MEDIA REPORTS ON A PURPORTED HAND OVER OF THE TRINCOMALEE PORT
Posted on February 11th, 2017
Dr. Anula Wijesundara & Lt Col. Anil Amarasekara (Retired) Co-Presidents National Joint Committee
H E the President Maithipala Sirisena
Presidential Secretariat
Colombo 1
Your Excellency,
MEDIA REPORTS ON A PURPORTED HAND OVER OF THE TRINCOMALEE PORT
We wish to draw your kind attention to the recent report carried by “The Hindu” (give the date, pls…) commenting on an interview held with the Minister Sarath Fonseka of Sri Lanka, in which he is reported to have mentioned that negotiations were being undertaken to hand-over Trincomalee Port to India. This report, we believe, has to be taken serious because it was reported a few days later that the Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe also has echoed similar intents by the Government.
We were surprised and shocked to read these reports for a number of reasons, which we wish to submit for your perusal, as follows :
- We are unaware of any decision” taken by the Cabinet of Ministers to hand-over of Trincomalee Port to India, or even to entertain an idea of that sort. If our understanding regarding this non-availability of cabinet approval is correct, any negotiation in this regard, pursued by any authority or individual, is ultra vires.
- Therefore, if any such discussions have effectively been pursued without proper approval, then we urge your good self to take stern action against those who commit this irregularity, which in effect is a gross violation of Good Governance platform on which you sought mandate of the people of Sri Lanka on Jan 8, 2015.
- However, if what Minister Sarath Fonseka has mentioned, and reportedly reiterated later by the Prime Minister, is incorrect, you would have no other alternative than removing them from their respective offices for making false statements regarding the executive action of this Government.
- Trincomalee is a “strategic location” and the Trincomalee Harbour is an important strategic asset” which Sri Lanka should deploy for our nation’s interests, and not to be handed over to India or to any other foreign country for their benefits. Therefore, we consider it pawning our future generations and their rights and privileges, if the Cabinet of Ministers has already granted approval for such negotiations with India. This is because the Government being the custodian of these national and natural assets on behalf of the public and their future generations, should (a) not consider alienation of the nation’s vital assets and locations, (b) not put the country’s safety and national security at risk by having a foreign power managing a strategic location such as Trincomalee Port. Therefore, we, as members of patriotic national organizations, request you to take these media reports very seriously, and to intervene and prevent any such nationally detrimental proposal being mooted.
- If this does not happen, we will have no option than mobilizing nationalist forces against any such move, in view of safeguarding the country’s national interests.
Yours Sincerely,
Sgd.
Dr. Anula Wijesundara Lt Col. Anil Amarasekara (Retired)
Co-Presidents
National Joint Committee
February 12th, 2017 at 9:25 am
Our grateful thanks to Dr Anula Wijesundera for bringing out the facts on Triinco habor to Public attention.
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* ALL of Lanka Ports ought to be for PEACEFUL PURPOSES ONLY.
* Sri Lanka PORTS should not be sold or leased out – must remain govt held for all times, under the ownership of the govt of Lanka and the People of Lanka.
This should be written into the Sri Lanka Constitution, and made into Law forever.
February 12th, 2017 at 10:09 am
But the fact is that his good self the President is aware of nothing, as everything seems to be going on behind his back initiated by Ranil-Chandrika-Mangala-Sarath and the rest, while his good self the President Sirisena will only see it when everything is over, in the news papers !!!
February 14th, 2017 at 8:00 pm
An Indian enclave in Trinco Port will lead to total Tamilization of the Trincomalee District and merger with the North. What could be be done is to merge Trinco District with the NCP. This will also give the NCP a sea frontage. This will encourage more Sinhalese to settle down in the Trinco District.
Along with this move to compensate for the loss of territory, Polonnaruwa District could be amalgamated with the EP. This will also bring a better balance in the ethnic composition of the EP.
Under the Colebrook recommendation Polonnaruwa ( Tamankaduwa) was part of the EP.
I do not think that there is any Constitutional barrier to change Provincial boundaries.
February 14th, 2017 at 9:06 pm
“What could be be done is to merge Trinco District with the NCP. This will also give the NCP a sea frontage. This will encourage more Sinhalese to settle down in the Trinco District.”
I SAID THIS FIRST years ago. But with a change. ONLY PULMODDAI to TRINCO part should be merged with NCP. Area south of Trinco bay should go do EP. Otherwise you increase TAMIL SPEAKERS too much in HISTORIAL NCP.
But this part is WRONG.
“Along with this move to compensate for the loss of territory, Polonnaruwa District could be amalgamated with the EP. This will also bring a better balance in the ethnic composition of the EP.”
Polonnaruwa has a VERY SMALL POPULATION compared to Batti and Ampara. You will lose ALL HISTORICAL SITES in Polonnaruwa if you do this!!