PARLIAMENT

No confidence motion against External Affairs Minister defeated

Irangika RANGE, Sandasen MARASINGHE and Disna MUDALIGE

Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa presided when Parliament met at 1 p.m. yesterday.

After the presentation of papers and oral questions Chief Opposition Whip John Amarathunga moved a no confidence motion against External Affairs Minister G L Peiris.

John Amarathunga (UNP): I move this Vote of no-confidence on External Affairs Minister Prof G L Peiris as he has failed to uphold and preserve the reputation and good name of this country internationally which has resulted among other things, the Secretary General of the United Nations Organization taking steps for the appointment of a Panel of Experts to advise him on the human rights violations in Sri Lanka.

Minister Peiris also has made several contradictory statements and steps taken by the Government at several matters including his interview with Assistant Managing Editor at Foreign Policy, Elizabeth Dickinson on May 25.

The Minister was unable to muster the support of friendly countries specially the Non-Aligned Movement members to check UNSG Ban Ki-moon’s efforts to appoint the panel to advise him on Sri Lanka’s alleged human rights violation issue.

The Minister also over-reacted to the threat to deny GSP+ to Sri Lanka and made contradictory statement in this regard.

He also disgraced the country by overstaying his invitation to China and thus the hospitality of the host country.

So that I move that this House has lost confidence in the ability of External Affairs Minister Prof G L Peiris to continue to function as a Minister.

We have good relationships with the neighbouring countries as well as other countries. But we have been failed to maintain those relationships in the recent past specially with the EU. So that we have been deprived of the GSP plus.

When I went to America I realized that their confidence on the External Affairs Minister has faded.

I appreciate the security provided to me on the instructions of the President. Professor G L Peiris has worked with late President Premadasa and former President Chandrika Bandaranaike as well.

Helath Minister Maithripala Sirisena: Today the opposition has presented an NCM on External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris. The main points in the motion say that the intervention of the Minister was not enough at the time when the UN panel of experts was appointed. These facts and points presented by John Amaratunga, MP are false, and they are baseless criticisms. We should look at the fact why the Opposition specially points their finger at Prof. G.L. Peiris. It is just six months since he assumed duties in his position during the height of war there was lot of intervention by some foreign countries. I remember during the last few days of war, some leaders of other countries called the President and demanded him to halt the battle. What did the UNP do at this critical hour? They did not give any support for the Government to face these challenges. The opposition members made negative comments about the country while being in overseas.

They secretly hoped that this war might not conclude victoriously. Those days the opposition leader made misleading comments that tarnished the image of the Government.

The UNP could present an NCM against me or any other Minister of the Government. The UNP chose G.L. Peiris, because then it will be talked in the international arena as well. The International media and foreign governments would not care if it was against any other Minister. This is a conspiracy to tarnish the good name and image of the Government.

The UNP has forgotten the scandalous history of their Foreign Ministers. They have forgotten how those former foreign ministers wasted public money touring around the world. Recently, I met a foreign ambassador and he inquired from me whether the present External Minister will be changed from the Cabinet reshuffle in November. I asked him why. He said that, Prof. G.L. Peiris is the best External Affairs Minister from all who had assumed this position. He praised his talent skill fullness and intelligence.

Even though the UNP has presented an NCM, the confidence of the people are still high. We as the Government, do not afraid to face these kinds of challenges, and we know that we can strongly face them. President visited Polonnaruwa recently and stayed there for about three days inquiring about the development activities in the area. No leader of this country has done this before. Do we have an election around the corner?

No, we do not need elections to carry on the development work.

Ravi Karunanayaka (UNP): I do not have pleasure personally in bringing forward an NCM against a person like Prof. G.L. Peiris, but today we had to take this decision since his duties were not done properly.

As the Opposition members, we are hampered everyday. We are confident that we will be able to prove many of the facts presented in the NCM. But I doubt that how many members have the courage to use their votes according to their conscience today.

Prof. G.L. Peiris when he was with us ensured that there should be trade to replace aid. But today he has taken the side to replace aid instead of trade. He was also a key member in the ceasefire agreement.

