandana Gunatilleke said the JVP was never supportive of emergency rule but voted in favour only because of the escalation in the number of killings by the LTTE while the armed forces were restricted by the ceasefire agreement.

“When the LTTE cadres are injured our government is humane and airlifted them to Colombo for treatment. This kind of facility is not given to our soldiers”, he lamented. Mr. Gunatilleke also blasted the “peace kakas” who were silent when two principals were killed recently but magnified even a small misdeed by the armed forces.

He alleged that Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse was on the LTTE hit list. Batticaloa district TNA MP K. Tangeswari said that while the emergency rule had caused untold hardship to the Tamil people, it had not stopped the incidents of violence.

Colombo district Tamil MP Mano Ganeshan expressed similar sentiments stating that his constituents in Colombo were the most affected by the emergency regulations.

“Why are only Tamils living in Colombo asked to fill forms while the Sinhalese and Muslims are not asked to do so?
Even Sinhalese and Muslims have been involved in several incidents so if there is such a rule it should apply to all”, he said.

Mr. Ganeshan said that unless more members of the minority community were recruited to the Police and the armed forces, the perception of there being only a Sinhala police and armed service would continue and not help improve the situation.

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