The members of the Purawesi Balaya Organisation yesterday condemned the statement made by President Maithripala Sirisena regarding the recent action by the Bribery Commission to summon former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and three former Service Commanders to court over bribery allegations. Addressing the media at the CSR yesterday, NMSJ convener Prof Sarath Wijesooriya said during the previous regime, the former Defence Secretary acted like an Executive President.
“It is questionable as to which side we should take when government officials attempting to take action against such a person for the wrongdoings allegedly committed by him”.
He said the President’s statement would put 6.8 million pro-Yahapalana-voters and civil society organisations in a dilemma.
“There are forces working against the government to nullify the investigations carried out by the independent commissions. We all should be responsible for the officers who put their lives on the line to carry out these investigations. “If those government officials are discouraged, it would be difficult to control crime in the country,” he said.
He said if late Most Venerable Maduluwawe Sobhitha Thera were alive today, he would have been very unhappy to hear such a statement made by President Maithtipala Sirisena.
“The aim of raising our voice against the government is not to topple the government or to open doors for a Rajapaksa government. We only want to put this government on the correct path,.” Prof Wijesooriya said.
He added that the Purawesi Balaya organisation has also submitted a written memoranda to the President demanding for a Cabinet reschuffle by removing some ministers including Mahinda Amaraweera and Wijayadasa Rajapakshe.
He also said that former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga has no place within this Yahapalana regime and the way the SLFP Media Spokesman address her clearly proves that.
The President and the Prime Minister has given unwanted priority for their party agendas. These two leaders should work together for the betterment of the country without acting like kids.
He said the the present government cannot move forward and implement the law by keeping the Defence Secretary and Intelligence Chief in their positions further.
“We insist the Yahapalana government to put aside its differences and work as one to assure good governance,” he said.
The Co–Convener of Purawesi Balaya Gamini Viyangoda said that the law should treat all citizens equal. The Executive should not intervene it. We don’t want to go back in time from January 7th.
“The President should not have publicly commented on the arrests. It compromise the ongoing investigations. It sets a bad example as well,” he furthered.
“We urge the President and Prime Minister to be accountable to the people, not to their political agendas," Viyangoda pointed out.
Co-Convenor of Purawesi Balaya Saman Ratnapriya said the President and Prime Minister should focus on their duty towards the country. "The rule of law should be guaranteed,” Ratnapriya pointed out.
Ceylon Teachers’ Union Secretary Joseph Starling too disapproved of the President’s statement and insisted the importance of assuring good governance. “We are duty bound to point out the mistakes done by this government. We are in no way representing the previous regime. We only relish good governance,” Civil Society Organisations insisted to the media.
Senior journalist and Puravasi Balaya Organisation representative KW Janaranjana said that
President Sirisena invited several civil society groups and artists for a discussion, but we decided to boycott the meeting, since the majority of the persons who had been invited to the meeting were not part of the formation of the good governance government.
He said that it was unpleasant to hold discussions with the supporters of former President Mahidna Rajapaksa who opposed the good governance concept.
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