During the war we were ready to extend our support to protect the country from external forces, if there were any. But what we were told then. We were ridiculed.

The politics is about power and there is no doubt about it. But we asked to halt this confrontational politics a long ago.

It is our duty to protect the ordinary people. It is our duty to change the path of the Government if it is taking the wrong path. That is why we present this NCM today.

The members of the other side has no sense of conscience on the other hand they will not be able to survive if they work according to their conscience. However, I request at least they should come forward to secure US GSP plus. We are proud of the present Health Minister. He has a strong backbone. It is due to this reason that we did not present an NCM against him.

S B Dissanayake (Higher Education Minister):

Ravi Karunanayake spoke only two facts on relation to this No Confidence Motion. One is that of the panel of experts appointed by the United Nations Secretary General to understand that situation in Sri Lanka. The other is the GSP plus matter.

But we know to get the GSP plus relief for our country we could have stopped the operation against the LTTE.

We know how much pressures was levelled against our country to stop that operation. But setting an example to the entire world we could defeat the LTTE which was the most ruthless terrorist outfit. If we stopped it, within five minutes we could have got this GSP plus relief.

Secretary General has appointed a panel of experts but what has happened today?

I can remember President Mahinda Rajapaksa stated that we was proud to have such a good External Affairs Minister like G L Peiris.

Today he has come from the National List to the Parliament. True but when he contested at the General Election he obtained the highest number of votes.

Another matter the Opposition said was that G L Peiris stayed two days more than he had planned to stay.

But did any body questioned as to why he did so.

G L Peiris is a professor, a Vice Chancellor and strength to this House.

He is a well-renowned erudite person all over the world.

Those days the LTTE needed to murder G L Peiris as he was working together with the then Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar.

Today who wants to remove G L Peiris from the post of External Affairs Minister. Even today there are international institutions attempting to give life to the LTTE again internationally.

So it is obvious that John Amarathunga, Wijayadasa Rajapaksa etc are attempting fulfill the need of those institutions deliberately or not.

Today I am happy to note the TNA has decided not to join this no confidence motion due to the bankruptcy of the motion.

We also see that SLMC and DNA are also not here in the House to join the debate. The UNP is deserted today.

Lakshman Kiriella (UNP):

We know G L Peiris is a very well-educated.

Deputy Chairman of Committees Chandrakumar Murugesu takes the Chair.

The European Union never asked us to stop the operation. They asked not to cancel the 17th Amendment to the Constitution. But it was done. So the GSP plus relief is removed.

Deputy Chairman of Committees Priyankara Jayaratne takes the Chair.

W D J Seneviratne (Public Administration and Home Affairs Minister):

This motion is a meaningless one. The UNP says that this No Confidence Motion is moved only against the External Affairs Minister but not against Prof G L Peiris.

The motion is moved hypocritically.

It is obvious when we consider one fact in this motion that States Minister Peiris stayed two more days in China as it was scheduled.

We known if the duties could not be performed properly it is natural to stay few more days there to complete them.

We know that Ranil Wickremesinghe had said at the United Nations that Sri Lanka has committed war crimes.

So that they should put pressure on Sri Lanka. Because of such actions by Ranil Wickremesinghe such as uncomfortable situation created against Sri Lanka.

The UNP also moved a No Confidence Motion against the late Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar. He played a pivotal role building up the Sri Lanka’s image at that stage when certain communities attempted to damage the country’s image.

Sajin Vaas Gunawardene (UPFA):

I as well the entire Parliament were confused when John Amarathunga moved the No Confidence Motion against the External Affairs Minister.

He talked of GSP plus relief how did we get this relief. As a result of the tsunami we got this relief. Later on many other matters put forward as conditions to grant the GSP plus relief.

Even Fonseka’s matter came among the conditions. But I challenge, can anybody tell us any factory that was as closed down as the GSP plus relief is not granted. Last week Basil Rajapaksa opened a new factory with 1,500 machines and we will continue to open more factories.

