By Saman Indrajith

Opposition MPs engaged in a wrangle with Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena yesterday morning when the latter refused to release the audio recordings of Defence Secretary, Kamal Gunaratne and Army Commander, Lt. Gen. Vikum Liyanage allegedly threatening Galle District SLPP dissident MP Chandima Weerakkody.

MP Weerakkody told the House that during the last sitting week he had raised a privilege issue in respect of alleged threats from the Defence Secretary and the Army Commander. “The issue is now before the Parliament Privilege Committee. Both chairpersons of the privilege committee and the Defence Ministry consultative committee are well aware of the matter that I had raised here. When I asked for the recording of the sessions of the Defence Ministry consultative committee when this incident took place, my request was turned down. It is my duty as an MP to raise the waste of public funds by the Defence Ministry at that Ministry’s consultative committee. I want at least the audio tapes to be used as evidence at the Parliament Privilege Committee and in my complaint to the Public Service Commission against these officials. However, the audio tapes were not released to me by the Ministry consultative committee,” the MP said.

Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena: We do not release audio tapes to outside entities. It is a decision made by Parliament. I cannot do anything about it. Unless there is a change in that position, the tapes would not be released.

When Opposition MPs shouted, the Speaker said that MP Weerakkody’s matter had been referred to the Parliament Privilege Committee.

Chief Opposition Whip Kandy District MP Lakshman Kiriella: MP Weerakkody’s privileges have been breached. The Speaker is the one responsible for the ensuring of protection of the privileges of MPs. As per Section 139 of the Parliamentary Powers and Privileges Act the Speaker is vested with the power to take decisions and implement them in this regard. The Speaker has the power to order the Committee to release the audio tapes. Please, release these audio tapes. The Speaker should not protect the rights of the President or the Army officers. Your job is to protect the MPs.

Speaker Abeywardena: We cannot release them to outside entities, but there is no hindrance to playing the recording before the privilege committee. We cannot let you take them out of Parliament.

Kiriella: You are not protecting the MPs’ rights. You are protecting the interests of the President. You are protecting the interests of the Secretary to the President.

Opposition and SJB leader Sajith Premadasa said that the Committee consultative meetings were considered an extension of Parliament and they, too, were covered by immunities and privileges given to Parliament. The videos of committee sessions are shown on TV. Thus, these tapes could be released. The Speaker and the Committee were duty bound to release them. If an official threatened an MP during a session of a Consultative Committee Meeting, that was a violation of that MPs privileges. The audio tape should be released, Premadasa said.

MP Weerakkody said he was planning to move court against the two officials, who had violated his privileges.