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The Bishop of Colombo, Dhiloraj Canagasabey, has responded “with shock and great dismay” to the “arbitrary” removal of Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister and the dissolution of the country’s Parliament. President Maithripala Sirisena sacked Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe three weeks ago, replacing him with Mahinda Rajapaksa.

He then suspended Parliament for two weeks – it resumed sitting on Monday – and also announced that it would be dissolved from midnight tonight (Friday). But that decision was suspended by the country’s Supreme Court after supporters of the deposed Prime Minister sought a judicial review.

Over the past two days, the sittings have been disrupted by clashes between MPs. Security staff and police broke up scuffles today in which chilli powder was thrown.

Writing on behalf of the Diocese of Colombo, Bishop Dhiloraj described the President’s actions as “arbitrary” and said that it “appears to us to be a direct and blatant violation of the clear and express provisions of the Constitution”.

He said: “the dismissal of a sitting Prime Minister, the appointment of a new Prime Minister, the prorogation of Parliament by the President followed by credible accounts of inducements to MPs to crossover and the shifting stories about the premiership being offered to other members of Parliament are further compounded by this latest action of the President underscoring the fact that the newly appointed Prime Minister did not command the confidence of Parliament.

“All these events showcase the sad depths to which ethical and moral standards have deteriorated in this country, despite our external show of religiosity.”

He continued: “The intellectual dishonesty and moral bankruptcy of many of our politicians and especially that of senior politicians of the two major parties is a terrible indictment on the quality of leadership that we have produced in post independent Sri Lanka.

“The events of the past weeks have been utterly shameful and sullied the name of our country internationally. At a time of economic difficulty, the administration has been further paralysed and the attention of the country diverted to shallow politicking.”

He said that the Diocese of Colombo was “calling on all our members to uphold the country in prayer, seeking God’s mercy, guidance and direction [and] affirms our belief that righteousness, justice and truth will ultimately triumph.”

“We call on the President once again to rise above seeking petty political advantages and to abide by the very solemn promises he made on more than one occasion to uphold the rule of law, good governance and to respect the true spirit of democracy as well as his obligation to ensure that the Constitution is respected and upheld.”

Political parties in Sri Lanka decided today to form a select committee to conduct parliamentary affairs following amidst a power struggle set off by President Maithripala Sirisena's controversial decision to remove prime minister Ranil Wickeremesinghe last month.

The decision came a day after an all-party meeting called by President Sirisena to resolve the crisis ended inconclusively.

The crisis erupted when President Sirisena suddenly announced on October 26 that he had sacked prime minister Wickremesinghe and installed ex-strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa in his place.

President Sirisena later dissolved Parliament, almost 20 months before its term was to end, and ordered snap election. The Supreme Court yesterday overturned President Sirisena's decision to dissolve Parliament and halted the preparations for snap polls on January 5.

The House till now has passed two no-confidence motions against Rajapaksa and his government by a voice vote.

The House was convened today morning to conduct a third floor test. Ten minutes later, the House was adjourned till November 23.

When the House was convened, Deputy Speaker Ananda Kumarasiri said the party leaders who met in earlier in the day resolved that a select committee would be appointed to conduct the parliamentary business.

The leaders from Wickremesinghe's United National Front, Tamil National Alliance and the JVP or the People's Liberation Front discussed the proposal by President Sirisena made at the all party meeting to have a floor test by name or electronic vote for the third motion of no trust against Rajapaksa.

Mano Ganesan, one of the leaders who attended the meeting, said the United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA of President Sirisena and Rajapaksa) "flatly refused and backtracked" on the proposal.

During today's session, Dinesh Gunawardena on behalf of the disputed government of Mr Rajapaksa asked the deputy speaker that since they were the government they should have the majority in the select committee.

JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake argued that since the Rajapaksa government had not proved their majority the select committee should have a majority of members from the group that commands majority.

