by Deshavimala
The government and Norway appear busy in their efforts to expedite the peace process. Norway’s envoy Erik Solhiem met Lanka’s leaders here and flew to London from Colombo carrying a message to the LTTE’s Anton Balasingham. Government sources hinted talks were likely to begin in May, with the venue probably abroad as the LTTE wishes it that way.

Solheim claimed he was playing the role of a messenger while his Ambassador in Colombo said Norway had no intention of proposing solutions except in bringing the two parties to the negotiating table. The ban on the LTTE by Britain has brought much pressure on the Tigers. Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar is now on a mission abroad to persuade more countries to exert pressure on the LTTE at international level by urging all signatories to the UN treaty on terrorism to ban the Tigers on their soil.

Norway claims they have no laws to ban terrorist groups. However, they want the elimination of terrorism at global level.

The Sihala Urumaya and the JVP have urged Norway to introduce laws to ban the LTTE. Despite international pressure mounting, the LTTE continues to violate its unilateral ceasefire in the North and East. Last Sunday, the Tigers abducted and killed four farmers in the border of the North Central Province. The government claimed that the LTTE has violated its ceasefire 46 times since December. Military sources confirm that the LTTE was storing explosives and arms in a bid to attack troops and civilians shortly. Troops destroyed several explosives and ammunition dumps during the past two weeks. Political analysts say that the LTTE while giving into international pressure to come to the table, were also planning to attack the troops as they did before.

Solheim is due back in Colombo next week, diplomatic sources said, with a message from Balasingham to President Kumaratunga. PA sources said thereafter the government may decide on a team to represent the Government at talks. The government has already informed the Norwegian envoy that it was not prepared for any pre-conditions or ceasefires during the talks. Kumaratunga has also indicated that a specific time frame should be finalised prior to sitting together at the table.

Student assault

The government was embarrassed on Monday when newspapers flashed the incident where former Sri Lanka cricket captain Arjuna Ranatunga, his brother Prasanna and their security personnel were accused of having brutally assaulted students of the Asoka Junior School. The Ranatungas claimed it started with the students using abusive language on their mother. Eight students were hospitalised with serious injuries sustained as a result of assault allegedly by the Ranatunga brothers and their security men. When the police was asked to arrest the brother, Prasanna hospitalised himself at a nursing home and Arjuna who was abroad on an earlier engagement surrendered to court immediately on return. The magistrate granted him bail. However his brother and the other four suspects were remanded till next Tuesday. Court ordered that his brother be transferred to either a government hospital or to the prison hospital.

Arjuna was severely reprimanded by the magistrate for his conduct. She said that being a popular personality he should not have behaved in that manner and asked what he would have done if that happened to his child. Arjuna claimed he was not on the scene. But the magistrate said she was going by the evidence placed before her by the police and witnesses. Arjuna’s mother claimed that her statement was not being pursued by the police and Deputy Defence Minister Anruddha Ratwatte told parliament that the police will act impartially. Ratwatte said the difference between the UNP and the PA was that the PA investigated complaints even against children of ministers. He was free to say so as the complaint against his son by the Kandy Police too was investigated. Sons of ministers roam around with VIP security unleashing thuggery. During the past few days such incidents were reported. Minister S. B. Dissanayake’s son and VIP security stormed the Royal-Thomian encounter without tickets. None knows whether Dissanayake’s son is a Thomian or a Royalist. All past and present boys of the two schools always entered the ground with tickets. When Jr. Dissanayake stormed in, Anura Tennekoon used his experience to allow them in to prevent an ugly situation.

During the UNP regime there were no incidents involving sons of ministers. Wijayapala Mendis’s late son, Davinda was involved in controversy only after he became a politician. There were no reports that the sons of the then powerful President Premadasa or Ranjan Wijeratne were involved in public clashes. Premadasa and Wijeratne kept their sons out of politics and never gave them VIP security for personal cover. Wijeratne’s son, Rohan, even declined the Premadasa’s offer to succeed his father, in parliament. Both Sajith and Rohan continued with their studies.

COPE

The UNP gained a victory before the budget was presented on Thursday. The UNP team led by John Amaratunga and assisted by Ravi Karunanayake won the chairmanship of one of the most important parliamentary bodies, the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE). The UNP planned the previous day to outnumber the PA in that committee. PA members focused their attention on the budget with less attention on the COPE meeting that day. John Amaratunga, Ravi Karunanayake and A. H. M. Azwer took steps to bring in all opposition members into the committee room before the meeting was scheduled to started 11.00 am. All government and opposition members were told to be present. However, there were only a few on the government side and Ravi Karunanayake urged the Assistant Secretary General of Parliament in the chair to start the meeting on time. He proposed the name of John Amaratunga as Chairman backed by Mavai Senathirajaj (TULF), Sunil Handunnetti (JVP) and Rohitha Bogollagama (UNP). When PA’s Tudor Dayaratne entered the committee room late, his name was proposed by Raja Collure and U. L. M. Mohideen. But Amaratunga was elected Chairman by a majority of two votes.

Karunanayake told the committee that COPE should operate as a non-political body in the interest of the country and assured that a future UNP government would give the chairmanship to the opposition to instil public confidence. Having won the chairmanship, Amaratunga sent letters to the Ceylon Electricity Board, Ceylon Petroleum Corporation and the Urban Development Authority requesting their top officials to appear before the committee. The CEB will be the first to testify. Hardly 24 hours after this UNP victory and a letter going out to the CEB to appear, CEB Chairman tendered his resignation to the President on health grounds. CEB top brass have been accused of corruption not only by the UNP but also by the Deputy Minister of Power, Felix Perera. Perera, known as a person against corruption told the President that all allegations should be investigated before the people were burdened by another hike in the electricity rates. Though Perera was requested to be present to contest the chairmanship of COPE, he was not present on Thursday. He came in for attack by some ministers who claimed it was a major setback to the government. Under the standing orders, COPE cannot be dissolved till the dissolution of this parliament.

Cabinet meeting

President Kumaratunga summoned her ministers just a few hours before the budget was presented in parliament to prevent budget secrets being leaked out. She briefed the ministers for over an hour on the contents in the budget and said a salary increase was included but would be given at the end of the year. Ministers who knew there was no time for any changes kept on listening to the President’s address. The UNP this time boycotted the invitation for tea extended by Kumaratunga as Finance Minister claiming the budget imposed more burdens on the people and it was not proper for them to participate even at tea with such a government. Addressing the UNP group meeting, UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe said that it was better for the PA to have buried the people in the land meant for a presidential palace rather than further burdening the people with a nasty budget.

Messrs. Gamini Jayawickreme Perera and R. A. D. Sirisena proposed to hold a satyagraha at the site of the presidential palace would be constructed. "They are not building the economy but mansions", Wickremesinghe asserted.