NEW POLITICAL ALLIANCE BY FORMER PRESIDENT MAHINDA RAJAPAKSE – 5.7 MILLION VOTE BANK- PARTNERSHIP WITH JVP VITAL
Posted on January 24th, 2015

By M D P DISSANAYAKE

The country is in urgent need of a strong political grouping headed by the Father of Modern Sri Lanka, former President Mr Mahinda Rajapakse.  The general public is realizing that they have  exchanged Ginger and bought Chillie.

The country require a new visionary political culture recognizing the rightful place for majority Sinhalese.  In Sinhalese dominated country, fighting for the protection and enhancement of rights of majority is not racism. For fear of antoganizing the minority and inevitable bashing by the imperialists international community, no one, including the former President took the front line as the saviour of Sinhalese.  This was a grave error.

Recognizing the marginalization of Sinhalese aspirations by D S Senanayake, John Kotalawela etc., SWRD Bandaranaike left the UNP and formed SLFP.  To fight the general election of 1956  he then formed Mahajana Eksath Peramuna with the famous Pancha Maha Balawegaya.  It was an instant success, reducing the UNP to 8 seats in 65  member House of Representatives.

Mr Mahinda Rajapakse is now well equipped to lead a New Balawegaya as he has demonstrated his skills as a Leader, during most difficult periods in Sri Lanka.  Whilst keeping away Basil, Namal, Sasheendra Rajapakse, Mr Gotabaya Rajapakse is a potential leader to join his brother for the mainstream new campaign.  Both Messrs Mahinda and Gotabaya Rajapakse command enormous grass root support.  Their score cars are unchallenged, if a strong movement is immediately chartered into the hearts of Sri Lanka’s known territory, Sinhalese.  In fact, Mr Gotabaya Rajapakse’s  was the best performer in the previous government, with the exception of President himself.  If GB was not the brother of MR, he would have been President already.  Therefore, in the new political movement, placing GB in leadership role will be an invaluable asset with added value.

The other factor is to integrate JVP into the this Alliance.  During recent election, JVP did not support  the Common Candidate, but demanded defeat for the former President.  The situation today demand a different perspective for the JVP to be recognized as a winning force.  But JVP will be very skillful during anyfuture negotiations.  The Alliance can be  in the form of No-Contest Pact at the upcoming general election or preferably as a partner with equal status for the JVP with existing constituent parties. Merger with the JVP will  bring long term image of team of clean administrators, as they have been strong watch-dogs in the past.  JVP might be seen by some as “trouble makers” but most of their criticisms were constructive rather than destructive.  JVP is rich in human resources in terms of intellectuals, professionals, but may be  poor in financial resources.

The new Alliance should be a genuine partnership, not just a marriage of convenience. It should embrace:

  • eradication of corruption and nepotism;
  • settlement of Sinhalese in North and East in equal proportion compared to the rest of the country;
  • setting up Major Buddhist Temple similar to Dalada Maligawa in North and East for further ehancement of Buddhism in the country (at present team of Priests in Kandy are confined to the Maligawa, everyone need to go them. Why not they travel and reside in North and East, instead of taking undertakings from the new Defence State Minister Mr Ruwan Wijewardene that security forces will remain in North.  But how many and with what powers? Can these politicians be trusted?  Why not they become guardians of Buddhisms in all parts of the country instead of filling Spittoons (Paddikama) in the temples?
  • maintenance of smaller Cabinet, deputy Ministers;
  • appointment of majority foreign service personnel from the Sri Lanka Administrative Service, based on seniority and skills;
  • appointment Chairman and members of Board of State Institutions consisting qualified personnel in the respective fields;
  • stipulation of minimum education qualifications for a Member of Parliament and to become a Minister ( let’s not have any more Ministers in charge of Port, Aviation, Shipping with Senior High School background and but with a cricketing brain)
  • increase emphasise on Agriculture whilst undertaking cost effective large scale industrial projects
  • administration of rule of law

Former President Mahinda Rajapakse must have realized by now that if you have to spend 10 hrs of campaigning time to convince a floating or undecided Sinhala voter to vote for you, it will probably  take more than 100 hrs of campaigning time to convince a  similar Tamil voter to vote for you.   Tamils still live in isolation, with their allegiance with Tamil Nadu, but enjoying all the facilities provided by the Former President.

With the general election is around the corner, the formation of new Alliance is an  urgent priority.

