Front Page   

Chandrika takes over defence, two other portfolios

By V.S. Sambandan

COLOMBO Nov. 4. Sri Lanka today entered a phase of political uncertainty after the President, Chandrika Kumaratunga, exercising her Constitutional powers, took over three Ministerial portfolios and prorogued Parliament.

In a bid to dispel uncertainty over the peace process, President Kumaratunga reiterated her commitment to peace and assured the minority communities, in an address to the nation tonight, that their concerns would not be cast aside while negotiating a lasting settlement to the protracted ethnic crisis.

The President said she was "willing to discuss with the LTTE, a just and balanced solution within the parameters of the unity, territorial integrity and sovereignty of Sri Lanka".

Earlier in the day, citing "national interest", Ms. Kumaratunga removed three Ministers from key portfolios of Defence, Interior and Mass Communication, but allowed them to continue with other responsibilities.

The President has, over the past months, accused the ruling United National Front (UNF) of "turning a blind eye" to the LTTE's "smuggling of weapons" and of manipulating the state media.

The Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe, now in Washington, described the move as "opportunistic" and one that "precipitated a national crisis". The LTTE, which submitted its counter-proposals on October 31, said it was "carefully monitoring and studying the developments" and that its "leadership will decide what to do".

While the removal of the Ministerial portfolios reflected months of cohabitation struggle in governance, Parliament was prorogued against the backdrop of moves by ruling party MPs to impeach the Chief Justice, Sarath N. Silva, who is heading a Bench hearing on a petition seeking clarifications whether the President's powers overrode those of the Defence Minister. Against this backdrop, the President has pre-empted what was seen as a move to circumvent her Constitutional authority.

Conventionally, Sri Lanka's Executive Presidents, who are Constitutional heads of State and Government and Commanders-in-chief of the armed forces, have held the Defence portfolio, till Mr. Wickremesinghe's UNF won the 2001 general election and won Parliamentary majority, creating the first real cohabitation Government.

Mr. Wickremesinghe, in a statement, said the President's move was "an attempt to subvert the mandate for peace" and called upon the security forces, the public services and the people to "remain calm and vigilant".

Later in the day, security forces were put on alert and the Army took positions in and around key installations. "This is a precautionary measure. We will assist police to maintain law and order and essential services, if the need arises," senior Army sources told The Hindu.

The decision to dismiss the Ministers was "taken after careful consideration, in order to prevent further deterioration of the security situation", the President's office said in a statement. The "reasons for taking this action in the national interest" were stated in the letters of removal sent to the Ministers, the President's office said.

Today's development marks the lowest point in Sri Lanka's bitter cohabitation politics and comes after the LTTE presented its proposals for an Interim Self-Governing Authority for the Northeast (ISGA).

Earlier in the day, the main Opposition, the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), criticised the demand for an ISGA as one that was "unconstitutional" and would amount to conferring "virtual sovereignty" for an LTTE-majority run northeast. The party said it "would like to see the immediate commencement of talks involving all parties concerned on the core issues".

With today's developments, the latest peace process, initiated by the Wickremesinghe administration, enters a phase of further uncertainty, as the Prime Minister would not be in full political control.

"The real question now is what the President will do with the Wickremesinghe administration's negotiation process," political scientist Jayadeva Uyangoda told The Hindu.

Tamil defence analysts see today's developments, along with the SLFP's rejection of the LTTE's counter-proposals, as possibly "precipitating war", in the absence of the "moderating influence" of a UNF-controlled Defence Ministry. According to unconfirmed reports, the LTTE has called back its cadres who were in Government-held areas in the north and east.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Front Page

News: Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

• Chandrika takes over defence, two other portfolios
• CEC warns against model code violation in Chhattisgarh
• Safdar Hashmi murder: ten convicted
• Fishermen released
• Daler's bail plea rejected
• PDP leader killed

Copyright © 2003, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu