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No confidence motion against Mangala defeated by 41 votes The motion of no-confidence on Media, Posts and Telecommunications Minister over the use of a credit card obtained through Sri Lanka Telecom was defeated in Parliament yesterday by 41 votes. One hundred and twenty two members voted against the motion while 81 voted for. The Tamil parties voted with the PA against the motion. The SLPF's sole MP in Parliament Nihal Galappaththi who spoke during the debate was absent when the vote was taken. Mangala Samaraweera abstained from voting. The UNP's Rajitha Senaratne moving the no-confidence motion on Minister Mangala Samaraweera said that the payment of Rs. 277,852.41 by Sri Lanka Telecom Chief Executive Officer Hideki Kamitsuma out of his personal account to settle expenses incurred by Mr. Samaraweera constituted an act of bribery by the Japanese NTT which bought shares in Sri Lanka Telecom. Mr. Senaratne said that Bank of Ceylon had issued the first credit card to the value of Rs. 250,000 for the period January to April 1998. "A second card to the same value was issued to Mr. Samaraweera for the period April to May 1998 inspite of the fact that the expenditure on the first credit card remained unsettled. This was perhaps the first time a bank was issuing a second credit card while the expenditure incurred on the first one remained unsettled," he said. Mangala Samaraweera said that the news about the credit card was first published by an English newspaper which is the mouthpiece of the UNP. "Under the circular issued on December 16, 1992 Telecom was expected tog rant a portion of the expenses of the Minister when going abroad to the Treasury and the Ministry had to obtain such funds from the Treasury. This practice was changed on December 31, 1997 making the SLT grant a direct obligation between the ministry and SLT" he said. Mr. Samaraweera said he would not stay one minute in office if it could be proved that he had used his credit card to watch blue films. Port Development, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Minister A. H. M. Ashraff said that the first charge cited in the no confidence motion is based on false grounds. "It is yet to be proved that the two cards were issued simultaneously. Therefore the question of whether the practice of one of the most frank and transparent members of this assembly is corrupt or not does not arise" he added. No-confidence motion going to be a motion
of confidence Mangala Samara-weera Minister of Posts, Telecommunications and Media said: I thank the Speaker for fixing an advanced date for the no-confidence motion against me. I also thank the UNP for bringing forward a no-confidence motion against me as it is actually going to be a motion of confidence. We are debating the motion on the eve of the first anniversary of the privatisation of Telecom. The Telecom was valued at Rs. 145 million by the Chief Valuer. We got the world's best telecommunication firm, NTT of Japan which bought 35 percent of shares and full management rights. Tomorrow we are distributing share certificates to the employees of SLT. The news about the credit card was first published by an English newspaper which is the mouthpiece of the UNP. I sent a letter of demand for a sum of Rs. 300 million through my lawyers as damages from the said newspaper. Therefore the paper published the story about the blue films. I have again written to the newspaper on July 6, 1998, through my lawyers. The first accusation in the motion against me is the misuse of my powers as Minister in obtaining the credit card from the Sri Lanka Telecom. Under the circular issued on 16/12/92 when Secretary to Ministry of Posts & Telecommunication was Asoka Gunasekera the Telecom was expected to grant a portion of the expenses of the Minister when he is going abroad, to the Treasury and then the ministry to obtain such funds from the Treasury? This practice was changed on 31/12/1997, making the SLT grant a direct obligation between the ministry and the SLT. I have during the last four years gone on nine foreign trips? The credit card issued in January '98 was issued in connection with my visit to the UK in February. This was for a sum of USD 5000, with an undertaking to settle the expenditure within a period of one month. Its period of validity commenced on January 15, and ended February 15, 1998. All other expenses have been incurred subsequent to this period. The allegation that I used the credit card to watch blue films through the Internet was a previous one. Perhaps those who drafted the no-confidence motion had little knowledge of both credit cards and the use of Internet facilities. The five points in the no-confidence motion against me is a reflection of the state, the United National Party has fallen to and its backboneless leadership. I have delayed action against the newspaper which published the story until the debate on the no-confidence motion is taken up and completed. I will meet my lawyers tomorrow and tell them to initiate legal action as the 14 day period of notice, is now over. There is no pass-word when one uses Internet programme on credit cards, as suggested by MP John Amaratunga. If you want to know more I can take any one of you to the CINTEC. There