UPFA ally questions new govt. decision

Go-ahead for Colombo Port City Project

The then president Rajapaksa at the launch of Colombo Port City Project last Sept.

By Shamindra Ferdinando-February 6, 2015, 9:13 pm 

The new government owed an explanation to the country as regards its decision to go ahead with the Chinese-funded Port City Project, the national Freedom Front (NFF), a constituent of the SLFP-led UPFA said yesterday. He said it had before the Jan. 08 presidential election vowed to scrap it.

NFF spokesperson Mohammed Muzammil was reacting to Cabinet spokesperson and Health Minister Dr. Rajitha Senar-atne’s declaration that the new government would go ahead with the Colombo Port City Project.

Muzammil urg-ed the government to reveal whether it had conducted fresh negotiations and signed a new agreement with the Chinese before deciding to go ahead with the project.

Responding to a query, Muzammil pointed out that the government had retracted its stand on the Colombo Port City Project on the eve of Special Chinese Envoy and Chinese Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs Liu Jianchao meeting President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe.

The visiting official met Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera on Thursday.

Muzammil said that the UNP-led coalition declared on Dec 16, 2014 that the Colombo Port City Project would be scrapped immediately after the defeat of then President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the Jan.8, 2015 presidential poll. Muzammil pointed out that the then Opposition coalition backing Maithripala Sirisena claimed that the Chinese project would destroy the coastal belt from Negombo to Beruwela.

The NFF spokesman alleged that a high profile media campaign directed against both Mahinda Rajapaksa as well as the Chinese in the run-up to the presidential poll had caused immense damage. Muzammil said that those who had been tasked with countering UNP propaganda had never made a genuine attempt to respond to those allegations. The media depicted the former President as a Chinese agent making profits at the expense of national economy, Muzammil said, adding that the Colombo Port City Project was one of those initiatives condemned by the then Opposition.

The social media, too, had played a significant role in the campaign against the former President with attacks on the former president’s relationship with the Chinese, Muzammil said. Asked whether there was no basis for allegations against the Rajapaksas, Muzammil emphasized that those responsible for waste, corruption and irregularities should be punished regardless of their former or present status.

Responding to a query, Muzammil said that Sri Lanka had had close ties with China for many decades.

If not for Indian intervention here in the 1980s, Sri Lanka wouldn’t have had to seek closer relationship with China, Muzammil said, regretting that today people had conveniently forgotten that China remained one of Sri Lanka’s major weapons suppliers until the very end of the conflict.

China supplied a range of arms, ammunition and equipment when Western governments halted military sales consequent to India’s requests.

Muzammil said that the country should be told of the contribution made by China over the years.

"We got a range of weapons, including widely used T-56 assault rifles, transport aircraft, jet fighters, fast gun boats as well as radar. China also backed Sri Lanka at various international fora. The Chinese support to successive Sri Lankan governments at the Geneva-based United Nations Human Rights Council is a case in point."

Commenting on allegations that the previous government had built its relationship with China at the expense of India, Muzammil insisted that Sri Lanka was a victim of wrong Indian foreign policy. The then JRJ government had been left with no option but to secure Chinese, Pakistani or Israeli military assistance to face unprecedented challenge posed by Indian-sponsored terrorist groups, Muzammil said. The bottom line was that the Sri Lankan army would have remained a ceremonial outfit if not for terrorism and the Chinese presence here wouldn’t have been an issue here, Muzammil said.