Navin says no international support for Sirisena-Rajapaksa faction

The United National Party (UNP) yesterday said that President Maithripala Sirisena and his newly appointed Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa do not have any international support and so far, no country had congratulated the latter. 

“Even the Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka went to meet Ranil Wickremesinghe after he met with Mahinda Rajapaksa,” UNP MP Navin Dissanayake told the media at a briefing at Temple Trees.

Dissanayake also pointed out that contradictory reports had been published on the discussion between President Sirisena and Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN) António Guterres.

He said the UNP calls on everyone to help uphold democracy in the country with the party fully committed to the ideals it championed in 2015. The power vested in the Executive President must be reduced, including the President’s ability to prorogue Parliament, he said. 

He pointed out that in the event that Parliament was prorogued, it should be done with the consent of the Speaker. “We will always believe in the Yahapalanaya,” he added.

“We regard this as a struggle to establish democracy in this country. Our only demand is to reconvene Parliament and to take a decision based on the majority of the Parliament. “We thank the independent and free-thinking people of this country for helping us in this constitutional struggle.” 

Dissanayake also alleged that Dudley Sirisena, brother of President Sirisena, had offered money to MPs to switch parties to gain support for Prime Minister Rajapaksa in Parliament.

“The way this President and Prime Minister are trying to bribe, induce and threaten our MPs to switch sides is very anti-democratic and shameful. I have never seen a President acting like this. Dudley Sirisena has been using his wealth and money to buy our MPs.” 

He also urged the public to boycott Dudley Sirisena’s Hotel in Nuwara Eliya while alleging former Minister Basil Rajapaksa was also involved in the hunt for MPs to gain their support for his brother. 

“We expect to strengthen the Bribery Act as well as Bribery Commission to investigate these allegations. The person taking a bribe and the person who is giving a bribe are equally guilty.” (NS)