Mangala’s speech in Parliament ‘censored’

Saturday, 12 October 2013 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Secretary General to launch investigation
UNP MP says Govt. is trying to censor MPs the way it censors the media
Says supporters are being hunted in Matara following the UNP’s home-and-home battle last Saturday

By Dharisha Bastians The Acting Secretary General of Parliament has agreed to investigate into how references to the Presidential Security Division were censored in the tape of his speech to the House on Thursday, Opposition Parliamentarian and Matara District Strongman Mangala Samaraweera said yesterday. Samaraweera said that during his speech during the adjournment motion on the COPE report, he had tabled details of the Matara march led by UNP dissidents Maithri Guneratne and Shiral Lakthilake in Parliament and noted that there were at least 11 officers attached to the PSD dressed in civil clothing among the crowd. Samaraweera’s supporters who are supportive of UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe clashed with the procession that was travelling from Matara to Colombo demanding his ouster from the party leadership. The UNP Parliamentarian claims the Police are arresting his supporters in connection with the violence while other assailants identifiable in the photographic and video evidence are being allowed to roam free.

“I also tabled a media report in which there was a picture of a member of the PSD,” he charged. When he obtained the tape of his speech from Parliament later that evening, Samaraweera said all references to members of the PSD had been omitted from the speech. “While the President’s conduct cannot be referenced in Parliament and is liable to be censored, there is absolutely no bar on mentioning the conduct of his Security Division,” Samaraweera charged. Upon making inquiries, Samaraweera said he had been informed that the Chair had issued instructions to remove the references. “I raised the issue with Parliament officials and informed them that if they attempted to censor free speech in the House the way they were censoring it in the media, I would take the issue up to the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, of which Sri Lanka is the Chair,” the UNP MP told a news conference at Sirikotha. He said that as the incoming chair of the Commonwealth in which the traditions of parliamentary democracy were hallowed matters, Sri Lanka’s Parliament cannot behave in such an undemocratic way. Samaraweera said the Acting Secretary General had assured him an investigation would be launched into the issue. Last week, the Speaker of Parliament also promised an investigation as to how the Government was attempting to table and pass a gazette to legalise casinos without including it in the agenda or making copies of the bill available to the Opposition.