News
Devolution talks: Gevindu alleges Ranil giving in to TNA
by Shamindra Ferdinando
Rebel SLPP lawmaker Gevindu Cumaratunga yesterday warned that post-war national reconciliation couldn’t be achieved by appeasing the Tamil National Alliance (TNA).
National List MP Cumaratunga said so commenting on the discussion President Ranil Wickremesinghe had with lawmakers representing the Northern and Eastern Provinces. The talks centered on devolution of power. The Tamil National People’s Front led by Gajendra Kumar Ponnambalam skipped the meeting.
MP Cumaratunga found fault with President Wickremesinghe for succumbing to TNA ultimatum that it wouldn’t accept government invitation unless members representing both Northern and Eastern Provinces were called together.
“The original plan was for the President to meet legislators representing the two provinces, separately. But, that plan was changed soon after the TNA warned it wouldn’t attend a separate meeting for Northern Province Tamil MPs, lawmaker Cumaratunga said. The TNA parliamentary group consists of 10 members.
In spite of the LTTE’s demise 14 years ago, the TNA apparently believed it could pursue its separatist agenda by putting pressure on individuals, the MP said, drawing President Wickremesinghe’s attention to the TNA wartime relationship with the LTTE as its mouthpiece. The leader of Yuthukama civil society group said that the TNA current strategy should be examined against the backdrop of its recognition of the LTTE way back in 2001 as the sole representative of the Tamil speaking people.
Responding to The Island query, lawmaker Cumaratunga pointed out that in the absence of a consensus among Tamil members representing the Northern and Easern Provinces, President Wickremesinghe couldn’t bring talks on power devolution to a successful concluson.
One-time TNA Chief Minister of the Northern Province C.V. Wigneswaran’s proposal made in parliament for the setting up of an interm administraive arrangement at provincial level until Provincial Council elections were held had been rejected by the TNA.
MP Cumaratunga questioned the rationale in leaving Sinhala lawmakers representing the Eastern Province out of the meeting chaired by President Wickremesinghe. The decision to restrict the meeting to a selected group of lawmakers couldn’t be justified under any circumstances, he pointed out
President Wickremesinghe had quite conveniently forgotten that he was elected by Parliament to complete the remainder of ousted President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s five-year term, MP Cumaratunga said. Instead of addressing pressing economic issues, President Wickremesinghe was bending backwards to appease the TNA, the MP said, adding that India couldn’t absolve itself of the responsibility for causing terrorism here to facilitate high profile separatist project.
Should we give in to New Delhi’s evil designs, MP Cumaratunga asked, citing numerous examples to stress that Eastern Province couldn’t be merged with the Northern Province as demanded by the separatist movement. The Supreme Court in late Oct 2006 de-merged the Eastern Province from the North as the merger effected in the wake of July 1987 one sided Indo-Lanka Accord was subject to a referendum in the Eastern Province to ascertain whether the majority accepted that arrangement.
The TNA and other interested parties were also propagating lies that attacks were directed at Tamils’ religious sites and lands in the Northern and Eastern Provinces, MP Cumaratunga said.
The nationalist MP said that another issue that has caused concern was the move to introduce a new Central Bank Act. President Wickremesinghe, in his capacity as the Finance Minister should review the Bill titled ‘Central Bank of Sri Lanka’ in the wake of the Supreme Court determination that 46 out of 134 clauses of the said Bill violated the Constitution, hence the need to introduce several dozen amendments.
Alleging Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena of misinterpreting the SC determination in a bid to deceive parliament and the country, MP Cumaratunga urged the President to present a new bill prepared after having incorporated the amendments proposed by the Attorney General’s Department.
Appreciating the government decision to put off the one day debate and vote scheduled to be taken on May 11 on the Bill, MP Cumaratunga however expressed concern that incorporation of desired amendments at the Committee Stage could go awry. The MP recalled how those who had been in power manipulated the Committee Stage process to insert what they wanted instead of what was agreed on.
The Sri Lanka Navy successfully conducted a diving operation on 19 Jan 26 to inspect and restore the sluice gate of the Bomburuella Reservoir.
Acting on a request from the Department of Irrigation, the Sri Lanka Navy deployed a specialized diving team from the Western Naval Command, for the urgent requirement.