is a PIN but it helps only when you take cash by introducing the credit card. The alleged use of the credit card for viewing pornographic films through Internet, has taken place after May 10,1998. That was the day, a journalist from Kotahena slums, published the number of my credit card in breach of newspaper ethics. According to the credit card I have used the credit card to view the so-called sex-films 32 times. None could say by looking at the bill, what type of films have been viewed. You don't require a pass-word for the purpose of viewing films through Internet. If you can prove I used the credit card to view the films, I would not stay one minute in my office. I will be filing two actions to recover damages in a total sum of Rs. 600 million. This report is not a product of journalistic freedom but journalistic engineering. With these two new cases there will be three cases of criminal defamation filed by me against this newspaper. Is this the media freedom you ask for? Some journalists are using the so-called freedom of media to promote their economic agenda. The person concerned is seeking to enter Parliament through the National List. These Haemoprodites from Kotahena are the new darlings of the United National Party. Today's conflict is a conflict between good and evil, a conflict between Bandaranaike-Senanayake ideals and the ideals of Jayewardene-Wickremesinghe. Today as we are debating about a credit card, Sinhala youths are dying in the north in battles to save the independence of the country. We must spend our energies to resolve that problem which also is taking away the lives of young Tamil men and women. Mid-Week
Politics Hulftsdorp UNPers loyal to former UNP General Secretary Sirisena Cooray appear to be pushing hard within the party to bring back Mr. Cooray into the party fold. Loyalists chose the day that the seventy respondents of the Working Committee were summoned to Court last week on the application made by Mr. Wijayapala Mendis to stage a protest under the statue of the late President Ranasinghe Premadasa to urge the UNP leadership to bring back Mr. Cooray. Mr. Cooray left the country for India two days before this demonstration. It is learnt that when these protesters met Mr. Cooray prior to his departure, Mr. Cooray had made it known that he was not interested to make a comeback to active politics in the near future. The group of demonstrators numbering about two thousand persons from Aluthkade, after their protest wanted to visit the UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe at the latter's office at Cambridge Terrace without an appointment. Mr. Wickremesinghe was busy working on the scheduled provincial election in his office when the protesters sought a meeting. The UNP leader sent word to them saying that he was unable to meet them that afternoon and instructed his officials to give them an appointment later on. Despite this message, the protesters led by a businessman from Hulftsdorp demanded a meeting. Mr. Wickremesinghe having completed his schedule of work came down the staircase to go home for lunch when the protesters confronted him screaming for the return of Mr. Cooray as MP of the Colombo Central seat of the late President. A woman in the scene of protesters demanded that if Mr. Cooray has not given a chance the only alternative was Mrs. Hema Premadasa. Mr. Wickremesinghe told the protesters that he was not a man who would give into any type of pressure and wanted them to see him on another date. The protesters turned abusive and Mr. Wickremesinghe who lost his cool stated that he as the leader of the UNP will not give into pressures to bring Premadasa' and Coorays' and warned the protesters that if they cannot be loyal to the UNP they should join another party. UNP sources disclosed that this protest against the leadership had been organised by three UNP parliamentarians who are loyal to Mr. Cooray. The three are identified as MPs from the Kalutara District, Galle District and the other a National List man who had been loyal to former President D. B. Wijetunga. These protesters when demonstrating at Aluthkade carried placards which read - 'There is no UNP without Cooray, Mohammed and Hameed'. The state controlled electronic media, according to reports reaching the UNP headquarters had been informed the previous day of the time of the protest. The Rupavahini and the ITN crew arrived on schedule to video the demonstration. They interviewed the protesters and gave it much prominence on the news cast the same night. UNP sources disclosed that the TV arrangement to cover the event had been arranged by the Kalutara District and the National List MPs who have close links with a Cabinet Minister who is close to the Palaceguard. Sources said that these three MPs are reported to be objecting to the return of the Lalith Front to the UNP. The late Lalith Athulathmudali hails from the Kalutara District though he represented the newly created Ratmalana electorate on the invitation of the late President J. R. Jayewardene. Mr. Athulathmudali having successfully contested the Ratmalana electorate then told President Jayewardene after the referendum in 1982 he would go back to Matugama to contest future elections. Mr. Athulathmudali could not make his dream a reality as