UNP: Dying From Friendly Fire
Dharisha Bastians
When rival factions of the United National Party clashed on the main streets of Matara on Saturday afternoon, passions and adrenaline appeared to be running higher than it ever did during party’s campaign rallies that preceded polling day last month.
Simmering frustrations within the country’s main opposition party reached an extraordinary crescendo when pro-Ranil supporters clashed with anti-Ranil marchers in the Southern city, injuring at least seven people. Guns and blunt weapons were used by both sides in the bizarre clashes that resulted in at least one high profile arrest when expelled UNP member and Southern Provincial Councillor Maithri Guneratne’s father and author Herman Guneratnewas taken into police custody in connection with a shooting during the street fight. The 75 year old Guneratne was produced before the Matara Additional Magistrate yesterday and remanded until today (7). UNP Provincial Councillor Krishantha Pushpakumara suffered a gunshot injury to his leg during the clash.
Twenty two others were also arrested on Sunday, including UNP MP Mangala Samaraweera who is alleged to have led the pro-Ranil protestors in his electorate. Saramaweera was released after questioning.
The proxy war between UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and his challenger Sajith Premadasa was waged in Matara between the pro-Ranil Samaraweera and the pro-Sajith radical provincial councillors Maithri Guneratne and Shiral Lakthilake. Both young lawyers were sacked from the UNP earlier this year for their complicity in an attack on the party headquarters Sirikotha in December 2011 after Wickremesinghe was re-elected Leader in a much anticipated leadership contest.
The Matara clashes were not the first time the internecine battles within the UNP have descended into violence, but it was the first time that the blood of party members has been spilled. In a democratic space that is rapidly shrinking because of the desperate lack of an effective and engaged opposition, it appears in-fighting is the only thing the UNP can muster any real energy for. Read More
