In a strong response to President Maithripala Sirisena, ousted Prime Minister and UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe today rubbished Sirisena’s claims that convening Parliament on November 14 could have led to bloodshed in the House.
Issuing a statement this afternoon, Wickremesinghe said no one talked about bloodshed when party leaders and representatives met Speaker Karu Jayasuriya for a special meeting last week.
“If they saw the possibility of bloodshed, they should have raised the matter during the meeting with the Speaker,” Wickremesinghe said, raising strong questions about the credulity of Sirisena’s statement.
“It is the Speaker’s responsibility to adopt necessary measures if there is a possibility of bloodshed in the House. The President resorted to an arbitrary measure and dissolved Parliament, without following the due process,” he explained.
He also said it was Sirisena who knew about “trading” MPs in the House and their so-called price-tags. “It was him and his party that managed to get a few UNP MPs and a TNA MP to crossover and offered them ministerial positions. As a result of their conduct, the public lost faith in the legislature and the representatives they elected.”
Wickremesinghe said he acted with great patience and restraint over the past three and a half years, respecting the “mandate” the government received from the people. “I encountered insults, humiliations and vitriolic criticism. It was due to this patience and restraint that we were able to continue the government for three and a half years.”
Wickremesinghe also said his personal interests stood separately from his political interests. “On two occasions, I sacrificed my presidential candidacy. The LTTE approached me twice to strike deals during elections but I vehemently turned them down as I always put the country before my own ambitions,” he explained.
Wickremesinghe said the Speaker Karu Jayasuriya protected the parliamentary tradition by upholding the view of the majority. “That is how the parliamentary tradition continues to function across the globe. The Speaker informed them to show their majority when the House is convened. I was confident that I held the majority support in the House and I demonstrated that in the month of April during a no-confidence vote on me,” he added.
JD / November 13, 2018
After the last elelction it was UPFA 96 and UNF 105. Why Ranil could not make it 113. How was the Non-confident motion. If it was for the money that exchanged hands inside the parliament, Ahhhhh, he is obliged to the International community for saving him in that time.
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Douglas / November 13, 2018
Ranil W: The present “STRUGGLE” is against a “President” and his newly found “ALLIES” . But that does not through light on you at all as a “Truly Democrat” who lived a life of a “Competent”, “Capable” “Honest” Political Leader. You are far from those qualities the people wanted you to be. So please don’t try to make capital out of a situation by showing “FAKE” solidarity with those who are fighting for a “Worthy Cause”. We know how you started the “Yahapalanaya” and put the entire concept of that ideal into jeopardy by that “Bond Scam” not only once but twice, engineered through that person Arjuna Mahendran. You “VOUCHED” for his integrity and held yourself a ” GUARANTOR” for his conduct and capabilities. Today, when this Legal System is after him, you conveniently washed you hands saying “I do not know where he is”. So don’t expect people of this country to forget and excuse you for all those wrong doings. The PEOPLE are waiting to REJECT you too just as much as this President and his NEW ALLIES.
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Menaka Wijesiriwardane / November 13, 2018
Ranil is a real leader.
All the way!
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Siva Sankaran Sharma / November 13, 2018
This speech shows that all Sinhalese leaders are racist to the core and Ranil is no exception, will always try to bring in Buddhism and the Tamils to gain advantage and more votes for them from a largely racist, stupid, idiotic brainwashed Sinhalese population , who still have not learn any lessons. One to win favour with the Sinhalese states there will be no amalgamation of the Tamil northern and eastern provinces, federalism or just Tamil rights. I will never grant this , even if I die. This despite the country signing an international agreement in 1987 to deliver this and still valid. Now the other. his rival, unnecessarily dragging the LTTE and the Tamils , into this stating that he was tough with them due to his patriotism. Bullshit both these creatures are not patriotic but self serving racist opportunists. The LTTE is the child of Sinhalese racism ( state and population) and Indian opportunism and a patriotic leader who would have put the country first , would have sorted everything out , with just Tamil rights and federalism granted, honouring the 1987 Indo Lanka international agreement and will treat all the people in the land as equals, irrespective ethnicity and religion (There is no race involved as 99% of Sri Lankan population is South Indian origin , despite one lot claiming Aryan descent and another Arab/Moor). Instead of using language, religion and ethnicity, to divide and rule. Tamils will have to find a way to gain their lost independence and lands , as the Sinhalese intention , whoever is the leader is to use them and destroy them to gain power. Both shameless creatures who used the Tamil speaking people to gain power , one even went overseas to seek help from the Tamil diaspora. We may have to check avenues to sue Britain for our present predicament.
