President by encouraging lawlessness - Ranil Wickremesinghe

(August 21, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Leader of Opposition and UNP, Ranil Wickremesinghe addressing a news conference at the UNP Media unit today (21Aug) said, the UNP’s victories at Sabaragamuwa and North Central Province PC elections are a foregone conclusion judging by the Govt.’s own diabolic performance record and the alleged corruption records of its candidates in these provinces.

On the other hand, UNP Chief Minister candidates, Ranjan Ramanayake and Major Gen, Janaka Perera are two politicians who have proved their mettle and honesty in their fields and with potential to do everything for the people and country, unlike the UPFA candidates who have done everything to selfishly develop only themselves.

The Govt. which is aware of this is naturally jittery, panicking and alarmed so much so that it is resorting to widespread vicious violence and assault on the UNP candidates and its supporters with a view to discouraging them and their voters from voting.

In the 9 years of the PA and UPFA rule; in both provinces, its Ministers and members only have fattened their wallets and stomachs compromising people’s development and welfare. Berty Premalal could not build even ponds under the ‘ponds project’ for the drought ridden north central province (NCP). In Sabaragamuwa too, education and Health sector, two of the vital areas of service for the people have been totally ruined, leave alone the other spheres. 24 Schools have been closed. Kidney diseases and Dengue which were under control under the UNP are now raging. Besides, neither the Chief Minister nor his Govt. have done anything to control them. Most of the Govt. Dispensaries do not even have panadols to give the patients, he lamented. This is the Govt. which is trying to win elections, he exclaimed. The Govt. knows it cannot win by fair and free election; this is precisely why it is resorting to lawlessness and violence to rob victory by election frauds, he exhorted.

Leader of Opposition, also said that Janaka Perera, UNP Chief Ministerial candidate for
the NCP who was to participate in the news conference was deprived this opportunity because his office came under serious attack from the Govt. side, yesterday .. Berty Premalal and his Goons had allegedly caused this damage. Dr. John pulle in whose residence the UNP office was located too was injured .It is unfortunate, Dr. Johnpulle who had done yeomen service to the people even providing free medicine for 45 years was mercilessly attacked because he is a UNPer .

The Govt. is so desperate that it is now trying to give a communal twist to the election campaign by violence: two Muslim candidates of the SLMC were also brutally attacked and their vehicles damaged, yesterday. This is the first time, a President’s Secretariat office has been opened during election time in the North central province, and that too, close to Janaka Perera’s Office. Motives for this are very obvious, he stated.

The President is fully accountable for this burgeoning violence and lawlessness in the country. He has not deliberately appointed the Constitutional Councils mandatory under the 17th amendment of the constitution. Due to this, the Police Commission, the Public Service commission, the Elections Commission and other important Commissions are all rendered ineffective .This is to enable the President to politicize the Police force as he wants. Consequently, the Police hierarchy coming directly under his machinations are unable to do their duties, enforcing law and order duly. They are now only doing everything to please the President in fear of reprisals if they don’t fall in line with the orders of President, and his favorite Police higher ups who are also dancing to his tune.

People at last have got an opportunity to oust this tyrannical corrupt regime by using the vote on the 23rd August, which is the only weapon they have to combat State tyranny and highway robbery of election victory this Govt. is preparing for. Don’t allow yourself to be fooled again and do not yield to threats and violence of State goons and criminals, he urged.
- Sri Lanka Guardian