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Opposition, particularly minority, parties urged to support President’s initiative

Published

3 years ago

2021/09/25

NPC also urges involvement of UN, international community

Appreciating President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s speech at the UNGA, the National Peace Council (NPC) has urged the Opposition to back the President’s initiative. Dr. Jehan Perera, Executive Director, NPC, said:

“The President’s intention to deal with contentious issues requires the support of the parties in the Opposition, especially the minority parties which have democratic mandates with them and we call on them to accept the invitation that the President extends.”

The NPC is represented at the Sri Lanka Collective for Consensus (SLCC) engaged in a dialogue with the government.

The following is the text of Dr. Perera’s statement issued on Wednesday: “President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s address to the UN General Assembly was short, simple and dignified. The President covered the main issues that confront the world with his focus on Sri Lanka. These included the Covid pandemic, economic difficulties, environmental degradation and violence that are global problems and which his government, which received two democratic mandates, has had to face.

“In his speech in New York, the President sought international assistance to overcome the setbacks in the economic situation in the country. He also pledged to address the core issues that had given rise to violence through internal mechanisms, that would address issues of accountability, restorative justice and reconciliation. The National Peace Council welcomes the President’s statement that it is his Government’s firm intention to build a prosperous, stable and secure future for all Sri Lankans, regardless of ethnicity, religion, or gender. We are ready to engage with all domestic stakeholders, and to obtain the support of our international partners and the United Nations, in this process.”

He has also invited the Diaspora to a dialogue in the process.

“We urge the President to take action in society necessary for national reconciliation. There is a need to overcome the cynicism and mistrust that has grown due to the many lost opportunities and unmet promises. As immediate actions we would urge the release of long-term and short-term prisoners held without trial, under the PTA. and facilitate truth seeking and reparation in the process of addressing the issue of missing persons as well as the Easter bombing. We would also urge the government to obtain UN assistance and that of international personnel to improve the internal mechanisms already established and work together on ones to come.

The President’s intention to deal with contentious issues requires the support of the parties in the Opposition especially the minority parties which have democratic mandates with them and we call on them to accept the invitation that the President extends. As the meeting with the TNA has been on hold for long the onus is on the President to give priority to that meeting. The already established reconciliation mechanisms need to be activated and efficiently managed for trust-building of the people.

We believe it is possible to overcome the country’s challenges of peace, justice and development with the involvement of all stakeholders including the UN and international community.”

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South Korea MPs vote to impeach president after mass protests over martial law

Published

6 hours ago

2024/12/14

Priyan

South Korean MPs have voted to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol as thousands of protesters on the streets of Seoul cheer the result

A total of 204 MPs approved the motion to impeach Yoon, who plunged the country into political turmoil with a short-lived martial law declaration last week

Yoon will be suspended while the prime minister will serve as acting president. The constitutional court now has six months to rule on the impeachment.Yoon survived an impeachment vote last weekend and has clung to power, despite mounting calls for him to step down He and and his allies are currently under investigation for insurrection charges, and a travel ban has been slapped on several of them

(BBC)

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Indian High Commissioner meets PM

Published

9 hours ago

2024/12/14

Priyan

High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka, Santosh Jha, called on Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, at the Prime Minister’s Office on Friday [13].

The meeting underscored the longstanding friendship and strategic partnership between the two neighboring nations and discussions centered on the progress of numerous bilateral projects, which are currently at various stages of development.

[Prime Minister’s Media Division]

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Govt. buckles under pressure: Speaker Ranwala resigns

Published

14 hours ago

2024/12/14

Thilina Walpola

Asoka Sapumal Ranwala

Asoka Sapumal Ranwala resigned as Speaker of Parliament yesterday amidst a controversy over his educational qualifications. The Opposition challenged him to prove his claim that he had a doctorate.

Ranwala has said in a statement that he never misrepresented his educational qualifications but he currently lacks documentary evidence to prove his academic credentials. He insists that he was awarded a doctorate by a research institute affiliated with Waseda University in Japan and has expressed hope of presenting the degree certificate in the future.

“However, given the confusion surrounding this issue and to avoid causing embarrassment to those who trusted and voted for this government, I have decided to resign from the position of Speaker for the time being,” Ranwala has said in his statement.

His resignation followed indications that MPs from the JVP/NPP government were preparing to make a significant decision on a no-confidence motion against him, centred on the legitimacy of his academic qualifications. The motion was prompted by ongoing doubts about the authenticity of his doctoral degree, particularly in the absence of clarification.

Sources within the NPP confirmed earlier on Friday that Ranwala was expected to address the controversy with a special statement when Parliament reconvenes on Tuesday (17). However, he announced his resignation yesterday evening (13).

Kalutara District SJB MP Ajith P. Perera told the media on Thursday that either the Speaker or the JVP/NPP government must clarify the matter regarding Ranwala’s doctorate. He asserted that if the Speaker genuinely holds a valid doctorate, there would be no issue. However, the lack of response to media inquiries and the removal of degree-related information from the parliamentary website raised further concerns.

Perera added that the Speaker should provide evidence of his qualifications within two weeks, failing which the Opposition would proceed with the no-confidence motion. He also suggested that the JVP/NPP MPs would face public scrutiny in their decision to either support or oppose the motion, testing their commitment to party lines against public expectations.

The National Democratic Front (NDF), led by former President Ranil Wickremesinghe, proposed the establishment of a parliamentary committee to verify the academic qualifications of all MPs, including the Speaker and Cabinet Ministers. This initiative seeks to address increasing concerns about the credibility of MPs’ qualifications.

Meanwhile, the SLPP announced its intention to introduce a separate no-confidence motion against Ranwala. Speaking at a press conference in Colombo, Hambantota District MP D.V. Chanaka criticised the Speaker, arguing that the issue undermines public confidence in Parliament. Chanaka further highlighted the Speaker’s responsibility as head of the Parliamentary Council and the Committee on High Offices, which oversees the verification of qualifications for key positions.

SLPP Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam also addressed the press, emphasising the importance of the Speaker’s academic qualifications in upholding the integrity of Parliament.