7th November 1999
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By Farah Mihlar
As ambulances wail across the city and news of the military debacle in the north trickles into Colombo the impact of it is likely to be felt on the ongoing election campaign and the outcome at the election.
"Certainly the debacle has come at a most inopportune time. It is not only a military setback but a political setback too," says political analyst Ketheshwaran Loganathan. "I am not sure of the election outcome, but if the margin is close then it could have a decisive impact," he says.
The opposition UNP may use the setback to hit hard at President Chandrika Kumaratunga's military strategy and is likely to hamper her re-election bid, political analysts say. They say the effect of the entire debacle will largely depend on how the opposition decides to use it against Ms. Kumaratunga.
"It depends on the extent to which the opposition is able to highlight this in the rural areas, which form the president's constituency," says Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu, Executive Director of the Centre for Policy Alternatives.
Dr. Saravanamuttu says public reaction to the incident cannot solely affect the campaign. "The emotions they have are internal, it has to be translated as a critique of the prevailing situation. Responsibility has to be pinned on someone," he says.
Jayadeva Uyangoda, senior lecturer in political science at the University of Colombo, however believes that in the absence of a proper peace candidate the impact of the military setback on President Kumaratunga's election campaign will be marginal.
"The opposition can raise the issue but it can't provide an alternative. We don't have a candidate who can strongly campaign for a negotiated peaceful settlement," he says.
According to Dr. Uyangoda, with or without elections, this kind of disaster does not change the political equation in Sri Lanka. UNP spokesman Karunasena Kodituwakku told The Sunday Times that the military loss proved President Kumaratunga had failed in her capacity as defence minister. "It proves that the President as defence minister is incapable. In this war she has sacrificed not only national wealth but the greatest wealth which is human resources," he says.
Dr. Kodituwakku says the UNP will create voter awareness on the issue but will not "make political gain on a national disaster."
He says the people will use their vote to pass their verdict on Ms. Kumaratunga's capability as defence minister. "Fortunately the people of this country have common sense, they don't come to the streets or may not be emotional in expressing their views but they are mature enough to use their vote," he says. Analysts say, the latest loss poses a major blow to the PA governments 'war for peace' strategy. Mr. Loganathan says this strategy was hardly welcomed by the country's Tamil constituency and the governments failure to weaken the LTTE militarily and to force it into negotiations will hurt Ms. Kumaratunga's vote base in the south.
According to some analysts, Ms. Kumaratunga might use the military defeat to argue her case for a peaceful settlement and accuse the opposition of not supporting such moves. To attract voter confidence, she may also use the weeks ahead to score some military gain and portray it as a major victory.
Mr. Loganathan, however says such a move might be difficult due to the massive loss of manpower and hardware in this week's fighting.
"It will be foolhardy to take such a gamble," he says.
Elections chief not back yet
Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake's return to office has been delayed indefinitely as his health condition is yet to improve, family sources said.
They said that Mr. Dissanayake had moved to a location in the outstations as he has been disturbed by telephone calls from officials and the media over the past few days and needs more rest.
Mr. Dissanayake had suffered a relapse of a heart attack and was admitted to the cardiology unit of the Colombo National Hospital and was discharged only last Wednesday. After he returned home from hospital on the earlier occasion he had been requested to co-ordinate with the Acting Elections Commissioner, M.C. Arunthavachelvam.
UNP assures action against racist elements
By Dilrukshi Handunnetti
Despite the setback arising from the revolt of senior members, the UNP is going ahead with business as usual.
Party leader and presidential candidate Ranil Wickremesinghe having paid a courtesy call on former President D. B. Wijetunga held meetings with moulavis, artistes and the business community over the past few days.
More than 250 artistes met the UNP leader on Wednesday to discuss the UNP policy on matters concerning fine arts. The well attended meeting brought in many popular figures to Sirikotha.
