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Rajapaksa believes in peoples’ mandate

COLOMBO: Sri Lankan Information Minister Anura Priyadharshana Yapa on Sunday said President Mahinda Rajapaksa could call a presidential election after November 19, 2009, or after he completes his first term in office in 2011.

He was responding to speculative reports in a section of the media the President had been “requested by some sections within the government” to continue in office without holding a Presidential Election.

“The United Peoples Freedom Alliance [UPFA] led by President Mahinda Rajapaksa firmly believes in the peoples’ mandate and the freedom of the voters’ franchise rights, and has no intention to be in power beyond the period mandated by the ballot,” said the Minister.

Mr. Rajapaksa was elected to office in November 2005 for a six-year term. At the end of the term he is eligible to run for the office of President for a second term. The Sri Lankan parliamentary elections are due in 2010.

The Minister said the President was very popular and firmly believed, strongly upheld and placed his faith in the system of democratic governance and norms.

“Therefore, [the] President would decide on the matter of re-election at the appropriate time stipulated by the procedures enshrined in the Constitution. The ruling United People’s Freedom Alliance and its main constituent, the Sri Lanka Freedom Party [SLFP], were political parties that firmly believed in democracy,” said the Minister. He recalled how the SLFP opposed a referendum to extend the term of Parliament during President J.R. Jayewardene’s administration.

Separately, state-run weekly Sunday Observer said deposits made by the internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the IDP centre banks had reached Sri Lankan Rupees one billion. One U.S. dollar fetches Sri Lankan Rs.114.

These deposits were made as currency and jewellery mainly in the branches of two state banks and two private banks set up in six IDP camps.

The IDP’s deposited Rs.390 million in two days after the banks opened and deposits are still being made.

“There were LTTE banks that were operated and the fact that Rs.1 billion was not deposited with them also proves that the public did not have faith in them. These people would also have been forced to deposit their money but have withstood the pressure and kept their money without entering the LTTE banking system,” said the former President of the Federation of Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Nawaz Rajabdeen.

“One of the leading Tamil businessman said that this Rs. one billion went through the checkpoints of the Sri Lankan Army and the fact that it was not confiscated or held up shows the honesty of the Sri Lankan forces,” said the paper. Bank of Ceylon Deputy General Manager, Product Development and Branches, Sam Samarasinghe said they had now collected Rs.523 million. He also said there was one businessman who deposited Rs.40 million in cash,.

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