Columns

• Warnings about the coming cyclone were not taken seriously; crisis meetings began only on the eve of Cyclone Ditwah’s landfall
• Namal says state officials’ fear of arrest for proactive action, prevents quick response
• Disaster postpones NPP’s budget defeats in local councils; estate workers hail President for Rs. 200 wage hike
• Tilvin faces protests from pro-LTTE elements during UK visit; outlines government plans for social change in meeting with JVP members

By our Political Desk

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake couldn’t have asked for a worse birthday week. First it was the news a day ahead of his 57th birthday on Monday that the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) General Secretary, Tilvin Silva, the party’s big brother figure, had come under attack by a group of LTTE supporters while on a tour to Britain. Mr Silva escaped unhurt, but the incident no doubt unsettled those in government. But what was to follow was worse. Starting Wednesday, it was the wrath of nature that began battering the country, plunging the whole island into one of the worst natural disasters experienced in recent times and putting the government in the eye of the storm.

The Meteorology Department had warned around mid-November of the atmospheric disturbances which had the potential to develop into a major cyclonic condition over the island. Unlike earthquakes, cyclones are easier to track with the use of modern technology such as satellites, weather radar and computers, and hence the Met Department warned of the changes in the weather conditions and related the information to the relevant government institutions. What is clear from the unfolding events of the past few days is that such warnings may not have been taken with due seriousness. There were no preparatory meetings, and there were no major public announcements until all hell broke loose and it became clear that the country was in the throes of one of its worst natural disasters in years.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake holds crisis meeting with government members and opposition party leaders

Emergency meetings

It was on Thursday (November 27) that an emergency meeting was held at the Parliament premises, chaired by the President, to review the emergency disaster situation that has arisen in the country and how the relief services could operate. By then, it became clear that Cyclone ‘Ditwah’ would not blow over any time soon.

Prime Minister Dr Harini Amarasuriya, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananda Wijepala, Transport, Highways and Urban Development Minister Bimal Rathnayake, and government and opposition MPs representing disaster-affected districts were at the meeting attended by heads of the Disaster Management Centre, the National Disaster Relief Services Centre, the Police, and the Defence Services. The President instructed district representatives to take urgent measures to prevent loss of life and provide relief to communities, as if without the President instructing, nothing would have happened.

The weather situation got progressively worse by Thursday evening, which prompted the postponement of the ongoing budget debate in Parliament till Monday, with Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne announcing that Parliament would sit on Monday and Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 12 midnight so as to cover up the two days of sittings that had to be postponed.

On Friday, President Dissanayake held yet another meeting at the Defence Headquarters with government and opposition representatives to assess the immediate measures required in response to the emergency disaster situation caused by adverse weather conditions. Here, representatives of opposition parties urge the President to declare a state of emergency in the country, specifically to manage the ongoing disaster situation. The government intially seemed reluctant to do so, but did so later that day.

The President assured that there would be no financial constraints in carrying out rescue and relief work and that the Disaster Management District Committees had been convened and funds had been released to District Secretaries to meet urgent requirements. He said no circular should hinder the utilisation of these funds, and in cases where obstacles arise, funds may be used with the concurrence of the District Coordinating Committee. This decision comes against the backdrop of widespread unease reportedly within the public service to take proactive decisions involving public funds.

Essential services

On Friday, the President also issued an Essential Services gazette covering certain areas. These included all services connected to the supply of electricity, the supply or distribution of fuel, including petroleum products and gas, all service, work or labour, of any description  whatsoever, necessary or required to be done in connection with the maintenance, and the reception, care, feeding and treatment, of patients in hospitals, nursing homes, dispensaries, and other similar institution, public transport services for the transportation of passengers or goods, the facilitation and maintenance of transportation services and tourism services by road, rail, or air, including highways, bridges, culverts, airports, ports, and railways, all services connected to the supply of water and drainage, all services connected with the supply, safeguard, and distribution of food and essential commodities and all type of services, works, or labour contributions which should be carried out or required to be carried out by District Secretariats, Divisional Secretariats, Grama Niladharis, Samurdhi Development Officers, Agricultural Research Assistants, Community Empowerment Officers, Officers of the ‘Clean Sri Lanka’ Centralised Team, including all field level officers of all District and Divisional Secretariats.

Ambulance services; all state banking and insurance services, including the Central Bank of Sri Lanka; any services carried out by any local authorities for the supply of water, electricity, drainage and sewerage systems, firefighting and ambulance services, scavenging and the removal of garbage, and all services carried out by local authorities; all services connected to irrigation; all services connected to the telephone, telecommunication and media; reclamation and development of low-lying lands; and agriculture and agricultural insurance services were also made essential services under the Essential Public Services Act, No. 61 of 1979.

JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva being escorted amid protests from pro-LTTE supporters during his UK visit (Video grab)

It fell on Prime Minister Amarasuriya and the Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Minister Vijitha Herath to brief Colombo-based diplomats on the ongoing emergency flood relief operations and recovery measures and seek foreign assistance for the relief efforts once it became clear that the country would have to turn to international help to deal with the catastrophic situation.