12 Responses to “NEW POLITICAL ALLIANCE BY FORMER PRESIDENT MAHINDA RAJAPAKSE – 5.7 MILLION VOTE BANK- PARTNERSHIP WITH JVP VITAL”

  1. Dilrook Says:

    Let me respectfully point out that this is a nonsensical argument. 5.7 million people didn’t vote for the Rajapaksa clan. They voted for the party. As it is very well known, most votes are fixed votes. SLFP coomands at least 40% of the national vote and it will not change. If another party is formed, UNP will have a field day and win all the bonus seats (along with TNA) at district level. JVP will not join any party of the Rajapaksas after they fooled the JVP in 2006.

    The best course of action for Mahinda is to remain in SLFP and plead for a chance to contest the general election from SLFP/UPFA.

  2. Nanda Says:

    Rajapaksa has 1 man who still loves him ( unless further deals findings disturb this friendship). That is Wimal Weerawansa.
    JVP joining him is an absurd idea, as it will be the end of JVP then. Some SLFPiers will join him too, if they are convince of any possibility of a win.
    This new alliance can contest , but it will break SLFP votes to 1/2 or but assume an impossible 70% to Maha Raja. Which means he can win 30% votes, extremely optimistic.
    That means a sure UNP win as UNP vote base will never be less than 40%.

  3. ranjit Says:

    What Dissanayaka mentioned was all good and I too agree with him but not now maybe after sometime when everything get settled. Mahinda is still the most popular leader in this island. He is the most bravest leader we have at the moment who do not bow down to white coats. He is more respected than others in the world stage. He said “My country is more valuable to me than agreeing for division or separatism” and get votes. Wimal Weerawansa is a another leader who have guts and not afraid to speak the truth. Do not think Rajapksa is alone. There are millions who will back him if he comes back and his brother Gota is more popular than all this Yahapalanaya traitors.

    Just see what they are doing now. Is it Maithriya or Vairaya????????????? They are like Gestapo and KGB raiding houses,warehouses as if they are all decent, uncorrupted, Educated lot. That Choura Regina started Katunayaka highway when she was in power and what happened to that and where was the money gone? Did anyone questioned her for that? How many projects were closed and sold during UNP? Did anyone questioned and got any answers? We haven’t forgotten all that. Tell me a single uncorrupted guy in UNP? We can write pages and pages of their corruption but useless at this point to write anything because still we have millions of ungrateful people living in my country. They are not interested in finding the truth or talk about the truth they simply interested only in their stomach and how to get a free buck here and there. The whole scenario was planned by Foreign agents from the western Mafia and they succeeded somehow. Our ungrateful people will realize soon their mistake for giving power to these power hungry coup plotters.

    JVPer’s maybe good in talking but there past we cannot forget so easily. They too are talking of revenge only nothing new. If they want to come clean they must give up unnecessary protests and denounce violence. If they are good as some say then why the public do not trust them and bring them to power? People knows well about these red killers who led two insurrections. They now sit with the same killers UNP without any shame. This is their politics which I never agree or like. UNP will never ever win any election in my homeland again because they are all corrupt. We must investigate them first before they investigate others. People are watching!!!!!!!

  4. douglas Says:

    Mr. Dissanayake: Were You in “Deep Sleep” and “Dreaming” when you proposed an “Alliance” with JVP. This proposal reminds me another “short, sweet and well meaning” saying among my village people. Here it is: “LINDE VATUNA EKA PIDURU GAHAKA HARI ELLILA GODA ENNA THAMI BALANNE”. ( A man who fell into the well ,will try to hang on even to a straw and come out). By this I do not mean the present day JVP is a straw. Even “IF”(?) that happens, ( not even in a dream) the present day JVP knows very well the following:

    They know, through their own “EXPERIENCE” how this MR will come out of the “Deep Shit Well” he has fallen and PUSH them into the same well he is helped to come out. That actually happened to them. So before you make these suggestions to MR, please reflect on the past political situations as otherwise you will put this man into further degradation. In my opinion, what is BEST for Mr. Mahinda Rajapakse at this moment is to “Go into Retreat” and “REFLECT” upon himself: ” WHAT WRONG DID I DO FOR MYSELF”. It is very, very difficult to CONQUEST oneself. But at a very critical stage like the present , it is a MUST for MR to do it soon. That is the best advice I can offer at this moment. Please allow him space to RECOVER HIMSELF.

