Next Presidential Election in November 2006

THE next Presidential Election will be held only in November 2006 and the Elections Commissioner cannot call for a Presidential poll arbitrarily, new Government Spokesman Nimal Siripala de Silva announced yesterday. Minister de Silva described the UNP's Jana Bala Meheyuma launched to call for a Presidential Election this year as an unconstitutional demand. "The Government has no power whatsoever to meet this UNP's illegal demand," the Minister stressed. Constitutional Affairs Minister D.E.W.Gunasekera quoting 31 (3) of the Constitution said the Election Commissioner should act based on this clause. One month before the term of the President ends, the Elections Commissioner should call a Presidential Election.

The Minister explained that there is no connection between the swearing of the President and the Constitution. "According to the Constitution, her term of office will end in November 2006. Then the Election Commissioner should call a Presidential Election." Minister Gunasekera said that if UNP is unsatisfied with this constitutional interpretation, it can seek legal recourse.

Minister de Silva said UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe has completely forgotten the constitution introduced by his uncle late President J.R. Jayewardene. In the first term of the President, if the President wants she has the right to call a Presidential Election four years later. During the second term of the President she has no power to call a Presidential Election, he said. According to the Constitution, the next Presidential Election should be held in November 2006. The Elections Commissioner should also call the Presidential Election subjected to the terms and conditions of the Constitution. Therefore, the Elections Commissioner has no right to violate the Constitution.

"Therefore the major slogan of the UNP's Jana Bala Meheyuma is entirely unconstitutional. "It makes undue pressure on the Elections Commissioner to take an illegal decision. Even though the UNP conducts a Jana Bala Meheyuma, the President or the Government has no constitutional power to call a Presidential Election," he said. "The UNP's Jana Bala Meheyuma is a camouflage. This is an attempt made to destabilise the Government," he charged. The Minister noted that the Opposition has the right to go on a march. This would be a good opportunity to some UNP politicians who have never walked on a road to touch the soil and identify the hopes and aspiration of the people. Mahaweli and River Basin Development Minister Maithreepala Sirisena said the UNP's Jana Bala Meheyuma uses tsunami victims as political pawns making an unconstitutional demand to hold the Presidential Election during this year.

The UNP, giving various false pledges to Tsunami victims is now making an unsuccessful attempt to gain power. Sirisena said that as a democratic Government we are fully committed to safeguard the democratic rights and act fully within the Constitution. "Therefore we condemn these UNP attempts which only shows their greediness for power." The Minister also requested all political parties to extend their cooperation towards the development activities of the Government and rebuild the country devastated by the recent tsunami catastrophe. He said as mentioned in the Constitution, elections will be held on time. The next election to be held will be the Local Government Election. The Presidential Election will be held in November 2006.

"The UNP has a bad reputation with regard to July and this is a familiar month to the UNP. People are well aware how the UNP acted in 1983 Black July. There is a doubt as to whether the UNP is getting ready to re-enact this old experience," he said. UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe who cannot face the internal crisis within the UNP and also mounting pressure levelled against him is seeking this Presidential Election, the Minister said.

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Four killed by unidentified gunmen in Sri Lankan capital, police say

The bound and gagged bodies of a tea trader and his three colleagues were found shot dead in the Sri Lankan capital on Saturday, with police saying they could have been killed over a business dispute. The men belonged to Sri Lanka's Muslim minority, and were believed to have been killed elsewhere and then dumped in a luxury jeep along a quiet but plush street in the city, said Sarath Kumara, a senior police official at the scene.``Initial investigations reveal that the victims were a tea-trading businessman and his three colleagues,'' Kumara said. He said the killings may be linked to a business dispute but didn't rule out Tamil Tiger rebel involvement. The police anti-crime unit spotted the abandoned vehicle while patrolling the area, he said, as he inspected the jeep's blood-soaked back seats. Armed police and soldiers cordoned off the scene and investigations are continuing.

Kumara said there was a possible link between one of the victims and a complaint lodged Friday about the abduction of a person from Sri Lanka's central city of Kandy.``It's dreadful how these killings can take place under your very nose,'' said Malcolm de Silva, a resident in the area. He said he was unaware of the murders until he stepped outside to pickup the morning newspapers. Violence has increased in Sri Lanka in recent months, mostly connected to a split in the Tiger rebel group last year and underworld gang violence.

"We failed in our duty," Government's main Muslim ally admits"

The Government's main Muslim ally, National Unity Alliance (NUA), yesterday admitted that it had failed in its duty of securing the Muslim aspirations in the controversial Post-Tsunami Operational Management Structure deal. NUA Vice President and Spokesman Abul Kalaam told the Lanka Academic that, "We admit that we have failed in our task. But it is not only us, but all other Muslim political parties including the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress which received the mandate have failed in this endeavour." He however noted that his party had still not taken an official decision of leaving the United Peoples Freedom Alliance Government. The NUA has been having a series of meetings in Ampara with its supporters, since the P-TOMS agreement was signed. Many issues including the party's future course of action was taken up at these meetings, sources said. The NUA member announced late last month soon after the P-TOMS was sealed that it will not make 'hasty decisions like the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna', but instead will try to reach an amicable settlement with President Chandrika Kumaratunga in giving due place to the Muslim aspirations in the tsunami aid deal.

"Pulling out of the Government is not going to solve all the problems. But, in the event nothing positive works out, we will most likely pull out of the Government. Yet we are trying to work out things while staying within the Government," A NUA member reportedly said. The Muslim community was the worst affected (41%) due to the December 26th catastrophe. The community has expressed their anxiety with regard to the impartiality of aid distribution among the tsunami victims. The Muslims demanded that they be accommodated as equal partners to the P-TOMS deal, and be a signatory to it, a request not accommodated by those concerned.