he was assassinated prior to the last Provincial Council elections. Meanwhile, with the government vacillating about holding PC elections the battle between the two contestants for the Chief Minister post in the Western Province had taken a different turn. The two candidates are UNP's Karu Jayasuriya and PA's Susil Prem Jayanth. Both are known to be gentlemen in politics. Two Cabinet Ministers from the Colombo District who once attempted to oust Mr. Jayasuriya from the post of Mayor are now reported to be organising a campaign through the state controlled media to tarnish the image of Mr. Jayasuriya. Sources close to Mr. Prem Jayanth stated that Mr. Prem Jayanth was annoyed about this move. It is learnt that the two Cabinet Ministers with the help of a former UNP city father now in the PA opposition of the Colombo Municipal Council were trying to use the state media to publish and televise pictures of garbage outside the Colombo city purporting to be the garbage of the city. It is learnt that posters of these photographs are now in print with the banner headline 'Menna Karuge Kunu' (Here's dirt of Karu). Sources close to Mr. Prem Jayanth noted that Mr. Prem Jayanth was not in favour of these posters coming up in the city against Mr. Jayasuriya. They said that the former Chief Minister hails Mr. Jayasuriya as a honest politician who spends his personal wealth to perform his duties as the Mayor. Mr. Jayasuriya does not draw his salaries and had never occupied his office official residence as Mayor from the day he assumed office as Mayor. He had diverted his salary to the Municipal Workers Welfare Fund. Both Messrs Jayasuriya and Prem Jayanth are keen to ensure peaceful elections in the Western Province if elections are held. None of the two are interested in a mud slinging campaign against each other. Mr. Prem Jayanth occupied the office of Chief Minister following the death of his predecessor Morris Rajapakse. That was the beginning of Prem Jayanth coming into the limelight of PA politics nearly two years ago. Mr. Jayasuriya, a former diplomat was chosen as the UNP Chairman by Mr. Wickremesinghe when Mr. A. C. S. Hameed reportedly gave up the party chairmanship on health grounds. Mr. Jayasuriya who came into active politics as the UNP Chairman successfully won the Mayorship with a resounding preferential vote majority of over 45,000 votes at the last local elections. Sources close to Mr. Jayasuriya and Mr. Prem Jayanth disclosed that the two would shortly make an appeal to all voters in the Western Province not to be misled by any mud slingers but to ensure peace, law and order if the provincial elections are held as scheduled. President willing to accept third party mediation to negotiate with LTTE President Chandrika Kumaratunga says that she is willing to accept a third party facilitator to negotiate with the LTTE. In an exclusive interview with PTI journalist K. J. M. Varma in Colombo, the President said she was ready to talk to the LTTE even tomorrow if it agrees to give up the demand for a separate state ('Eelam'). She also expressed willingness to accept third party facilitation in this regard. She said LTTE leader Prabhakaran was fast losing support among his cadres even as 'dozens' of Tigers began surrendering to the army. The Sri Lankan leader expressed satisfaction over the just-concluded SAARC Summit here which was overshadowed by the discussions between Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan, who, however, failed to achieve any breakthrough in stalemated bilateral dialogue. Chandrika, who is also the new SAARC chairperson, ruled out any mediatory role for the seven nation grouping to resolve bilateral differences between member states. She said she was against SAARC 'artificially pushing' itself as a mediator and facilitates to resolve the differences till the 'basic frictions' between member states were 'ameliorated'. 'When asked whether SAARC would take up the role of a mediator and facilitator to resolve political differences between member states, she, however, said, 'I think in the years to come that will happen because all associations will begin with regional cooperation and finally end up in political understanding, mutual trust and confidence'. Kumaratunga said SAARC was at present confined to building 'regional co-operation' but added that in future it could attempt to build 'political understanding, mutual trust and confidence.' 'But the timing should be decided by all leaders... until then I do not think artificial pushing will help... until the basic friction are ameliorated.' Chandrika, while admitting that her constitutional reforms package containing devolution proposals for minority Tamils got stuck in the parliament due to reluctance of the opposition UNP to provide two third majority, said her government had finally found 'devious means' to get the constitutional backing without violating the law. 