Today's session was conducted peacefully. Last week Sri Lanka's parliament witnessed unprecedented violence as lawmakers threw furniture and chilli powder at each other.

The public and VIP gallery were shut today for diplomats on a request by Rajapaksa's United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA). The security was also tightened to prevent any incident, officials said.

Last week, the top court issued a temporary order against President Sirisena's sacking of parliament with hearing of the case fixed for early December.

After the temporary order, Speaker Karu Jayasuriya reconvened parliament the sittings of which had been suspended by President Sirisena till November 14.

Jayasuriya's decision not to recognise Mahinda Rajapaksa as the prime minister until a floor test is held has angered President Sirisena.

The Sri Lankan rupee fell to an all-time low of 177.35 per dollar on Monday, as political uncertainty outweighed the positive impact of a policy rate hike, sources said. 

Stocks closed weaker for the second straight session due to political uncertainty and the policy rate hike.

The Treasury has been pushed into a catch-22 situation relating to the 2019 budgetary process following three weeks of political uncertainty without clear direction.

The 2015 history is going to be repeated once again, as the Finance Ministry officials have been compelled to prepare a 3-month vote on account under the present situation of political instability, a senior Treasury official disclosed.

If the political impasse continues further without a settlement for few more weeks, then the Finance Ministry has to consider another option, he said.

A vote on account will have to be presented in Parliament in January 2019 to implement special measures to provide relief to the people, similar to action taken under the 100-day programme of good governance government in 2015, he added.

If this move is defeated in Parliament, the President has powers under the Constitution to sanction payments for public services including salaries of public sector employees and the general election expenditure withdrawing money from the government consolidated fund for three months, the official said.

However under the present volatile political environment, anything is possible, he said emphasising that this is a terrible experience for public servants.

According to Treasury statistics, the Consolidated Fund has been overspent to the tune of around Rs. 250 billion at present.

No money from state institutions including state owned enterprises is forthcoming to the fund and the Treasury cannot resort to borrowings to swell the Consolidated Fund, he revealed adding that the sudden dissolution of parliament without passing a vote on account has pushed the country into a financial crisis.

(Sundaytimes.lk)

Ahimsa Wickrematunge, the daughter of the late journalist Lasantha Wickrematunge, who was shot dead in broad daylight during the Rajapaksa regime, condemned the decision to transfer a leading CID investigator that was involved in many high profile cases, including the investigation into her father's murder.

It was reported that the lead investigator and the OIC of the CID's Gang Robbery Branch,  IP Nishantha Silva, a cop with a stellar track record who was responsible for closing many high profile cases, was ordered to be transferred as per the directions given by Maithripala Sirisena to the IGP.

In a strongly worded letter addressed to president Sirisena, she stated that if the president fails to reverse this decision, he will forever be remembered as the person who tried to stop some of the most high-profile criminal investigations in the country.

"Make no mistake, Mr. President. If you try to stand in the way of justice for my father and other victims of brutality, you will fail", she added.

Letter sent to president Sirisena is found below.

There may be consequences for current and future defence and security projects between Sri Lanka and the United States if the Sri Lankan government does not uphold the law and democratic principles, the US Embassy said.

In August, the US State Department announced it would provide $39 million – pending Congressional approval – to the Sri Lankan military.

The funding comes as a part of a broader initiative to strengthen security relationships with south and south-east Asian states. The funding is designed to enhance maritime security, humanitarian assistance and disaster response, peacekeeping capabilities and countering transnational crime capabilities in these countries.

The US also handed over an ex-US Coast Guard cutter to the Sri Lanka Navy in August. Once recommissioned, the 115m vessel would be the largest ship in the Lankan fleet.

“This is obviously a critical time for the country and the United States is paying acute attention to unfolding events,” US Embassy spokesperson David J. McGuire said.