A special artistes' committee comprising Ravindra Randeniya, Joe Abeywickreme, Anoja Weerasinghe, Sanath Nandasiri, Saman de Silva, Thilak Kumara Ratnayake, Jayantha Ketagoda, Kalani Perera and others have put forward several proposals to improve and enhance the quality of life of artistes and to nurture the arts.
The Jathika Kala Sandhanaya, an artistes' guild affiliated to the UNP has sought a commitment from the UNP to upgrade arts to professional levels and to launch a national programme of action to attain this goal under a future UNP government. UNP sources said several committees would be set up to look into various issues affecting artistes and to draft a national policy.
More than 350 Moulavis representing all areas including uncleared areas met the UNP leader to exchange views.
They complained about what they saw as an onslaught on the Muslim community through the electronic media and called upon the UNP chief to take action against those who had a racist approach to Muslim grievances. The moulavis were mainly critical of some programmes on TNL which allegedly had a racial tinge. The TNL is owned by the UNP leader's brother, Shan Wickremesinghe.
The UNP leader told the moulavis that while he had no control over his brother's business concern TNL Group, he would inquire and take action against any party member who took a racial line.
The UNP leader is also scheduled to meet leaders of other religious groups soon.
CBK's coverage over TV to be chopped down
By Shelani de Silva
Coverage on President Chandrika Kumaratunga on State run TV is to be controlled and limited after the nominations are handed over, SLRC Chief D. E. W. Gunasekera told The Sunday Times.
Contesting parties have voiced their opinion on the wide coverage given to President Chandrika Kumaratunga since she is also a Presidential candidate.
However Rupavahini Chief D. E. W. Gunasekera said that until the date of nominations there is no restriction.
'The parties complain of Rupavahini giving coverage to the government but look at the private channels. They too favour certain parties,' he said.
"However until the nominations are handed there is no restriction. The Commissioner will write to me and we will allocate the specific time for each candidate" he said.
This to-ing and fro-ing a disgrace says Vasudeva
Radical socialist parliamentarian Vasudeva Nanayakkara yesterday heaped scorn on the defection drama saying the "'to-ing' and 'fro-ing" on Friday had finally exposed the hand of big business in the manoeurres of national politics. "It is well and good at the level of leadership to do any horse deal and indulge in any opportunism for narrow political gains. But it is entirely another matter for the tens of thousands of supporters and activists who are bound to feel outraged and driven to shame having to share the disrepute and the terrible record of crimes associated with the UNP," he thundered in a statement on the move by 35 UNP rebels.
Mr. Nanayakkara said it would not be possible to fool the masses with anti-UNP publicity since "these UNPers unlike those of the past are coming in with their green shirts, green banners and the UNP clearly branded on them."
Mr. Nanayakkara also said the SLFPers would have no alternative but to form a new SLFP, if they want to save the party's history.
Alleged politics in police transfers
By Leon Berenger
More than 50 senior and middle level police officers are targeted for transfer ahead of the Presidential elections amidst allegations by the UNP that most of the transfers were 'politically motivated'.
The Sunday Times learns that the list has been sent to Police Chief Lucky Kodithuwakku.
A similar transfer before the controversial Wayamba provincial council elections in January provoked an opposition outcry. In that transfer, Senior Superintendent Camillus Abeygoonawardene was moved from Kurunegala to Colombo, following which there were allegations of rigging and polls violations in the Kurunegala district.
The UNP sources charged that several senior police officers were likely to be shifted around before nominations day. They said the transferred officers would be replaced by those known to be loyal to the PA. Defending the transfers a senior officer at the Police Headquarters said these were routine or normal transfers but they were being given a political colouring because they coincided with the election campaign.
Restore morale of the troops - Ranil
Opposition UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe has appealed to the government to immediately send supplies to the security personnel who are fleeing in hundreds unable to face continuous LTTE attacks and suffering from acute food shortages.
Mr. Wickremesinghe launching the second phase of his presidential campaign in Kurunegala in the backdrop of intra party bickering and a group of rebels publicly pledging support to the ruling PA, noted with concern that the shortage of supplies has caused personnel to go berserk and break into shops and loot and extort to find food.