Mangala Samaraweera (UNP): President Mahinda Rajapaksa participated at the UN Assembly with a largest delegation, but he could not attract any of prominent leaders for a discussion, though there were over 100 leading foreign leaders attending the summit.

Our image has been tarnished in the international arena. It was further proved with the unsuccessful UN visit of the President. Sri Lanka is failed in handling foreign policies.

External Affairs Minister Prof G L Peiris was unsuccessful in winning over the international community.

Ranil Wickremesinghe (Opposition Leader): It was wrong for the Parliament staff to inform the Elections Commissioner that Sarath Fonseka’s seat has fallen vacant. The Speaker has promised to give a ruling on the issue of MP Fonseka’s seat. We have to wait till Speaker’s ruling on the issue.

Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Youth Affairs Deputy Minister:

Minister Prof G L Peiris acted in a very respectful manner in handling foreign affairs. We all know how former Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera failed in handling foreign policies.

This no confidence motion is based on wrong facts and information.

People of this country know very well about the conduct and behaviour of the people who moved this motion. This was brought to satisfy the LTTE. Minister Peiris was an intellectual who wrote a number of books important for various sectors.

Ajith Kumara (DNA): The no confidence motion should be moved against the entire Government – since the people of this country have lost their confidence on the Government. The Government is failed in fulfilling pledges outlined in the Mahinda Chintanaya.

Wimal Weerawansa (Construction, Engineering Services, Housing and Common Amenities Minister):

Today a No-Confidence Motion is moved, but today they are talking about Sarath Fonseka. The Chief Opposition Whip also went to take part in the United Nations sessions. So the UNP should move a no-confidence motion against the Chief Opposition Whip not against the External Affairs Minister who accompanied them.

They talked of the GSP relief. But it is not Minister Peiris responsible for being deprived of the GSP plus.

We did not get it because we defeated the LTTE. They take the revenge by not granting the GSP plus.

They talked of Sarath Fonseka. Who misled Sarath Fonseka. The bankrupt political parties misled him. They put him in trouble. Still they are misleading him. We feel sorry for him.

We request the Opposition don’t mislead him to gain petty political ends. Don’t mislead Fonseka’s wife. Professor G L Peiris is not responsible for any of them.

I request you if you want to sling mud at the Government select one of us to move a no-confidence motion, but not a gentleman as Prof Peiris.

Dilan Perera (Public Administration and Home Affairs Deputy Minister):

This is the fourth no-confidence motion I am participating. At all occasions I spoke against those who moved the motion.

Even today I state that the no-confidence motion should not be exploited to sling mud at others.

Who is G L Peiris. I participated a workshop in San Francisco and the lecturer quoted Prof G L Peiris.

If I bring books written by Prof G L Peiris we have to load them in a lorry.

He is the only Sri Lankan who received degrees from Oxford, Cambridge and London Universities including doctorates.

He became a lecturer at the age of 21, before 30 a Head of Department and before 40 years he became a Vice-Chancellor of the Colombo University. He is an asset to the country.

Professor G L Peiris (External Affairs Minister):

The no-confidence motion is a very serious matter in the Parliament. That is why I requested to take as soon as possible this no-confidence motion to debate. I requested to take it last week but could not as I went abroad with the President.

They said that I could not obtain GSP plus relief. We could have obtained it within five minutes if we accepted their conditions. European Union’s Catherine Ashton in writing informed me as the External Affairs Minister that they would grant us the GSP plus relief if we accept their conditions. They were not conditions that can be accepted by any sovereign nation with a back bone. So we did not accept them. We have to consider whether these conditions do good or bad to the country.

These were not conditions that a country with self-respect and esteem could accept. I table the letter sent to me by Catherine Ashton and our response to it. In this response we have clearly mentioned why these conditions could not be accepted. We also held a meeting with local businessmen in this regard. None of them said to comply with these conditions and as a person who love the country, I do not want to proceed with these conditions. The Opposition Leader made a request through the ‘Hindu’ newspaper that the EU should intervene in our internal affairs. Nowhere in the world, this kind of request is made.

