The illegal Government of President Sirisena, is tying itself into knots as it tries to justify the illegal and unconstitutional sacking of Parliament last Friday night is readying to inform foreign governments that the dissolution of Parliament was a result of Speaker Karu Jayasuriya’s actions.
Dr. Sarath Amunugama
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has circulated a memo to all Sri Lanka’s embassies overseas about how to ‘spin’ the dissolution – pinning the entire blame on the Speaker’s actions – after President Sirisena reneged on his word to dozens of foreign diplomats based in Colombo about reconvening parliament.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs now run by de facto Minister Sarath Amunugama issued a “most urgent” memo from the Minister and signed by the Foreign Secretary Ravinatha Aryasinha to all its diplomatic outposts across the world. The memo sent the gazette notification about the dissolution and the relevant constitutional provisions empowering the President to dissolve Parliament had already been sent to the Sri Lankan embassies.
It then goes on to direct diplomats based in Sri Lankan embassies around the world about how to relay the information to all state and non state actors in foreign countries. An excerpt of the memo follows (see full text below):
“The reason for the President’s decision was the state of uncertainty that prevailed regarding the anticipation of the behaviour of the Speaker of Parliament.
The Attention of the President was drawn to the information that contrary to the constitution and standing orders of parliament the Speaker without due authority was attempting to change parliamentary procedures and not proceeding with the statement of Government policy that was to be delivered by his Excellency the President on 14th November 2018 on which date Parliament was to be reconvened by Gazette Notification.
Jayasuriya
There have been several requests to call for a General Election so that the wishes of the people who are ultimately the repositories of the sovereignty of the country could be addressed.
Please make it absolutely clear to all concerned, that this is a democratic act so that the people’s wishes regarding the composition of the Government could be given effect to.
In the coming days, we will follow up with further information regarding the procedure which will be set in motion by the National Elections Commission, through the Elections Commissioner.
Public opinion in Sri Lanka is very much in favour of an election which will resolve the political crisis which hampered activities of the country in the past few months.
Please ensure that this information is conveyed to all state and non state actors in your countries of accreditation.
It is requested that you personally undertake this task and report back to the Secretary/Foreign Affairs on a daily basis, on any statements made in capitals and reportage of events in Sri Lanka in your country/countries of accreditation, along the lines laid out last week.” [ENDS]
The memo from the Ministry also refers to an “Elections Commissioner” even though no such position exists any longer – all functions of the Elections Department and Commissioner of Elections now being vested with a three –member independent Election Commission through the 19th Amendment, which only has a chairman who presides at meetings of the Commission, but does not hold any more power than any of the other two commissioners.
“It is expected that he will now proceed to act accordingly,” the Ministry memo states – although it is not clear who the Ministry refers to as the “Elections Commissioner”. Observers fear this may be further indication that Chairman of the Election Commission Mahinda Deshapriya – a long time Government bureaucrat – has capitulated before the Government Gazette notification dissolving Parliament, in spite of strong protests by the other two members of the Commission who insist the dissolution is illegal and there are therefore no vacant seats of Parliament for the Commission to hold an election to fill.
Speaker Karu Jayasuriya has hit back strongly against Government moves to blame him for the illegal sacking of Parliament, saying that at no point did any member of Parliament call on him to disallow the President’s throne speech, or statement of Government policy. The assertion in the MFA statement, based on which Lankan diplomats overseas will brief foreign governments is therefore a falsehood.
Jayasuriya in a strongly worded letter issued on Sunday night said some members of the purported Government of President Sirisena and Mahinda Rajapaksa were claiming he could be thrown in jail for his actions. Insisting that as custodian of the rights and privileges of members of parliament, he had to abide by the will of the majority of members – 124 at the last count – his letter said – and allow a floor vote to determine which prime minister commanded the confidence of the House. “It has been my privilege to stand up to the executive, defend the rights of Parliament, the supremacy of the constitution and the sovereignty of the people” Jayasuriya said.
RWKD / November 12, 2018
It is disgusting that an experienced and respected politico like Dr. Amunugama will stoop this level to bluff the diplomatic community. The entire world is watching the drama ‘comedy of errors’ enacted by our president and his stooges.
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Concerned / November 12, 2018
He thought he was respected, but he is not. Always knew he is a scum !
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Rukshan Ihalagamage / November 12, 2018
Dear Ms. Allepola, I’ll approve 100% your comment. True.
Rukshan.
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Gallup / November 12, 2018
The whole bloody stinking lot are scum. Scum that you see floating on the top of a cesspit.
The worst scenario is that the voting scum go out and vote the political scum back into power over again and over again since 1948.