  5. dingiri bandara Says:

    In a country where the majority are Sinhalese Buddhists there is no Sinhalese Buddhists party whereas as the Muslims and Tamils have parties representing them. If a Buddhists party is formed, it will be called racist. Are parties named after the Muslims and Tamils not racist?
    The parties representing Tamils and Muslims only fight for their causes meaning to divide the country for themselves with the privilege of buying property in any part of the country and form enclaves. Their businesses thrive everywhere because the majority Sinhalese do patronize them. The Sinhalese Buddhists are so divided and alsomost Catholic Sinhalese or Christians do not support them most probably because of their Churches.
    Sinhalese, please unite, not to suppress the Tamils or the Muslims but safeguard our interests. We have only Sri Lanka. The others have so many other countries and most Western countries work against us.

  6. AnuD Says:

    JVP is very stupid, if JVP joins with MR knowing how many times, MR ridiculed and tried to destroyed JVP.

    Besides, MR coming back to politics means he is no different from CBK.

  7. AnuD Says:

    Mahinda Rajapakse had 10 years to show his 40 years of political experience. Instead, as JRJ did, MR also allowed every to one steal as they please. For example,Lalith Kothalawala talks how Basil Rajapakse took over his Hyatt Regency hotel worht Rs ten billion in Basil Rajapakse’s name and how Mohan periris became the complainant and the supreme court judge who heard his case and then took over the control of his Seylan bank. MR did not have his own vision. IOnstead, he copied JRJ, RP etc.,

    Mahinda Rajapaks allowed so many drug lords, SB, Duminda, Mervyn, Wimal Weerawansha, Rohita Abegunawaradana and many other criminal PC members. That is the extent of MR’s capability. Besides, the whole family abused the govt properties and they lived luxury lives out of public money just the way Ferdinand Marcos lived.

    Because of that, we have to find another leader who can led the country without getting into this corruption and also one who stop once all these corrupt politicians who are very active now.

  8. Ananda-USA Says:

    Ranil Wickremasinghe IS GOING FULL SPEED AHEAD to deliver our Motherland bound hand and foot to the Eelamists by Implementing 13A in FULL before the General Election later this year!

    This is what those TREACHEROUS EELAMISTS “Facebook” Lorenzo and his servile LAPDOG Nanda were STRIVING to ACHIEVE ALL ALONG!

    Is it for THIS that Tens of Thousands of Patriotic Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Policemen sacrificed their lives as the FULL MEASURE OF DEVOTION to their Motherland?

    Aiyoooo Sirisenaaaa …. What are YOU DOING in CAHOOTS with UNREPENTANT TRAITORS ENABLING the DESTRUCTION of our Motherland!

    Your name will go down in BLACK LETTERS in Sri Lanka’s history as its GREATEST TRAITOR!
    ……………………
    Lanka reaches consensus to implement 13A: Wickremesinghe

    Zeenews.India.com
    January 24, 2015

    Colombo: Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on Saturday said political parties have agreed to implement the thirteenth amendment as a solution to end the country’s over three-decade-old ethnic conflict involving the Tamil minority.

    “All parties have agreed to solve the ethnic problem within the framework of the thirteenth amendment. We are continuing our talks,” Wickremesinghe said while addressing a gathering at Deniyaya in the south.

    He further said that all provincial councils will have equal powers now that the Tamil National Alliance has said that they are for a solution within an undivided Sri Lanka.

    Provincial Councils became part of the Sri Lankan statute as a direct result of the landmark 1987 Indo-Sri Lanka accord, popularly known as the Rajiv-Jayewardene Accord, after its architects ? Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and Lankan President J R Jayewardene.

    He also blamed the former President Mahinda Rajapaksa for failing to resolve the thorny issues concerning the Tamil minority despite having ended the two-and-a-half decade-old civil war with the LTTE in 2009.

    On the UN’s human rights investigation on Sri Lanka, Wickremesinghe said it was the result of Rajapaksa’s mishandling of the issue.

    “They (the Rajapaksa government) agreed with the UN Secretary General to have an investigation after the war ended. Later confirmed it at the UN Human Rights Council. But the investigation did not happen, so came the appointment of an investigation panel,” Wickremesinghe said, referring to the March 2014 UNHRC resolution on Sri Lanka.

    Rajapaksa government had resisted to cooperate with the investigation meant to probe the human rights abuses by both the LTTE and the government during the final days of the battle in May 2009.

    Wickremesinghe said the new government’s policy on the investigation is that all criminal charges will be probed through a local mechanism.

    “Only Sri Lankan courts will have jurisdiction for criminal investigations,” Wickremesinghe said.

