News
GL flays govt. for bringing in laws to consolidate power, protect crooks
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Opposition spokesperson Prof. G. L. Peiris has alleged that two new laws that dealt with terrorism and corruption were meant to consolidate the Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa regime.
The former External Affairs Minister discussed the government’s agenda pertaining to the proposed Anti-Terrorism Bill and Anti-Corruption Bill. He said the Anti-Corruption Bill was actually meant to protect those who had robbed the country, and thereby create a safer environment for them. On the other hand, the new law discouraged whistle blowers by warning of punitive action in case information provided by them didn’t yield expected results, the National List MP said. Those who risked their lives to expose corruption faced a 10-year prison term or Rs 1 mn penalty, the ex-minister said. How that could be acceptable, the Prof. asked.
Referring to the recent heavy deployment of the military, targeting the University of Colombo, Prof. Peiris, a former Vice Chancellor of the same university, said the government’s response to unverified possible threats indicated the developing situation and what could happen in case the government succeeded in enacting a new anti-terrorism law.
Prof. Peiris declared that the government was compelled to put off the vote on the Anti-Terrorism Bill due to growing protests, both in and outside Parliament. “Having perused the so-called anti-corruption bill, I could say it was a farce,” Prof. Peiris said, alleging the government quite conveniently had forgotten to deal with stolen money.
A group of 13 MPs including Prof. Peiris broke ranks with the ruling party over its decision to vote for UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe at the vote to elect a President, from among the MPs, to complete the remainder of Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s five-year term.
Prof. Peiris dismissed as ridiculous the government’s much-touted slogan ‘developed country by 2048’. “We have to overcome the current political-economic-social crisis. It would be impractical to make plans for 2048 when we are not sure whether the country can surmount still developing country,” Prof. Peiris said.
Prof. Peiris said that the government agenda was clear. While promising a new anti-corruption law, the government, for all intents and purposes, had crippled the Committee on Public Finance (CoPF). Contrary to Standing Orders, the government continued to deprive the Opposition of the chairmanship of the watchdog committee, Prof. Peiris said, drawing the attention of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to what he called actions contrary to the assurances given to them.
He, however, expressed confidence that the IMF delegation currently here, would look into all aspects as it was their responsibility, too, to ensure Sri Lanka subject itself to course correction.
During the course of the briefing, Prof. Peiris also pointed out how irresponsible the government had been, pertaining to a Bill, titled ‘Central Bank of Sri Lanka,’ and misinterpretation of the Supreme Court ruling. What could you expect when the SC found one-third of the Bill unconstitutional and the Attorney General was compelled to propose several dozens of amendments to make the Bill compatible with the Constitution, Prof. Peiris said, adding that due to Opposition protests the government put off the vote on that particular Bill. It was originally to be debated and vote on last week.
Declaring that a new wave of public protests was in the offing, Prof. Peiris said that that would be the result of economic difficulties caused by ill-fated and reckless decisions. Domestic debt restructuring would make matters worse, Prof. Peiris said, adding that during a recent meeting trade union representatives had with the visiting IMF delegation, they were told in no uncertain terms that it was a must. They were told that there wouldn’t be restructuring of external debt unless Sri Lanka undertook a local process, the former minister said.
“No shipment for 10 days; seas off western coast will become rough by April end”
Education Secretary of the Frontline Socialist Party (FSP) Pubudu Jayagoda says the Indian company which secured a tender to supply coal for electricity generation this year has delivered only 13 of the 25 shipments required and no vessel has arrived in Sri Lanka for the last 10 days or so.
Jayagoda said so while addressing the media during a protest held in Colombo yesterday.
Jayagoda said the Indian company Trident Chemphar, which secured the tender to supply 25 coal shipments for 2026, had placed the country’s coal stocks at risk.
Although all 25 coal shipments are required to be unloaded before the end of April, only 13 vessels have arrived in Sri Lanka so far, according to Jayagoda. He also claimed that no shipment had arrived during the first week of March, adding that coal vessels had not arrived for about 10 days.
Jayagoda warned that the situation could endanger the country’s energy supply as the seas off the western coast usually turn rough by the end of April, disrupting unloading operations.
According to Jayagoda, a report submitted by the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka to the Parliamentary Oversight Committee on infrastructure and strategic development, power cuts may become necessary from August even if the country falls short of five shipments unless electricity is generated using costly diesel-powered thermal plants.