There is something wrong, very wrong with sri lankans today because if they don’t vote then they are unable to survive.
Well !!!!! go out and vote , vote shitty scum into power and finally don’t cry through your bloody arseholes when the scum rob you left, right and center.
Sri lankans will never learn even inside their coffins.
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Matilda Ellepola / November 12, 2018
I think Amunugama is in his 80’s and as a career administrative officer, this man has gone to the very bottom of a cesspit of Rajapaksas and there is no way out for him.
This man has gone to the same level of Githa Kumarasingha in politics.
Shame ! Shame ! Shame! for you Kandyan ancestors as well.
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Rukshan Ihalagamage / November 12, 2018
Dear Ms. Allepola, I’ll approve 100% your comment.
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Gratiaen Hewa / November 12, 2018
We all too agree with Ms.Ellepola. We also had a regard to Mr.Amunugama now with this scum we lost that respect to him. Poor show Mr.Amunu.
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Cholan / November 12, 2018
Never trust Telungu decendents.
These so called Kandy bunch all have the DNA of Tamil spoken Telungu Manawadus who colonised Kandy once and after demise of Chola Empire they changed their religion and assimilated into Sinhalease to save themselves.
Cheers
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Cholan / November 12, 2018
Never trust Telungu decendents.
These so called Kandy bunch all have the DNA of Hindu Tamil spoken Telungu Manawadus who colonised Kandy once and after demise of Chola Empire they changed their religion and assimilated into Sinhalease to save themselves.
Cheers
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mike / November 12, 2018
RWKD – You can’t address Amudaygama as an experienced and respected politician. Geeta G. must be enjoying all the “tongue lashing” this pervert gives her!
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Ben Hurling / November 12, 2018
” Fake Minister Amunu Gamaya” has been bluffing impoverished taxpayers of SL for decades now. Always makes sure he has a ministry for 30+ years now. Now even with one foot in the grave, still driven by bottomless greed. One has forgotten to which party this con-artist belongs to. All lines of policies a politician stands for are so blurred when it comes to guys like “Amunu Gamaya”. Guess what! That’s fine with him. And with the stupid Sri Lankan electorate too. Cheers!
PS: Does anyone know how Varuni Amunugama amassed so much wealth? Running businesses from media to prime beachfront resorts
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Sam Fernando / November 12, 2018
[Edited out] writing in capital letters are discouraged -CT
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Anonymous / November 12, 2018
The Mahinda Rajapaksa Criminal Cabal in desperation now moving to oust the forces behind the special courts and prosecution of the Rajapaksa criminals. Next step in the plan is to create a split within the UNP and try and bring a new candidate who is a puppet of this Cabal and will secretly protect the Rajapaksa Criminals.
Ranil is the man behind the special courts and Maithripala Sirisena could not protect the Rajapaksas Criminal Cabal anymore. Maithripala has been sabotaging all moves made to go after the Rajapaksa Criminals.
This split they are engineering is to give a tactical advantage to the Rajapaksas to see a return of the white vans, killing of journalists, suppressing of freedom of speech, suppression of freedom of religion, torture, intimidation, extortion rackets, lawlessness and all the acts of terrorism we saw under the Rajapaksa rule.
Be smart be alert. These are the most cunning and intelligent criminal minds who make up this Cabal.
They will try and do anything to oust Ranil at this point.
These people are the ones behind Maithripala Sirisena, Mahinda Rajapaksa and have benefited from their corruption.
This UNP candidate they are using to split the party shouldn’t make the same mistake Wasantha Senanayake did by blindly walking into a trap set by this Rajapaksa Criminal Cabal.
They are pushing him to prematurely take up a role and I hope he is smart enough not to fall for this trap.
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K.Anaga / November 12, 2018
It appears that only ‘Colombo Telegraph’ rightly refers to the so called government headed by Srisena and Mahinda as illegal government. Most of the other press and electronic media refers to this illegal government as the government of the day and refers to Ranil and his Ministers as former prime minister and former ministers. This I consider is wrong. At least till a final conclusion is reached via parliament or the Judiciary the status quo of the Ranil’s government should be maintained. Not that Ranil deserves any merit to be the Prime Minister other than the constitutional provision which safeguards him.
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Fred / November 12, 2018
‘Diplomatic offensive’? To me, it’s plain offensive!
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Dionysus / November 12, 2018
Sarath is putting his credibility on the line, or whatever remains of it. This must be his last stand.
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Rajash / November 12, 2018
Mhinda Rajapakse’s tactics written all over
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Champa / November 12, 2018
Rajash
I don’t think it is he, who is behind all these. It is Maithri and Basil.
All what happened for the last 2 weeks are not in favour of MR but against him.
