Saturday, November 3, 2018

UN takes up political crisis with Prez, TNA

AG responds to Speaker’s query


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By Shamindra Ferdinando- 


The UN yesterday raised current political crisis with President Maithripala Sirisena as the UNP vowed to continue with its struggle against what former Deputy Minister of National Policies and Economic Affairs Dr. Harsha de Silva called a blatant violation of the Constitution by the President.


Colombo-based UN Resident Coordinator Hanaa Singer yesterday discussed the political developments with President Sirisena at the Presidential Secretariat.


A spokesperson for the Presidential Secretariat told The Island that President Sirisena assured Singer that nothing had been done contrary to the Constitution.


The UN sought a special meeting with President Sirisena in the wake of the latter briefing the Colombo-based diplomatic community of developments following last Friday’s swearing in of Mahinda Rajapaksa as the Prime Minister.


Subsequently, Singer met Tamil National Alliance (TNA) leader R. Sampanthan and party spokesman and Jaffna District MP M.A. Sumanthiran to examine the situation. The TNA parliamentary group comprises 16 lawmakers.


Addressing the media at the Government Information department (GID), Government spokesman Ports and Shipping Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe quoted President Sirisena as having told the diplomatic community that post-war national reconciliation process would be further strengthened. President Sirisena has also promised to protect and develop human rights.


Dr. de Silva of the UNP, too, briefed the international community as regards the alleged unconstitutionality of President Sirisena’s action. Referring to the circumstances leading to the enactment of the 19thAmendment to the Constitution meant to weaken the executive presidency, Dr. Silva explained that the Prime Minister could have been removed only through a vote in parliament. Responding to a query, the UNPer said that a simple majority vote would suffice to remove the PM.


The UNPer insisted Wickremesinghe remained the Prime Minister.


By Tuesday night, the UNP lost five of its members who had contested on the party ticket at the last parliamentary polls in August  2015.


Responding to another query, De Silva insisted that President Sirisena had violated the very basis of the 19th Amendment. The UNPer recalled how President Sirisena repeatedly claimed credit both here and abroad for giving up executive powers on his own.


UNP Chairman Kabir Hashim and General Secretary Akila Viraj Kariyawasam, in a joint letter dated Oct 27 addressed to Speaker Karu Jayasuriya sought an assurance as regards security and all other perks and privileges received by Ranil Wickremesinghe in his capacity as the Prime Minister.


Meanwhile, close on the heels of Speaker Karu Jayasuriya denying that he ever received a response from the Attorney General’s Department to his query as regards the current situation.


The Island learns that in addition to the Acting Attorney General Dappula de Livera, who responded to the Speaker, the Attorney General, too, subsequently answered.


Sources said that while Dappula de Livera had responded to Speaker Jayasuriya’s e-mail via e-mail, Attorney General Jayasuriya, in a letter dated Oct 30 pointed out that it was inappropriate for the AG to express an opinion on legal status of action taken by President Sirisena.


AG Jayantha Jayasuriya has received Speaker Jayasuriya’s letter dated Oct 28 on the following day and responded a day later.


Ministerial sources told The Island that  Karu  Jayasuriya had responded to the situation as a UNP MP elected from the Gampaha District instead of the Speaker of the parliament. Acknowledging that Speaker had been under pressure from the UNP to intervene on Wickremesinghe’s behalf, sources said that top government delegation on Tuesday told Speaker Jayasuriya that  the President had the power to prorogue parliament and it wasn’t subject to any other authority. The government delegation comprised Nimal Siripala de Silva, Dinesh Gunawardena, Wijeyadasa Rajapakse, Douglas Devananda, Dr. Sarath Amunugama and Mahinda Samarasinghe.



 Sources said that Speaker Jayasuriya acknowledged that Tuesday’s meeting had been called to discuss matters informally.