With UPFA to isolate Rajapaksa
Sing civil society activists rtime from state-owned ITN Concern over discovery in Ramanathapuram, but security forces assure no room for anymore LTTE terrorism
canopy outside the Open Air Theatre, decorated with buntings green, red, blue and yellow, the same group met again, this time to make public the UNFGG election manifesto. Among those gathered were UNP national leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, Karu Jayasuriya, Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) General Secretary Champika Ranawaka, Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) leader Rauff Hakeem and leader of the Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) Mano Ganesan. Among those representing civil society groups was Ven. Maduluwave Sobitha Thera, leader of the National Movement for a Just Society.
Sinhala copies of the manifesto were released. Premier Wickremesinghe pledged more amendments to 19A which was approved by Parliament in May. One such change would be to rename the now existing Constitutional Council. It is to be converted to a State Assembly. It is to comprise civil society representatives who will be empowered to play a key role in state administration. The Speaker, the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition will not be members. There will also be a consultative assembly of civil society representatives. The latter would also be involved in the proposed cluster village system.
Wickremesinghe had earlier proposed the setting up of a Council of State. This was during the early stage of discussions on 19A. He said it would comprise representatives of recognised political parties and independent groups. Thirty six members, of whom not less than ten are women, were to be appointed jointly by the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition with the approval of the Constitutional Council. Chief Ministers of all the provinces were to be members. Twenty seats in this Council were to be apportioned amongst recognised groups in Parliament, in proportion to their representation. This proposal, however, was not approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
Under the proposed State Assembly, Wickremesinghe said, every parliamentarian would be part of the administration. He announced several measures to improve the economy and to build a new Sri Lanka within five years with a million jobs being made available. He said the minimum wage in the private sector would be placed at Rs 10,000. Some of the other highlights in the manifesto: Anti-corruption drive: Constitutional safeguards will be provided for the Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID). The Police Ordinance of 1865 will be replaced with a new Police Act. Clauses relating to Fundamental Rights in the Constitution would be further strengthened. Provision to be made in the Constitution for the President to exercise his powers on the advice of the Prime Minister and a Cabinet of Ministers. They will be answerable to parliament. This way the supremacy of Parliament will be safeguarded. The special powers that are enjoyed by President Maithripala Sirisena will continue in the same manner. The present system of elections will be abolished and a mixed system consisting the PR and the First Past the Post system will be established. The Right to Information Bill and the National Audit Bill will be enacted by Parliament Rs 2,500 salary hike for the private sector with a Rs 10,000 minimum salary structure.
JVP's national programme
The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) also made public its manifesto at a convention held at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium on Wednesday. The event was telecast live by the state-owned Independent Television Network (ITN). The JVP manifesto and the speech by its leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake were to reflect some significant shifts. Titled "The Accord of the Conscientious," the manifesto has been dubbed as the JVP's "national programme" for the next five years.
A highlight was a pledge to introduce a new Constitution with inputs from the public. It would be placed for approval at a national referendum. The JVP has pledged to abolish the executive presidency and restore parliamentary rule. The party has proposed to abolish the pension scheme for MPs and their privilege of receiving duty free vehicles. The JVP would ensure that Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims, Burghers and Malays are treated with equality in political, social and cultural spheres. It has proposed a Commission against Discrimination and a Truth and Reconciliation Commission for the peace building process. These pledges make clear that the JVP is now laying more emphasis on ethnic reconciliation and is in accord with the thinking of even the United National Party (UNP) and its allies.
The 100 page manifesto seeks to set up a Janatha Sabha (People's Council) to replace Provincial Councils. Like the UNFGG, the JVP has also pledged to introduce the Right to Information law and the National Audit law. It wants the Cabinet of ministers restricted to 25 and six per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) set apart for education. It has declared that provision will be made to prevent MPs from crossing over. Those who do so will lose their seats.
In his speech, JVP leader Dissanayake clearly demolished the belief that an armed rebellion was the way to capture power. Whilst deeply regretting the party's violent past, Dissanayake said, "We have learnt that armed struggles (sannada aragalaya) are no longer feasible options. Technology (taakshanaya diunuwela) has developed tremendously. The militaries are sophisticated and are better equipped," the JVP leader noted. He said in the new era, the JVP would not have a clash of bayonets, but only a "clash of ideas". Thousands died in the two abortive JVPsponsored rebellions in 1971 and 1987-89 to overthrow the elected Governments at that time.
The JVP, hitherto a rural-based party was now reaching out to the middle classes with a more humane face to the radical face it had long adopted. The party has won support from a large section of the people clearly miffed by both mainstream parties. A new generation of voters are not familiar with the JVP's violent past. The party's exemplary conduct in Parliament has won them plaudits, but the huge portrait of their founder, Rohana Wijeweera wearing a beret might still be a put off to those who can remember the reign of terror both in 1971 and 1987-89 unleashed under his leadership.
That the JVP won air time from ITN was to irk one of Dissanayake's erstwhile colleagues, Wimal Weerawansa who now leads the National Freedom Front (NFF). He wrote to ITN Chairman Ganganath Dissanayake, asking for live air time for an event where a political book presentation was taking place. Weerawansa received a reply this week. Dr Dissanayake said the air time was provided since it was a convention of a political party. He had said that a book launch by a political party did not qualify. However, he has said that such coverages were made available only when they were satisfied that the times did not clash with ITN programmes. Addressing rallies, Dissanayake countered accusations by saying that the JVP had paid the ITN Rs. 800,000 for the live coverage provided.
Finishing touches to UPFA manifesto
The UPFA will make known its manifesto at a rally to be held at the Pedris Park in Colombo's Thimbirigasyaya area on Tuesday. Some 5,000 party members countrywide are expected to take part. Among those who were giving the finishing touches to the document on Thursday night were former Tourism Authority Chairman Nalaka Godahewa, former diplomat Dayan Jayatilleke, former Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabral and former Media Ministry Secretary Charitha Herath. The lengthy document offers employees in the state and private sector a minimum wage of Rs 25,000. There were moves by partners in the UPFA to pledge that a newly elected Parliament would form a Constituent Assembly to draft a new constitution. However, the move was rejected. Instead, some constitutional changes are being mooted. Also being mooted are electoral reforms before the year end if the UPFA wins. In the process of formulating the manifesto, some UPFA leaders also paid close attention to ITN's live telecast of JVP's special convention at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium. The distraction also led to brief discussions on the JVP's manifesto. This was at the Colombo residence of Opposition Leader Nimal Siripala de Silva.
Unlike at previous polls, the stricter enforcement of laws by Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya has led to less cutouts and posters in most areas. In some, due to their absence, it was even difficult to discern whether there would be any election in just over three weeks. However, posters of some stalwarts of the Government are displayed prominently in the Colombo City whilst in the outstations there were some of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
Tuesday's Colombo UPFA rally, to be addressed by Rajapaksa, who, paradoxical enough, is the main issue of the polls campaign, UPFA leaders say will lead to the heightening of their campaign. In marked contrast, the UNFGG campaign has almost reached its peak and is drawing crowds. With only 22 more days to go for the polls, it has been a relatively violence free election. A nation waits in earnest to see who emerges victor and how a new Government will cope with key issues.