Only a cemetery can be expected from ‘dead’ government – Yuthukama
April 21 attack proof govt doesn’t exist
-By Shamindra Ferdinando [island]
Gevindu Cumaratunga, convenor of Civil society group Yuthukama said that the country had to pay a very heavy price due to it being run by a ‘dead’ government since December last year.
Addressing the media at Sri Sambuddha Jayanthi Mandiraya, yesterday, Cumaratunga emphasized that the Easter Sunday carnage proved beyond doubt that the government was dead.
Had it not been dead, the terrorist attack could have been thwarted, Cumaratunga said, asking whether there could be justification for the government’s failure against the backdrop of Sri Lanka receiving specific intelligence on the planned attacks.
Cumaratunga said that the public facing an uncertain future was certainly owed an explanation by the powers that be. The activist explained how deliberate weakening of intelligence services, failure to act on specific intelligence provided by foreign intelligence services, criminal negligence on the part of the then Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando and IGP Pujith Jayasundera and the absence of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, State Defence Minister Ruwan Wijewardene and IGP Jayasundera at weekly National Security Council meetings contributed to overall collapse of security leading to the Easter Sunday massacres.
Over 250 men, women and children perished in the single worst coordinated terrorist strikes directed at civilians.
Cumaratunga said that those who resurrected the dead government following Oct 26, 2018 sacking of Premier Wickremesinghe should take responsibility for the current situation.
The UNP lost its mandate to rule the country the day President Maithripala Sirisena quit the yahapalana arrangement, Cumaratunga said. The civil society activist recalled how Yuthukama warned of an unprecedented security and political crisis due to Western powers, NGO lot as well as extremist Tamil and Muslim elements throwing their weight behind the UNP much to the public displeasure. But they persisted with their despicable operation, Cumaratunga alleged, the country wouldn’t have had to experience dreaded Islamic terror if fresh general election was allowed as directed by President Sirisena.
Having dissolved parliament on Nov 09, 2018, President Sirisena set parliamentary polls on January 05, 2019. However, a section of lawmakers numbering 122 successfully appealed against President Sirisena’s move.
Those who had intensified high profile campaign to compel President Sirisena to part with law and order portfolio, conveniently forgot the circumstances under which the Commander-in-Chief brought the vital portfolio under his purview.
Cumaratunga said that President Sirisena sacked the UNP government in October last year in the wake of an alleged attempt to assassinate him. Since then, the Attorney General’s Department had informed the court of some shocking developments pertaining to the alleged involvement of now interdicted DIG in the conspiracy, Cumaratunga said.
Responding to media query, Cumaratunga called for a comprehensive inquiry into the conspiracy to identify all those involved in the murderous project. Cumaratunga alleged that the TNA, JVP, Western powers and various other interested parties who couldn’t stomach Sri Lanka’s triumph over terrorism nearly a decade ago were hell bent on undermining sovereignty of the country. Measures taken by President Sirisena to overcome political crisis and restore public confidence were depicted as a constitutional coup by UNP and its allies. Had President Sirisena’s effort succeeded, the 19th Amendment to the Constitution enacted in early 2015 could have been ‘neutralized’, Cumaratunga said.
He pointed out how the 19th Amendment had weakened the state by diluting executive powers. How could the President expect to play his role unless he had power at least to temporarily move a person suspected of being involved in an attempt on his life, from the cabinet?, Cumaratunga asked
Cumaratunga said that remedial measures shouldn’t be restricted to appointment of a new Secretary to the Ministry of Defence and an IGP. Cumaratunga also questioned as to why those DIGs who failed to carry out instructions received from the IGP weren’t investigated. According to him, of the officers who had received instructions from the IGP, only DIG Priyalal Dassanayake acted on them.
Cumaratunga called for formation of a caretaker government to govern the country until long term measures could be taken. The civil society activist said that far reaching constitutional changes were required to strengthen the government.
