The Political Column

10th May 1998

Postal crisis: CBK stamps her foot

By our Political Correspondent

The parties in the People's Alliance are on a collision course, espe cially after this year's may Day.

The main constituent party, the SLFP went it alone on May Day while others had a separate procession from Cotta Road.

This has disturbed prominent SLFPers, including President Kumaratunga. She has told prominent LSSPers to contest the Provincial Elections on their own and see what the result would be.

Top LSSPer Minister Batty Weerakoon and Raja Collure of the CP were at the receiving end at the PA May Day celebrations when their rank and file defied the orders and dispersed without entering the Town Hall grounds.

Mr. Weerakoon was denied the opportunity to speak at the PA May Day rally as a direct consequence but he told the media later that in any event he did not have much to talk about what the government had done for the workers.

Now there appears to be a fresh problem since the left leaders are not in favour of President Kumaratunga as the PA's candidate for the next Presidential Elections. They feel they would have little say in the administration as long as President Kumaratunga continues to play the lead role.

Hence they obviously prefer an alternative candidate and if they fail in this bid, they might field a third candidate. But, who could be their next nominee? Apparently they are looking for somebody from the SLFP. But their choice is indeed limited.

The government also faced another problem with the Samurdhi workers who had planned a separate May Day rally from Cotta Park to the open air theatre area of the Vihara Maha Devi Park.

Initially, the Samurdhi Workers Union comprising about 30,000 members had been given clearance by the Police. But later all party organisers were reportedly told to discourage them from having a separate May Day rally.

Consequent to this the Police raided the house of a leader of the Samurdhi Movement and searched for the permit already issued to them. Failing, they left a letter in the hands of an inmate invalidating the permit issued to them.

The Samurdhi workers later decided to call off their May Day procession due to this pressure.

Yet on May Day several regional Samurdhi organisations which were not aware of the cancellation, arrived at the Cotta Park as scheduled. The Police stepped in and led them to Campbell Park where the SLFP May Day procession was to be started.

However, those Samurdhi workers who refused to join the SLFP procession were later sent back by the Police under escort.

Another problem faced by the government now is the selection of candidates for the upcoming Provincial Elections.

President Kumaratunga had two separate meetings with SLFP organisers and the left wing organisers to appraise them of the current situation.

When the SLFP organisers came out with various issues, she agreed that the people were facing difficulties right now but pointed out that a war was being waged in the North and East at tremendous cost.

"If we can end this war things would be alright," she told the organisers. She told them to launch their campaign on this theme and educate the people on the war effort and the peace moves, pointing out that the war is consuming a big slice of the national income.

At the meeting with the left parties of the PA, it was pointed out that the war-peace slogan would be difficult to sell.

They said that every effort should be made to retain the Western Province because it is strategically important.

The party leaders had even expressed the unlikely fear of losing Gampaha district.

The withdrawal of the Lalith Front from the fray is also seen as possible a loss to the PA in the three districts of the western Province.

But now the latest problem encountered by the PA is to find Chief Ministerial candidates for the five Provinces.

Though Deputy Minister Lakshman Kiriella was seen as the most suitable to lead the PA's campaign in the Central Province, he had declined.

Mr. Kiriella is now backing the Province's Opposition Leader Vijaya Wickremaratne while some others are backing the wife of Minister D.M. Jayaratne.

In the UNP, too, there are many problems relating to the Central Province Chief Ministerial candidacy.

Keheliya Rambukwella, Sarath Amunugama, Sarath Kongahage and Tissa Attanayake are among the names mentioned by political observers. However Mr. Rambukwella is seen as the front-runner as he has displayed his capabilities in the recent UNP May Day rally in Kandy.

Mr. Rambukwella is reported to have brought more than 3000 people to participate in a massive May Day procession from Gatambe in Peradeniya.

The UNP leadership obviously pleased about the May Day turnout thanked the membership and the party's Parliamentary Group profusely at the Group Meeting.

The party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, while thanking all, paid a special compliment to General Secretary Gamini Atukorale. He also referred to the Organising Committee consisting of Gamini Jayawickrema Perera, Gamini Lokuge and Srinath Perera. He also acknowledged the contribution made by A.R.M.A. Cader, Kandy District Chairman and Tissa Attanayake, Secretary.