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Estate Labourer / November 12, 2018
Sarath Amunugama is no different to Mahinda Samarasinghe and G.L. Peiris. He has been working in the background all these days but now that he has been sent to the front he is forced to reveal his true colors.
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Gratiaen Hewa / November 12, 2018
Mahinda Samarasinghe has now become big talker!!!
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K A Sumanasekera / November 12, 2018
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edwin rodrigo / November 12, 2018
Second historical Invasion of India: Mahavamsa relates how King Maha Sen invaded India, conquered a lot of territory and brought thousands of Indian POW’s.
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We are about to see another such invasion of India by our great King Maithripala Sirisena or MS. Do you see the historical coincidence of the two names? Both are MS!. These are not just simple coincidences but events mediated by Gods protecting Lanka and Buddhism.
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Unlike in the good old days, any military offensive has to be preceded by a Diplomatic offensive and that is what we are seeing now. What Goebbels was to Hitler, Sarath would be to MS.
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MS has been preparing for this since he ascended the throne. The offensive will be preceded by simultaneous missile attacks on key political, administrative and military targets in India. We have already seen the yet untested Terrain following GPS guided cruise missiles developed by our young boys in Polonnaruwa, costing only a million rupees each. MS has already paid for one of them out of his President’s fund, which in turn has been funded by other funds siphoned off the Housing project donated by India. See how he is chopping the pig’s meat, using the pig’s body as a cutting board? That is why they call him Ooru Sira.
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What you have not seen are the Ballistic missiles that can reach as far as Calcutta on the East and Mumbai on the West. These are armed with MIRV (Multiple and Independently targeted Re-entry Vehicles) warheads. These will be supplemented by the Ahas Kooru barrage from the recently bought salvaged Russian warship.
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Excuse me, I hear a prowler or prowlers in the garden. Let me check and come. In this game, you never know.
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cholan / November 12, 2018
He He He
You can t sell Mahavamsa comic stories now.
Was there a country called India during Maha Senan time?
Pity Mahavamsa is unable supply how to make modern war weapons from Kittul tree .
Who cares we beleive all cons.
Let us dance for free liquor.
Jayawewa
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Ajay / November 12, 2018
Sarath Amunugama is another dishonest fellow. He is a toady and an opportunist. People have no respect for this turncoat who shifts allegiance at the drop of a hat. What kind of idiots this President and his FM. They are complaining to the international community about their own Speaker. Is this diplomacy? Moreover, the whole world already knows what exactly happened here. The country bumpkin should know you can’t fool the world today. Any piece of information can be fact-checked quite easily. Putting the blame on the Speaker is probably the moron Shiral Lakthilaka’s stupid idea. It was the international community that was calling on the Speaker to summon the Parliament immediately and do a floor test as a first priority.
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nalmen / November 12, 2018
sarath is a guy who has jumped from party to party several times so his behaviour is nothing new
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Plato. / November 12, 2018
Amunugama is closing the stable doors after the horse has bolted!
He began his political life in the SLFP. Then he joined the UNP AT THE INVITATION of Gamini Dissanayake.
Supported Srima Dissanayake in the Presidential Poll in 1994 against CBK. Eventually he joined Sirisena /MaRa. I wonder who is his Political Mentor? Geetha Kumarasinghe?
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nalmen / November 12, 2018
edwin
in his present state of mind he might consider invading india
you may not be far wrong
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rbh / November 12, 2018
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has circulated a memo to all Sri Lanka’s embassies overseas about how to ‘spin’ the dissolution furnish many, any acceptance for the new Prime minister most of the led chorus of international voices expressing concern over threats to democracy.
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edwin rodrigo / November 12, 2018
The strangest thing is that the ‘government’ is saying that the Western countries are interfering and then running to the very same countries crying like Thoththa Babas for understanding.
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This is like a drowning man grabbing straws to escape death.
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Suranga Gunasekera / November 12, 2018
It’s another episode of the soap opera. Looks like all 3 are involved in the matter. MR, MS and RW.
All of them are friends. This was the only way to help MR to rescue his family. MS would have made good money. RW got the SLFP devided to fulfill his dream job.
The court will decide the fate of the parliament. Due to the illegal nature of incidents, the parliament will get convened.
No election. They will shuffle few ministers around. People will soon forget.
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edwin rodrigo / November 12, 2018
This may well be true. They keep the money. The man who got shot at Kolonnawa CPC does not get to keep his life.
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Gune / November 12, 2018
Politicians must know that people are a lot more knowledgeable of such matters than before. This memo looks very foolish on the part of the foreign minister who is trying to cover the tracks of his President and PM and their illegal actions.