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Eagle Eye / November 13, 2018
Siva Sankaran Sharma,
Even if you keep on repeating this ‘Mantra’ trillion times, it will not change the history of Sinhale.
Learn to face the reality you grand grand son of an invader from Hindusthan or a slave brought to Sinhale by colonial bastards.
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Siva Sankaran Sharma / November 13, 2018
99% of the slaves imported into the island (.Chingkallam not Sinhale this is a Pali corruption of the original Tamil word for the island Chingkallam meaning the red or copper coloured land, Sinhale does not meaning anything just jibberish, definitely not the land of the lion) by the colonials were settled in the Sinhalese areas including the estate Tamils who were imported by the British and not in the Tamil north and east. Their descendants now call themselves Sinhalese Buddhists or Catholics. Most probably your own ancestors. They now make up half the present day Sinhalese population. It is because of these low caste/untouchable Indian Tamil indentured/slave labour that was imported into the island by the Portuguese and Dutch colonials, from what is modern day Tamil Nadu and then Tamil Kerala , that the Sinhalese became a huge majority in the island. Thank the Portuguese and the Dutch for importing your ancestors. Brahmins and other upper castes would never have consented to migrate as slaves and indentured labour , They did not have the need as they were on the top of pecking order. Only someone brain dead will post something stupid
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Strategist / November 13, 2018
Why RW is also to be blamed? Were basic leadership traits – agility and flexibility- were missing?
1. Not understanding his limitations and using MS to get what he wants.
2.Not embracing change.
3.Hanging onto the leadership for too long.
4.First rejecting China and then embracing.
5.Suspending Chinese projects and then going back on his word.
6. Failing to understand the needs of the poor man.
Forces within UNP might remove him…
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Siva Sankaran Sharma / November 13, 2018
Look at them walking around and waving flags, omitting the two huge bars, green and the yellow representing the island’s two Tamil speaking communities , the Tamils and the Muslim Tamils( Moors) , openly and proudly in display in front the war criminal dictator , who has looted the country billions of dollars and deliberately killed more than 145000 innocent Tamils in May 2009 and thousands of others afterwards. They are now openly stating this land does not belong to the Tamil speakers but only to the Sinhalese Buddhists. These idiots do not realise that the so called Sinhalese Buddhist symbol of the lion holding the sword is not Sinhalese Buddhist symbol but the symbol and flag of the Tamil speaking Naicker kings from Madurai/Thanjavur Tamil Nadu , who ruled the so called Sinhalese Kandyan kingdom and used Tamil also as a court language , as most of them did not know Sinhalese or not fluent.
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Tamil Muslim / November 13, 2018
Couldn’t have said it better.
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Sunil / November 13, 2018
Your contribution is Sri Lanka is to create havoc. You are an extreme supporter of unbridled capitalism regardless of the consequences to the rural population. You are completely out of touch.
The parliament that was dissolved never represented Sri Lanka – voting was based purely to remove Rajapakshas, which was the right course of action at that time.
Sirisena will go down in history as the greatest leader in Sri Lanka.
He saved Sri Lanka twice – first time from the Rajapaksha and the second time from you Ranil.
You never won an election and you never will notwithstanding the pandering to all people other than the Sinhalese Buddhists. (who are absolute fools – never understood what was happening).
My only regret is Sirisena should have acted much earlier – perhaps after the bank robbery.
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asitha / November 13, 2018
He so patient he patiently watched unti LTTE nearly destroyed the country
he is so serene he watched serenely many youth tortured to death in Batalanda
He is so patient like Wessanthara he let his friends rob central bank in broad daylight
He is so serene he watched until army intel unit was betrayed in millenium city
He is so serene waiting until Digana incident got full blown
He is so patient he let all war heroes arrested
He is so selfless like wessanthara he sells all national propery to other countries
A sage like him should become a monk in a monastery
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Siva Sankaran Sharma / November 13, 2018
It was not the LTTE that destroyed the country but racist Sinhalese and state sponsored Sinhalese racism that destroyed the country and is still destroying the country. Sinhalese will never asckowledge this truth and will keep on trying to scape goat the Tamils the LTTE , as they are basically racists . Even now when the country is burning they do not want correct their past mistakes but keep on being racist and blame the Tamils for the sins of their stupid opportunistic racist politicians and clergy’s actions. . Sinhalese racism gave birth to the LTTE to fight for Tamil rights. The LTTE only delayed what is now happening to the Tamils after their demise by 30 years, this and what is happening now , amply proves that is was not the LTTE , that was not destroying the land but the Sinhalese and their racist politicians and clergy. Ironically it is the Tamil and Muslim politicians who are trying to save the island from chaos and destruction by taking principled stands. The Sinhalese are only self destruction themselves and the others.