යුතුකම සංවාද කවය
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April 21 attack proof govt doesn’t exist
-By Shamindra Ferdinando [island]
Gevindu Cumaratunga, convenor of Civil society group Yuthukama said that the country had to pay a very heavy price due to it being run by a ‘dead’ government since December last year.
Addressing the media at Sri Sambuddha Jayanthi Mandiraya, yesterday, Cumaratunga emphasized that the Easter Sunday carnage proved beyond doubt that the government was dead.
Had it not been dead, the terrorist attack could have been thwarted, Cumaratunga said, asking whether there could be justification for the government’s failure against the backdrop of Sri Lanka receiving specific intelligence on the planned attacks.
Cumaratunga said that the public facing an uncertain future was certainly owed an explanation by the powers that be. The activist explained how deliberate weakening of intelligence services, failure to act on specific intelligence provided by foreign intelligence services, criminal negligence on the part of the then Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando and IGP Pujith Jayasundera and the absence of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, State Defence Minister Ruwan Wijewardene and IGP Jayasundera at weekly National Security Council meetings contributed to overall collapse of security leading to the Easter Sunday massacres.
Over 250 men, women and children perished in the single worst coordinated terrorist strikes directed at civilians.
Cumaratunga said that those who resurrected the dead government following Oct 26, 2018 sacking of Premier Wickremesinghe should take responsibility for the current situation.
The UNP lost its mandate to rule the country the day President Maithripala Sirisena quit the yahapalana arrangement, Cumaratunga said. The civil society activist recalled how Yuthukama warned of an unprecedented security and political crisis due to Western powers, NGO lot as well as extremist Tamil and Muslim elements throwing their weight behind the UNP much to the public displeasure. But they persisted with their despicable operation, Cumaratunga alleged, the country wouldn’t have had to experience dreaded Islamic terror if fresh general election was allowed as directed by President Sirisena.
Having dissolved parliament on Nov 09, 2018, President Sirisena set parliamentary polls on January 05, 2019. However, a section of lawmakers numbering 122 successfully appealed against President Sirisena’s move.
Those who had intensified high profile campaign to compel President Sirisena to part with law and order portfolio, conveniently forgot the circumstances under which the Commander-in-Chief brought the vital portfolio under his purview.
Cumaratunga said that President Sirisena sacked the UNP government in October last year in the wake of an alleged attempt to assassinate him. Since then, the Attorney General’s Department had informed the court of some shocking developments pertaining to the alleged involvement of now interdicted DIG in the conspiracy, Cumaratunga said.
Responding to media query, Cumaratunga called for a comprehensive inquiry into the conspiracy to identify all those involved in the murderous project. Cumaratunga alleged that the TNA, JVP, Western powers and various other interested parties who couldn’t stomach Sri Lanka’s triumph over terrorism nearly a decade ago were hell bent on undermining sovereignty of the country. Measures taken by President Sirisena to overcome political crisis and restore public confidence were depicted as a constitutional coup by UNP and its allies. Had President Sirisena’s effort succeeded, the 19th Amendment to the Constitution enacted in early 2015 could have been ‘neutralized’, Cumaratunga said.
He pointed out how the 19th Amendment had weakened the state by diluting executive powers. How could the President expect to play his role unless he had power at least to temporarily move a person suspected of being involved in an attempt on his life, from the cabinet?, Cumaratunga asked
Cumaratunga said that remedial measures shouldn’t be restricted to appointment of a new Secretary to the Ministry of Defence and an IGP. Cumaratunga also questioned as to why those DIGs who failed to carry out instructions received from the IGP weren’t investigated. According to him, of the officers who had received instructions from the IGP, only DIG Priyalal Dassanayake acted on them.
Cumaratunga called for formation of a caretaker government to govern the country until long term measures could be taken. The civil society activist said that far reaching constitutional changes were required to strengthen the government.
යුතුකම සංවාද කවය
www.yuthukama.com
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