'So now we have to find devious means of getting round strict constitutional provisions without being illegal or undemocratic. We have found these methods, but then when you have to do that kind of thing it requires consulting people several times and several elections. We have to do somany other legal things, which take time. LTTE's 'pistol group' in city The deadly 'pistol group' of the LTTE is suspected to have slipped into Colombo to strike certain VVIP targets, senior defence officials said yesterday. Their presence in the city has come to light following the arrest of a man and a woman described as members of the LTTE 'pistol group'. They were captured while hiding in a house at W. A. de Silva Mawatha,Wellawatte by police intelligence sleuths three days back. The duo had in their possession an automatic pistol, three live magazines and a hand grenade, the officials said. Information about the couple was revealed by an elderly man taken into custody from a house at Liyanage road, Dehiwala. This 55-year-old man was being used by the Tigers to carry weapons and explosives to LTTE members holed up in the Colombo city. He had come from Vavuniya and was staying at Dehiwala when police arrested him. Investigations revealed that he had visited Vavuniya four times in the recent past and it's suspected that he may have smuggled in lethal material to be handed over to Tigers hiding in Colombo, defence sources said. The son and daughter of this man are also being grilled by investigators. The three of them are being held under detention orders. One-day token strike One hundred and sixty doctors attached to all government hospitals in the Ratnapura District launched a one-day token strike yesterday in protest against the alleged refusal by Opanayaka Police to record a complaint from the Medical Officer-in-charge (MOIC) of the Hunuwala Rural Hospital last Thursday, a GMOA spokesman said. Medical services at all the base hospitals including Ratnapura District Hospitals, Rural Hospitals, Estate Hospitals, Central Dispensaries and Maternity Hospitals came to a standstill from 8.00 a.m. to 8 p.m. yesterday due to the trade union action by the doctors. This caused immense hardships to patients. According to the GMOA spokesman, Dr. Druweer Ata-pattu the MOIC of the Hunuwala Estate Hospital had been assaulted by a group of Samurdhi Niya-makas of the area on Thursday while he had been returning from a Coordination Meeting at the Divisional Secretary's Office in Opanayaka. When Dr. Atapattu tried to lodge a complaint at the Opanayaka Police Station, the O.I.C. had refused to accept his complaint,' he said alleging that the O.I.C., a Ratnapura District PA politician and the Divisional Secretary had also been present when the incident took place. The doctor concerned is the son of a former Minister of Health, Dr. Ranjith Atapattu. 'The motive behind the assault is reported to be a complaint made by Dr. Atapattu at the Co-ordinating Council Meeting against illicit gem mining by some Samurdhi Animators within the premises of his official residence,' the spokesman claimed. The office 'bearers of the Ratnapura GMOA Branch Union and Dr. Atapattu were scheduled to meet at the Union Office in Colombo yesterday to discuss future course of action. The GMOA ensured treatment for urgent cases despite the trade union action in the district. Islandwide emergency proclaimed Speaker K. B. Ratnayake announced the proclamation extending the State of Emergency islandwide with immediate effect, when Parliament met yesterday morning. Earlier the emergency was in operation only in specific areas. Forged currency printing: three suspects
remanded KANDY: Three suspects arrested in connection with the forged currency printing case at Jayamalapura, Gam-pola on Saturday were remanded by the Kandy Chief Magistrate Mrs. D. C. Mirinchiarachchi till Wednesday (05), when produced in courts yesterday. The suspects M. Safri, M. Rizvi and S. Saliya were produced before the Magistrate by the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) attached to the headquarters of the DIG Central Range, Kandy. Investigations regarding the forged currency notes have been handed over to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) while matters pertaining to printing and circulation of the currency are investigated by the SIU, Kandy, sources said. Investigations are conducted by Chief Inspector, K. M. S. Bowela OIC, SIU, I. P. Janaka Seneviratne, SI M. H. Yatawara, SI H. M. S. Ranasinghe, SI, M. M. Rafaitu, PS S. Tennakoon, Abeykoon, Karunasena, Rana-weera, Gnanaratne, PCs Nihal, Dias, WPC Nanda Kumari, RPC Chanmugam and PCD Tilakaratne on the directions of DIG Sirisena Herath and SSP Nimal Mediwaka. 25 decomposed bodies washed ashore During the past one week 25 decomposed bodies had washed ashore along the islands in the Jaffna Peninsula, reports from North said. None of these bodies could be identified as they were decomposed beyond recognition with some parts of these bodies eaten by fish while floating in the sea, the reports said. These bodies are believed to be remains of over 46 Tamil refugees from North who were drowned when their vallam capsized while they were fleeing to India to take refuge. Around 8 passengers had managed to survive by swimming ashore to Rameshvaram, reports said. These 25 decomposed bodies were handed over to Jaffna Teaching Hospital. A large number of bodies were buried at state expenses reports said. President's initiative to end ethnic crisis