    The new Maithripala Sirisena government which succeeded Rajapaksa rule was urged by a section of the international community to cooperate with the UNHRC investigation and resolve the issues concerning the country’s minorities.

  9. Ananda-USA Says:

    Oh My God, MORE STEPS BACKWARDS as Ranil Wickremasinghe by DESTROYING Sri Lanka’s National Investments to APPEASE his Wesytern REGIME CHANGE sponsors by SUPPORTING of their CHINA CONTAINMENT POLICY at Sri Lanka’s EXPENSE!

    This DESTRUCTION of Sri Lanka’s National Investments WILL NOT END until Sri Lanka is again REDUCED to a Colonial Backwater!

    These MYOPIC IDIOTS MUST BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE in the FUTURE for this DESTRUCTION of Sri Lanka’s FUTURE ECONOMIC GROWTH and ECONOMIC INDEPENDENCE! They want us to REMAIN VASSALS of the NeoColonial West FOREVER!

    Aiyoooo Sirisenaaaaa …. What HAVE YOU DONE to our Motherland!

    ……………………….
    Sri Lanka PM to decide whether to continue port city project with China

    ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.

    Jan 24, Colombo: Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said that a final decision will be taken within the next two weeks on whether to continue the Colombo Port City Project launched by the previous government in partnership with China.

    Mr. Wickremesinghe earlier said the government is reviewing the Colombo Port City project launched during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Sri Lanka last year.

    The government has not yet seen the reports of feasibility study and the environment impact assessment, he said.

    “We will have to look into the environmental and feasibility aspects,” Mr. Wickremasinghe said.

    The Prime Minister’s Office said that 3 reports called for by the PM have been received so far. The Ports Authority, Board of Investment (BOI) and Coast Conservation Department have submitted reports but the Central Environmental Authority has not submitted a report as their views were not obtained at the time the project was launched.

    During his visit to Sri Lanka in September 2014, President Xi and former President Mahinda Rajapaksa launched the US$ 1.5 billion Colombo Port City Project to build a modern city on land reclaimed from the sea.

    Construction of the port city was to be carried out by China Harbour Engineering Company under a Memorandum of Understanding signed by Sri Lanka Ports Authority with China Communication Construction Company (CCCC).

    Concerns have also been raised on the agreement since under the deal signed with the CCCC, the company is getting land on a freehold basis in a high security zone.

    The proposed city will be built on 233 hectares (583 acres) of land reclaimed from the sea between the Colombo South Port and the Galle Face Green and under the agreement 20 hectares of land will be given to the Chinese firm on an outright basis.

    Sri Lanka’s new Investment Promotion Minister Kabir Hashim said the land in a high security zone cannot be given to another country and project needs to be completely reviewed.

    Sri Lanka’s neighbor, India has also raised security concerns over the project as a large portion of cargoes bound for India are transshipped through Colombo port.

  10. ranjit Says:

    Once a traitor is always a traitor. Once this Ranil the man gave in writing half of the country to the terrorist leader Prabakaran and now he is going to implement the 13 amendment without consulting the citizens of Motherlanka or the Opposition. This bighead do not care the country or it’s people. For some he is a Gentleman but for me he is a traitor always.

    People must rise up against any action taken by this group to undermine our sovereignty. Tamils and Muslims are all Sri Lankans and they must learn to live with Majority Sinhalese in any part of the land without making unnecessary demands and breaking the unity of this land which was there for thousands of years. We are not under Indians.Sri Lanka is a free country and we have our own rules and leaders so why should these hypocrits go to India to take advise and orders?

    India is the biggest enemy we have today although we have relations with them for so many years. They brought terrorism to our country. They trained and Financed terrorists movement and because of that we suffered for thirty long years. We cannot forget that so easily. Mahinda kept the balance and ruled the country according to our own rules. He was friendly with everyone except the Tie Coats in the west. Nothing good will bring to us from these Tie Coat whites except disaster. They destroyed every country in the world for the sake of Democracy. Iraq,Iran,Syria,Russia,Pakistan,Afghanistan,Yemen,Venezuela, Libya,Tunisia, Egypt, Afrika and many more. They were eying our paradise island too and if these Yahapalanaya stay in power for long it will be the end of our freedom and Democracy.

  11. Ananda-USA Says:

    dingiri bandara said “13A will not bring peace. It will only give control to the separatists controlled by India”!

    HERE is MORE Indian INVASION into Sri Lanka to CEMENT & EXERT THAT CONTROL you FEAR!

