Let the Opposition be urged to continue with its fact finding missions! Police say UNP planned to disturb the peace

UNP MPs explain the incident

Workers as hirelings, Editorial, The Island

An attempt by some UNP parliamentarians to inspect the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) refinery at Sapugaskanda was thwarted by some pro-government workers who staged a protest on Thursday. The situation, however, was not as bad as in Hambantota, where a group of UNP MPs came under a rotten egg attack during a fact finding mission. But, the denial of entry to Opposition lawmakers who seek to visit a public venture after obtaining prior permission is condemnable.

UNP MPs Prevented From Entering Sapugaskanda Refinery!

Pro govt. thugs

A tense situation occurred in front of the Sapugaskanda oil refinery a short while ago when the UNP MPs who visited the refinery were hindered by a group of CPC employees.  The CPC employees, who belong to a trade union, were protesting against the fact finding mission by the group of UNP MPs, who were headed by Parliamentarian Ajith P Perera.  UNP Parliamentarian Harsha de Silva, who was at the location, tweeted, "MPs are turning back as we are unable to enter the CPC refinery. Hundreds of goons protected by the Police blocked the entrance."

Abolishing executive presidency:UNP, UPFA red allies agree on amending Constitution

DEW, Vasu and Tissa

Communist Party General Secretary and Senior Minister Dew Gunasekera yesterday said that the UNP, too, was willing to either do away with executive presidency or dilute presidential powers through a constitutional amendment, though it had earlier pledged to scrap the presidency in the event of winning the next presidential election.

UNP raps Govt. over BBS

Alleges Government is supporting and protecting Bodu Bala Sena in spite of deadly violence in Aluthgama and Beruwela

◾ Main Opposition takes its own national multi-religious initiative to secure ethnic harmony

◾ Multi-stakeholder meeting convened in Parliamentary complex approves four proposals; further public suggestions sought

Sri Lanka communal riots: Atmosphere created to provoke people - Leader of the opposition

Burned ( Sandehsaya photo)

Opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe says chauvinism had been provoked through the speeches made at the public meeting organized by Bodu Bala Sena in Aluthgama on June 15. Making a statement in parliament today, he questioned the government as to why it did not intervene to prevent the meeting from taking place. The government hastens to obtain court orders to stop meetings by university students to protect free education, by claiming such meetings would inconvenience the public, he noted.

UNP MP Palitha Thevarapperuma attacked while transporting injured muslims

UNP Parliamentarain Palitha Thevarapperuma has come under attack from Sinhala mobs yesterday evening while transporting injured Muslims. Although the MP has managed to escape the attack, his vehicle has been severely damaged, sources close to the MP told Asian Mirror.  The mob had attacked MP Thevarapperuma's vehicle on the grounds that he was "supporting" Muslims.

Sri Lanka Communal riots: UNP delegation turned back by angry mobs in Beruwala

A group of representatives from the United National Party, who visited Beruwala this evening, were sent back by angry mobs who didn't want them to proceed as there were 'Muslims' in the group.

The group consisted of Chairman of the UNP Leadership Council Karu Jayasuriya, Chairman of the UNP Kabir Hashim, Tissa Attanayake, Ruwan Wijewardene, Eran Wickremeratne, Harin Fernando and Dr. Harsha de Silva with WPC members Ifthikar Jameel, Lakshman Wijemanna, Mujibur Rahman and Fairoze Haji.

The UNP calls on the government to cooperate with the UNHRC

STATEMENT ISSUED BY UNITED NATIONAL PARTY

The Rajapaksa regime is once again playing politics with the national question and toying with the grave threat that it is posing in the international arena. After the recent announcement by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights of the establishment of her team to investigate the atrocities committed by both parties to the Sri Lankan conflict, the government, in a blatant attempt to politicize the issue, has placed before parliament the question of whether the Government should allow the team to visit Sri Lanka or not.

PSC, an utter waste of time; implement 13A, says UNP

*Will respond only to govt.’s written solution to ethnic issue -Kiriella

Following President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s recent assurance to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi that he was willing to implement the 13th Amendment to the Sri Lankan Constitution with the exception of police powers, the UNP yesterday urged the government to match words with action without wasting more time on yet another Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) process.

UNP opposes move to create Eelam through referendum; committed to devolution within a unitary state

Eelam map

The UNP yesterday rejected Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalaitha Jayaram’s call for a referendum among Tamils in Sri Lanka including those currently living abroad to decide on the establishment of a separate state (Eelam). National List UNP MP Eran Wickremeratne told a news conference in Colombo that the UNP was committed to preserving the unitary status and territorial integrity of the country and there could be no compromise on that score.

Sri Lanka: Govt has made judicial service a ‘safe haven’ for political stooges - UNP

The UNP today accused the government of “unabashedly” violating long established traditions of the system and making the judicial service a safe haven for political stooges and henchmen. As part of its plan to emasculate the country’s judiciary, the Rajapaksa government has deliberately made a “mockery” of important appointments in the judicial system, the party said in a statement.  “The nearest example is the appointment of Priyantha Jayawardena as a Supreme Court judge above the heads of many eligible candidates, sending shockwaves across the entire judicial system of the country,” it said.

