PM must OK all policy documents

By M. Ismeth

The Prime Minister told a group of officials that this decision was taken to minimise any conflict or contradiction in government policies, part officials said.

The ministers also have been directed to obtain clearance from the Ministry of Policy Development and Implementation before they make policy statements.

This is intended to avoid a situation similar to what happened in the PA government where different ministers made different policy statements.

Meanwhile, government sources explained that the main difference between cabinet and non-cabinet ministers was that the latter would not regularly attend the weekly cabinet meetings and could do so by initiating an invitation to attend the Cabinet.

Prime Minister Wickremesinghe in a special directive had said that cabinet, non-cabinet ministers and deputy ministers would draw only the salary paid to MPs. 

In this context, the new Mass Communication Minister Imtiaz Bakeer Markar had denied a claim by former minister Nimal Siripala de Silva that the difference between a minister's salary and an MP's salary was a mere hundred rupees.

Mr. Bakeer Markar said the difference was as much as Rs. 7,000.

Two years ago, parliamentarians' salaries were revised and an ordinary member's salary was increased from Rs. 13,250 to Rs. 22,100, a deputy minister's from Rs. 16,500 to Rs. 28,750 and a Cabinet minister's from Rs. 19,500 to Rs. 29,815.

All ministers would however be given MSD security but a few key ministers handling crucial portfolios would be given special STF security, UNP sources said. 

Defence Minister Tilak Marapana, Interior Minister John Amaratunga, Enterprise Development and Constitutional Affairs Minister G. L. Peiris and Labour Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe would have additional security, its strength varying from six to ten personnel, they said.

Post election violence:

United National Front government under fire

By Chris Kamalendran

They said the police had failed to act promptly in some instances.

Police said they had recorded over 400 complaints during the three days following elections from various parts of the country amidst indications that post poll violence was still continuing at a lower scale.

Former Media Minister Mangala Samaraweera told journalists the state media were not giving adequate publicity to the incidents of violence. 

"We have reached a stage that the state media are even refusing to publish paid obituaries of our party supporters," Mr. Samaraweera said.

He said thousands of party supporters had taken refuge in the houses of PA parliamentarians in certain areas as their dwellings were being attacked and police failing to provide protection.

"In some of the areas the police are even refusing to entertain our complaints," he said. Before polls the majority of the complaints were against the PA for attacks on UNP supporters but after the elections the trend had turned the other way with the bulk of the complaints coming in from the PA claiming that their supporters were being attacked by UNPers.

The highest number of election-related incidents of violence was recorded from Anuradhapura, Puttalam, Chilaw, Matale, Kuliyapitiya, Kurunegala, Kegalle, Negombo, Nawalapitiya, Gampola, Laggala, Hanguranketha, Rambukkana, Ingiriya, Hatharaliyadda, Gampaha and Galle, PA sources said.

At least five deaths had been reported from Nochchiyagama, Beliatta, Madampe and Vavuniya, they said. Two TELO supporters were among those killed in Vavuniya.

In most incidents the violence had been created by UNP supporters in the area and in some instances UNP's elected members or the defeated candidates had been unable to control the tide of violence.

The PA has charged that in some of the areas the UNP's elected members themselves were involved in the attacks on their opponents while in other areas the defeated candidates and the area organisers had been responsible for the attacks. The UNP has strongly rejected the claim.

In most cases the incidents were spontaneous where groups had organised themselves and carried out attacks on houses, business establishments and vehicles. Some of the cases were reported from remote villages where the police or the Army mobile patrols would take time to move in. However, in some of the areas police were taking more time than necessary to move in as the officer in charge himself was identified with a PA politician or a minister in the area. 

Police statistics reveals in addition to the deaths at least 95 cases of arson had been reported in eight days after the elections. Over 30 incidents of assault, nine cases of attempted killings and three cases of causing serious injuries had also been reported.

The PA had made over 250 complaints while the UNP had lodged over 68 until Thursday. The PA claimed more complaints were to be made and in certain areas they were not entertained by the police.The party also gave more details about certain incidents. PA sources said in the Nawalapitiya area more than 30 incidents of setting fire to shops and houses had been reported. They said some houses had been attacked and damaged. In the Laggala area at least 15 incidents of arson and attacks on houses and shops had been reported. In the Deraniyagala area 25 shops and 15 houses were burnt, sources said.

In Bingiriya in the Kurunegala district ten houses had been burnt down or damaged, political sources said.

Meanwhile, sporadic incidents of causing damage to vehicles belonging to PA supporters had been reported.