    While WE DON’T WANT EXCESSIVE Indian Involvement, with tens of Thousands of Indians SETTLING in Sri Lanka, ASK WHY this MOVE FOCUSES on JAFFNA alone??

    BECAUSE, the THIN END OF THE WIDENING EDGE is USUALLY INSERTED into the EXISTING CRACK which is Tamil Eelamist dominated Jaffna … THAT IS WHY!

    There will be NO CONTROL, NO LIMITATION of these moves by the GOSL now!

    Aiyoooo Sirisenaaaa …. What are you DOING to our Motherland DELIVERING HER BOUND HAND & FOOT to her ENEMIES?

    ……………………..
    India to promote investment, joint ventures in Jaffna
    Sixth Edition of Jaffna International Trade Fair launched

    by Zacki Jabbar in Jaffna
    January 24, 2015, 6:45 pm

    With  around 50 percent of the  companies participating in the ongoing Jaffna International Trade Fair(JITF), being Indian affiliated, India says that  more of its industrialists and entrepreneurs  would participate  at next  years edition of the exhibition.

    Addressing the opening ceremony of the sixth edition of JITF at the Jaffna Library auditorium, India’s Consul General in Jaffna,  A.  Natarajan, Friday said that  he would  encourage more   businessman from his country to  individually or in partnership with their Sri Lankan counterparts, invest in the Northern Peninsula.

    The three day exhibition is being held at the Municipal Ground, which is in close proximity to the Jaffna Library.

    Natarajan said that they were also working towards strengthening the Indo-Lanka Free Trade Agreement which would be mutually beneficial for both countries.

     Commending the organizers of JITF, the Presidential award winning Lanka Exhibition and Conference Services (LECS), for hosting the event for the sixth consecutive year, he observed that it had become  a one stop shop for  servicing industries in sectors ranging from construction, hospitality, food and beverage, packing , automobile industry, ICT, financial services, apparel, agricultural ,consumer goods and many others.

     Chairman of the Northern Provincial Council  C. V. K. Sivagnanam said that he welcomed more manufacturing and  trading partnerships between the North and South of the country and even with India in the conducive environment that had been created by the installation of a new government headed by President Maithripala Sirisena.

     President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industries of Yarlpanam, K. Vignesh urged the  northern industries and its people to make maximum use of the  vast opportunities that JITF had presented them with. 

    Managing Director of LECS, Arjun Dharmadasa said that JITF had made great strides since it was first launched six years ago. “We, are happy that this exhibition has contributed to the development of Jaffna and are working towards taking it to a higher level.”

    Founder Chairman of JITF, Kosala Wickremenayake, recalled that when they launched the exhibition, the infrastructure in the region including the main road leading to Jaffna was in a poor state. But it had since improved and one of the reasons for that was the demand caused by the large number of people and material that had to be transported the region.

    India, he noted, had at that time contributed Rs.100 million for initial infrastructural development.

    Chief Executive Officer of LECS Asim Mukthar said they were happy that many of the pioneer exhibitors at JITF continued to come back year after year, which indicated that they had received a good response.

    The Kalvi or Education Pavilion at the JITF had contributed to many campuses and educational institutes being established in Jaffna, he added.

    The exhibition had been organized with the prime objective of helping various industries to make inroads into the peninsula, Mukthar observed. “The doors are wide open for entrepreneurs and established businesses to operate in an environment which is conducive for long and short term investments.”

     With a clear mandate and a road map for development, there were many opportunities for a wide range of industries to thrive in the northernmost tip of the country , General Manager of LECS Husine Rauff noted, adding that the over 200 exhibitors offering their wares and services at JITF included around 100 Indian affiliated  businesses representing various sectors.

     The event is  being supported by the  Consulate General of India in Jaffna, Federation of Chamber of Commerce & Industry of Sri Lanka, Ceylon Institute of Builders, Sri Lanka Convention Bureau, and the Jaffna Municipal Council. It has been endorsed by the Ministry of Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development and the Sri Lanka Export Development Board.

  12. Ananda-USA Says:

    ……………
    HELL NO! CJ SHOULD NOT GO!

    Furthermore, Chief Justice Mohan Pieris …. Please do not TRADE your post for a DIPLOMATIC POST; it smacks of the WORST KIND OF HORSE

    TRADING, and DEMEANS your High Office and your Personal Dignity!!

    A Chief Justice is SUPPOSED to DISPLAY HIGH CHARACTER; summon your COURAGE NOW, dig in your heels and DO YOUR DUTY!

