The Political Column

9th May 1999

CBK acts on N'Eliya dispute

By our Political Correspondent

Abattle in Nuwara Eliya between the Thondaman led Ceylon Workers' Congress and an organisation styling itself as Sinhala Weeravidhanaya reached such serious proportions recently that Minister Saumyamoorthy Thondaman sought the intervention of President Chandrika Kumaratunga to settle it. Mr. Thondaman in a strongly worded letter to the President warned his party would reconsider its decision to support the PA in delicately balanced provincial councils if the dispute was not settled. In the central province, especially the CWC hold the balance of power with six members. The CWC alleged that the Sinhala Weeravidhanaya had sabotaged its May Day rally by putting up a huge banner, attacking the CWC near the venue of the meeting, and later disrupting the power supply.

At the May Day rally, CWC frontliner S. Sathasivam attacked the Sinhala Weeravidhanaya challenging its members to go to the north and fight the LTTE instead of attacking innocent estate people. Mr. Thondaman who presided at this May Day rally later wrote to the President, saying they had obtained permission from the police to hold a Hindu Ther festival on April 30 and the May Day the next day. Later they learned that the Sinhala group had also organised a meeting on April 30 in the vicinity and the police had given permission to that group also.

When the CWC supporters were decorating the area for the festival and the May Day rally, they found that the Sinhala group had already put up banners and decorated the area. The police were informed and they assured that the anti-CWC banners would be removed that night, Mr. Thondaman said. This was done by 4 a.m. the next day. But the Sinhala group went ahead with its meeting at the same venue and some of the speakers abused the estate people, Mr. Thondaman alleged.

He said that on the May Day, stones were hurled at CWC supporters going for the rally. These and other incidents eventually led to a clash between the members of the CWC and the Sinhala group.

He told the President that stern action should be taken against the police for what he saw as their inaction or irresponsibility. He said if that was not done, the CWC would reconsider its position in provincial councils.

In the meantime, the UNP is continuing talks with CWC leaders though a PA administration has been sworn in for the Central Province.

The prime movers for the talks are the UNP's Sarath Kongahage and Keheliya Rambukwella who polled the highest number of preferences in Central Province at the recent election.

The UNP is reported to have offered the CWC the post of the chairman of the council if it co-operates in forming a UNP administration.

Sensing the danger, President Chandrika Kumaratunga acted fast in response to Mr. Thondaman's letter. She said an inquiry would be held and appropriate action taken, but also appealed to the CWC not to take important political decisions on the basis of an administrative failure. Mr. Thondaman replied this letter, giving further details and asking for immediate action against the officers concerned. He said he was pleased by the response and the CWC would support the PA in Uva and Sabaragamuwa but he significantly avoided the issue in the Central Province.

President Kumaratunga aware of the backroom manoeuvres of the UNP and the CWC to form the central provincial administration promptly responded to Mr. Thondaman's second letter and said that an investigation had already been started. She also sent an emissary, Minister S.B. Dissanayake for talks with the CWC. At a meeting with CWC general secretary Arumugam Thondaman, Mr. Dissanayake had expressed regret over the Nuwara Eliya incident. But the CWC wanted a public statement.

On another front Arumugam Thondaman also met Keheliya Rambukwella at the Orient Club, and reports said the CWC had sought the important education portfolio in return for its support. But Mr. Rambukwella said that he was not in a position to promise anything. He met party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, before the UNP working committee meeting last Monday and was told not to make any promises to the CWC without consulting the party leadership. In a letter to the CWC, Mr. Rambukwella pointed out that in 1993 when it contested with the UNP it won 12 seats in the CP but its support base declined after going into alliance with the PA.

On Thursday, when the central provincial council met to elect a chairman, the CWC abstained from voting and reportedly turned down a portfolio offered by the PA. Thus the newly elected chairman Mahinda Abeykoon got only 28 votes in the 58 member council. The question now is whether the CWC would support the PA administration in approving the policy statement. If the CWC votes against, the PA administration in the CP will fall, putting President Kumaratunga in an embarrassing position.

Beside the Thondaman drama, the other significant political event of the week was the restoration of Wijeyapala Mendis's membership in the UNP and his hard hitting speech in Parliament where he said the motion which sought to expel him must now be expelled.

Just before the working committee meeting on Monday, Mr. Wickremesinghe had a 45-minute discussion with constitutional expert K.N. Choksy who last year had played a key role in the Mendis issue and insisted that he should not be expelled from the party but only suspended till the Supreme Court made a decision.