He said the great success of the May Day rally was a result of the party's systematic organisation at the grassroots level. Mr. Wickremesinghe said he had appointed a Committee to report on how each MP and organiser had contributed to the success of the rally.

He warned the MPs not to be overjoyed with the May Day rally and urged them to continue party activities. He also referred a news report on government moves to recruit students to the Army and said the UNP opposed the recruitment of students unless there was going to be a conscription policy.

Mr. Wickremesinghe also took swipes at Minister Anuruddha Ratwatte who he said was trying to portray himself as Prince Sapumal of the present era.

He attacked the proposed recruitment drive and said the government had blundered in trying to open up such a long route.

He said even if the military opened the route from Vavuniya to Kilinochchi, it would be difficult to keep it under continuous vigilance.

The UNP's attack against the recruitment drive was taken up at Cabinet level on Wednesday.

President Kumaratunga referred to the lead story in The Sunday Times of May 3 under the headline "Army drive to tap schools for 15,000 soldiers" and said there was public opinion building against the government because of this news item.

"Such stories are harmful to the government," she said.

At this stage several Ministers said they were not in a position to answer public queries over the matter since the government did not handle the issue effectively.

Some Ministers said the government could have responded to the news item appearing in The Sunday Times and explained its position to the general public.

Minister Ratwatte said he had not mentioned anything about school children being recruited to the Armed Forces. He claimed a careful study on the matter revealed that the story was planted by the UNP to bring discredit to the government at a time when an official UN envoy was here to probe charges that the LTTE was using children in the war.

"This is a UNP plant, and the present campaign carried out by the UNP proves this beyond doubt," he added.

At the weekly meeting of the Ministers many voiced their opinion against Postal Chief Soma Kotakadeniya and asked when this long-drawn crisis would end.

Ministers Jeyaraj Fernandopulle, Alavi Moulana and Richard Pathirana advocated the removal of Ms. Kotakadeniya.

Minister Pathirana spoke about the earlier experience of Ms. Kotakadeniya and said the strike should be settled forthwith.

However Posts Minister Mangala Samaraweera defended Ms. Kotakadeniya and it appears that she would continue at least for some time.

President Kumaratunga at this stage asked Mr. Samaraweera why he was defending Ms. Kotakadeniya. She told him to inform trade unions that she had decided to appoint an independent committee to probe allegations against Ms. Kotakadeniya.

"If the allegations are proved I will remove her, otherwise we will defend her," she said.

The President directed Mr. Samaraweera to tell the striking unions to present their allegations against Ms. Kotakadeniya in writing.

She also told the Ministers that prior to her decision to declare postal services an essential service she got Minister Alavi Moulana down to Temple Trees and told him that she was agreeable to meet most of the demands put forward by the unions.

"I told Mr. Moulana to talk to the General Secretary of the Union and tell him that - but what happend? The General Secretary said they would continue with their strike until all the demands are met.

"I had no alternative but take a decision for the common good of the people," she said.

The President had indicated that the position may well have been different, had the unions come to an agreement at that time.

In the ensuing discussion on the postal crisis Minister Ratwatte said he had probed the background of the particular union and found out that it had links with the UNP. Minister Batty Weerakoon too confirmed this.

Mr. Samaraweera said he had taken about 300 new people and they were clearing the backlog.

When Minister D.M. Jayaratne asked for exact figures Mr. Samaraweera said there was still a backlog of about 27,000 letters to be cleared.

With the President's intervention it is likely that the postal crisis would come to an end soon.

In the meantime both the government and the opposition are warming up for a full day AirLanka debate on May 19.

On thursday at the party leaders' meeting, the Speaker said Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle had written on behalf of the government requesting his permission for Rupavahini to televise the debate.

Mr. Wickremesinghe said he wanted to discuss it with the other opposition parties. A.C.S. Hameed said there should be impartiality in televising and suggested one more Television Station from the independent circuit.

Mr. Hameed also raised the question of arrangements for permanent televising and said the Committee had still not been able to finalise its report.

