The main opposition UNP has decided to bring a no-confidence motion against External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris shortly after the committee stage debate on his Ministry.

Political sources said that the motion would be moved in Parliament because of what the party cited as the “failure on the part of Prof. Peiris to prevent the appointment of UN expert panel” to advise Secretary General Ban Ki Moon on alleged human rights violations during the last phase of war in 2009.The party would take Prof. (Read More)

According to UGU Convener Dinidu Saman there were a large number of unemployed graduates over the age of 40 as well as undergraduates who were between the age range of 30-40, in the North and East.

“Many of these graduates as well as undergraduates are disabled as a result of the ethnic conflict. Even though it has been more than one year since the ending of the war, the Government has failed to take any measures regarding the well-being of these graduates,” he added. (Read More)

The six member committee appointed to look into the re-organisation of the United National Party (UNP), has stated in its report that an election would be held to elect office bearers of the party only if the suitable persons could not be appointed by consensus.

The report of the committee is expected to be handed over to Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe today. The report had stated that past precedents should not be changed at any rate.

Although it had been proposed that a vote be taken by parliamentary group members and members of the party’s working committee to elect suitable persons to top posts, there was no agreement reached if they would do so even by yesterday afternoon. (Read More)

UNP MP for the Matara District Buddhika Pathirana in his inaugural address to parliament yesterday  said that he had been politically harassed even on  the caste issue when he was campaigning for the April 8 General Election.

Delivering an emotional speech, Mr. Pathirana said that these elements had printed and distributed cards that carried his picture along with a different preferential number. He said such cards had been distributed among people covering over 200 polling stations in Matara out of the total number, which had been 442. MP Pathirana was almost in tears when raising these matters in the House.

However, he said as he had still obtained the highest number of preferential voters in the district, and expressed his gratitude to the people who voted for him despite all the harassment launched against him. “I was second only to MP Sujith Premadasa in the total number of preferential votes received. My father used to tell me that he was not fortunate even to wear a pair of shoes during his school days. When I was going to school he said this to me while tying my shoe laces,” Mr. Pathirana said.

He noted that he was the son of a man who toiled in the paddy field wearing a sarong and a west. “No one came in a luxury vehicle wearing sun glasses from Colombo to canvas for me,” he said. Opposition MPs listened attentively as MP Pathirana spoke while government MPs thumped their tables apparently appreciating what he said.

The government has proposed to the Speaker that the parliamentary proceedings be posted on the Internet.

This suggestion had been forwarded to Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa by Chief Government Whip, Water Supply and Drainage Minister, Dinesh Gunawardene on behalf of the government, parliamentary sources said.

A group of ministers have indicated to the Speaker that the Parliament website –– www.parliament.lk –– could be used for this purpose and that would enable a large number of persons to watch the proceedings on the net.

They have pointed out that already many countries had parliamentary proceedings live on the Internet.

However, a final decision in this regard would be taken at the party leaders’ meeting.

Presenting the manner in which the MPs conduct in parliament and the extent of their contribution to the highest decision making institution will help the voters get a better and fuller view of their elected members and this transparency is essential to the well being of representative democracy. By broadcasting parliamentary debates live, without editing, is an internationally accepted practice by many democracies and the attempt to follow this tradition is an attempt by the Sri Lankan legislature to adhere to international norms.

Chief Government Whip, Water Supply and Drainage Minister, Dinesh Gunawardene proposed to the Speaker that the parliamentary proceedings be posted on the Internet on July 1^st.  The Parliament website, www.parliament.lk, could be used for this purpose.

Keerthi Tennakoon

Director/CaFFE

UNITED NATIONS: UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon dismissed on Tuesday objections by Sri Lanka to his plan to establish a panel to look into possible human rights abuses there and said he would set it up without delay.

Ban told a news conference he was within his rights to appoint the commission of experts to probe possible violations during Sri Lanka’s civil war despite a complaint from President Mahinda Rajapaksa this month that the move was unwarranted.

The UN chief also rejected as based on a “misunderstanding” a letter from non-aligned countries at the United Nations charging that he was exceeding his authority.

Rights groups and Western governments are pressing for some kind of accountability for thousands of civilian deaths in the last months of the island’s 25-year war against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), who aimed to create a separate homeland for the island’s Tamil minority. (Read More)

The government should in consultation with the Opposition adopt a diplomatic approach to the appointment of a UN Panel to investigate the alleged war crimes in Sri Lanka, the UNP said yesterday.

Sri Lanka had been placed in a difficult situation not because of the actions of its security forces or the masses but because of the arrogant attitude of the Mahinda Rajapaksa regime, which was on a mission to teach the international community a lesson, he said. (Read More)