Mr. Choksy reportedly advised Mr. Wickremesinghe to restore Mr. Mendis's membership without a discussion.

When the working committee met, Mr. Wickremesinghe announced that since the Supreme Court had cleared Mr. Mendis he was proposing that his membership be restored. It was agreed upon unanimously. On Tuesday, Mr. Mendis had a brief chat with Mr. Wickremesinghe in Parliament. Mr. Mendis reportedly thanked Mr. Wickremesinghe for restoring his membership, but also asked what was happening to his posts, positions in the working committee and as chief opposition Whip. Mr. Wickremesinghe said appointments to the working committee were made annually and the cadre was now full. But Mr. Mendis referred to four recent appointments to the working committee. But Mr. Wickremesinghe said he needed time to think over the matter. It now appears Mr. Mendis would not get back the posts and the new chief opposition Whip W.J.M. Lokubandara is likely to continue.

In Parliament, Mr. Mendis replied claims that he had been cleared on a technical point. He said the Supreme Court had comprehensively exonerated him on both the facts and law. He urged the members to read the entire judgment in their own interest. "The steps taken to remove me from Parliament constitute a tragic event which can befall any member in this House, as long as commissions of inquiry, do not adhere to the standards required by justice", he said describing the SPC report as one which was not worth the paper it was written on.

Besides the Mendis muddle, the UNP working committee also discussed matters relating to the Nalanda Ellawala murder case where UNP MP Susantha Punchinilame has been charged. The working committee appointed a committee comprising Daya Pelpola and K.N. Choksy to determine whether Mr. Punchinilame's suspension should continue. It was also decided that Keheliya Rambukwella, Upali Samaraweera, Omar Kamil and T. Ekanayake be appointed to the working committee.

Chief opposition Whip W.J.M. Lokubandara referred to a Sunday newspaper report which alleged that the old guard of the UNP was trying to oust Mr. Wickremesinghe. The report said Susil Moonesinghe had talked to Mr. Lokubandara about the matter.

Mr. Lokubandara flatly denied the report and so did Mr. Moonesinghe who pledged he would never do such things.

Mr. Wickremesinghe in response said whatever the reports, the party could continue its mission. Some insiders believe that the newspaper story was a pre-emptive plant by an interested party to stem any action by the old guard if they are planning anything.

Meanwhile rumour abounded in UNP circles that information allegedly embarrassing to Mr. Moonesinghe was available with the UNP hierarchy, to pre-empt any possible revolt from that quarter.

On Wednesday, the Western Province's new opposition leader Karu Jayasuriya together with Mr. Wickremesinghe had a breakfast meeting with newly-elected UNP members of the council. General Secretary Gamini Atukorale who arrived late had to go away since he found that the gates of the Mayor's house had been closed. He tooted the horn of his vehicle for a few minutes and he left. But Mr. Jayasuriya later expressed regret over the lapse on the part of employees there to let him in.

Meanwhile the UNP is reported to be in deep trouble in the South with the defection of two former MPs - Ranjan Wijewardena and Tissa Kuttiarachchi - along with the withdrawal of former Minister M.S. Amarasiri from the UNP list. The PA is reported to be gaining strength and the divisions in the UNP may boost it further.

The Information Department telephoned the newspapers requesting them to interview Mr. Wijewardena and Mr. Kuttiarachchi. Mr. Amarasiri's defection came later and he met the President at Temple Trees on Thursday evening.

While the main parties were battling it out in the South, some sensitive matters were taken up by Parliament at a media consultative committee when it met recently.

Deputy Minister Reggie Ranatunga said his son Prasanna Ranatunga had suffered due to a telecast by Rupavahini on the day President Kumaratunga visited the Minuwangoda electorate. He said the Rupavahini had portrayed Prasanna Ranatunga in a close-up shot when the President remarked that the people should not vote for candidates who had intimidated people and used thuggery.

He said this had done much damage to Prasanna Ranatunga and demanded a probe by the Media Minister. Minister Mangala Samaraweera said there would be an immediate probe and assured that if anyone had committed mischief, suitable action would be taken. In another development, Science and Technology Minister Batty Weerakoon has raised a question regarding the construction of a sea port in Hambantota.

By his Cabinet paper, he has sought clarification on why Hambantota has been identified only as a port only for handling oil and dry cargo and not for transhipment traffic. He wanted to know whether this was linked to the agreement between the government and the P&O on the modernisation of the Queen Elizabeth Quay at the Colombo Port.

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