Prime Minister and UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, addressing the nation as the Prime Minister from Temple Trees today, categorically denied claims made by President Maithrpala Sirisena yesterday on his removal, and said, “even a child will not believe such lies.”
Expressing his opinion on the current political crisis, Wickremesinghe said the way out of it is through the constitutional process, and added that the international support lied with him.
The full speech made by Wickremesinghe is as follows:
Venerable Maha Sanga
Venerable Priests of All Other Religions
Friends
On 8th of January 2015, 62 Lakhs of people of this country got together as a common front to re-establish democracy in the country and to re-establish peace and reconciliation. We rallied together, against corruption, fraud and thuggery, and at the same time to economically develop this country.
8th of January 2015 all the political parties and the forces including Ven. Maduluwawe Sobitha maha Thero and other priests, Civil society as well as former President Mrs. Chandrika Kumaratunge got together and made Maithreepala Sirisrena the President of this country. Thereafter, I was appointed as the Prime Minister and we continued as the Government. In August 2015 after the General Elections I became the Prime Minister as the Member of Parliament who commands the confidence of the majority of the Parliament.
Our Government functioned as a National Government. We took various measures to re-establish Democratic Freedom in this Country. We appointed Independent commissions. Through the enactment of Right to Information Act, National Audit Act, we created the democratic freedoms which we never enjoyed in this country. We Protected human rights of all. We established the Freedom of Media. We provided various relieves to the people. We increased the salaries. We have implemented mega development projects to economically develop the Country.
Friends,
Yesterday afternoon President Maithreepala Sirisrena addressed the Nation and levelled few allegations against me and the cabinet. I refuse all those allegations. We all know that the powers of the President of this country were curtailed under the 19th amendment of the Constitution. According to article 42(4) of the Constitution the member of the Parliament who commands the confidence of the house should be appointed as the Prime Minister. In his address to the Nation President Sirisena said that in view of the political crisis, Economic crisis and assassination plot against him the only option left to him was nominating former President Mahinda Rajapakashe as the Prime Minister.
According to article 42(4) of the Constitution the Member of the Parliament who commands the confidence of the house should be appointed as the Prime Minister. Accordingly, I wish to express my regret to President Maithreepala Sirisena declaring that he nominated the Prime Minister who has no command of the majority of the House. He is talking of assassination plots to cover up his misdeed. He tells stories even a kid would not believe.
In the history of Sri Lanka, we never heard of a crisis situation like this in our country. What happened on last Friday was an illegal, anti-constitutional and opportunistic act. The ill effects of this act were visible immediately. The incidents took place at ITN, Rupavahini and the Lake House during Friday night indicated what is going to happen to Freedom of the Media in this country.
The solution for this unfortunate situation prevailing in this country lies with the Parliament. Honorable Speaker, by a letter has informed the President that the prorogation of Parliament is against the traditions. Today, all political parties and civil society are requesting to summon the Parliament immediately. International community has informed to act within the available legal framework and the Constitution. Therefore, I would like to earnestly request honorable speaker to summon the Parliament immediately.
The instability prevailing in this country is not good. We witness today the problems people have to face due to this situation. The era of queues has commenced. The Government machinery has come to a halt. The economy we controlled with greater difficulty has crashed. This unfortunate situation is affecting adversely to the future of this country and future of our children.
I would like to clearly state that United National Party, all the other parties belong to United National Front and all other political parties represented in the Parliament are standing firm to re-establish the democracy in this country. We will never allow anti-constitutional dictatorship to rule this country.
Not only people of this small island, rest of the world is with us at this moment. I would like to finally request from all of you to forget political differences and rally around us to re-establish the democracy in this country in order to ensure a better future for our younger generations. We request Honorable Speaker to summon the Parliament immediately. We can save our country from this unfortunate and difficult situation only through re-establishing democracy within the Parliamentary system.
Thank you.
Angelo / October 30, 2018
RW is about to get his comeuppance for his anti-democratic measures during the past three years. It is poetic justice to see Faizer Mustapha, the man who provided the bogus legalese, which allowed RW to postpone elections indefinitely get his same portfolio back under MR. MR will now publish the De-limitation Commission report, with a veneer of legitimacy under Faizer, and and hold PC elections, which the UNP will massively loose. At that point, RW is toast.
