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US, India and IMF tri party discussion on sri Lanka in Delhi.
After GR will Basil face court case in US..?
GR reveals secret over RW ‘s appointment..
15 MPs from Samagi Jana Balavega join the government… ‘-Island
’10 people from SJB to support the President..’ -Dinamina
20 people, including Maddumabandara, are close to Ranil. The MPs are going to meet Sajith… ‘-Aruna
‘Minister positions for a group of SJB’ -Lankadeepa
‘Five SJB seniors to the cabinet’ -Deshaya
Above is the news that has been published almost daily in the newspapers, websites and social media of this country at various times during the last few weeks. If anyone can dig through the papers of the past few weeks, they will find over fifty stories of this type appearing over the past few weeks. All the news said that a group of 5, 10, 15, 20 MPs from SJB are ready to come and support President Ranil Wickramasinghe. This was planned and carried out in such a formal manner that some newspapers even published the names and villages of the MPs in such a way as to instill confidence in the readers. After that, on the following day, these people had arranged for the journalists who were reading the newspapers on the TV channels to create the news and read it so that the whole country could hear
In this manner, when these news were aired on TV channels, the party experts and members of the party spoke to the relevent MPs and inquired about this. Sometimes it’s just unnecessary blame. No matter how much some councilors say that this news is false, no matter how many explanations are given to the relevant newspapers stating that the news is false, the damage that could be done to those councilors in front of the society has already been done. The end result is MPs being made guilty in front of the society.
However, we have never published this type of unethical news in the newspaper ‘Mawrata’ or the AAGAP website. Instead, we constantly worked to bring the true information to the readers. Instead of publishing such false news and making MPs uncomfortable, what we did was to expose the ulterior motives of certain groups whom are behind this to the country through our website and through the ‘Rajya Rahas’ column. Revealing the facts to the country about the operation of getting the opposition MPs into the government by some people in the same old fashion by proposing various ministerial positions, boons, privileges and money bags.
Accordingly, 48 hours ago, last Thursday, various newspapers, websites, and social media networks whom were repeatedly told the country that the SJB MPs would join the government for several weeks proven wrong. It highlights to the country that these newspapers and televisions channels deceived the country by using their valuable space. That is when the swearing in of 37 state ministers on Thursday. Accordingly, it was clearly seen that all these fabricated news were distributed from one place. Also, it was clearly proven the conspiracy that gripped the media for several weeks was utter lies and a total flop
A special feature was visible when you look at the ministers who took oath. That is that all those who took the oath members who got elected through peoples vote from the pohottuwa party. Among those 37 ministers, there was not a single MP from the opposition. Accordingly, we have only one thing to say to the people. There could be similar conspiracies generated through some media owners could surface in the future as well. People should be alert on suck fake news.
Vote for the budget and government majority
In addition to this, last week we revealed a special revelation about the composition of the government to the country through the ‘Rajya Rahas’ column. There we said that during the budget vote, many discussions took place within Pohottuwa to show the power of Pohottuwa to the President. At the beginning, Pohottuwa had the support of 157 MPs in the Parliament, but now there are only119 MPs officially in Pohottuwa. A group of the remaining MPs are already sitting in the opposition and several other groups are sitting in the ruling party as independent groups. Accordingly, only 119 MPs will be officially invited for meetings in Pohottuwa.
However, although the budget received 120 votes, only 112 of the 119 Pohottu MPs actually came to Parliament that day. In other words, the number of 113 MPs, which was the majority of the Parliament, had not even arrived that day. But the government was able to show a majority of 120 because four MPs representing the SLFP and four MPs from the independent MP group voted in favor of the budget. However, if the election results were to be decided in secret votes , this would not be the case.
According to the information we have received, Basil’s plan was to reduce the number of votes to 105 even though there were 119 votes in the pohottuwa and show that the President’s budget does not have a majority. In this manner, the power of the government is taken in the pohottuwa’s hand. But the president, who understood this long ago, used Namal Rajapaksa, a member of the Rajapaksa family, to disrupt Basil’s plan.
Accordingly, through Namal, the President managed to increase the number of MPs from Pohottuwa to 112, which had been reduced to 105. Although the President finally managed to raise the total number of votes received for the budget to 120, it is a special event that only 112 of the 119 MPs had come to vote that day. Also, the ‘Rajya Rahas’ column understand in future that there going to be many twists and turns on the Pohottuwa could change the number of votes.
