President strikes perfect balance

Saturday, October 20, 2018

Striking the headlines repeatedly this week, President Maithripala Sirisena brought new emphasis to his political message at home, raised concerns from India, and punctuated the growing differences between the UNP and SLFP in the governing coalition.

The big headline that bothered India on the involvement of RAW (Research and Analysis Wing) in an alleged assassination plot on him, saw a clarification from the President’s Media Office; but not before the Indian High Commissioner Taranjit Singh Sandhi having to call on him for direct clarification, and also move to a quick phone call with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to deny reports of his comments in the Cabinet, and ensure cordial relations.

The clarification said the President had not mentioned any involvement of an Indian intelligence service, in comments he made at Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting, on the alleged assassination plot under investigation.

The clarification apart, the story had very wide and prominent spread in the media, both in Sri Lanka and India. The absence of a direct and firm contradiction (possibly leading to apologies from the media), certainly led to the story having its own impact in the current context of anti-Indian thinking on investment and political strategies in the country. The heightened pro-nationalist trend of those opposed to the Indian LIOC and CPC agreement on the Trinco Oil Tank Farm, and opposition to Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s support for Indian participation in the East Container Terminal in the Port of Colombo (also stated at the same Cabinet meeting), did give content to political thinking critical of major international powers’ involvement in the emerging development trends in the country. Such nationalist thinking is in keeping with the political trends of the President, the theme of his recent statement at the UN General Assembly.

While the immediate possibilities of wrong understandings with India have been prevented, this certainly gives some room to the revival of political trends where former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, and critics of the governing coalition, did name RAW having a role in the election of Common Candidate in the Presidential Poll in January 2015.

There is also the actuality that RAW, being an intelligence service, its role and functioning is not necessarily part of official government announcements by India. The emerging political changes in Sri Lanka, with delayed and coming elections, will certainly lead to many foreign intelligence services having a sharper eye on trends over here.

Ranil in India

During his current visit to India, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe at a meeting with PM Narendra Modi, will further clarify and underscore rejection of the alleged RAW plot on assassination of President Sirisena.

Both leaders are expected to review the status of the India-assisted housing projects in Jaffna. Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will also meet with PM Wickremesinghe.

The Sri Lankan PM will seek to strengthen close contacts with India, which is among the top four investors here, with cumulative investments of over one billion dollars since 2003, and continuing to rise, in diverse areas from petroleum services, IT, financial services, and Sri Lanka being India’s largest trading partner in the SAARC region.

Headline scores

Another headline was the decision of President Sirisena this week was the dissolving of the Boards of Directors of three key State financial institutions – the Bank of Ceylon, People’s Bank and the Board of Investment. This followed continued reports and allegations of corruption and misappropriation of funds in these key institutions, with the call for thorough investigations into the related affairs.
The President acted with his role in economic affairs, while the two major banks function under the Ministry of Finance, and the Board of Investment serves under the Ministry of Development Strategies and International Trade, which are ministries under the UNP. There have been recent reports in the media about a UNP politician being allegedly involved in seeking a huge sum of illegal funding from an investor in an infrastructure facility. The Bank of Ceylon and People’s Bank were given instructions by the former Finance Minister on bidding at the now exposed Treasury bond auctions.

The emerging political trends that seek to drive further divisions between the majority UNP and minority SLFP in the ruling coalition, would have impelled the move to remove these Boards of Directors, and bring about new appointments that would move away from UNP influence and dominance in economic and financial affairs.

Thebuvana

Another headline of the President was the donation of Rs. 1 million by President Sirisena to the family members of Police Sergeant Gunawardena, who carried out an armed public protest against the decision of the OIC of the Thebuvana Police to release a lorry load of illegally transported sand, which the Sergeant had seized for legal action.

The Sergeant has also been reinstated, after action initiated against him for the public protest carrying a police T-56 weapon, after the release of the lorry.

The President has certainly recognized the anger of the sergeant at what seems the corrupt action of the OIC in charge of this matter. This could be a message to senior police personnel to be more concerned about the need for honesty in police activities. It is also of interest in the context of the President’s own description of the IGP Pujith Jayasundara as a joker, and the joke that police functioning has become. It does raise questions about the unauthorized carrying of weapons.
The Johnston release

The headline certainly went in a different direction with the acquittal of former Minister Johnston Fernando, and Kurunegala SLFP MP, and two others, over the alleged misappropriation of Rs. 5.2 million from SATHOSA in the run up to the North-Western Provincial election in 2013. Mr. Fernando and others held in remand custody since the case began in September this year, were released by the Kurunegala High Court following contradiction in evidence led by the FCID, and allegations of a witness being forced to write suspect vouchers.

This is the first major case that has been thus concluded, relating to the alleged corruption of those involved with the former Rajapaksa regime. It is certainly a major media hit for the Rajapaksa team, now mainly SLPP, and with more public interest due to the new indictments in the corruption and fraud cases before, and to be filed, at the special Trials at Bar.

Mahinda Rajapaksa has said action would be filed against the FCID for presenting false evidence in this case. It is a major scoring point for the Rajapaksa regime and its team who claim that corruption charges against those of the Rajapaksa family are politically motivated. The Johnston release will certainly be part of the mounting propaganda against the much delayed anti-corruption moves of the government.

The important aspect of this acquittal that is ignored by the Rajapaksas, and not highlighted by the government, is that it is proof of the much wider independence of the judiciary that prevails today. While corrupt persons would never have been brought before the courts under the Rajapaksa regime, there was hardly a chance for anyone charged by the then government to be discharged or acquitted by a court.

Police puzzle

The CID has recorded a statement from DIG Nalaka de Silva, for nearly nine hours on Thursday when he arrived there one day late, and will be further questioned, in the investigation into the alleged plot to assassinate President Sirisena and former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa. It is interesting to note that Nalaka de Silva has now been interdicted, following recommendations on this to the National Police Commission by Law and Order Minister Ranjith Madduma Bandara.
It is certainly baffling why the Police Commission is needed to interdict a senior police officer, involving an alleged plot to assassinate the Head of State and the former Secretary, Defence. This certainly relates to the puzzling actions of the IGP on this matter. The DIG of the Terrorism Investigation Division, was first transferred to the Police IT Division, as the inquiries began. After this led to criticism, he was sent on Compulsory Leave. Now, it has required a recommendation from the Minister in charge to the NPC, and it is own recommendation to interdict the man. What is this befuddling performance of the IGP? Is it part of his specialty in dancing, involving the Rules and Regulations of the Police Department?

As this inquiry proceeds, it is best that proper action is taken on this probe, without it leading to anymore unwanted headlines, that can pose problems or both Law and Order here, and relations with our neighbouring countries.

The headline strikes could be good publicity in the short run, but as seen this week, could be dangerous packaging in the wider and longer run, even in the secrecy of the Cabinet.