“With regard to ongoing or future projects and funding, we do not want to prejudge how the current political situation may be resolved and it is too soon to speculate on what consequences may come as a result. “There is so much at stake,” he continued. “Sri Lanka has made great gains in terms of security, prosperity, and reconciliation. The US will continue to urge President Sirisena to reconvene parliament immediately to allow the democratically elected representatives of the Sri Lankan people to fulfill their responsibility to affirm who will lead their government.”

Separately, the US Embassy in Colombo said firmly: “President Sirisena’s decision to dissolve the parliament poses a vital threat to Sri Lanka’s democratic institutions.” The US State Department also tweeted deep concern “as a committed partner of Sri Lanka” after parliament was dissolved.

The US has actively engaged with Sri Lanka on security and military collaboration since the end of the civil war in 2009. The US, Japan and Australia have increased their military diplomacy with Sri Lanka.

Along with India, they have all expressed concern regarding Chinese investment into Sri Lankan strategic infrastructure, especially the maritime infrastructure such as Hambantota Port.

The government of President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe had issued assurances that Sri Lanka would remain neutral.

US foreign policy towards Sri Lanka considerably improved from January 2015, with more direct military-to-military exercises, exchanges and training programs. The US Marine Corps played an instrumental role in the genesis of the Sri Lankan Navy Marine Battalion last year.

The participation of senior US, Japanese and Australian military leadership at key Sri Lankan defence and security seminars during the last two months underscores the importance the countries have placed on ties with Sri Lanka. (Sunday Times)

Except for the heading, this article has not been edited.

Sri Lanka's newly appointed Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, who lost two motions of no confidence last week, may lose his government's budget even as he clings to power.

Lawmakers opposed to Rajapaksa said they intend to remove funding for staff salaries and other costs in a vote on Nov. 29. The opposition, which regards his administration as illegitimate, will also seek approval to slash the government's overall budget, they said.

It was the latest of several new twists on Monday in the political chaos that has embroiled Sri Lanka for the past few weeks.

Leaders of political parties backing Rajapaksa and President Maithripala Sirisena refused to allow a third motion of no confidence to be held through name call or electronic voting on Monday. The previous two motions passed through a voice vote but Sirisena said they hadn't followed the proper procedures. Sirisena appointed Rajapaksa last month  after firing Ranil Wickremesinghe as prime minister, setting off the political turmoil on the island off India's southeast coast.

Rajapaksa is seen as a close ally of China, though Beijing has denied accusations that it was instrumental in getting him appointed.

Dinesh Gunawardene, a Rajapaksa loyalist, said Wickremesinghe's coalition had handed a motion ‘to suspend all government expenses’ to the speaker and the parliament secretary.

‘According to the previous no confidence motions, both Rajapaksa and his government are out. There is no government, but there are MPs,’ M.A. Sumanthiran, a lawmaker who had voted for the no confidence motion, told Reuters.

‘The finance of the country is under the control of the parliament. Now we have proposed a motion to stop government finances for the prime minister's office,’ he said.

Ananda Kumarasiri, the deputy speaker of the parliament, established a select committee to carry on parliamentary business before adjourning the house to Nov. 23.

Unlike last Thursday and Friday there were no physical altercations on the floor of parliament on Monday. On Friday, lawmakers supporting Rajapaksa threw books, chili paste and water bottles at the speaker to try to disrupt the second vote.

Speaker of Parliament Karu Jayasuriya said in a statement that investigations have begun into Friday's events, including damage that was done to public property in the melee.

The political crisis has hit the economy. On Monday, the rupee fell to a record low of 177.20 per dollar. Foreign investors have pulled out more than 30 billion rupees ($169.5 million) since the crisis unfolded on Oct. 26.

Wickremesinghe loyalists allege that Rajapaksa's party is trying to buy lawmakers for as much as $3 million each. Rajapaksa loyalists have rejected the allegation.

Both Sirisena and many Rajapaksa loyalists have said they have the majority in parliament. However, the no confidence motion against Rajapaksa and his government was passed twice by 122 votes in the 225-member parliament.

Most foreign countries, including Western nations, have yet to recognise Rajapaksa as the prime minister.