Appointment of State Ministers
It is under this background that the President took steps to appoint the successive state ministers last Thursday. Another special incident that had an impact on that also took place during the meeting of the government MPs held last Monday. That was when Tissa Kuttiarachchi, who is known as a back row member of Pohottuwa and a strong Basilist, launched a strong attack targeting Ranil. For this, the Kuttiarachchi got the support based on the political game Basil played by reducing the number of MPs to 112 during the budget vote.
After the former president left the country due to the struggle, we made you the president from the parliament temporarily. But you controlled those who struggled and became our savior. That’s a different story. But now you have appointed ministers and work to give opportunities to the majority group. You initially said that an all-party government would be established. We were also waiting for you to form an all-party government. But it didn’t happen. According to what we heard, other parties will not come to the government.
By waiting without appointing the ministers, these people will break away. If that happens, the same thing that happened to Gota will happen to you. That’s why we are saying to form a government with Pohottuwa where the majority is still there, give the ministers and complete this work…’ when Tissa Kuttiarachchi said, the other MPs could see how the President was listening to it in a rather bewildered manner.
Gotabhaya’s return
Meanwhile, former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa also took steps to come to Sri Lanka from Singapore last weekend. Earlier in Pohottuwa, some group had planned to celebrate Gota’s return to Sri Lanka, but due to some other plans, Basil had informed to suspend all the celebrations. Because of this, very few people came to Katunayake to welcome Gota when he came to Sri Lanka from Singapore last Saturday.
However, in order to get more MPs to participate in this event, some people had also taken steps to make phone calls to various MPs in Pohottuwa. Another member said to one member of parliament who spoke like that, ‘He did not leave the country because of us. That’s why when he comes, he doesn’t even want to leave… those who received ministry from him don’t go…’ he said. It is a special event that less than twelve MPs attended the event.
However, after coming to sri Lanka , Gota went straight to a government quarters which was given to him by the government, which was facing Bauddaloka Mawatha and Malalasekara Mawatha in Colombo. This official house was once used by the former minister Mr. Wimal Weerawansa and Namal Rajapaksa, another strongman of the Rajapaksa family, also resides in a government official house adjacent to this house. However, a large number of MPs who did not go to Katunayake when Gota arrived, came to this official residence on Malalasekara Mawatha from Saturday to see Gota’s wellbeing after his arrival.
After The chit chats about Gota’s sorrows and joys, all those people asked Gota some questions. That is the whether he will return to politics, or return to parliament, take the prime minister ship. But Gota said to all of them that he will not return to politics. Mrs. Sita Arambepola, who was already a National List Member of Parliament and was close to Gota, who was considered a viyathmaga representative, had even given a statement to the media that she is ready to give her position as a National List Member of Parliament to Gota.
However, although Gota had given this answer to all those who came to see him since Saturday, it was also seen that the nature of this answer had changed slightly after last Tuesday. It was due to a special incident that happened on Tuesday night. On that day, two powerful non-politicians who contributed a lot to bring Gota to power (we will present the names of these two in a later issue) came to the official residence at Malalasekara Mawatha to meet Gota.
There was a long conversation between these three in a room inside the official house for several hours, the ‘Rajya Rahas’ column heard. The information we have received so far says that in this ‘Sayakan mantra’ some foundation has been laid again regarding Gota’s future political course. There is also news that it has been discussed that it should happen according to some plan.
However, the MPs who went to meet Gota after this discussion received a slightly different answer from Gota when discussing the political topic. Gota, who was initially saying ‘I will not enter politics again…’, after the discussion, Gota told the MPs who came to see him, ‘It is too early to enter politics. So let’s wait for the correct time. When that time comes, let’s do the work…’ was the answer. Through that, the MPs also got some hint about Gota’s political arrival. It seems that the position of Gota when he came to Sri Lanka has changed in some way.
A new prime minister
At the same time, MP Channa Jayasumana, who sat in the opposition with Dallas last week, gave some hints about the political upheavals that are going to happen in the near future through a special statement in Parliament. There, he said that these days many MPs representing Pohottuwa are calling him and asking for support to form a new government under a new prime minister. At that time, many people did not show much interest in Channa’s statement, but we have to say that Channa’s statement contained the hints forthcoming many political upheavals.
Another thing that is clear from this statement of Channa is that the group of MPs in Pohottuwa, which was disorganized in the past, is reorganizing based on the people’s struggle, and they are lining up to take power. Through that, Basil’s plan is to remove Dinesh from the post of Prime Minister and appoint an MP as the Prime Minister. It has been learned that Basil and other leaders of Pohottuwe have planned to make this change before the 2023 budget to be presented next November. For that purpose, Basil’s plan is to gather all those who have broken away at present from the pohottuwa. According to that plan, Channa, who is sitting in the opposition at present also is invited to join for that.
