…emphasises miracle created by Basil

By Shamindra Ferdinando

SLPP Chairman Prof. G.L. Peiris yesterday questioned the rationale in National Freedom Front (NFF) leader Wimal Weerawansa taking up ‘internal issues’ publicly in spite of the coalition having a specific mechanism to address any contentious matter.

Addressing the media at the Waters’ Edge, Prof. Peiris explained how SLPP constituents over a period of two weeks discussed Sri Lanka’s response to accountability accusations at the Geneva-based United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC).

The SLPP Chairman, who is also the Education Minister emphasized that matters of concern could have been amicably settled within the coalition without causing a public uproar.

Prof. Peiris said that the ruling coalition wanted to set the record straight as regards recent developments. The comments were his first since Weerawansa with the backing of several other lawmakers, including cabinet ministers successfully challenged the move to involve India in the East Container Terminal (ECT) before calling for the inclusion of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in the SLPP’s decision-making hierarchy. Weerawansa called for a formal political role for President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

Referring to the Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) as weak, Prof. Peiris stressed the need to avoid reckless actions which might confuse the public, especially those who voted for the party at the 2019 and 2020 presidential and parliamentary polls, respectively. That would be advantageous to the bankrupt Opposition, Prof. Peiris said, underscoring the importance of being mindful of political realities.

At the onset of the briefing, Prof. Peiris said internal disagreements weren’t something new in coalition politics. The formation of the SLPP, too, hadn’t been an easy task against the backdrop of the 2015 defeat at the presidential election, Prof. Peiris said, urging all stakeholders to be mindful of the challenges, obstacles faced in the run-up to receiving recognition of the party in late 2016.

Prof. Peiris paid a glowing tribute to the role played by former SLFP National Organizer and ex-minister Basil Rajapaksa in the launch of the new party (re-registering under a new name) at a time a section of those in their camp asserted that there was no requirement for a new party. Prof. Peiris said that though they declared the then Joint Opposition was sufficient for their project, Basil Rajapaksa quite rightly formed the party. The SLPP founder believed that they required new space and was determined to bring the project to fruition and in less than one and half years, the SLPP convincingly won the Feb 2018 Local Government polls. Again underscoring Basil Rajapaksa’s role, Prof. Peiris said that securing 71 per cent of LG councils at that poll was nothing but a miracle for a new party.

There had been no previous instance of a ruling party losing LG poll in Sri Lanka, the SLPP Chairman said.

Prof. Peiris said there had been very difficult negotiations among the constituents in the run-up to the 2020 general election as regards the nominations. However, they were able to settle the issue amicably, Minister Peiris said, citing the 20th Amendment to the Constitution as another contentious matter successfully addressed through talks.

Referring to the recent issues, Prof. Peiris said that those involved were experienced in politics and could respond to situations, prudently.

Commenting on the collective responsibility of members of the cabinet, Prof. Peiris said that once the cabinet finalized a decision on any given matter, there couldn’t be a public debate over such issues under any circumstances. Such a scenario would be detrimental to the government and the country, the SLPP Chairman said, warning of a catastrophe if members of the cabinet violated the basic rules. Prof. Peiris warned of the disastrous impact on the government’s efforts to attract foreign investment and irreparable damage to foreign policy especially in the run up to the Geneva sessions next week.

One-time External Affairs Minister Prof. Peiris said that as Sri Lanka was on the Geneva agenda, SLPP constituents were discussing their response. The Minister said that they were in the process of reaching consensus on Geneva response. According to the Minister, both President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Premier Mahinda Rajapaksa had been involved in those deliberations.

Responding to a media query, Minister Peiris said that the government would provide a copy of the PCoI report on the Easter Sunday attacks to Archbishop of Colombo Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith. The Minister emphasized that there was no need for international intervention in the matter. The Minister pointed out that the Cardinal appeared before the PCoI as he had faith in the inquiry therefore the media shouldn’t undermine the process by raising issues they didn’t do during the previous yahapalana administration.