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Buddhika Perera / November 12, 2018
All along I took this person as an honest and decent one.
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Real Revolutionist / November 12, 2018
All these struggles against the dissolution of the parliament is mainly due to the fact that they (strugglers) will never be able to win an election in the near future/for ever.
Dissolution of parliament is people friendly so it must prevail sacrificing all the so called controversial constitutional provisions to challenge it.
Legal & political experts must make efforts to depower the 19th amendment (which must be understood as a serious mistake) to the constitution which is causing havoc to the country.
The most ridiculous arrangement in it is disabling presidents power to dissolve parliament after an year & extending it to four & half years.
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Ajith / November 12, 2018
It is shame on some of those who carry Dr. in front of their name. Looking at the Drs like GLP Peries, Dayan Jeyatilake, Amunagama, Vithanage, Lasisiri etc. they are now become doctorates of part and partial of political & military coups, lie masters, bribe dealers, arm dealers, white van abduction and murder experts.
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Champa / November 12, 2018
OMG! This is supper-funny.
Who drafted this? Oh, this is to justify President’s outrageous excuses!
Read No. 4 which contains 3 DIABOLICAL ERRORS.
“The attention of the President “WAS DRAWN TO THE INFORMATION” that, contrary to Constitution and the Standing Orders, the Speaker, “WITHOUT DUE AUTHORITY” was attempting to change Parliamentary procedures and “NOT PROCEED WITH THE STATEMENT OF THE GOVERNMENT POLICY” that was to have been delivered by the President on the 14th, on which date the Parliament was to be reconvened.”
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:D :D :D (i). The words, “was drawn to the information” imply that this is “hear-say.” If the President had proof that the Speaker is going to “do something”, make direct reference to it. How does he know? This implies that it could be a false assumption.
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(ii). “WITHOUT DUE AUTHORITY” – What does that mean? The Speaker IS NOT under anybody’s authority. Not even President’s. If he is under Executive’s authority, he cannot function independent, impartial and fair to all. The President seems to have forgotten that the Speaker is appointed by the Parliament, not by him. Speaker’s refusal to act as “an agent of the Executive” is not an attempt to “change Parliamentary procedures (crazy?)” but taking a bold stance to stand up to Executive’s undue influence and tyranny, which is commendable!
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(iii). “NOT PROCEED WITH THE STATEMENT OF THE GOVERNMENT POLICY” – Are you kidding me right now? The Speaker is the Speaker, not the Prime Minister “to proceed with the Statement of the Government Policy!” He is not a part of the government! May be the President thinks that he is a 13th Century British Monarch-reborn who has the right to express displeasure at Speaker’s reply. Nine (9) British Speakers have been put to death for reasons given by the President in 4 above!!!
Contd’…..
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Champa / November 12, 2018
Contd’…..
Read No. 3. of the fax.
“The reason for President’s decision was the STATE OF UNCERTAINTY that prevailed regarding the ANTICIPATED behaviour of the Speaker of the Parliament.”
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:D :D :D :D :D The words “state of uncertainty” imply that President’s moonlight government and the moonlight Cabinet were anxious of the possible action taken by the Speaker to call for a division to determine which side has the majority. This is a clear indication that they didn’t have the majority.
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:D :D :D :D :D The word “anticipated” suggests that the President has taken the decision to dissolve the Parliament based on “hear-say.”
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Over all, I must say “this is a poor show.”
And I don’t think there is any reason to “explain” the reasons that led to President unconstitutional decision to dissolve the Parliament as it is pretty obvious that the reason is nothing but President’s failure to muster enough MPs to show the majority. I am sure even Sri Lanka’s long time friend Lord Naseby will not approve such autocracy.
The statements issued by various countries and international organizations for the last 2 weeks are clear proof that they are closely watching the situation in Sri Lanka. I don’t welcome their interference but the President, who completely disregarded such requests, now seeking their understanding is hilarious.
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Finally, I must say that, as Sri Lankans, we have full faith in our Supreme Court for its impartiality and independence.
I wish the Supreme Court will consider this as a matter of paramount importance and of highest priority and deliver the correct judgement tomorrow itself, so that the Parliament be reconvened on November 14th as scheduled putting an end to this deadlock which has paralyzed the entire country right now.
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Buddhist / November 12, 2018
Its time all countries that have overseas missions in Sri Lanka should call back their representatives as a protest for what the President has done illegally.
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K.Pillai / November 12, 2018
The ‘Diplomatic Offensive’ will not work. It may make it worse.
Dayan Jayatilleka spoke highly of this Dr Sarath Amunugama.
Felt Sarath cannot be good. Here we are: He is not!
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