Last week, eight Western countries stayed away from a meeting with the government to register their protest against Sirisena's decision to dissolve parliament. (Reuters)

President Maithripala Sirisena met with leaders of all parties, with the exception of the JVP, for crucial talks in a bid to end the current political crisis today at the Presidential Secretariat.

However, the all-party meeting has ended inconclusively with Sirisena refusing to accept the no-confidence motion that was passed in parliament on Friday.

UNP MP Ajith P. Perera said that they have proposed to the president to show up with 113+ members tomorrow at the Presidential Secretariat with signed affidavits to show that they command the majority in the House.

"We told president Sirisena we have the majority. We are in a position to present the affidavits we signed. We also told him there is no government in the country according to Article 48 (2) of the Constitution", Perera told reporters gathered outside.

Sources added that a closed door meeting is currently underway between president Sirisena, Ranil Wickremesinghe and Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC) hailed the Speaker of parliament, Deshamanya Karu Jayasuriya, for his courageous stand 'against anti-democratic forces'. ACMC also called to initiate a high-level inquiry on the unruly behaviour witnessed in parliament. 

Issuing a statement, ACMC said that this sort of violence was the most shameful conduct seen in our parliament to-date and a red letter day for the decorum in Parliament.

 The party paid a tribute to Speaker Jayasuriya for saving Sri Lanka’s Democracy from the 'brink”.   

Leader of ACMC, Rishad Bathiudeen MP, strongly condemned the attacks made on the Speaker and called for a high level inquiry on the conduct of legislators.

 "ACMC has always stood up for individual freedom as well as the free and fair conduct of MPs. That is a cornerstone of parliamentary democracy that has never been violated since independence", he said.  

 "Therefore, violent events in Parliament has brought the August Assembly to its lowest point in history since independence and with it, international disrepute”, ACMC leader Bathiudeen added.

It is reported that president Maithripala Sirisena had informed officials to transfer IP Nishantha Silva forthwith to another branch of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID). Silva is a senior officer who has been investigating some atrocious crimes committed during the Mahinda Rajapaksa regime.  

The sources revealed that the president has instructed IGP Pujith Jayasundara to act upon his order. 
It is also reported that this action has been taken based on an agreement between President Maithripala Sirisena and Mahinda Rajapaksa at the time of the initial discussions to form the purported government.

Officer who led many high-profile investigations

IP Silva was the chief officer- in-charge of the investigations related to the murder of journalist Lasantha Wickremathunga, abduction and missing of 11 youths including school students in 2008, abductions and near fatal assaults on journalists Keith Noyahr, Upali Tennakoon and Namal Perera etc.  

Ravi’s arrest thwarted due to Sirisena’s pressure

Recently, Nishantha Silva became the talk of the town after apprehending Chandana Prasad of Sri Lanka Navy, who was the main suspect of the alleged abduction of the aforementioned 11 youths. It was also revealed during investigations that it was the current Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Admiral Ravi Wijegunaratna, who had shielded him from being arrested by the CID by providing him shelter in a Naval facility.
Although a court order was issued to apprehend Admiral Wijegunaratna, the CID had informed the court later that due to the unwarranted interference of politicians, they could not arrest him.

Moreover, many were baffled to see the suspect (Wijeguneratna) who was ordered by the court to be arrested, take part in a ceremony held at the Ministry of Defence to mark the appointment of Hemasiri Fernando as the new secretary to the Ministry of Defence.

Likewise, the relationship between suspects of these cases roaming freely and the sudden transfer of Nishantha Silva is clearly evident.

Nishantha caught Vidhyas’s killers

According to sources, IP Nishantha Silva is one of the talented investigative officers attached to the CID. He was also the officer in-charge of the much talked about “Punkuduthivi Vidya” murder case. He not only revealed the murderers, but also exposed a top official in the police department who had attempted to stash evidence related to the murder case.