If so, who the Basil Party planned to appoint removing Dinesh as the new Prime Minister?
The ‘Rajya Rahas’ column has heard that there are two opinions in this regards in the bud. One section claims that Gota should be made Prime Minister as the mandate of 69 lakhs is still there. This section represents the group that played a major role in bringing Gota to power. But the hard-liner group of Pohottuwa claims that Mahinda is the only person who can unite Pohottuwa, which is currently divided into several parties, and therefore Mahinda should be reinstated as Prime Minister. Accordingly, Gota’s and Mahinda’s names have been proposed for the post of Prime Minister. Although it is said that Pohottuwa has a group of 119 MPs, the effectiveness of these proposals will be determined by the number of MPs in Pohottuwa.
However, whichever of these two names becomes the prime minister, the 2023 budget to be presented next November is very crucial for the government. This is because the government has to prepare the background to implement a large number of conditions of the International Monetary Fund that have been presented to the government through this budget. The financial fund has already informed the government that government expenditure should be greatly reduced and revenues should be increased.
Also, the government will have to implement many difficult proposals through this budget, including cutting public service and privatizing loss-making institutions. On the other hand, the government passed the interim budget last week with the help of MPs gathered from the SLFP and independent groups. Under such a background, there is a serious crisis regarding getting the support of the 2023 budget. Because the bud does not accept privatization as a policy. Nor does it accept cutbacks in public service. Therefore, it can be seen that discussions have already started in some places within Pohottuva regarding whether to support the 2023 budget or defeat it and make the political journey of Pohottuwa.
On the other hand, the vast majority of MPs representing Samagi Jana Balawega expressed their views rejecting the government’s interim budget, but Harsha de Silva, Iran Wickramaratne, Kabir Hashim, who work as Sahab’s economic experts, always stated that when taken as a policy, SJB’s economic policies are represented in the budget, they can not oppose it. Accordingly, before the upcoming budget, an operation to bring these people to the government and prepare the basis for adopting the budget has been launched and completed by the government.
At the end of all this, one more special event appears in the recently held budget voting outcome . That is, the number of votes of the opposition, which was limited to 60 to 65 so far, has exceeded 100 votes through this break in the bud. Accordingly, a special discussion was held between the Dallas team who joined the opposition from the government last week and Mr. Sajith Premadasa, the leader of the opposition, at the Parliament complex. There was a long discussion about how to work as a group inside and outside the parliament. Also, ‘Rajya Rahas ‘ has heard that there has been a long discussion about the repression unleashed by the government targeting the peaceful activists, about strengthening the democratic framework and how to form a strong opposition alliance by involving various parties.
common platform
Professor G.L. Mr. Peiris has pointed out the importance of creating a common platform on the basis of agreement from all parties for the sake of democracy and it is understood that the leader of the opposition has expressed his agreement. Accordingly, it has been learned that everyone has agreed to start negotiations with all the opposition parties in the future and to create a huge common platform against the repression of the government.
Last week, through the ‘Rajya Rahas’ column, we took steps to reveal to the country for the first time how an operation to oust former President Maithripala Sirisena has been launched with in the Sri Lanka Freedom Party. There we pointed out that a certain group led by former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga is behind this operation, and that this operation has been implemented based on an article that was included in the constitution of Sri Lanka during the time of the former President, and that a case has already been filed before the court in this regard. We revealed there that the plan was to make Mr. Mahinda Amaraweera the temporary leader of the SLFP and take over the party again if there was a favorable outcome from this case.
However, although the Chandrika team had launched this operation, it was seen last week that it had the full support of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa. That is with Mahinda calling Amarweera last week and asking about this and blessing the program. Accordingly, the verdict in this case was supposed to be received on the 5th September. Maithri’s emphasis on the case can be seen through the addition of Faiz Mustafath, Faizer Mustafath, a father-son duo known as Sri Lanka’s famous presidential lawyers, to the case for their side.
But as no one expected, the verdict in the case was not in favor of the Chandrika-Amaraweera side, but in favor of the Maitri team. Accordingly, it was seen that the mission of the Chandrika team to bring people like Kumara Welgama back to the party and seize the power of the party failed.
However, at the time of the case, Maithri was also not idle. What Maitri did was to amend the party constitution so that the party leader can take strict and immediate action against the MPs and party members who break the party discipline. During those discussions, Nimal Siripala de Silva, Mahinda Amaraweera, Chamara Sampath Dasanayake, Lasantha Alagiyawanna, Jagath Pushpakumara, Ranjith Siyambalapitiya and Duminda Dissanayake, who are hoping for a cabinet minister ship, expressed strong opposition. But despite their protest, Maithrie managed to pass the relevant constitutional amendment subject to unanimous approval in the Central Committee, the Executive Council and the Party Congress.