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cholan / November 13, 2018
Even the racists Malays and their politicians in Malaysia now talk about one Malaysia for all and planning to change their racists laws even ready to sign UN treaties to safeguard minority rights.
He He He here ,soon all Kerala origin Sinhala men and women must go to Arab countries to feed their families by cleaning dirty toilets.
Who cares?
Let us dance for free liquor.
Jayawewa
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Siva Sankaran Sharma / November 13, 2018
There is some Kerala origin but most of the ancestors of the present day Sinhalese actually originated from Tamil Nadu. Remember Kerala was also Tamil a few centuries ago. There is lots of similarity between the people of Kerala and the Sinhalese and the same with the Sri Lankan Tamils., this is because prehistorically the Dravidian Tamil speaking or semi Tamil speaking population in the island , were closer to ancient Chera Tamil Kerala. Remember one of the ancient Tamil names for the island was Cheran Theevu , meaning the Naga island. Cheran was the ancient Tamil name for Naga. The word Serendib originated and is a corruption of this word Cheran Theevu. One pf the largest communities in modern Kerala the Eezhava ( meaning people from the land of Eelam or Eezham) making up around 28% of modern Kerala’s population , are supposed to have migrated to ancient Tamil Chera Nadu ( modern day Kerala ) from the island( Eezham) . Just like the word Eezham they are closely associated with toddy tapping. Many Eezhavas converted to Christianity and Islam and if you count their numbers the percentage will be around 40%.
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nalmen / November 13, 2018
if ranil put the country before self why did he not pressurise the courts to take action against the rajapaksas for 3 years ?did he do a deal to look after them?
why has he not handed over the leadership to sajith after 24 years as the leader and disgraced the country with the bond scam
he is as big a liar as sirisena
if he was a strong leader like jr he would n-have dealt with sirisena much better and avoided the present crisis
the sooner he hands over the leadership of the unp and goes home the better
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MH Lakshman / November 13, 2018
Series amended the constitution without going to approval of parilment.
33(2). If behaviors of prime minister not Mach with him.
62. Fear of bloodshed in parliament
70,5 .beheviour of speaker as not expected him to his wishes.
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dayal / November 13, 2018
mr.RW,
you are described as a top class diplomat but you could not understand anything about MS – such as betrayal-before making him the common candidte. see now chandrika is not in talking terms with MS. again you could not tackle him using your political and diplomatic skills during the 3 and a half year period. you should not have allowed MS to take such a drastic action illegally or otherwise and joining his arch enemy MR betraying his 65 lacks of voters. even after his catotrophic decision to oust you. you were trying discuss with . what was the purpose? he flatly refused. use all your skills to overthrow your enemy/read marchiavalli or koudilya like your uncle..
-dayal
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Good Sense / November 13, 2018
As opposed to the caption of this article, the contents as published here deserves congratulations to RW for providing a measured response. As per a previous comment of mine, the story of a bloodshed is dramatization to obscure the obvious. However, disorderly conduct of various nature, including fist fights (Not a Khashoggi fist fight) was a possibility, considering what happened prior to the passage of the 19th Amendment. The usual over simplification of RW stating that there is a Speaker to look after that may not make sense once it goes out of hand as the Speaker only could do is to suspend sittings and call for an emergency meeting of the party leaders. But the fight could go on and the damage to property cannot be discounted. Was it MY3 buying people or the great owner of Walnut estates in California, US? To that extent the expression about buying MPs is inaccurate but MY3 was aware and encouraged the same indirectly and he cannot escape from that by complaining about it in forwarding an excuse to dissolve the Parliament. It is difficult for me to buy the position that the entire three and a half years was full of insults and criticisms. The beginning of that period was OK. Things started going wrong when the Green Boys started to examine the skeletons in the cupboards of MY3 and the Viper showed his colors by probing the bond scam and others. Yes! There would have been difficulties in convincing in the process of decision making, mainly arising out of differences in background but that had to be coped with to fulfil the public mandate.