Furthermore, it was Nishantha Silva who spearheaded the operation to nab the criminals in connection with the abduction of a girl in Kurunegala.

Independent Police Commission silent?

The motives behind the president to transfer such a highly talented police officer is evident. He formed a purported government and appointed a Premier who couldn’t show the simple majority in the House. The president is the same person that disregarded two no confidence motions against his unconstitutionally appointed prime minister, that were passed by a majority in the House. This president has now started to hound Police officers. 

What is more important is the fact that the Police cannot dance to the tune of the executive or the IGP anymore. There is an independent police commission that was reinstated to ensure a system of checks and balances. Furthermore, Nishantha Silva is an exemplary officer who hadn’t tarnished his name with a clean track record.

According to the information we have received, the Police Commission has to recommend the transfer of Inspector Nishantha Silva, who also functions as the head of the division related to organised robberies, to another division. But with president Sirisena gazetting the police department under him, it is not surprising to see him transfer officers that have worked on Rajapaksa era criminal and graft related cases without reverting to the police commission.

What we can tell you is that, the day that Sirisena would come to sting you, the citizens, is not far off. When he would come for you is not a matter of ‘if’ but ‘when’.

Transparency International Sri Lanka observed with shock and dismay, the behavior of Members of Parliament over the past week. TISL wishes to highlight that in law, parliamentary privileges are not a cloak for criminal behavior. TISL is also concerned by the behavior of MPs towards law enforcement authorities on the premises of the parliament, showcasing a pervasive culture of impunity and total disregard of the rule of law.  

TISL wishes to bring to the attention of the public and the relevant authorities, the provisions in law which enable action to be taken in such cases. Whilst the conduct of certain MPs as witnessed in parliament on the 14th, 15th and 16th of November amounts to blatant violations of the code of conduct adopted in April 2018, attempts to sabotage parliamentary proceedings also constitute offences under the Parliament (Powers & Privileges) Act.  

The schedule of the Act clearly outlines that incidents of assault, threat, intimidation and disobedience, as witnessed over the past week, constitute offences under the law and are punishable by a sentence of up to 2 years. TISL calls on the members of parliament to petition the Speaker to use his statutory power to make a reference to the Attorney-General on the conduct of errant MPs. It is based on this report of the Attorney General that legal proceedings can commence before the Supreme Court.  

TISL feels it important to emphasize that the freedom from arrest of Parliamentarians is only applicable for what they have said and for matters ‘brought before Parliament by petition, bill, resolution, motion or otherwise’. Any action of assault can give cause for legal proceedings to be initiated against a Member of Parliament. TISL Executive Director Asoka Obeyesekere said, “The entire country watched with dismay as their elected representatives were reduced to acts of thuggery and intimidation. At this crucial juncture it is imperative that all law enforcement agencies display independence and send a clear message to those who seek to disregard the law”. 

Obeyesekere added, “We are yet to see any action taken by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption regarding the complaint filed by TISL over allegations of bribery of members of parliament. We are mindful that complacency on the part of Law enforcement agencies will cause irreparable harm to public faith in the rule of law and the institutions of democracy”.   

TISL calls on the President, the Speaker, the Chief Whips, party leaders and all members of parliament to ensure that steps are taken to hold offenders to account and deter the recurrence of such behaviour.

The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) has decided not to attend the all-party conference scheduled for this evening with President Maithripala Sirisena, JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayaka said. 

Dissanayake said that the JVP will not attend the conference as there was nothing to discuss with the President. Since Sirisena was responsible for the current political impasse due to his unconstitutional takeover, he should be able to resolve it himself, he added.

Earlier, Speaker Karu Jayasuriya too had declined the invitation sent by president Sirsena to attend an all party conference. Jayasuriya has declined President's invitation to attend the all-party conference this evening since it's a discussion with political party representatives, Speaker's Office said.

The Speaker’s office also added that the Speaker will take the relevant actions in due course based on the decisions reached at the all-party conference once those decisions are informed to him.