" With the LTTE advancing towards Vavuniya after overrunning Mankulam, and the continuous fall of strategically significant army camps in Nedunkerni and Odusuddan and other places troops are fleeing leaving behind their weapons fearing for their lives. They are losing control over these areas and their problems have doubled with scarcity of food. The government instead of scoring petty points should feed the army and keep it fortified in every sense specially when there is a series of debacles," he said.
Appealing to troops not to bring shame upon themselves after making immense sacrifices for the nation by resorting to law breaking, the opposition leader urged them to be guided by their apolitical and intelligent senior officers to avert further crises.
He said the President had shown her disregard for the people by sharing milk rice with a few rebel UNP politicians to prove that she is a winner in a bloody backdrop where the nation bled with the security personnel death toll on the increase.
She felt elated by trying to destroy the UNP but this country is being destroyed and the troops are shattered, their morale low after a politicized war replaced the actual offensive, he charged.
"The President has made a habit of shedding tears in public and making passionate speeches about the tragedy of losing her illustrious father and her popular husband. They were both victims of violence and she should be more receptive to others' pleas and sensitive to their suffering," he said.
In this scenario, he urged the President not to decline accepting the bodies of hundreds of security personnel in a bid to subvert truth but to send the bodies to their respective homes for at least decent burials by their loved ones.
UNP manifesto on Nov. 16
The main opposition UNP will release its manifesto on November 16 soon after the closure of nominations.
The UNPs manifesto prepared by a special committee comprising party seniors and professionals will be released after UNP and Opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe hands over his nomination papers. The focus on the manifesto falls on a better equipped, prosperous society and strengthening the freedom of the individual.
Police unit to brief rank and file on election laws
By Leon Berenger
The police, mainly the lower rankers, are to be educated on the election and voting laws ahead of the forthcoming Presidential poll on December 21 in a bid to arrest allegations of 'police inaction' over complaints and other issues, a senior policeman said last night.
IGP Lucky Kodituwakku has assigned a Senior Superintendent in charge of a unit that will tour the 33 police divisions throughout the country and brief the lower ranks on the election and voting related laws and other regulations, SSP M.B. Raban who heads the Police Election Secretariat told The Sunday Times.
It has been found through experience at past elections that most of the allegations made against the police were a result of 'election ignorance' by a large section of the rank and file.
"These officers did not act through malicious intentions or any political motives, but purely through ignorance. Therefore in a bid to avoid such happenings in the upcoming elections and others to follow, the IGP decided on this unit in a bid to help the police officer concerned and the general public in particular," SSP Raban said.
He added that divisional election units will also be set up in all the police divisions with the central unit based in Colombo. These DEU's will monitor and investigate election-related irregularities and later file the complaint with the central unit in Colombo.
"Trouble during any election is always expected, and we are ready to face such a situation. Culprits, irrespective of their party colours or affiliations will be severely dealt with according to the laws of the land. There will be no favouritism whatsoever, I can assure you," he said.
The DEU's will also be tied up with election officers to identify booths and polling areas among other issues in a bid to create a climate for a peaceful poll, he said.
DIG A.S. Samarasinghe has been appointed the chief of the unit, while SSP Raban will serve as its director. Other officers drawn into the unit are SSP Upali Hewage, ASP Ananda Wijesinghe, Chief Inspector N.D. Kumaratunga and Inspector Mahinda Hettiararachi.
Decision on polls monitors after nomination day
By Shelani de Silva
Political parties contesting the Presidential elections are likely to invite international monitors through the individual parties.
The Commissioner of Elections is yet to decide on inviting foreign monitors. Officials told TheSunday Times that a decision will be taken only after nomination day-Nov. 16.
'We will discuss with the other parties and come to a common agreement. This is what we did during the 1994 elections. If the parties agree we have only to invite them' an official said.
UNP General Secretary Gamini Atukorale said the UNP is also looking at getting monitors.