Jayagoda also alleged irregularities in the tender process, claiming that the government had changed tender specifications and delayed the tender process by about four months, possibly to allow the Indian company time to register and secure performance guarantees.
He further alleged that the coal supplied by the Indian company was substandard.
Jayagoda questioned why the tender had not been cancelled despite several shipments allegedly failing to meet quality standards and why no investigation had been launched.He asked why legal action had not been taken against the company despite supply disruptions.
The US Department of State has said that Washington respects Sri Lanka’s sovereignty in handling matters relating to the Iranian warship IRIS Bushehr and its crew, according to agency reports, quoting a State Department Spokesperson. He has said the final decision regarding the vessel, its crew and the rescued Iranian sailors rests with Sri Lanka in accordance with its domestic laws and international legal obligations.
The statement follows comments by Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath that Sri Lanka was looking after 32 sailors rescued from the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena under Colombo’s international treaty obligations.
The frigate was sunk by a US submarine off Sri Lanka’s southern coast on Wednesday during escalating hostilities involving the United States and Iran.
Sri Lanka’s Navy conducted rescue operations, following the incident, recovering 84 bodies.
Asked whether Colombo was under US pressure not to repatriate the Iranian sailors, Herath said Sri Lanka had taken all actions in accordance with international law.
Sri Lanka also provided safe harbour to the second Iranian warship, IRIS Bushehr, and evacuated its 219 crew members a day after the Dena was torpedoed. The vessel was taken to the port of Trincomalee after reporting engine problems.
Citing an internal cable, Reuters reported that Washington had urged Sri Lanka not to repatriate the Iranian sailors. However, the State Department spokesperson reiterated that the disposition of the crew and survivors was a matter for Sri Lanka to decide, adding that the United States respects Sri Lanka’s sovereignty in managing the situation.
Meanwhile, India allowed a third Iranian warship, IRIS Lavan, to dock in a port on humanitarian grounds after it reported operational difficulties.
The ship docked at the port of Kochi, where many of the crew, including young cadets, were disembarked and transferred to a nearby facility.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said Colombo would follow the provisions of the Hague Convention, which requires neutral states to detain combatants of warring parties until the end of hostilities.
A senior administration official said Sri Lanka was in discussions with the International Committee of the Red Cross regarding the treatment of survivors from the torpedoed vessel. International humanitarian law would apply to the wounded, who could be repatriated if they requested it, the official added.
Iranian diplomats in Colombo have requested the return of the remains of sailors killed in the attack to Iran.
Opposition and SJB leader Sajith Premadasa, emphasised the critical need for the Indian Ocean region to remain peaceful and not become part of any conflict, said a news report published by NDTV yesterday.
It said: As the Iran-Israel war enters its second week, the theatre of the war has expanded dramatically, reaching the waters of Sri Lanka. With the sinking of Iranian warship IRIS Dena in international waters off Lanka’s coast and the docking of a second Iranian vessel, IRIS Busheher, Colombo has become embroiled in a conflict where it seeks to remain only a neutral bystander.
Speaking with NDTV, Sajith Premadasa, Leader of the Opposition in Sri Lanka emphasised the critical need for the Indian Ocean region to remain peaceful and not become part of any conflict.
“The Indian Ocean has on successive occasions been declared a peaceful area and should remain so,” said Premadasa.
The Sri Lankan government has said that it will attend to all survivors of the ill-fated IRIS Dena and IRIS Busheher as per international protocols and norms. Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said his country had a “humanitarian responsibility” to take in the crew of the vessel, which was allowed to dock at Trincomalee in Northern Sri Lanka.
Premadasa, who is the leader of the opposition party SJB, called on all parties to cease the ‘asymmetric warfare’. He cautioned that the widening conflict would have devastating consequences for smaller countries like Sri Lanka, which is still reeling from its worst economic crisis in 2022.
“The Middle East conflict is already spreading to other countries, and this is having an impact on Sri Lanka and Sri Lankan people,” Mr Premadasa told NDTV.
A third Iranian vessel that was in the Indian Ocean, IRIS Lavan, has docked at Kochi in India. India has said it was a “humanitarian call” after the vessel sent out a distress call.
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