Opposition shows no compassion for Karuna

The entry of former LTTE strongman to Parliament as an MP is a landmark event in the parliamentary history of Sri Lanka.

The LTTE’s Eastern Province former military commander and present leader of the Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulihal (TMVP), Vinayagamurthi Muralitharan alias Karuna Amman, was sworn in as a national list parliamentarian of the UPFA before Speaker W.J.M. Lokubandara on Tuesday morning.Dressed in a dark suit, Mr. Muralitharan received a rousing welcome from government MPs. His one-time rival during the rebel years, Minister Douglas Devananda too welcomed him warmly. Not to be outdone, non-cabinet labour minister Mervyn Silva, welcomed him with a big embrace.

Vinayagamurthi Muralitharan in Parliament on Tuesday.

Seated in the gallery were Eastern Province Chief Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias Pillayan and Batticaloa Mayor Sivageetha Prabhagaran. They were witnessing their leader being sworn in as a parliamentarian and sending a political message that they had buried the hatchet -- at least for now.

MP Muralitharan delivering his maiden speech said there had been a number of disappointing incidents in the past and now the time had come to build peace, and relegate the bitter memories to the limbo of the past.

He said that defeating terrorism should be given priority and that at present Tamil people did not accept terrorism. Opposition parties except the National Freedom Front (NFF) led by MP Wimal Weerawansa boycotted the swearing-in.

The JVP boycotted the ceremony and went to courts, charging that the ruling UPFA had violated the electoral agreement between them, by accommodating Mr. Muralitharan through what was rightlyfully the JVP’s national list slot. The national list slot became vacant following the resignation of JVP parliamentarian Wasantha Samarasinghe consequently to disciplinary inquiries relating to a human trafficking case.

The JVP said that although under the terms of the agreement, the JVP was entitled to three National List slots, they sacrificed two national list seats to accommodate two SLFPers. The next day JVP Parliamentary group leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake did not fail to cast snide remarks over the appointment saying that the Penal Code did not cover the crime of robbing seats of MPs and new laws should be enacted to cover this daylight robbery.

The state of emergency was extended after it was passed by a majority of 84 votes. Newly appointed MP Muralitharan too voted for the emergency amidst hooting from TNA MPs who voted against. Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake in his speech during the emergency debate said 200 security forces personnel had been killed in operations and 997 injured during the past month, while it was reported that 13 civilians had died and 29 were injured.

The UNP lamented the loss of its future strongman and North Central Province opposition leader Janaka Perera. Opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe charged that the President and Defence Secretary should take responsibility for the death as lapses in providing proper security had exposed Major General Perera to a tragic incident resulting in his death.

He called on the government to probe the assassination by an international team. The controversy surrounding the airlifting of the bodies of Maj. Gen. Janaka Perera and his wife saw UNP MPs charging that the government was taking revenge even in death.UNP MP Ravi Karunanayake said although a request was made through the Prime Minister to airlift the bodies no arrangements had been made. UNP MP Renuka Herath told the House that the bodies were at the Ratmalana airport from 9.30 a.m. to noon. Clarifying the situation, the Prime Minister said that UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake had made a request to him and he in turn contacted the Air Force commander who had said he could not give an assurance but that the Air Force would make an effort. The Prime Minister said he had then called Mr. Attanayake and told him to contact the Air Force commander and make all arrangements. Eventually the bodies were taken by road for the people of Anuradhapura to pay their last respects.

The government also presented the Appropriation Bill in Parliament last week, giving the estimated expenditure for 2009 as Rs. 986 billion with most of it being for defence.