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Amila / November 13, 2018
He is correct here.
Also I think the 19th constitution is perfectly written and does not have any holes as per those who have violated it and those who try to defend insane sirisena. Reasons are as follows as per my understanding.
1 – Sirisena asked from SC wether he has 6 yrs. Then SC firmly gave the verdict saying you can only stay for 5 years as per 19th ammendment. So it means it is perfectly written.
2 Geetha kumarisinghe lost her parliamentary seat due to her dual citizenship. As per 19th dual citizens are not allowed. So it means again it shows 19th is perfect.
So the removal of pm and dissolving of parliment should be a massive violation. Even wijedasa and nimal said after forming this illegal gov that parliment cannot be dissolved without 2/3. Probably these voice cuts should be shown at sc (not sure if it is possible but might be helpful ). Even double standard statements of sira should be shown in sc to prove that sira is gone insane.
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Eagle Eye / November 13, 2018
Champuka told publicly ‘mineemerum unath siddhawenna puluwan’ (it is possible to have killings).
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rbh / November 13, 2018
When president failed to achieve the goal, is swimming against the tides of trouble, giving a another statement Remarks over Bloodshed In House without any proof arrive at their beliefs not on the reality or eminent of prevailing. it is Shatter the positive qualities with language of hate infected tongues, to repel the mistakes he did
1. Blood shed in house
2. Plotting to kill
3. We have the majority in the house
4. Butterfly lifestyle
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Eagle Eye / November 13, 2018
To the guys who are talking about preserving democracy. 19th Amendment has given strange and unusual powers to the Constitutional Council.
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“Subject to the provisions of Article 126, no court shall have the power or jurisdiction to entertain, hear or decide or call in question, on any ground whatsoever, or in any manner whatsoever, any decision of the Council or any approval or recommendation made by the Council, which decision, approval or recommendation shall be final and conclusive for all purposes.”
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If the decisions taken by Constitutional Council cannot be questioned that is highly undemocratic and dictatorial. Why these Civil Society guys who are willing to sacrifice their lives to preserve Democracy in this country kept silent on this? Do they see only things that they like to see?
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shankar / November 13, 2018
blood shed in the parliament must be something like the alleged assassination attempt on his own life by the RAW.Why is he quiet on that now?he can go gungho full steam ahead on investigations which he claimed were trying to cover it up.After all the CID comes directly under him now.
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cholan / November 13, 2018
TAMILS please do not vote for any Sinhalease Presidential candidate in future .nominate a prominet Tamil as a candidate and cast all your votes to him .
So Sinhala presidential candidate will never get 51% and have to go for re run , if so again do the same game .
Enough is enough never trust these racist murderers .Tamils voted with open heart for this grama sevaka thinking he will be different ,now look what is happening.
Chinese will be better choice to rule this cursed buddhist land than these jokers ,they will not show any mercy,whoever it may be.Chinese will develop this country within few years,will give Cambodian treatment to modayas if they open their mouth,
Cheers
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shankar / November 14, 2018
You are an idiot cholan.Your ideas will result in a waste of tamil votes.MIght as well not vote.tamils must always vote for the lessor evil sinhala man.That way at each election the evil sinhala man will become less and less evil towards the tamils.
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Janaka from Matara / November 13, 2018
Politically…Ranil is a liability to UNP. He could well be an excellent advisor or an analyst of poltics. But how this country suffered becuase he did not understand people.
Is he better than Mara or Sira for the country. By a country mile and a half, yes !
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Native Vedda / November 13, 2018
Manel
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“Silly seems to be finding flimsy excuses for justify his stupid blunders. Only half brained dolts will keep buying it.”
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This is the culmination of 450 years of rulers’ colonial anger, meted out to people.
Since 1948 our politics, voters, politicians, functionaries, ………….. deliberately made to focus on others, outsiders, insiders considered outsiders, International Community, India, Tamil Nadu, …. now the diaspora, Muslims, ………..as being the enemies of this country.
It is now obvious the enemies are within.
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K.Pillai / November 13, 2018
What is the point, whatever, AFTER the cloud has cleared?
By the way RW, is the cloud really gone?
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