President pushes P’ment as panacea to political crisis

• All-party meeting chaired by President sans JVP ends inconclusively
• Sirisena tells parties to reach compromise, follow due process and conduct business with respect and decorum
• Asks not to allow party supporters to converge in Parliament today, says world is watching
• UNP stands ground
• MR faction says due process not followed, insists on pursuing Standing Orders

By Chathuri Dissanayake

President Maithripala Sirisena yesterday called on all parties to resort to the parliamentary process to democratically reach a solution to the ongoing political crisis with decorum. 

With the House set to convene this afternoon, Sirisena yesterday also urged all parties to refrain from bringing supporters to Diyawanna in order to avoid conflict. The deadlock between the two fractions of the political parties dragged on for the fourth week, with the party leaders meeting called by the President, in an attempt to reach a truce, ending inconclusively.

Noting that both sides in the current political tussle had raised valid concerns regarding the situation, Sirisena stressed the need to conduct affairs in a formal manner.

Sirisena told all party leaders who were present at the meeting, including ousted Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and his disputed successor former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, to follow due process and parliamentary Standing Orders at today’s parliamentary sitting. 

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya declined to attend yesterday’s meeting. However, it was reported that he later had a telephone conversation with the President and assured that he would follow the decisions made at the meeting.  The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), who moved the no confidence motion against Rajapaksa on both occasions it was passed in the House, boycotted the meeting, accusing President Sirisena of being the architect of the current crisis in the country.

“The President requested that voting on the no confidence motion be held by name or through electronic voting,” the Presidential Media Division said in a statement.

“He noted that voting by name or through electronic vote would be more acceptable both internationally and to the citizens of this country,” the statement noted.

However, the United National Party-led group of parties stood their ground, insisting that the no confidence motion had already been passed twice on Thursday and Friday.

“We stood our ground and told him that two resolutions had been passed against the current Government and the Prime Minister, and once the Speaker certifies the matter no one could question it,” Tamil Progressive Alliance Leader Mano Ganesan told Daily FT.

“We told him that we do not recognise Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and his government.”

The UNP-led group also told their opponents to bring in a fresh motion to cancel the motion passed, UNP strongman Lakshman Kiriella told Daily FT.

“We told them we have adhered to the Standing Orders and followed procedure to suspend Standing Orders as well so if they don’t want to accept the motion bring a fresh one to cancel it,” a persistent Kiriella said.

Insisting that they commanded the support of at least 113 Members of Parliament, UNP Member Ajith P. Perera, speaking to journalists outside the Presidential Secretariat, vowed to deliver their affidavits pledging support to UNP leader and ousted Premier Wickremesinghe by 10.00 a.m. today.

However, the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) group supporting President Mahinda Rajapaksa maintained that the two motions were passed without following due process.

“We said that they have to follow due process and not by suspending Standing Orders. That cannot be done at the very outset or in a very serious matter like this. The President was also of the same view,” UPFA member Keheliya Rambukwella told Daily FT.

Showing no signs of a possible breakthrough in the stalemate in the country’s crisis, Rambukwella said that their faction would insist the standard procedure be followed to pass any no confidence motion during the party leaders meeting to be held today at 10.00 a.m.

UNP MP Ajith P. Perera said the party told President Sirisena that they were willing to bring all MPs (majority) backing the no confidence motion on Rajapaksa to the President's office today, if needed, with affidavits. 

"The President wasn't certain about his response to this suggestion but we hope he will decide by early Monday," Perera added.

Other UNPers said the meeting with Sirisena provided no breakthrough as the President apparently wanted to continue the impasse, with him urging that due parliamentary process be followed.

In a related development, several members of the diplomatic corps met President Sirisena last morning followed by another meeting with Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe at Temple Trees in the evening.