• Dhanapala pushes for UN mediation
• Three new MPs
• PA, UNP ignoring no-violence pact
• Defeat of Thonda's vote: what next?

Dhanapala pushes for UN mediation

By our diplomatic editor

UN Under Secretary General Jayantha Dhanapala has lobbied Colombo-based foreign diplomats to invite UN mediation for Sri Lanka's on-going war, The Sunday Times learns.

Sri Lankan born Mr. Dhanapala was in Colombo during the past fortnight on a private visit during which he gave the Lalith Athulathmudali Memorial oration and TV interviews. He had also met at least three ambassadors and high commissioners during his stay.

Mr. Dhanapala had made soundings with at least some of them to nudge the Sri Lankan Government to accept UN mediation, The Sunday times learns.

When asked if he was speaking in his official capacity and on behalf of the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, Mr. Dhanapala had firmly said he was speaking in his personal capacity.

One of the high commissioners had categorically stated that his country would not support moves for UN intervention on the basis that the issue was Sri Lanka's internal matter. The Sunday Times learns that the high commissioner had then been asked not to dissuade the move if they were unwilling to persuade the Government. That high commissioner had reportedly felt that the unorthodox personal initiative had been unwarranted.

Another high commissioner however told the Sunday Times that Mr. Dhanapala did meet him, but these matters were not discussed with him.

A US embassy spokesman confirmed that Mr. Dhanapala met Ambassador Shaun Donnely but it was merely a courtesy call. He said the ambassador was honoured that a man in Mr. Dhanapala's position found time to see the ambassador. The embassy spokesman also said there was no discussion in relation to Mr. Dhanapala asking that the United States lobby for UN mediation.

Mr. Dhanapala had also said he would be taking up the matter with Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike whom he was due to meet but had said he was not meeting President Chandrika Kumaratunga.

The Government has ruled out third party mediation for the country's terrorist problem but has indicated it has no objection to an outside facilitator for talks with the LTTE.

The government has however ruled out UN mediation outright. At the UN General Assembly sessions last September President Kumaratu-nga speaking on terrorism in Sri Lanka said: "I would like to add here that this is an internal problem that Sri Lanka is fully able and ready to resolve with the full support of its peoples. We will not tolerate any outside interference whilst we appreciate all the support given us by our friends abroad in resolving the conflict."

The Sunday Times learns that this paragraph was added to President Kumaratunga's speech immediately after South African President Nelson Mandela had called for UN mediation in Sri Lankan to bring the Government and the LTTE to the negotiating table.

Mr. Dhanapala was not available for comment as he had left the country a few days ago. The Foreign Ministry was also not available for comment.

Three new MPs

Three new parliamentarians are expected to take oaths tomorrow to replace three others who have resigned to contest the North Western Provincial elections.

According to the party list in terms of the election laws, Senarath Somarathna Dambadeniya will succeed S. B. Navinna of the PA while Harindra Corea and Chula Bandara of the UNP will replace Gamini Jayawickrema Perera and Asoka Wadigamangawa in parliament.

PA, UNP ignoring no-violence pact

By Dilrukshi Handunnetti and Chamintha Thilakarathna

The two main candidates contesting the Chief Minister post in the January 25 North Western Provincial elections have backed out of signing a joint appeal to party supporters to refrain from violence in the run-up to the polls.

The joint appeal made by the People's Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) has been circulated among the main parties contesting the poll, but until yesterday afternoon UNP's chief minister candidate Gamini Jayawickrama Perera and PA's chief minister candidate S.B. Nawinna had not signed the document.

The JVP said its main candidate Bimal Ratnayake has signed the document.

The appeal drafted by the PAFREL pointed out the significance of the elections and said "During this election period and thereafter, we appeal to all the people in the NWP to go about their political activities in a peaceful and lawful manner. Accordingly, even after the end of polling we should accept the verdict of the people, peacefully. We appeal to the people to respect democracy and maintain cordial relations with all their neighbours.

"If a problem were to arise we appeal to you to bring this to the notice of your respective political leadership and obtain redress legally without resorting to violence.

"It is our policy not to participate in or encourage any violence and we hereby declare that we will take all necessary action to maintain peace and harmony among the people."

Mr. Jayawickrama Perera told The Sunday Times the UNP was willing to sign the joint appeal but was awaiting the PA's response first.

