Ranil striving to form alliance with Mangala, Sripathy - UNP Democratic Group

Rafik Jalaldeen

COLOMBO: Opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe is making an effort to make an alliance with SLFP breakaway former Ministers Mangala Samaraweera and Sripathy Sooriyarachchi, the UNP Democratic Group said yesterday.

The UNP lost its power due to its bad leadership and the President won the power because of his goodwill to lead the country on the right path. "We lost power in the 2005 general election due to our leadership. When people asked for job, promotion or other issues Ranil Wickremesinghe said "No". The public said "No" to the UNP during the election. President Mahinda Rajapakse said "Yes" for all and he won the election", the UNP Democratic Group Secretary R. A. D. Sirisena said yesterday.

The break away Ministers Samaraweera and Sooriyarachchi along with the opposition leader Wickremesinghe accusing the government on several issues such as media freedom, human rights abuse, corruption and other issues. "We all know most of the people involved in politics are screaming they are representing for the national interest. The question is who really is achieving it!", he added.

Indicating that he said that former Ministers Samaraweera and Sooriyarachchi are speaking about media freedom and human rights violations in the country now but when he was the Media Minister he violated media freedom. "We all know what happened to the journalist Lasantha when Samaraweera was the Media Minister.

In a TV interview Minister Samaraweera berated the Opposition Leader Wickremesinghe for over 20 minutes and he called him as Mr. Bean", Sirisena remarked.

The Government media were completely pro-Government when Samaraweera was the Media Minister. Sirisena asserted that Samaraweera and Sooriyarachchi have no rights to talk about democracy. Both Samaraweera and Sooriyarachchi were good hands of former President Chandrika Kumaratunga.

"During the CBK Presidency there were many corruption issues while Samaraweera was a Cabinet Minister. In fact, he protected CBK from all corruption allegations", Sirisena said.

The government has the majority power to take any decision. "Several UNP members have joined the Government to support the President and strengthen his "Mahinda Chintanaya". We joined for the national interest and there is no personal interest", Minister Sports and Public Recreation Gamini Lokuge said.

He asserted that since they joined the President had gained a vast majority in the Parliament. Ministers who didn't like the majority and could not do what they wanted in the Parliament went away. Now they are accusing the government on several issues.

"Both Samaraweera and Sooriyarachchi are accusing the Government on funding the LTTE. They also want the Government to stop war in the North and East", he added. Minister Lokuge queried if the Government funded the LTTE why should the government fight terrorism!

Since the Maavil Aaru anicut was attacked by the LTTE, the Government and Security Forces are engaged in humanitarian mission to liberate areas from the LTTE clutches. "Even the international community pressured the LTTE for a negotiated settlement. They refuted the idea and violated the CFA. There is no choice to the Government except liberating the country and people from the terrorists, Minister Lokuge pointed out.