Maithrie did so because it has been confirmed that these MPs have been in some political deal with Ranil for some time and information has been received that they are ready to join the government after receiving minister ships from Ranil. Just as it was said, on last Thursday, these MPs went to Ranil and took steps to get the state minister ship. Accordingly, Maithri, who has changed the party constitution and taken strict powers under himself, is ready to expel from the party all those who went outside the party’s opinion and took the positions of ministers. Maithree, Dayasiri as party secretary has now decided that there are three or four MPs left in the party and together with them to start a strong political journey in the future.
People’s Assembly
In this way, it was seen that Mahinda Amaraweera lost hope after receiving an unfavorable decision in the case held on the 5th. Accordingly, because of the early indication that strict disciplinary action would be taken by the party, Amaraweera converted another registered party to his name to be separate stepping stone. Although the story was kept a secret for the past period, the secret came out in the meeting of party leaders to form the People’s Assembly chaired by Prime Minister Dinesh last Wednesday.
Because Mahinda Amaraweera was also present, Dayasiri immediately protested and declared that steps should be taken to make only those nominated by the party participate in this meeting. Dayasiri said that irrelevant people should not be allowed to participate in this meeting as if to knock Amarweera. But Amarweera’s answer was not the answer Dayasiri expected at all.
Amarweera stood up and told Dinesh there, ‘I have formed a party. I am the leader of that party. Therefore, as a party leader, I have the right to participate in this…’ he said. Dinesh is not ready to accept it even though the talk about a new party came out of Amarweera’s for the first time. Dinesh said that this is not possible and that he cannot be accepted as a leader of another party because he is an MP who sought votes under Amarweera Pohottuwa. Accordingly, Dayasiri also immediately said that Amaraweera, who is neither a recognized party leader nor nominated by Pohottu, cannot participate in that meeting.
Apart from this, the story of Amaraweera’s new party came out during a wedding ceremony for a daughter of a Muslim millionaire businessman held on Wednesday night. Maithri, Dayasiri, Amaraweera, Champika and many SJB MPs participated in that wedding ceremony, where Amaraweera said, ‘Now they are trying to kick us out of the party. According to the new constitution, even if we laughed wrongly, that’s enough to remove us… Even if we open a loud sneeze, the chairman can throw us out and remove us… That’s why we need to find an answer to it. That’s why I took a party. I am its leader. If we are kicked out of SLFP, I will do politics with my new party, with a group that is with me…’ he said.
UNHRC
We have been reporting on the Geneva Human Rights Conference for the past few weeks and said that a serious proposal regarding the violation of human rights against Sri Lanka is to be presented at this conference. Confirming all the facts we have said from time to time, last week, the High Commissioner of the Geneva Human Rights Office, Michelle Bashale, sent a special report to the government informing all the allegations against Sri Lanka in writing. As we said, it contained many allegations of serious human rights violations against Sri Lanka. But the most dangerous charge there was the clause that punishment should be imposed against the people who committed economic crimes in Sri Lanka.
There is some background story regarding the inclusion of this article, which was presented for the first time in relation to Sri Lanka. One of the issues discussed in the United Nations General Assembly session was that if the politicians of the countries belonging to that organization have stolen the country’s wealth and deposited it in other countries, a mechanism should be prepared that includes the rules to reacquire them, and they should be severely punished regardless of their status.
This fact, which has been debated for a long time, has now become a law adopted by the United Nations. Accordingly, Sri Lanka will have to answer not only the accusations of war crimes, but also the accusations of economic crimes at this year’s Geneva conference. Then the officials of the Geneva Human Rights Commission present the answers given by the government to the United Nations. Accordingly, the government now has to answer two accusations at the same time. One charge is war crimes. The other charge is economic crime. Accordingly, it goes without saying that the government will have to face a dangerous period in the future.
Mr. Peter Brewer, who is the head of the International Monetary Fund, said directly at the press conference held recently after his visit to Sri Lanka that an agreement was reached to sign a staff agreement with Sri Lanka, and there are a number of steps to be taken for that. But what the government did was to launch a massive media campaign as soon as the negotiations were over and the country would receive the money on the same day.
However, it is now clear to all that this is not the case. In particular, the International Monetary Fund had taken steps to release money by providing credit facilities to two South Asian countries, Pakistan and Bangladesh, as of last week. But economic analysts are of the opinion that it is still not possible to guarantee a date when Sri Lanka will receive the money.
