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Opposition forming camp against NPP government to protect their past corruption, fraud, crimes: President
Colombo, June 14 (Daily Mirror)- The Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), the United National Party (UNP), Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) and various independent groups are forming a camp against the National People's Power (NPP) government to protect their past corruption, fraud and crimes, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said.
The President made these remarks yesterday afternoon during a meeting with the Sri Lankan community residing in Germany.
He said the NPP government will not allow any investigations against corrupt individuals or criminals to be undermined, no matter what they do.
"Although we were elected to 115 institutions, we don’t hold the majority in all of them. Take the Kuliyapitiya local council, for example we had around 21 members and the SLPP (Pohottuwa) had just six. But who is the current chairman? Someone from the SLPP. Who helped them gain that position? The Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), the United National Party (UNP) and various independents all joined forces to support them. What are they doing with all this support? They are forming a camp against us," he said.
"I believe that for the first time in Sri Lanka, this intense political division is developing for the first time in Sri Lanka today. Many governments in history have faced such challenges. When progressive and good political work move forward, the opposing hostile groups set aside their differences to unite. You may have seen a media discussion where Tissa Attanayake from the SJB, the secretary
from the SLPP and Thalatha from the UNP gathered in one camp. But what have they shown us so far? They are two camps. But why have they gathered now? Not for anything else, but to protect their past corruption, fraud and crimes.
Whether they are in the SLPP or SJB, it does not matter to us. If they have committed crimes or fraud, investigations have already been initiated. They know this. So, what should be done? We must set aside our rivalries and unite to counter this emerging trend. Otherwise, politically speaking, an alliance between Sajith Premadasa and Namal Rajapaksa will be damaging to Namal, to Sajith, and to both of them. But they believe that remaining divided will be disadvantageous either way. So what do they do? They choose to unite against us. They disregard the long-term political harm this alliance may cause them. In the upcoming election, how can there be two Presidential candidates? Because now, they have essentially formed a single political camp. They are well aware of this. Yet, in the short term — at this particular moment, they believe uniting against the National People's Power is necessary for their own political survival. This is a move driven purely by their personal need to remain politically relevant," the President said.
"But remember this, no matter what they do, we will not allow any investigation against corrupt individuals or criminals to be undermined, as mandated by the people’s mandate given to the National People’s Power. Likewise, just as the people placed their trust in us and gave us their mandate, we are fully committed to fulfilling the expectations they have placed in us.
"Therefore, for the first time in Sri Lanka, a new politics has emerged. Those present here have hopes for our country. What kind of country do we want? In the past, there was a difference between the expectations of the people and those of the rulers. The people had one set of aspirations, while the rulers had another. But I assure you, for the first time, a government has been formed where your aspirations and ours have become one and the same.
"You want corruption to end. We want the same. You want criminals to be punished. We want the same. You want the supremacy of the rule of law. We want the same. You want a better economy for our country. We want the same. What does this mean? The people and the government are not separate, they are united in governance that is being established in Sri Lanka," he added.
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