International community still bothered about Rajapaksas?
By Gagani Weerakoon- JUN 17 2018President Maithripala Sirisena has alleged that certain interested parties were interfering in the investigations into the Central Bank Treasury Bonds scam, by exerting undue influence on law enforcement authorities. He made these revelations, in an interview with our sister newspaper, the Sunday Mawbima, in response to a question as to whether high level political interference could be inferred from a statement he made recently, where he had said that he was being stifled and not being allowed to carry out his work in his capacity as President.
President Sirisena pointed out that as far as he was concerned he would not in any way interfere with law enforcement authorities.
The President added that the best example of undue influence on law enforcement authorities was evident in interference with CID officers, the Attorney General’s Department and the CBSL – the parties responsible to take legal action in relation to the ongoing investigations into the Bonds scam.
When queried as to whether there was interference with regard to the non-disclosure of names of certain UNP politicians involved in the scam, President Sirisena replied in the affirmative: The details of which were mentioned in the relevant B report submitted to Court.
The President said that it was advisable for the law to take its own course so that law enforcement officers could act freely and carry out their duties.
It was revealed in this column last week how investigating officers have come under pressure to not reveal or publicize names in the backdrop of names of top politicians being revealed in connection with the Central Bank Treasury bonds scam.
It was also mentioned Director - Criminal Investigations Department (CID) SSP Shani Abeysekera and IGP Pujith Jayasundara were summoned by a top political authority and were ordered not to include politicians’ names when filing ‘B’ reports with regard to the case against Perpetual Treasuries owner Arjun Aloysius.
Currently, two names, those of former Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara and State Minister Sujeewa Senasinghe, have been revealed, in ‘B’ report filings, as those who received funds from either PTL or other companies belonging to Aloysius. Speculation is rife that politicians belonging to many political parties have received funds as campaign money from Aloysius during and after the last General Election held in August 2015.
According to reliable sources, the CID has finalized investigations in connection with another woman politician, who allegedly received funds from Aloysius. While, personal bodyguards and campaign managers were involved in the transactions that took place between Aloysius and Jayasekara and Senasinghe, the CID officials have questioned the son of the woman politician who was involved in the deal.
Maithri’s advice to G-16
With USA President Donald Trump and North Korean President Kim Jong-un having a so-called historic talks to end long-running rivalry, now some are expecting two political heads in Sri Lanka would do the same.
Former State Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena said at a media briefing last week that Sri Lanka’s ‘Trump and Kim’ would work hand- in-hand prior to the Presidential Election by December 2019, with reference to President Maithripala Sirisena and former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
“We are confident that President Sirisena and Rajapaksa would join hands and begin to work collaboratively by December 2019,” he said.
The Group of 16 who left the Unity Government to sit in the Opposition met President Sirisena who assured them that there will be drastic changes in the Party on 2 September. The President, upon hearing speculations that there is a split in the Group of 16 was reported to have requested them to remain united.
Eleven of the 16, excluding MPs Susil Premajayantha, John Seneviratne and Anura Priyadarshana Yapa had met the President on Wednesday and discussed the current political situation in the country.
Some among them are said to be considering joining former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, while the others insist on remaining with the SLFP.
Political sources said they had informed the President that they were keen to secure their political future, and therefore the entire party should quit the Government and highlighted the fact that the SLFP was riddled with confusion.
The President asked them to remain united and participate in the re-organizing of the party. These SLFPers are reported to have taken a swipe at Ministers Duminda Dissanayake and Mahinda Amaraweera for contradicting a statement made by SLFP General Secretary Rohana Lakshman Piyadasa.
The group also believes that the SLFP will not be able to win the hearts of the people or undergo radical changes by 2 September, as long as some SLFP members continue to remain in the Unity Government with the United National Party (UNP).
The group also held several rounds of discussions with various political parties.
Meanwhile, former Minister Basil Rajapaksa, who spearheads the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), ruled out the possibility of accommodating the members of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) as a distinct political group under the SLPP banner.
However, he said the MPs who quit the Government could join the SLPP-led alliance as individual members rather than as a separate political group.
“It is not possible for us to allow them to stay within the SLPP as a separate political group. Instead, they can join hands with us as individual members,” he said
President 2020
Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa who was in Kandy last week compared the Government to a plough being drawn by a bull and a buffalo.
He said this after paying homage at the Dalada Maligawa and underlined the fact that this Government would be defeated because it had not solved any of the issues faced by the people and had no proper plan of development.