Mr. Nawinna said they were not signing the appeal as it would not be helpful to reduce any violence or malpractices during the campaign and elections.

Meanwhile, government and opposition backbench MPs have formed a committee to prevent violence during the ongoing NWP election campaign.

PA's Mulberry Group Secretary and Kurunegala District MP T.B. Ekanayake said MPs of both parties would reject violence, thus sending a signal to all that political violence will not be tolerated.

He said the Government will be represented by MPs Dallas Alahapperuma, Kesaralal Gunasekara, P.B. Dissanayake, Jayatissa Ranaweera, Nandasena Herath, Heenmahattaya Liyanage and himself.

The UNP members include Dr. Rajitha Senaratne, Dr. Jayalath Jayawardena, Suranimala Rajapakse, Sunil Shantha Ranaweera, R.M. Ratnayake and Ali Zahir Moulana.

Meanwhile the PAFREL is placing over 600 election observers for next month's keenly contested provincial council elections in the North Western Province.

Executive Director of PAFFREL, Kingsley Rodrigo said 300 members each have already been appointed to the Kurunegala and Puttalam districts to observe the elections.

He said that so far four major incidents have been reported by their observers.

In a separate development the UNP has called on international observers and representatives from missions to observe that free an fair elections are held. It has also appealed to a former Indian Elections Chief to observe and assess the situation. It is also learnt that the UNP has also included several retired policemen of the area in their nominations list, as a means of safe guarding their candidates. The JVP will collect information on election incidents related to elections through their international centre. Spokesman for the JVP Wimal Weerawansa said that they would keep a close record of all incidents bring them to the attention of human rights organisations in order to pressurise the government to take firm action on those found guilty of such activities. They would also transmit reports on daily incidents through their web page.

Defeat of Thonda's vote: what next?

Government yesterday was studying legal implications of Friday's unprecedent setback in Parliament where the votes of the CWC leader S. Thondaman's Live stock Development Ministry amounting to Rs. 150 million were defeated.

Official sources said Justice Minister G.L. Peiris, Chief Government Whip Richard Pathirana and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle met to discuss the implications.

Livestock Ministry Secretary P. Ramanujam said technically the the ministry would not have money for expenditure from January.

However the parliamentary procedures were being studied and action would be taken to rectify the situation, he said.

The Sunday Times learns that either a Vote on Account or a supplimentary estimate could be passed.

A former Secretary General of Parliament commenting on Friday's issue said the defeat was a setback to the Government. If the whole budget is defeated the government by convention should resign.

Livestock Development Minister S. Thondaman reacting said that some 'communal elements' were responsible for defeating the votes as they did not want to pass money for the development of the estate sector.

But the UNP yesterday denied government charges of communal politics when it moved to defeat the votes of CWC leader S. Thondaman's Livestock Development Ministry in parliament on Friday.

Chief Government whip Richard Pathirana' charged that the opposition UNP had acted on a communal basis when it suddenly moved an amendment and defeated Mr. Thondaman's allocation by 35 votes to 17.

UNP Whip Tyronne Fernando, however, said there was no communal basis. He said the UNP had wanted Mr. Thondaman to withdraw the provision whereby he could sell loss-making estates without going through the cabinet or proper tender procedures. When this was refused the UNP moved an amendment and pushed it through.

He pointed out that the UNP had raised similar objections during the discussion on Minister Dharmasiri Senanayake's vote. The minister had agreed to a full debate on that matter and the UNP had dropped its objection.

CWC parliamentarian. P. P. Devaraj had a different view. He said the UNP had acted to defeat Mr. Thondaman's vote on flimsy grounds.

The MP said any deal involving more than Rs. 20 million must be referred to the cabinet and go through normal tender procedure. That was the law and Mr. Thondaman had only intended to sell estates which were less than that value though it was not specifically mentioned.

He said amendments were quite in order but the convention was that adequate notice was given. That had not been done in Friday's development.

The defeat of Mr. Thondaman's vote marked a strange twist of fate. Two weeks ago, the CWC had initiated a move to defeat the votes of Public Administration and Plantations Industries Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake, but it did not work out.

Mr. Wickremanayake accused the CWC of trying to sabotage his work over a dispute in the allocation of land in the Kalutara district.

Mr. Wickremanayake was not present in the chamber during the vote on Mr. Thondaman. But he was in his ministry room in the parliament complex.