Maithripala – Mahinda Talks: A Genuine Effort?
Gamini Jayaweera
MS – MR Talks: A Genuine Effort to Unite the SLFP or A Cynical Attempt to Cover-up the Alleged Illegal Activities?
Well publicised meeting between the current President Mr. Maithripala Sirisena and the former President Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa took place recently with close supporters from MS and MR fractions of the SLFP. The MPs who organised this meeting publically stated that they wanted to unite the MS and MR fractions of the party before the next general election to ensure that SLFP would defeat the other parties (mainly UNP) and obtain the majority in the parliament to govern the country for the next 6 years. There was nothing wrong about this meeting if the honest objective had been to unite the SLFP fractions to fight the upcoming general elections. It had been reported in the media that MR fractions had put forward various conditions for agreement in order to reconcile the differences between the two fractions and unite the membership of the SLFP. Let us examine some of the demands which had been tabled by MR fractions to resolve the differences are genuine issues to unite the SLFP or it was an attempt to turn a blind eye to the alleged illegal activities that had been carried out by various ministers and MPs under the leadership of former president Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa.
Alleged Bribery & Corruption
It had been reported that the MR fraction had requested the President Mr. Maithripala Sirisena to withdraw all cases against members of the previous regime for alleged illegal activities during the last 10 years of MR administration because the Financial Crime Investigation Division (FCID) set up by the current regime is politically biased. During the pre and post-election periods members of the current government highlighted a no. of serious allegations against some members of the previous regime and the voters in Sri Lanka believed these stories and voted in favour of the current regime led by Mr. Maithripala Sirisena and the leaders of his coalition partners. They also told the people of Sri Lanka that they would provide evidence to support their claims and punish the corrupt politicians including who have had dealings with drug traffickers and ethanol dealers.