(To be continued tomorrow)

Anoma Fonseka should not swallow dead ropes

Construction, Engineering Services, Housing and Common Amenities Minister Wimal Weerawansa yesterday urged the wife of former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka to meet President Mahinda Rajapaksa and seek a pardon for her jailed husband. “She should stop swallowing dead ropes given to her by the UNP and the JVP.

They should be ashamed of the manner in which they are continuing to use Fonseka and his family, he said.

He also urged Mrs Fonseka to follow the example set by former President Chandrika Kumaratunga who asked for a pardon on behalf of her husband Vijaya Kumaratunga who was in jail on Naxalite charges during the term of President J R Jayewardene.

Weerawansa said in Parliament while speaking on the no-confidence motion against Minister Prof G L Peiris.

He said that both the UNP and JVP had dragged Sarath Fonseka into politics and were responsible for the situation former Army Commander is in today.

‘ASG acted according to Constitution’

Deputy Speaker Priyankara Jayaratne stated that the Acting Secretary General (ASG) of Parliament has acted in accordance with the Constitution in reporting that the Parliamentary seat of Sarath Fonseka has fallen vacant to the Election’s Commissioner.

He made this observation yesterday evening in response to a question raised by Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe. Wickremesinghe stated that while the Speaker told the House that he would inform the situation in respect of Fonseka’s seat in Parliament, the Acting Secretary General has informed the Election’s Commissioner that the same seat fell vacant.

The Deputy Speaker stated that the Acting Secretary General has acted in line with the Constitution provisions.

NCM defeated with 107 majority

The vote of the no-confidence motion moved by the UNP on External Affairs Minister Prof G L Peiris was defeated with a majority of 107 votes in Parliament yesterday. Only 32 voted in favour while 139 voted against the motion.

TNA and DNA were absent.

A call to enlighten the House

Moving a No Confidence Motion against External Affairs Minister Prof G L Peiris in Parliament by Chief Opposition Whip John Amaratunga said: The contents or the averments in this Motion of No-Confidence, to a great extent, is based on the newspaper reports and or of new media agencies.

Therefore, I consider it as a good opportunity for the Ministry of External Affairs to explain and enlighten the truth of these reports to the House and through the House to the people of the country.

As we are all aware that some of the newspapers and news agencies report either distorted or false reports, provided by the unscrupulous sycophants.

Now you see for example, what they published about my visit to the United States. The facts are as follows:

It is the Ministry of External Affairs that extended the invitation to be a delegate and to attend the United Nations sessions in New York.

I am thankful to the Ministry of External Affairs and to the Minister of External Affairs for extending the invitation to me to be a delegate.

I was given very short notice, with the air tickets. I rushed to the Leader, Hon. Ranil Wickremesinghe and inquired from him whether there is anything wrong in accepting the invitation to proceed to New York.

After much consideration, my leader Hon. Ranil Wickremesinghe advised me not to proceed to New York under the present circumstances.

With due respect to my leader’s advice thereafter, I quickly returned the air tickets to the airline agency and obtained a fresh set of tickets indicating that I will pay, enabling me to proceed to Washington to visit by children – which I normally do once a year.

I am sure the invitation to the sessions would have been with the concurrence of His Excellency, and I am thankful to him as well.

President harbours no grudges - Wijayadasa Rajapaksa

UNP MP Wijayadasa Rajapaksa yesterday said in Parliament that President Mahinda Rajapaksa was not a person who harbour grudges and therefore, if Mrs. Fonseka asked a pardon for her husband former Army commander would be freed. MP Rajapaksa said that he knows the President for a long time and the latter had a humane feeling for even for his enemies. Thus, if Mrs Fonseka asks for a pardon, I am sure the President would grant it, he said.

He said that there were three ways a prisoner would secure a special pardon. According to powers vested in the President by the Constitution, he could grant freedom to a prisoner. Second, the President who is also the Chief of Armed Forces could issue a pardon to a person sentenced by a Court Martial. Third method was to grant a pardon on the recommendations of the Department of Prisons, MP Rajapaksa said this during his speech on the no-confidence motion against Minister Prof G.L. Peiris.