attracts India The government of India finds the initiative taken by President Chandrika Kumara-tunge to end the ethnic crisis very attractive, Minister of Justice, Constitutional and Ethnic Affairs Prof. G. L. Peiris said at a discussion on National Integration at the Ethnic Affairs and National Integration Division on Monday. Sri Lankan High Commissioner to India Mangala Moone-singhe was also present. Speaking on the current perceptions and attitudes in India with regards the Sri Lankan situation, he said that the devolution of powers regarded by the government as the key to the ethnic question has been fully approved by the government of India. The minister pointed out the importance of the devolution proposals. The 13th amendment, he explained, was not viable enough to protect the minorities as the powers designated to the provincial councils could be taken back by the central government. The mandatory requirement to bring the proposals through is a two-thirds majority in Parliament. If they cannot agree with the proposals the United National Party has been asked to come up with their own alternatives, he said. 'Referring to the panchayat at system used in India he said that it has brought the government closer to the people. However this system does not suit our country. We have looked at the Indian experience and taken what is useful to suit our circumstances', he noted. Minister Peiris added that the President's firm commitment has been the most important element in the improvement in the relationship between the two countries. Mr. Mangala Moonesinghe said that as High Commissioner to India he had travelled and met many people including the Prime Minister, Opposition Leader and Foreign Minister. From his meetings he had gathered that a solution to our ethnic problem is of primary concern to India. After all it affects the geopolitics of the region, he added. The MDM and PMM perhaps the only political parties in India that supported the LTTE were wiped out in the last elections. The parties presently in government are against the LTTE. This shows India's stance towards Sri Lanka, he said. During a period of about 10 years Sri Lanka was looked down upon as outcasts by the international community. Sympathy was for the LTTE. We were seen as violators of human rights. However this has changed, Mr. Moone-singhe observed. He added that a corner stone in the improvement of relations between Sri Lanka and India have been the presentation of the proposals. He said that through the devolution proposals the minorities could be brought together to govern their own areas. The present political package goes beyond the Indian constitution as section 356 of the Indian constitution allows the head of state to dissolve provincial councils without a viable reason, he said. Under the UN system 130 countries have accepted some form of constitutional change. It has not caused problems but helped those countries. The ordinary Sri Lankan citizen has a liberal outlook, Mr. Moonesinghe said citing examples of politicians belonging to different ethnic groups who had been chosen by the people to lead the country. The ordinary villager does not think on the same lines as some extremists, he pointed out. He said that about 50,000 Sri Lankan Tamils in Southern India living in refugee camps want to come back, but the government is not yet ready to take them back because of the situation in the North and East. Asked if there would be any kind of intervention from India, Mr. Moonasinghe said that there will be no intervention unless we create a problem for them. India wants us to solve our problems as this would mean one problem less for India too, he added. Police uncover new ruse of emigrant Tamils Pettah police has uncovered another ruse by emigrant Tamils to claim refuge status in foreign countries by producing forged warrants said to have been issued by courts? This ruse had come to light when Pettah police raided a house at Gunasinghepura, Colombo three days ago. This house which had functioned as a fake Kachcheri contained forms pertaining to forged court warrants, identity cards, birth and death certificates and stamps of rupees fifty value stated Eric Alahakoon, Inspector of Police attached to Pettah police. Police believe that over 200 such Tamil emigrants would have gone to Canada to claim refugee status? Meanwhile police is investigating the source of the faked stamps of rupees fifty value. Two other suspects wanted in connection with the fake Kachcheri is presently absconding stated police sources. Air Lanka Catering Services go-slow called
off The go-slow campaign launched by employees of Air Lanka Catering Services Ltd was called off yesterday evening following the management agreeing to the demands of the workers to hold an inquiry into the interdiction of Sri Lanka Nidahas Sevaka Sangamaya secretary, within a fortnight, trade union sources said yesterday. Air Lanka Manager Peter Hill, Air Lanka Catering Services Ltd Managing Director Charlie Panchamuni, the SL Nidhas Sevaka Sangamaya representatives and JSS representatives had participated in negotiations held at Hotel Orient Pearl last evening, the sources said. The go-slow was launched last Saturday by employees attached to Air Lanka Catering Services Ltd demanding that secretary of the Nidhas Sevaka Sanga-maya interdicted some months ago be reinstated or be charge-sheeted. |
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