The Speaker said he was not happy with ad-hoc arrangements and he would ensure that the Committee met soon to finalise its report.

On Friday, on Mr. Wickremesinghe's request, Mr. Hameed told the Speaker the UNP agreed in principle to the televising of the AirLanka debate but would want to discuss details with the Speaker next week.

While the government and the opposition seem to be sharpening their knives after their May Day rallies, still it was comforting to see the spirit of co-operation in Parliament on Thursday.

Minister Mangala Samaraweera found himself in a difficult situation with his media briefing with the Select Committee on Media meeting at the same time. The Minister requested Mr. Hameed to preside over the Select Committee and he agreed. Minister G.L. Peiris remarked, "That is how we should work".

The Select Committee listened to oral representations from the Civil Rights Movement. R.K.W. Goonesekera and Mrs. Sooriya Wickremasinghe represented the Movement. The meeting lasted over 1 1/2 hours and the Committee deliberated as to whether there should be one authority for broadcasting and televising, or whether there should be two and the mechanism for appointment of members of the authority. The Committee will meet again early next month and the CRM would continue to make representations since the Committee felt that it was necessary to listen to Mr. Goonesekera in view of his in-depth knowledge of the subject.

In another development Minority Tamil Parties which are supporting the government to maintain its majority in Parliament have expressed disappointment over the failure to fulfil pledges.

One of the main issues involved is operating a passenger liner between Trincomalee and Jaffna to streamline transportation.

Though President Kumaratunga had agreed to put this proposal into operation, inordinate delays have compelled parties such as the EPDP to consider withdrawal of support to the government in Parliament.

EPDP leader Douglas Devananda feels he is not in a position to hold his party together any longer if he does not take appropriate steps to solve these issues immediately.

When he was in Norway recently attending a seminar on devolution, his party membership resolved to vote against the government during the Emergency debate but Mr. Devananda managed to convince them as to why they should support the government at this stage.

In Norway, he faced another problem when LTTE sympathisers stormed his hotel room and demanded explanation from him as to why he was supporting the government.

Last week, Mr. Devananda met Deputy Defence Minister Anuruddha Ratwatte in Parliament to discuss the current problems in the North and East.

When Mr. Devananda referred to the "Passenger liner issue", Gen. Ratwatte explained the difficulties involved.

Gen. Ratwatte said several foreign vessels had agreed to operate this service, under their own flag as they felt it would be too much of a risk to carry the lion flag in the seas North of Trincomalee.

The Minister said that the matter was referred to the Defence Ministry and it had refused to give clearance for these vessels to operate under their own flag.

Mr. Devananda also referred to the Police Stations in the North and East and said they did not function though the government had clearly stated that it was committed to restore normalcy in these areas.

Gen. Ratwatte replying said a majority in the Police Service were sympathisers of the UNP and in the circumstances it would be difficult for them to work.

Mr. Devananda said it was a lame excuse and added if that was the case they could support the opposition and get things done in their areas.

At this stage Minister Ratwatte asked for three months time to put things in order. He told Mr. Devananda to hold his party together until such time but the latter could give no such guarantee.

Besides all these the UNP was also busy going into the Wijeyapala Mendis issue. The Committee probing allegations against former UNP Minister Wijeyapala Mendis met last week under the Chairmanship of General Secretary Gamini Atukorale.

At this meeting the Committee decided to give an opportunity to Mr. Mendis and fixed the date for Wednesday.

But one member of the Committee asked as to what would happen if Mr. Mendis refused to appear before the Committee.

Mr. Atukorale said a decision had to be taken later on the matter.

Finally the Committee decided to send a letter to Mr. Mendis asking him to appear before it.

The Committee decided that a copy should be faxed while two other copies should be hand delivered and sent under registered post.

In the meantime several are in the fray for the post of Chief Opposition Whip which will fall vacant if and when Mr. Mendis steps down.

Tyronne Fernando, P. Dayaratne and W.J.M. Lokubandara have been mentioned as the candidates for the post, but everything depends on the decision taken by the party hierarchy.

Situation Report

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