West’s covert push for a 'spring': SLFP

The ruling SLFP yesterday charged that the Western powers were in a covert move to create unrest in Sri Lanka similar to that of Arab Spring they staged in the Middle East in 2015 and the current political and Constitutional Impasse was their agenda.

General Secretary of the SLFP Prof. Rohana Lakshman Piyadasa told the media last afternoon at the party office that it was surprising and unacceptable on the part of Colombo-based diplomats to applaud and to be joyful from Speaker's Chambers, when Speaker Karu Jayasuriya announced that the No Faith Motion was carried in Parliament against the Government of Mahinda Rajapaksa on October 26.

Prof. Rohana Piyadasa told the media last afternoon at the party office that the agenda of the Sudda (Whites) was to incite a civilian unrest similar to that of Arab Spring they incited in the Middle East that brought a chain of regime changes in that region.

Though these countries were ruled by royal families or one party regime, almost all of them were peaceful, prosperous and people lived happily.

But today all these countries have been destroyed, millions have been killed and infrastructure, economy and their source of income have been totally destroyed thanks to Western powers.

“The so-called International Community is waiting for Sri Lanka to do a mistake and to exploit it for their agenda. But they have no concern on the will of the Sri Lankan masses.

“They should have realized the joy people expressed when Mahinda Rajapaksa was appointed as the Prime Minister by President Maithripala Sirisena on October 26. However, the Government has no intention to eject former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe from the Temple Trees forcibly because the Diplomatic Community in Colombo is watching to grab that opportunity,” Prof. Piyadasa stressed.

Prof. Piyadasa also blamed Speaker Karu Jayasuriya for the crisis and added if he acted on the advice of President Sirisena and performed parliamentary business without offending the purported government of Mahinda Rajapaksa no crisis would have arisen.

“The acceptance of the No Confidence Motion from the JVP against the purported Government and PM, calling a vote for it, meeting diplomats in Parliament, Challenging the Constitutionality of President’s action to dissolve Parliament, removing Prime Minister Wickremesinghe from his post and abrupt prorogation of Parliament were all unbecoming of a Speaker in a country where participatory democracy is upheld and decency, fair play and peaceful dialogue are honoured,” he said.

Responding to a question as to why President Siriena could not call a Presidential election as agreed for by the alliance led by UNP if a Parliamentary poll were not possible, Prof. Piyadasa said demand was for a General Election.

Replying to another journalist, he said hopes of the country was that Parliament proceedings would be peaceful and be without incidents because the UNF alliance had already shown its majority with the support of 122 members, while the purported Government had only the support of 102 members and therefore, the majority of members of the Parliamentary Select Committee must come from the UNF alliance in terms of the centuries-old Parliamentary tradition, democratic principles, Parliamentary procedure and rules, fair play and decency.

“Let’s see on Friday. We hope we would be in a position to show the majority. Vadivel Suresh and Vasantha Senanayaka participated in today’s Cabinet meeting and I hope they would rejoin us before long,” Prof. Piydasa predicted.

State Minister Weerakumara Dissanayaka said all talk to protect democracy of Ranil and the UNF but no one talks about the democracy of the people who were subjected to many a hardship under the previous regime.

“Why is the Sudda so concerned about Sri Lanka’s democracy? Did not they see how the previous Government put an exorbitant tax on the people, attempted to sell national assets and jacked up prices of all essential commodities?” he asked.

Mr Dissanayaka criticized the TNA leader R. Sampanthan for meeting Colombo-based diplomats to discuss the ongoing political and constitutional crisis in the country and added the Tamils must embrace the SLFP to win their demands.

President Sirisena had already taken steps to release lands in the North to their owners by December 31st. (Sandun A Jayasekera)

Video by Buddhi