Sri Lankan Government's secretive approach of Casino bill would make a repetition of the Cambodian plunder

UNP supporters oppose casino bill

''The problem lies with not legalizing the casinos, but, with the government's secretive clandestine approach.
Sri Lanka may be heading in the wrong trajectory. It would soon become a mirror image of Cambodia, Packer's latest casino destination.  Cambodia suffers an aggravated version of many of ailments that affect Sri Lanka: corruption, nepotism, bribery, a seedy government and the absence of independent institutions''

What is good in casinos? by Ranga Jayasuriya

Mangala urges removal of Mahinda Rajapaksa as C’wealth Chair;Sharma is not a baby

Sharma is not a baby, says mangala

United National Party (UNP) parliamentarian Mangala Samaraweera said today the Hambantota incident was further evidence of the violation of the Commonwealth Charter and urged Commonwealth Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma to remove President Mahinda Rajapaksa from the post of Commonwealth Chairman. “Mahinda Rajapaksa is not Gaddafi. He is the Chairman of the Commonwealth and therefore he is bound to uphold the Commonwealth Charter. However, what happened in his electorate is evident that he has violated the Commonwealth Charter. Therefore I urge the Secretary General to call for a meeting of the Ministers and expel Mahinda Rajapaksa as the Chairman after considering the violations of the Charter,” he said.

Toy Pistol Local Governance in Hambanthota, Sri Lanka

One of the visiting MPs Ajith Perere
is being threatened 

Harim Peiris

The country woke up a few days ago to news that a group of opposition UNP MPs on a fact finding visit to the new airport and port in Hambanthota had come under attack from goon squads. Subsequently, photographs showed His Worship (the UPFA) Lord Mayor of Hambanthota, Eraj Ravindra Fernando, chasing the UNP MPs with a pistol in his hand, closely followed by members of the goon squad. Subsequently the mayor was to claim that he was only acting to protect the MPs and that too with a toy pistol.

Sri Lanka: Attack on Parliamentarians lends credence to allegations at last month's UNHRC - UNP

H,tota Mayor chasing MPs

This only lends credence to allegations at last month's UN Human Rights Council sessions that violation of human rights is a regular feature in Sri Lanka. Not only her citizens, but even the rights of lawfully elected Parliamentarians are in danger of being extinct.
It is the right, duty and responsibility of every citizen in the country to condemn this act and seek justice via the highest legislative body of the country, Parliament, Mr. Jayasuriya concludes his statement.

‘Where is law and order in this country?’, Karu asks 

Opposition MPs attacked in Hambabtota; Ruling party politician brandishing his pistol chased MPs

Hambantota Mayor Fernando brandishing a pistol
chasing the MPs (Daily Mirror) See more photos below

UNP MPs attacked at Hambantota

A team of UNP MPs who were on an inspection tour of the Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport have come under attack by unidentified goons, the Ada Derana reporter confirms. Stones were pelted at the bus that the MPs were travelling in, UNP MP R. Yogarajan told Ada Derana.

The team comprised UNP MPs Ajith P. Perera, Eran Wickremaratne, R. Yogarajan, Nalin Bandara and Ajith Manapperuma. While our bus was attacked outside the airport, while inside a group hooted at us, Yogarajan told Ada Derana.

He added that the MPs were threatened by this group and despite complaining to a high ranking police officer no action was taken.

BBS menace: UNP calls on Muslim ministers to sit independently in Parliament;boycotting legislature cannot force Govt. to act

The only way the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) menace could be controlled was for all the Muslim Ministers to sit independently in Parliament, the UNP said yesterday.

UNP Chairman Kabir Hashim MP told  the "Sunday Island" that some Muslim ministers had threatened to boycott the legislature in protest against  the latest campaign by the BBS over  the resettlement of Northern  Muslims who had been driven out of the North by the LTTE in 1990, the majority of whom continued to live in camps.

Sri Lanka: UNP wants govt. to cooperate with UN probe

OHCHR is empowered to investigate SL

The UNP yesterday warned the government not to shun UN human rights probe. The government would have to face dire consequences unless it faced the proposed investigation, UNP Kandy District MP Lakshman Kirielle told Parliament yesterday.

Kiriella said that the government should cooperate with the proposed international investigation and should prove that the charges against it were baseless.

Sri Lanka: Has Rajapakse taken a tumble?

President Rajapaksha at CHOGM ( AFP)

Dr Kumar David

This article is an assessment of the impact of elections in two provinces on 29 March, two days after the government’s defeat at the UNHRC in Geneva.

President Mahinda Rajapakse’s United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) won both the Western Provincial Council (WPC) and the Southern Provincial Council (SPC) by what would normally seem comfortable margins, securing 53% and 58%, respectively, of the popular vote. At first glance it may look alright, but it’s the trend not the final numbers that matter. In 2009 these numbers were 65% and 68%.

There is no patriotic-wave lifting the Rajapaksa boat. There is no anti-government wave either.

Ballot boxes for PC elections ( The Hindu)

''If the Opposition is to amount a serious challenge to the Rajapaksas at national elections, it must become more active, more rooted, socio-economically and less fractious. The UNP remains the single largest opposition party (though with a much reduced vote-base); the JVP and DP are in a dead-heat for third place. What is necessary is the broadest possible opposition coalition, which includes the TNA and other minority parties, stands up for all victims of Rajapaksa misrule and opts to focus on political-social-economic distress rather than on patriotic chest-thumping.  ''

Two Verdicts on Rajapaksa Rule  by Tisaranee Gunasekara