    “BASL “Losing Patience”?? When was the BASL appointed as an Arm of the GOSL?? Why should the CJ GO to PLACATE the BASL, an organization

    FLOODED with Anti-Nationalists whose National Name BELIES its DEVIOUS BIAS!

    These are the VERY SAME Anti-National AGITATORS who PROTESTED the former Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake’s dismissal; why are they

    complaining now??? Is there no FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLE here, beyond Party Politics, they should uphold??

    Ultimately, What is GOOD for the GOOSE, should be GREAT for the GANDER as well!

    BLOODY HYPOCRITES!

    ………………………..

    CJ 44 won’t go; Govt and BASL losing patience
    Peiris’ security pruned, lawyers to hold special meeting
    View(s):

    Chief Justice 44 Mohan Peiris is refusing to relinquish office and now demanding a plum diplomatic posting in return for vacating his post

    despite a demand by the country’s lawyers that he step down.

    His choice is either as Ambassador to the UN in New York or as High Commissioner in London, but Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has offered

    him Brazil, a National Unity Government source said yesterday.

    “We are losing our patience. By deliberately delaying he is precipitating a serious situation that could hurt him the most”, the source added.
    The development over the week came as Public Order Minister John Amaratunga told the Sunday Times he had ordered the pruning of the Chief

    Justice’s security detail from ten police officers to two.

    “This is in accordance with his entitlement,” Minister Amaratunga said.

    On Friday, Mr. Peiris was questioned by detectives of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) over his presence at Temple Trees around 4

    a.m. on January 9

    when Presidential election results were being released by the Elections Commissioner. The National Unity Government maintains that there was an

    attempt at suspending the count and that the Chief Justice was providing legal advice to the then President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

    The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) has called for the Chief Justice’s resignation on the grounds that he has failed to maintain his

    impartiality as required by the Constitution by his pre-dawn presence at ‘Temple Trees’.

    Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapaskshe told the Sunday Times the Chief Justice had agreed to resign to three separate audiences. He was present

    at all three, he said.

    “He agreed three times, once in the presence of the President and myself, secondly when the Premier and I discussed the matter with him, and

    thirdly when all three of us were present. He was negotiating with us for a diplomatic posting, and we finally agreed on Rome,” Mr. Rajapakshe

    said.

    According to him, Mr. Peiris was expected to submit his resignation letter as Chief Justice and collect the appointment letter for his new

    posting last Wednesday evening. Although Mr. Peiris had come while the cabinet meeting was being held, no resignation was tendered or the

    appointment letter collected, Mr. Rajapakshe said.

    “He later called the Presidential Secretary for an appointment and was scheduled to meet the President on Thursday at 8.30 a.m. at the

    Presidential Secretariat. But he did not turn up. We were waiting till 9.45 a.m. No further communication has been received from the Chief

    Justice since then,” he said.

    During the week, Cabinet spokesman and Minister Rajitha Senaratne announced that the Chief Justice had told the Prime Minister he would resign

    but did not mention anything about being offered a diplomatic posting. The next day, a person claiming to be a spokesman for the Chief Justice,

    a Ratnapura lawyer, Wijeratne Kodippili denied that Mr. Peiris had offered his resignation.

    Commenting on that incident, Minister Rajapakshe said that the Chief Justice had never been allocated a spokesman, nor had the recruitment of

    such personnel been approved by anyone. According to the Minister, the Government knows nothing about the person who issued a statement on

    behalf of the Chief Justice.

    “We don’t even know if he is a Sri Lankan or not,” he said.

    The BASL’s Executive Committee met again last afternoon and decided to summon the association’s 500 strong council members for a special meeting

    next Saturday to discuss the deadlock. The BASL Ex Co, the governing body of the country’s lawyers, will also meet the Bar seniors today and

    request an appointment with the President and Prime Minister next week, BASL President Upul Jayasuriya said.

    He said the Chief Justice was contacting junior lawyers and seeking their support to sign a petition in support of him.

    “The questioning of the Chief Justice by the CID — in his chambers — is the worst insult the country’s judiciary has faced in its more than 200

    -year history. The CJ 44 has now resorted to canvassing, lobbying and applying pressure on junior lawyers. This is unheard of. We will discuss

    the possible courses of actions when the council meets,” Mr. Jayasuriya said.On Friday, when the Sunday Times contacted Mr. Kodippili and asked

    him what the Chief Justice had to say about his presence at ‘Temple Trees’ on the night the Presidential election results were being released,

    he said he was not authorised by the Chief Justice to speak on that matter.

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