The Leadership Council of the UNP today said the party is ready and determined to abolish the Executive Presidency system. 

Karu Jayasuriya

Issuing a statement the Chairman of  the Leadership Council, UNP  Karu Jayasuriya, said; “it is a necessity of our times to get rid of this cancerous system of government. ‘Abolish the Executive Presidency’ slogan has already been established in the country. Even some partners in the governing coalition have come to the same conclusion. It is the duty and responsibility of a prudent leader to listen to that voice. Instead of allowing the leadership to get further entrenched in power, demanding the abolition of the Executive Presidency is the duty of each and every citizen in the country.”

“It is quite apparent that at the root of these unfavorable conditions is the Executive Presidential system. It certainly is a problem of systems rather than one of personalities. When such political savants like Lalith Athulathmudali and Gamini Dissanayake spoke against the Presidential system of government twenty three years ago, after having worked day in and day out to create that very same system, they would not have even dreamt of a person such as Mahinda Rajapaksa.” Jayasuriya further said.

We publish below the statement in full;

It is patently clear that the Government coalition led by the United National Freedom Alliance (UPFA) is embroiled in a crisis. The crisis has reached such a zenith, one can hardly feel, sense or detect any authentic legacy left behind by its central leader- the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP). The UPFA coalition is led by some who consider the Bandaranaikes, the ones who pioneered the SLFP, as their enemies and one simply cannot disregard as trivial the pressure that is being brought upon the Coalition by some genuine SLFPers. Instead of paying sensitive attention to those who clamor for authentic SLFP policies and principles, those who hold high office in this administration are engaged in a vain attempt to destroy the unity among the opposition parties which are making an attempt at a genuine united front. It reminds one of a person entrenched in muck and excreta pointing to the lack of a hairdo of a well-dressed man.

Hiding behind the facade of ‘development’, the governing circles are indulging in an orgy of corruption, waste and nepotism. All sectors that directly impact on the day-to-day life of the average Sri Lankan such as transport, health, education, law and order, peaceful existence and general economic conditions are crumbling under the Mahinda Rajapaksa rule. Mass protests are taking place on a daily basis in almost every sector of the economy. It is even more emphasized as the Government is confronted with a serious credibility quandary in the international arena. In other words, all signals are indicative of a certain crumbling of the monolith of ‘Rajapaksism’. As enunciated by some political pundits, the country is on the threshold of bidding adieu to an uncivilized era and greeting the arrival of a civilized time.

It is beyond question that the unfortunate situation the country is faced with is solely attributable to the arbitrary manner in which the current Government leadership is navigating affairs of the State. They are behaving as if the whole of Sri Lanka is their personal property. It is no great surprise that, after arriving at the pinnacle of power on the shoulders of many whose sacrifice and hard work was immense and indispensable at the beginning but who are now treated as some ordinary men and women and utterly expendable and a source of a great headache. They are so intoxicated with power that even some of their erstwhile close friends are now seen as lifelong enemies.

Although through their own State-run media outlets they boast about many an achievement but what they are really not doing is good governance. A great majority of the country has now realized that the Government is presently involved only in propagating half-truths and outright lies. Even the support of the majority of their own Cabinet is not forthcoming, it seems. It is rather difficult to imagine that the majority of the people would support the Government when it has failed to secure a majority in their own Cabinet.

It is quite apparent that at the root of these unfavorable conditions is the Executive Presidential system. It certainly is a problem of systems rather than one of personalities. When such political savants like Lalith Athulathmudali and Gamini Dissanayake spoke against the Presidential system of government twenty three years ago, after having worked day in and day out to create that very same system, they would not have even dreamt of a person such as Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Therefore, it is a necessity of our times to get rid of this cancerous system of government. ‘Abolish the Executive Presidency’ slogan has already been established in the country. Even some partners in the governing coalition have come to the same conclusion. It is the duty and responsibility of a prudent leader to listen to that voice. Instead of allowing the leadership to get further entrenched in power, demanding the abolition of the Executive Presidency is the duty of each and every citizen in the country.

Whether it’s the UNP or the SLFP that wins the next election is not important. But we all agree that the winner should be our motherland. We in the United National Party are ready and determined to drive away this cancerous system of government. We indeed are ready to abolish a system that nurtures and looks after only one family, one person and one clan. In the next election, the issue before the voter is simple and stark. What is more important, Country or one Family?