Through concerted effort, the Navy divers successfully cleared accumulated debris, including a significant quantity of wooden fragments, which had impeded the sluice gate mechanism.
Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya held a series of high-level bilateral meetings on Wednesday [January 21] on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, engaging with representatives of the European Union, the United Nations Development Programme, and the global private sector.
The Prime Minister met with Hadja Lahbib, European Commissioner for Preparedness and Crisis Management. During the meeting, she expressed Sri Lanka’s appreciation for the support extended by the European Union and its member states following Cyclone Ditwa. The Prime Minister also briefed the Commissioner on the key findings of the World Bank’s GRADE report and requested continued EU support for Sri Lanka’s development and recovery efforts.
Prime Minister Amarasuriya also met with Alexander De Croo, representing the United Nations Development Programme. She expressed appreciation for the longstanding partnership between Sri Lanka and the United Nations and acknowledged the UN’s support in flood relief and livelihood assistance. The Prime Minister noted that, following the mandate received at the parliamentary election, the government is focused on meeting public expectations through national rebuilding grounded in public trust and good governance. She further reaffirmed the Government of Sri Lanka’s commitment to strengthening social protection systems and safeguarding vulnerable communities.
In addition, the Prime Minister met with Robert M. Uggla, Chairman of A.P. Moller Holding. The discussion focused on engagement with the private sector and potential areas of collaboration.
These meetings reflected Sri Lanka’s continued engagement with international partners and global stakeholders to support recovery, development, and long-term economic stability.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
… alleges Prez trying to control judiciary
Opposition grouping ‘Mahajana Handa’ has accused President Anura Kumara Dissanayake of trying to exercise control over the judiciary by appointing a sitting High Court judge as Additional Secretary to the Justice and National Integration Ministry.
Addressing the media at Dr. N. M. Perera Centre, Punchi Borella, on Tuesday (20) top Opposition spokesman and former External Affairs Minister Prof. G. L. Peiris warned the High Court judge D.M.D.C. Bandara’s appointment was nothing but a direct executive intervention in the judiciary.
Responding to The Island queries, Prof Peiris asked how the government could compel courts to deal with a sitting judge who functioned as Secretary to the Justice and National Integration Ministry.
Prof. Peiris explained that the latest move by the Executive should be examined taking into consideration the attacks on Attorney General Parinda Ranasinghe Jr, PC., the deliberate delaying of the appointment of Auditor General and the controversy over the process of promotions of Judicial Officers, Judges of the High Court and the Court of Appeal in Sri Lanka. Prof. Peiris pointed out that the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) had raised those controversial promotions with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.
D.M.D.C. Bandara, Senior Assistant Secretary, Judicial Service Commission, was among altogether 18 High Court judges appointed by President Dissanayake in early Sept this year. The group consisted of 17 Special Class Judicial Officers and a Senior State Counsel serving in the Attorney General’s Department.
Referring to a recent meeting ‘Mahajana Handa’ representatives, including him had with the Mahanayake theras of the Asgiriya and Malwatta Chapters in Kandy, Prof. Peiris said that they had received the blessings of the Mahanayakes to go ahead with what he called a programme of action meant to address major issues.
Prof. Peiris said they would initiate talks with other like-minded political parties and groups in this regard soon. Referring a protest held at the Hulftsdorp on Wednesday (21) demanding the removal of the AG Ranasinghe, Prof. Peiris emphasized that the government’s hand in that demonstration was very clear. President Ranil Wickremesinghe appointed him as the AG in July 2024 with the unanimous backing of the Constitutional Council.
Prof. Peiris said that action was yet to be initiated to appoint new civil society representatives to the Constitutional Council. That issue hadn’t received sufficient public attention, Prof. Peiris said, urging President Dissanayake to come down from his high horse.
Asked whether the President could appoint a sitting judge as an Additional Secretary to a Ministry without consulting the Chief Justice and President of the High Court Judges Association, sources familiar with the issues at hand said that certain appointments could be made on secondment. However, that has to follow the proper procedure, sources said.
The Island sought a response from the Justice and National Integration Ministry to the accusations made by Prof. Peiris on behalf of ‘Mahajana Handa,’ but did not receive one until this edition went to press.
By Shamindra Ferdinando ✍️
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