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Simon De Silva / October 30, 2018
Please check the following link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=up3epQ1rZVE
They already call it as a COUP.
I agree with them.
THey called it is sirisenas govt.. but it was not.. it was SIRISENA AND RANIL GOVTMENT.
Now Sirisena has been caught by FORMER criminals.
That is the problem we have today.
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Janaka from Matara / October 30, 2018
Angelo:
Impressive demostration of IQ;
But go bit further….after Ranil is toast, we will borrow more money to buy butter and jam to feast…and live happier ever after.
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K A Sumanasekera / October 30, 2018
What a stirring speech!!
Looks like a few here will pour on to Galle Face Green , to join the massive UNP contingent which UNP A list Rouge ,Kandy Kirra promised yesterday to escort Dr Ranil to Kotte, to restart the stalled Yahapalana Parliament.,
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Wonder who will make up this massive crowd.
Unless the Vellalas join hands with the Colombo Elite and the Anglicans.
And the Colombo Bishop and his loyal flock.
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Hakeem will bring the Wahabisas, as he has said he doesn’t agree with Mythree..
But then there are 13 more spots to be filled in the new Cabinet.
Hakeem probably will hold back his Wahabis unil the second list comes up…
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Keselwatta Kid won’t be bringing any Dalits from Medumulana.
Sira’s Dalit Rep ,Conductor Amare has already stitched them up.
Wonder what Ministry the Kid will be eyeing?.
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Now will the Vellalas join the Escort?.
Vellala Kid and the Boss are also in a fix, after my mate Doughie got the Gig as the Minister of resettlement & Rehabilitation.
I mean Doughie is a hand on guy, who at the Coal Face .
Unlike the Velalla Boys who live in Colombo Seven and go to Jaffna on the Weekends..
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Native Vedda / October 30, 2018
KASmaalam K A Sumanasekera
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We understand your pain, carrying Mahinda’s b***s day and night.
This is an auspicious time for you, your friends, saffron clad thugs …. to start a Vellala hunting session throughout the island.
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whywhy / October 30, 2018
Today’s children were born with Tabs in their hands , they won’t trust any of
you three and for them all of you are from the underworld and none is better
than the other ! Unfortunately we have to take a stand between The Not so
bad , The bad and The Ugly ! No question about the good here , it was all gone
with Dudley . In the history of Srilanka , the language of politics of the left
and SLFP that heavily relied upon them for power were unpleasantly of
aggressive nature . That is why JRJ dealt with them the same way and ruled
without giving in to their thuggery ! Ranil lost touch with reality and went to
sleep with them and got up with fleas all over his body ! Is this all about the
country ? Never ! All personal . Why force and trickery for the country ? For
the people , tell them the truth , let them decide and take it or sit aside ! Simple .
What is happening now is definitely forcing the people to the streets to shed
blood for ROGUES ! It is already demonstrated ! Was SIRA suitable for a president ?
What a rogue he must be to appoint a man he called thief as PM just in three
years without thinking twice and completely throwing the voters into the trash !
And what a shameless and soulless bunch MARA must be to go after him !
And all these at any rate , even by breaking the constitution ? These are the law
makers of the nation ? They make laws for us ? OF COURSE YOU ARE DEAD
RIGHT RANIL , EVEN CHILDREN WON’T BELIEVE THIS !
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Liyanage / October 30, 2018
Poor RW is one of the worst leaders this country has produced. Right from Day 1 his only ambition was to topple the president and he tried every trick in the book including dealing with MR behind closed doors. Now it appears to have backfired. Good Riddance!!
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Ryan / October 30, 2018
This mad fellow is not prime minister
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Concerned citizen / October 30, 2018
Even a child will believe that you were sacked twice as PM, never in the history of Sri Lanka has that happened to anyone as PM. Point to ponder…isn’t it self explanatory RW.
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Priyantha Cooray / October 30, 2018
It is poetic justice for the devious manipulator that Dr Ranil
Wickremasinghe is.
He ran a government with a group of sex mates. He made
bombastic pronouncements about aero cities and fantasy
projects. He and his buddy Sagala Ratnayake together saved
the Rajapaksa by giving them all the inquiry dates. Now that
the elections are near, he set up special courts.
He has sold Sri Lanka to many people. He is a dictator in
the UNP and more so in the government.
