• House in disorder as third session convenes
• Emergency Regulations extend with 87 majority votes
• Opposition members raise privilege issues
• Situation in east gains the focal point of debate

By Vindya Amaranayake
The first meeting of the third Parliamentary session convened last Thursday (June 5) with the House erupting in turmoil. The session, however, commenced with a celebratory mood as Leader of the House and Healthcare and Nutrition Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva was commended for his appointment as Chairman of the Executive Committee of the World Health Organisation (WHO).

There were several notable absentees and among them were the leader of the newly formed National Freedom Front, Wimal Weerawansa and SLFP(M) Leader Mangala Samaraweera. However, the most conspicuous absence was that of President Mahinda Rajapaksa who did not appear for the ceremonial opening. This absence created an uproar among opposition members, who claimed that their Parliament privileges were violated due to the absence.

The calm and order began to gradually deteriorate while Opposition and United National Party (UNP) Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe began to raise a privilege issue. He alleged that his passage to Parliament was obstructed by a mass protest organised by the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) led government. He added that the crowd, led allegedly by Duminda Silva and Hector Bethmage deliberately barred his vehicle from proceeding towards Parliament.

What ensued was a tirade from Ministers Mervyn Silva and Mahindananda Aluthgamage who claimed that many more privileges were violated during the UNP tooting campaign on Tuesday (June 3), which they stated inconvenienced a great number of people. The disturbance from the government benches continued while opposition members persisted with their claim of privilege violations. However, Speaker W.J.M. Lokubandara issued a strong advice to all members saying that matters of privilege were of utmost importance and should not be regarded as humdrum affairs.

Emergency debate
Initiating the debate to extend Emergency Regulations for a further month, Prime Minister Rathnasiri Wickremanayake stated that the entire world was going through a time of great strife. “We too have to endure certain conditions that the global community is faced with at the moment. The entire world is battling with the unprecedented escalation of oil prices, food crisis and many natural disasters. We too have to bear the consequences. Yet, the government is committed to provide relief to the people,” he said.

He also said that at a time when the military was gaining remarkable victories against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), there were certain segments in society who strive to confuse the population with claims of human rights and media freedom violations.

Joining in the debate UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake said, “We in the UNP are not against the brave cause undertaken by the military to defeat terrorism. What we are protesting against, is the fact that the government is using the war as an excuse not to find solutions for other pressing issues such as the rising cost of living. Emergency Regulations are there to safeguard national security, not to curb the activities of dissenting political parties.”

Referring to the worsening conditions in the east, Attanayake pointed out that the situation might lead to a complete breakdown of civil administration in the area. “It is no secret that the TMVP carry arms in the east. They are having 10 training camps in the Polonnaruwa District as well. You can find them in Manampitiya, Senapura, Kudapokuna, Wadumunai, Muthugala, Welioya and Madurangala.”

Representing the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), its Gampaha District MP Vijitha Herath reiterated the opinions expressed by the UNP Genera Secretary. “Emergency Regulations are not there to be misused, but to help defeat terrorism. The present government is misusing the Regulations to cover its own faults. The setting up of the Special Projects Ministry was a complete waste of money and resources. It gobbled up millions of money. Also, no one knows why Parliament was prorogued about a month ago. It was suddenly announced. No one is giving a reason even now.”

Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) Digamadulla district MP A.M.M. Naushad expressed his view saying that the debate for Emergency Regulations did not address the root cause that prompted the need to have Emergency Regulations in the first place. “If majoritarianism is the root cause for terrorism, then it should be addressed, first and foremost. The government has decided to suppress the just rights of the minorities by failing to address their grievances.”

Eastern elections
One of the hot topics that incited disorder among members was the recently concluded Eastern Provincial Council election. According to the Prime Minister the main outcome of the election was that a group who used to bear arms had realised the value of the democratic process. “But some people have failed to realise the value of this move. They continue to criticise them and obstruct their forward march in the democratic stream. And they try to show that there is no peace in the east.”

The UNP, on the other hand, charged that the entire election process was filled with irregularities and corruption. General Secretary Attanayake said that there had been many instances where cases of ballot box stuffing had been reported and polling agents of opposition parties had been chased away by armed groups.

Science and Technology Minister Prof. Tissa Vitarana, meanwhile, opined that there had always been irregularities when it came to elections in this country. “It had been a feature of our elections. In the context of Eastern Provincial Council elections, the election monitoring body PAFFREL has recorded that 584 irregularities occurred in 22 polling stations. However, this would not have made a qualitative effect on the final result.”

He also said there was an undue fear about devolution, but the way forward was to implement the 13th Amendment to the Constitution to restore confidence among the Tamil speaking communities.

Prof. Vitarana also expressed his and Lanka Sama Samaja Party’s (LSSP) regret over the escalation of the war, which had caused loss of life and property to the civilians. “I express my sincere condolences on behalf of the LSSP towards the victims. I hope we can reach a political solution for the problem and we must strive towards this goal.”

At the conclusion of the debate, the Emergency Regulations were passed with a majority of 87 votes: 106 for and 19 against. All government members, JHU and JVP voted for and TNA voted against. The UNP abstained from voting.

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