In this situation, the head of the International Monetary Fund, Mrs. Kristalina Jojiava, has decided to start a tour of South Asia. Accordingly, her destination is New Delhi, India. Georgia has also planned to hold talks with Indian Prime Minister Modi there. The main purpose of her visit is to discuss with Modi the management of the economic crisis in the South Asian region. The news is that Sri Lanka has become a major topic here.
IMF meeting in India about Sri Lanka
It seems that how important Sri Lanka has become there. The Indian government has taken steps to invite officials, including the Indian High Commissioner in Sri Lanka, to New Delhi for this discussion. Accordingly, it is said that many important decisions regarding Sri Lanka are to be taken in that discussion. Accordingly, it has been seen through this incident that India has become the decisive factor in the future of Sri Lanka.
In this way, the IMF President Kristalina Georgieva is coming to India to talk about Sri Lanka. Mr. Donald Lu, US Deputy Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, is also scheduled to come to New Delhi with the delegation. The purpose of Mr. Lu’s Asian visit is to discuss economic, political, and security issues in the region with the Indian authorities. It is not yet clear whether Mr. Loo will come to New Delhi during the same period as the head of the Financial Fund, Mrs. Georgiawa, or whether he will come later. It is not clear whether the two countries will hold a discussion on Sri Lanka together. But it is very clear that Sri Lanka is a major topic in these discussions.
Former President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa can be seen talking about some of the events that happened in the past. This is with the people who come to inquire about his well-being while he is relaxing at his home these days. He also took steps to mention India’s objection to making Ranil the President with his friends.
When I was in Malaysia, India made a big request to me not to make Ranil the president. India requested that I appoint Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena as the President. As agreed by all the party leaders in Parliament. But there I was pressured by various parties to make Ranil the president. Our own people came to me and asked me to give the presidency to Ranil. So Ranil was given the presidency because of the pressure that came on me. But I feel like India got angry with me because of that. Gota is reported to have said to his friends.
Accordingly, if there is any truth in Gota’s story, the President will have to face a difficult period in the future. The reason for this is that the United States and the International Monetary Fund have started dealing with India to make decisions regarding Sri Lanka.
Diplomatic VIP visits
Meanwhile, two more powerful diplomatic representatives are scheduled to visit Sri Lanka next week. One of them is ‘U.S. Samantha Powar, who is the head of Aid’ Institute. She is scheduled to arrive in Sri Lanka on Saturday (10).
Sri Lanka has a long history with Samantha Power. Samantha played a special role in human rights issues for the US government in various countries. He was also a person who worked very closely with Ranil Wickramasinghe. He was the Prime Minister of the country during the Yahapalana government, and Mangala Samaraweera, who was the Foreign Minister of that government, They worked so closely that when Mangala’s book was released, Samantha even came to Sri Lanka from America to participate in the event.
Samantha also played a special role in resolving the issue of war crimes. This was presented to the Geneva Human Rights Commission against Sri Lanka. Together with Mangala, she took steps to submit a proposal to the Geneva Human Rights Commission with the co-sponsorship of the American government. In that way, she fulfilled a special mission to save Sri Lanka from the human rights issue.
But when Samantha Power came to Sri Lanka today. It had not even been a week since the government of Sri Lanka announced that it would withdraw from this co-sponsorship proposal. This time, Ali Sabri and Vijayadasa Rajapakse will attend the Geneva Human Rights Commission to convey the same message to the Commission.
Apart from this, it is known that Samantha will not only meet the representatives of the ruling party but also the representatives of the opposition. She would also meet the main figures involved in the struggle. After that, she is also scheduled to deliver a special report on human rights in Sri Lanka to the US government.
In addition to Samantha Power, another special guest is also scheduled to visit Sri Lanka on Sunday (11). The guest is none other than Mr. Martin Changong. He is the Secretary General of the Inter-Parliamentary Union. During this visit, Changgong is going to investigate whether democracy is established in the Parliament of Sri Lanka and whether the rights of all MPs are protected. At the same time, the Secretary General has planned to look into the implementation of the parliamentary committee system. This is proposed by the government in an internationally accepted manner.
It has also been learned that a group of opposition MPs are preparing to submit a complaint to the Parliamentary Secretary. This is regarding the allegation that opposition MPs have been deprived of their time while giving their comments. At the end of the visit, Mr. Martin Chanhong will also present a report to the Inter-Parliamentary Union.
Accordingly, the Geneva issue, the issue of the International Monetary Fund, Samantha Power and Martin Chanhong coming to Sri Lanka in the next few weeks, the government has to take a careful approach.
By Special correspondent