Now his cronies including Mangala are screaming.
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Rajash / October 30, 2018
Even A Child will be a better President than My3!
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Nimal Tissa Wijethunga / October 30, 2018
Ranil,
1) we beleive that you have masterplanned and led the daylight robbery of Central Bank of Sri Lanka.
2) We beleive that you gave 40,000 thousand figure human losses in the final days of annihilation of LTTE to UNHCR.
3) We beleive that you are homo-sexual – Sama lingika.
4) We beleive that you have delayed the presentation of Bill for corruption to reduce the time taken for punishment takes 15 years to one year to the parliament deliberately.
5) We beleive that you have proposed or ecouraged through Constitiutional council to prepare a new constitution to give a separate state as Orumiththa Nadu and removing secial position given to Buddhism on a platter where even LTTE FAILED by a 30 year terrorism.
6) We beleive that you have entered in to Ceasfire agreement with LTTE on several occassions to placate them with separate state without even the consent of the Head of the state.
7) We beleive that you brought a bill and trying to get the approval from the Cabinet that all foreigners can purchase land outright in Sri Lanka.
If you can say no please tell so, I challenge you.
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Jeyasinghe / October 31, 2018
When Srisana was elected as a president, he has no party and he was a selfless person with determination to serve the country. but once he become SLFP president, his selfish motive start to work. if he is selfless, he can not lead SLFP. if he is selfish , he can not serve as a president and fulfill his commitment to nation. he was a confused person. this is the reason, he unable to focus and never fulfil his commitment. after tasting his executive power, he want to contest 2nd time as a president. That is the reason he appointed MR as PM. Because of very bad moral, ethical value and power Creedy and selfish nature of President, currently Sri Lanka is paying a huge price unnecessarily. president is a betrayer to RW and MR and also untrustable. very trivial person. he put his power, future , party before the country.
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Nimal Tissa Wijethunga / October 31, 2018
The Architect of Executive Presidency and the relevant Constitution is J.R.Jayawardane who is the uncle of Ranil Kolu Wickramasinghe.
When the Constitution is prepared with Ranil and bunch of Homo Sexuals raised the hand and voted for the constitution. when the situation arises and started applying the very conditions in the constitution for which they have voted and passed specially against Kolu wickramasinghe, he feels the pain. The same rules applied at the time he as appointed in January 2015 , he did not feel any pain.
Similarly, proroguing the parliament is also constitutional and right of the Executive Presidency.
Verry funny, is not it?
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asela / October 31, 2018
We believe sir.The whole country knows how you ruined this country /
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A Sene / October 31, 2018
Ranil, even a child will tell you that you have got into this position because you were up to no good with Uncle Sarath….yes, that ‘Ponseka’ guy. It made Sirisena seeya mad!!!!
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Ayathuray Rajasingam / November 1, 2018
Uthungan,
It is better to know the whole episode commencing from Friday on which day the President appointed MR as the PM without notifying Ranil, who was away preferably at Galle. Ranil was sacked after MR took oaths as PM. He should have asked MR to demonstrate his commanding of the majority in Parliament before taking Oaths and should have notified the Speaker. He has not notified the Speaker and when the Speaker wanted to pronounce his stance in the Parliament, President prorogued the Parliament, thus allowing time for MR to gather more support for him It is submitted that this is an evil motive on the of the President who had acted in connivance with MR. President’s explanation that he acted within the powers of the constitution (Artcile 42(4) is without any foundation. The phrase what in the opinion of the President should be interpreted correctly. The whole episode commencing from Friday should be taken into consideration. What in the opinion of the President cannot mean his personal opinion, but it should refer to ‘who is commanding the majority in the Parliament’. Parliament can make laws but the interpretation of the law rests with the Supreme Court. In this situation. President manipulated his constitutional coup into a constitutional crisis. The Presidential veil should be lifted to find out the actual committed by the President. This specific Article was manipulated as a tool for a constitutional coup.
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Nimal Tissa Wijethunga / November 1, 2018
Ayathurai Rajasingham,
The matter of appointing MR after sacking Ranil Kolu Wickramasinghe is very much constitutional and very clear too.
If you have any doubt, you may go to the Supreme Court for an interpretation.
We can understand your pain as you all lost Orumiththa Nadu on a platter.
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