Election desk chief DIG Gamini Navaratna told The Sunday Times in most of the places the police were stationed only until the elections were over. He said the Army had replaced the police at certain check points before the elections and the police were compelled to relieve them after the elections.

"The normal strength of a police station is insufficient to patrol the whole area as they have to attend to other duties as well," he said.

DIG Navaratna has appealed to politicians returning to their areas over the weekend not to hold processions to avoid clashes. Meanwhile, Interior Affairs Minister John Amaratunga told The Sunday Times he had given instructions to the Police Chief to take tough action against any person involved in acts of election related violence.

PA trade unionists under attack, says Moulana

Mr. Moulana told The Sunday Times that he had received several complaints that PA trade unionists were harassed by UNPers at state institutions.

He said these incidents were taking place despite appeals made by the Minister and UNP trade union wing leader Gamini Atukorale calling UNP members not to harass opposition supporters.

He said a trade union meeting would be held tomorrow to discuss the situation.

AG amicus in Batty's case

By Laila Nasry

The matter came up for support before Justice Gamini Amaratunga who asked Deputy Solicitor General A. Gnanathasan to be amicus curiae.

Mr. Gnanathasan informed court he had not received notice though the Attorney General had been made a party to the matter. 

He further said the handing over of the national list by PA general secretary D. M. Jayaratne was a ministerial act and did not come under the purview of writ jurisdiction as no decision or determination had been made by the Election Commissioner. Mr. Gnanathasan citing the Gamini Atukorale V. The Commissioner of Elections judgment in support of his position. 

The Elections Commissioner, PA general secretary D. M. Jayaratne and the national list nominees have been cited as the respondents. 

Court asked Mr. Weerakoon's counsel to take into consideration the above judgment.

The case was put off for January 15, 2002. 

Mr. Weerakoon went before the Court of Appeal stating that the decision taken by the PA executive committee to include at least one member from each constituent party had not been complied with as there was no LSSP nominee on the national list submitted by the party. 

Mr.Weerakoon prayed for a writ of certiorari quashing the decision of the Elections Commissioner from accepting the PA national list and a writ of mandamus on him to issue notice afresh calling on the PA general secretary to submit a new list in accordance with the PA constitution. 

PA defeat, its price of arrogance: BattyBy Chandani Kirinde

"I think everybody concerned has a bitter lesson to learn. It is the price of arrogance and the non-transparency in the conduct of its affairs," Mr. Weerakoon told The Sunday Times in an interview.

"We heaped abuse on ministers for some of their lapses but they continued to be with us during the past six to seven years. Finally they themselves decided to go," he said.

The veteran leftist politician who served as a national list MP since 1994 in the PA government received a rude shock when he was dropped from the PA's national list along with SLFP stalwart Alavi Moulana.

Mr.Weerakoon said his exclusion was not a personal matter but a political issue. He said the selection process was unacceptable as it did not adhere to the PA constitution.

"They made the selection without any consultation. They removed people like myself and put in a playboy, an SLFP southern provincial councillor who, since his election to the council, had not gone there or functioned for a single day," Mr.Weerakoon charged.

He said he had heard of his name being left out from the list sent to the Elections Commissioner from journalists. When he asked the PA general secretary D. M. Jayaratne to clarify the situation, he had been told the "orders had come from above."

Meanwhile, Mr. Weerakoon has challenged the PA national list in a case filed before the Court of Appeal.

He said there would not be much for him to do in parliament in the present situation when the SLFP itself was undecided whether it should cohabit with the UNF government.

Former Justice Minister claimed he did not see any difference between the UNP and the UNF. He said in the present confused situation he would be a lone voice. He also said he would object to the formation of a national government. 

Mr. Weerakoon said the SLFP right wing had been dominating for sometime and his presence in the Cabinet had prevented the PA government from adopting certain measures promoted by foreign investors and their local agents.

He cited the attempts to sell the Eppawala phosphate deposits, privatise the state banks and education were meant to please foreign investors.

He said if not for his presence in the Cabinet many of such measures might have been passed.

Mr. Weerakoon expressed fears that such measures might see the light of day under an administration friendly towards foreign investors. He said the present SLFP leadership was not capable of directing the progressive forces in the PA.

Answering a question Mr. Weerakoon said the LSSP was still represented in parliament by Ven. Baddegama Samitha Thera.

He said the SLFP had objected to the Thera's nomination. Mr. Weerakoon said his party would remain in the PA even though he was dropped from the national list.