Midweek Politics:A Rally To Divide

By Dharisha Bastians -October 18, 2012

Dharisha Bastians

Somewhere in Temple Trees, President Mahinda Rajapaksa is probably jubilant after an alliance that was to rally the collective opposition to agitate against the absolute power of the executive presidency, descended into chaos late last week.

The UNP Working Committee, the party’s apex body decided last Friday (12) to ban its membership from attending the inaugural rally organised by the alliance, placing several of its members in a precarious position, many of them having already pledged their support for the cause. A key figure of the opposition alliance, the National Movement for Social Justice (NMSJ) set up by the United Bhikku Front to abolish the presidency is the President’s archrival and former presidential contender Sarath Fonseka.

The ex-Army Chief, credited with having defeated the Tamil Tigers in 2009 was fielded as the common opposition candidate at the 2010 presidential election. With the poll called less than a year after the victory over the LTTE, it was widely believed that the only candidate capable of tapping into the national euphoria and spirit of triumphalism as well as the incumbent President himself was the Army Commander that led the troops to that much touted victory. At the time, the combined opposition fielding Fonseka which included the UNP and the JVP claimed that the main thrust of the common candidature was the abolishing of the executive presidency.

With the introduction of the 18th Amendment to the constitution that removed presidential term limits and vested final authority over key public service and law enforcement appointments with the executive president, the presidency has assumed a far more authoritarian role and the movement to abolish the system should have garnered greater support.

Abandoning the General Read More