The Hindu : There was no emergency, says President's office

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Nov 08, 2003

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International

There was no emergency, says President's office

By V.S. Sambandan

COLOMBO Nov. 7. The Sri Lankan President, Chandrika Kumaratunga tonight called for a ``grand alliance'' of all ``national and patriotic forces'' to form a ``government of national reconstruction and reconciliation''.

In a television address to the nation tonight, she said she was ready to commence discussions ``with leaders of all parties in Parliament with the Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe and the leaders of his party'' for such a move.

Tonight's speech was the second made by the President after Tuesday's move to constitutionally take over the Ministries of Defence, Interior and Mass Communication and to prorogue Parliament.

Reiterating her commitment to peace, she said ``it was not a sheepskin put on for grabbing power''. The Wickremesinghe administration's promise of peace made two years ago, she said, was ``becoming elusive'', she said. The LTTE's counter proposals, Ms. Kumaratunga said, had not addressed the core issues as they had ``not given up a separate state'' and had ``not even hinted'' at disarming themselves.

Earlier in the day, the President's office described the emergency a ``non-event'' as Ms. Kumaratunga had not signed the proclamation required to make it a law. Confirming that the emergency regulations, with ``revisions'' were ``sent to the State Printer'', on Wednesday, the President's office said: ``this had led to the belief that a state of emergency had been declared. A state of emergency becomes law only after the President signs a proclamation. The President did not sign such proclamation''.

On Thursday, the Cabinet of Ministers said the ``state of emergency'' had conveyed to the western world the impression that ``Sri Lanka is no longer safe''. The President's office, which did not deny reports of emergency on Thursday, said today that ``the recent changes effected to Cabinet portfolios necessitated the formality of certain gazette notifications'' and that the ``emergency regulations were also re-examined and revised''.

``Several obnoxious clauses in the emergency regulations, when they were last in force, needed to be expunged.'' These revisions, ``were effected to the emergency regulations, only to be put into effect in an eventuality, and for the security apparatus to be in a state of preparedness'', the President's office said.

This morning, Mr. Wickremesinghe, who was in Washington when the political standoff started, arrived in Sri Lanka to a rousing reception organised by supporters of the ruling United National Party (UNP) pledging to put the ``peace process back on track''. The Prime Minister did not make any direct reference to the Presidential actions since Thursday, but called them ``fundamental alterations'' which ``puts the whole peace process at risk''.

``I have to create an environment in which the peace process can go forward. Sri Lanka cannot be found to be at fault in stopping the peace process'', he said, adding he would start discussions with the main international donors as well as Norway and India.

Mr. Wickremesinghe, who met Cabinet ministers and MPs this evening, also wanted the immediate reconvening of Parliament and focus on putting the ``peace process back on track''.

On the proroguing of Parliament, the Prime Minister, bolstered with the support expressed by 128 MPs in the 225-member House, said: ``we have to ensure that the parliament is resumed immediately so that the peace process can continue''. In addition, the Budget, which planned pay hikes and economic benefits to the people, also had to be passed he said. Later this evening, the party's Deputy leader said a meeting of Parliamentary party leaders would be called to formally request a reconvening of Parliament.

In a show of strength, thousands of UNF supporters gathered near the airport to welcome the Prime Minister this morning and at several points along the 30 km stretch from the international airport. The road was decked in green, the colour of the United National Party (UNP), headed by Mr. Wickremesinghe. As the crowds cheered the party leaders on, a music band kept the enthusiasm going.

Emphasising his 2001 Parliamentary victory, the Prime Minister said he would ``safeguard'' it and ``not move away from the people's mandate''.

On his visit to the U.S., Mr. Wickremesinghe said President George Bush had placed confidence in his leadership and pledged support to the peace process.

The LTTE, he said, was ``getting ready'' to discuss the counter-proposals and that he would ``not betray the peace process''.

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