JVP presidential candidate Nandana Gunethilake told The Sunday Times that the party has already informed several monitors because it feels that the elections will be a violent one.
UNP to fill vacancy
In a strange twist of political affiliation, V. Putrasigamony or K. Velayudan of the UNP is likely to fill the parliamentary vacancy created by the death of CWC leader and Minister S. Thondaman.
UNP General Secretary Gamini Atukorale pointed out that Mr. Thondaman had won a parliamentary seat on the UNP National List, though in a strange or bizarre political equation he served as a cabinet minsiter in the PA government.
Thus under the constitution, it was the UNP which had the right to appoint someone to succeed him in parliament though President Kumaratunga is to appoint the new CWC leader Arumugam Thondaman to succeed his grandfather in the cabinet. Mr. Putrasigamony and Mr. Velayudan are former CWC members who later joined the UNP. Former CWC general secretary M. S. Sellasamy's name is also being mentioned for nomination.
Flights to NE for all candidates
The Elections Department has requested the Air Force to make arrangements for presidential candidates to be flown to the North and East for campaigns.
Campaigning in the North has become a top priority among the contesting parties since the last elections in 1994.
Political parties claim that the ruling People's Alliance will use state facilities to tour the North and East .
However an Elections Department Official told The Sunday Times that there would not be any preferential treatment and all candidates would be able to go to Jaffna.
Meanwhile Air Force Chief Jayalath Weerakody said the Commissioner of Elections had informed him officially to make arrangements.
"I requested that applications be made to the Ministry of Defence for clearance. There will be no problem in getting clearance as they are candidates, but we are yet to work out the procedure. The administration work and the okay has to come from the MOD. If we are requested to provide a charter flight we will do it," he said.
The Air Force chief added that the MOD would take a decision on whether a fee would be charged from the candidates for the flight or whether it would be free.
"It will not only be the flight but also security which will have to be arranged.
The MOD will look into all aspects. We will work out how we will be able to take them. Most probably it will be on one day. We wont be able to give unlimited service," he said.
Meanwhile, the candidates too have agreed that the Commissioner of Elections should make arrangements for them to visit the North, because they fear that a free and fair election will not be held.
However all contesting parties have agreed that they will make representations to the Commissioner of Elections to get access.
Storm brewing over rainbow coalition
By Roshan Peiris and Dilrukshi Handunnetti
In the backdrop of mass defection by senior members,
creating a crisis similar to the impeachment of 1993, the UNP parliamentary
group is likely to urge the party leadership to immediately expel those
who have violated the party constitution, UNP sources said.
More than 25 UNP MPs are to urge that the normal procedure of holding disciplinary inquiries is not necessary as the defectors have already met President Chandrika Kumaratunga and expressed support for her. Posters reportedly put out by the UNP defectors have also come up in the city in support of the President.
"We have one candidate but they want to support someone else. To moot a national government one need not join forces with the other camp," a UNP MP said, expressing the hope that the defectors would be dealt with within the next few days. UNP and Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremasinghe reacting to 37 UNPers decamping and joining forces with the PA told our sister paper Lankadeepa the PA had done what he could not do for several years. "It is a service to the UNP which is intent on cleansing the party" he said. UNP General Secretary Gamini Atukorale said they had called for an explanation from the rebel group leader, Sarath Amunugama, over remarks he reportedly made in a BBC interview.
"The UNP is a disciplined party and before jumping the gun like many other political forces here, we have to adhere to procedural requirements and hold a disciplinary inquiry and allow our legal team to advise us. We are not guided by emotions," Mr. Atukorale said. He said the PA had become a UNP waste dump and a few crossovers would not destabilise a party. The defectors convened a special meeting on Friday afternoon at the Sama Vihara where an appeal was made to rally round them and form a national government.
"After months of discussion and debate, we believe presidential polls provide the best backdrop for the formation of a national government. It's wrong to say we are quitting the UNP or joining the PA. It's only a gigantic effort to create a common platform and a new political culture. We have put the country before party and urge all parties to end the sadistic and perverse politics in favour of the beautiful but attainable dream of consensus politics," Dr. Amunugama said.The defectors have presented proposals to President Kumaratunga, mooting the formation of a national government. Dr. Amunugama told The Sunday Times that those who valued territorial integrity and wanted a prosperous future for the people could rally round them. "We need a qualitative change where traditional rivalries and vote banks do not matter. Many people have mooted this but it takes more courage to actually implement it," he said, adding that the defectors were willing to take on all challenges and realize this one dream. "The political rainbow has many colours. We will dab green on it," he said.
Ven. Elle Gunawansa Thera, one of the key figures in the UNP's Alternative Movement, officiating at the special meeting said that in this national endeavour, two other main political parties had pledged support. "This would be only the beginning of a long journey, and the struggle would gather momentum in the months to come," he said.
The defectors believe that the urgent need of the country is to establish a caring government which is accountable to the people, and for this the best of both parties and other groups should be included in one strong government.
UNP top rankers and parliamentarians Wijeyapala Mendis, Nanda Mathew, Susil Moonesinghe and Chula Bandara, former MP H.R. Piyasiri, Prof. Stanley Kalpage, Asoka Somaratne, Almon Peiris, Raja Senanayake, Devinda Senanayaka and Rohan Senanayake, Sunil Abeygoonewardene and Bandula Gunawardena of the MEP were also associated with the public meeting.
Meanwhile Dr. Amunugama told The Sunday Times the alternative UNP group consisted of well over a hundred members, including ex-ministers, Parliamentarians and many others who are disenchanted with the present UNP leadership. "At present the UNP is dominated by a small group of junior executive level people. That is how I will describe those who have formed what our group sees as a political mafia of the UNP. "So naturally a vast number of us in the group and outside feel that the present leadership does not recognise talent and expertise. So disillusion has set in. It is a wide spectrum of people in what I, as a media expert, would term a Rainbow Coalition consisting as I said of a wide range of people to form what this country needs urgently to solve its problems -a national government.
"You ask whether I will carry the Kandy district for my group. Of course I will carry not only Kandy but our alternative UNP group will carry the whole country with us. We feel quite confident about it.
"As I said I am a media expert and so we will use all our abilities to thrust forward the concept of a national government, cold shouldering the present UNP political mafia which is ineffectual," he said.
Dr. Amunugama said, "we will give the alternative UNP voice of the late Dudley Senanayake, the late President Ranasinghe Premadasa and former President D.B. Wijetunga. Their voices will dominate and come out loud and clear to meet the feeble efforts of the present UNP political mafia which lacks knowledge, political expertise and political organisation.
"Remember we seek to win since we are all disenchanted with the present political set up. In December at the Presidential elections we will demonstrate how well we will succeed in our ideal of forming a national government with what I term a Rainbow coalition."
Meanwhile, government sources claimed there was nothing to prevent Dr. Amunugama from accepting a Cabinet portfolio created for him. They said there was an understanding between the UNP defectors and the PA which included the assigning of specific duties to them. It is expected that not only Dr. Amunugama but former minister Nanda Mathew would also be offered a portfolio.
However, UNP sources claimed there was no way for any UNP member to remain in the UNP and accept portfolios in the government. But government sources cite maverick member Vasudeva Nanayakkara who despite party suspension still continues to occupy a seat in parliament and the late S. Thondaman who entered parliament on the UNP National List but held portfolio in the PA administration. Meanwhile defection laws are likely to be amended in January to enable MPs to crossover without losing their seats.
Mini-budget on Tuesday
Instead of the budget, the government will present a Vote on Account for the year 2000 when Parliament meets on Tuesday.
As ususal, the government has presented the Appropriation Bill in Sept., giving estimates of expenditure but the proclamation for presidential elections led to the postponement of the Nov.2 budget.
Instead, the government is now seeking, about 97.2 billion rupees for expenditure upto about March next year.
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