“This Government is similar to a plough being drawn by a bull and a buffalo. They pull in different directions. It is unable to control underworld activities not only in Colombo but also in Kandy,” he said.
“The Kirivehera prelate was shot. They can find out who shot him by asking the prelate, who is said to be recovering. Someone may have had a reason to kill him. The social media is coming out with various fabricated news and are falsely accusing Gotabaya Rajapaksa of having committed various crimes”.
Rajapaksa said religious leaders were also being side-lined by this Government.
“The Vesak Poya Day was changed, May Day was changed, and even the Poson Poya has been changed. There is even an issue about the Ramadhan festival. All religions have been ill-treated,” he said and added that usually matters discussed between a foreign ambassador and a State official were not normally released, but it had happened with various interpretations.
Rajapaksa said a presidential candidate would be named at the correct time, just like President Sirisena who came into the fray quite suddenly.
“The presidential candidate will be named under my directions,” he said.
Meanwhile, former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa who was also in Kandy last Friday (15) said as a leader who identifies the thoughts and wishes of the people, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa would choose the most suitable individual as the next presidential candidate.
He said this while speaking to reporters after a meeting with the Chief Incumbent of the Getambe Rajopawanarama Temple in Peradeniya, Ven. Keppitiyagoda Siriwimala Thera.
He stated that the country’s people’s force is aligned with Mahinda Rajapaksa and that even the forces that were the basis for his defeat have now realized they were wrong.
The former Defence Secretary said that Mahinda Rajapaksa would take the correct decision at the right time.
Atul Keshap’s alleged statement
These comments on the 2020 Presidential candidate were made at a juncture where an article by a Jaffna-based Tamil newspaper to the effect that outgoing USA Ambassador Atul Keshap had expressed America’s displeasure over Gotabhaya Rajapaksa’s candidacy went viral.
The United States Embassy in Colombo is not confirming or denying that Ambassador Keshap, in his farewell call on former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, had said that the US and Western countries will not be supportive of Gotabaya Rajapaksa, if he contests the Presidency in 2020.
The report first appeared in a Jaffna-based Tamil language newspaper ‘Kaalaikkathir’ and was repeated in the popular blog site dbsjeyaraj.com.
The site reported that during the discussion between the Ambassador and the former President “the most significant issue was about the possible presidential candidacy of ex-Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa. ‘Kaalaikkathir’ quoting very reliable sources said that the US envoy had in ‘clear, unambiguous and definite’ terms told Mahinda Rajapaksa directly that the western nations including the USA would not favourably regard Gotabaya Rajapaksa being nominated as a Presidential candidate”.
Ceylon Today then spoke with the US Embassy’s Public Affairs Department and emailed questions to them.
Our first email was as follows:
From CeylonToday
The website dbsjeyaraj.com has an article quoting a Jaffna based newspaper as reporting that Ambassador Atul Keshap had told former President Mahinda Rajapaksa that the US Government would be opposed to a Gotabaya Rajapaksa candidacy in a forthcoming Presidential Polls when the two of them met privately.
-Does the Ambassador confirm the meeting?
-Did he discuss the possibility of the former Defence Secretary contesting the elections
and did he express an opinion about the fitness of the candidate?
The response from the US Embassy was as follows:
Thanks for your query.
The Ambassador meets routinely with political leaders, civil society and community leaders.
The Embassy does not discuss the contents of private meetings publicly.
You may attribute the response to the US Embassy.
Ceylon Today then sent in a follow up email:
The website dbsjeyaraj.com has an article quoting a Jaffna-based newspaper as reporting that Ambassador Atul Keshap had told former President Mahinda Rajapaksa that the US Government would be opposed to a Gotabaya Rajapaksa candidacy in a forthcoming Presidential Poll when the two of them met privately.
Please respond as to whether this report is true and accurate or whether it is false. It will be in your interest to respond as if this is allowed to stand as the truth it will amount to the US Government interfering in Sri Lankan affairs.
The response to that from the Embassy was as follows:
Thanks for the follow up query.
The Ambassador meets routinely with political leaders, civil society and community leaders. The Ambassador honours the confidence of private meetings and does not discuss the contents of such meetings publicly.
You may attribute this response to the US Embassy.
Thanks.
Meanwhile, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, issuing a media statement confirmed that he had met Keshap last Sunday for a “cordial discussion”. He went on to say that “some points that were discussed in a cordial manner have been distorted and publicized by various media. This information has not been released officially by the Media Unit of the former President”.