Heads of Sri Lanka’s diplomatic missions overseas also joined the briefing virtually, according to the PM’s Office.

The discussion focused on ensuring the safety of affected people, as well as the immediate response and medium- to long-term recovery efforts being undertaken by the Government to address the impact of the recent floods.

The Colombo-based diplomatic missions expressed their solidarity and readiness to support Sri Lanka during this challenging period, including through humanitarian assistance and coordination with relevant authorities, the statement said.

It also said that Sri Lanka Tourism has designated an officer to handle enquiries regarding foreign tourists affected by the current disaster situation. However, questions have been raised over the media release issued by Sri Lanka Tourism on Thursday, at the time the cyclone was making its full impact, downplaying weather warnings.

In the media release, the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) addressed all ‘our valued travellers and visitors”, stating that while certain regions may experience seasonal rainfall, the situation is closely monitored by national authorities. It also stated that major tourist destinations are operational as usual, with hotels, transport services and attractions continuing without disruptions.  This kind of irresponsible and misleading statement begs the question if SLTDA had sought the advice of the relevant government authorities before giving an all-clear to tourists.

Some countries have already updated their travel advisories to warn of the disruptions caused by the cyclone. British High Commissioner Andrew Patrick, who attended the meeting for Colombo-based diplomats with Prime Minister Amarasuriya, took to his X handle to state that the Government had stressed parallel efforts to protect tourists while warning tourist sites are currently closed. He also urged British tourists to regularly check the High Commission’s travel advice.

The UK government also updated its travel advisory, stating that Sri Lanka is currently experiencing severe weather. Heavy rain has caused flooding and landslides, which are causing travel disruption across the country.

India was the first to respond to the Government’s request for foreign assistance. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was also among the first to extend support to the country.

“My heartfelt condolences to the people of Sri Lanka who have lost their loved ones due to Cyclone Ditwah. I pray for the safety, comfort and swift recovery of all affected families. In solidarity with our closest maritime neighbour, India has urgently dispatched relief materials and vital HADR support under Operation Sagar Bandhu. We stand ready to provide more aid and assistance as the situation evolves,” he said on his official X handle.

He made sure that his message in English went out in both Sinhala and Tamil, unlike some of the Sri Lankan government notices during the cyclone, which came in for criticism for being only in Sinhala.

The Indian relief provided by Friday night included 4.5 tonnes of dry rations and two tonnes of fresh rations, consisting of staple foods, packaged and ready-to-eat items, dairy and bakery products, beverages, and other nutritional essentials to meet urgent household needs. In addition, other essential survival items were also handed over. These supplies were provided from the Indian Naval Ships INS Vikrant and INS Udayagiri, which are currently in Sri Lanka.

The Chinese Embassy in Colombo also sent its condolences to the victims and sympathies to the bereaved families and flood-stricken people. “China’s assistance and support to Sri Lanka on the way. China’s solidarity and support for the Government and the people of Sri Lanka,” the embassy said on its office website.

The United States, the Maldives and many other countries have also pledged financial and other forms of assistance for the flood relief efforts.

While the immediate impact of the cyclone had reduced by yesterday, the Government will face many challenges in the days and weeks ahead as the relief operation gets underway. It will also be a test for the NPP. How it handles the current situation could make or break people’s faith in the Government.

Namal slams Govt.

Some in the opposition are already hammering the Government for what they claim is its slow response to the disaster. Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) National Organiser and Parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa claimed that international media had reported on the possibility of a cyclone forming and potentially directly impacting the country almost a week ago. “The Government treated these warnings casually and was slow in taking measures to minimise the damage,” he told this newspaper. “The cyclone made landfall on Thursday, but the National Disaster Management Committee only met after the event. Why did the Government not take adequate measures in time?”

He also alleged the government’s actions against public officials had made them reluctant to take any decisions without written authorisation, eating valuable time out of disaster response efforts as officials awaited written instructions. “District and Divisional Secretaries, as well as Ministry officials, need direction on what to do, and these instructions too have been delayed,” he claimed, pointing out that some public officials who had authorised food vouchers to people during previous disasters had been arrested and remanded under the NPP government.

“Even former ministers were arrested,” he said, referring to the arrest of former Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa. The former minister has been charged with obtaining more than Rs. 6.1 million from the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) under the guise of providing relief to the people displaced by floods in the Bingiriya and Narammala areas in 2014 and instead using the funds for the presidential election campaigning activities in 2015.

Mr Rajapaksa noted that many of these cases are still pending. As such, public officials are afraid to do anything without written instructions for fear of being arrested later on. Whatever the Government says, the officials will not heed even verbal instructions from the President in such a scenario. What the President should do is act according to the Disaster Management Act and give written instructions to relevant officials,” he insisted.

Defeats postponed

On the political front, the government has won praise from the estate community for increasing estate workers’ daily wages by Rs. 200. The Norwood Pradeshiya Sabha this week passed a motion, thanking President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and the Government’s intervention in heeding the long-standing request to increase estate workers’ wages. Representatives of every party representing the Norwood Pradeshiya Sabha expressed their agreement with this motion of thanks.

The past few weeks, however, have seen budgets in multiple local government bodies where the NPP had secured narrow majorities defeated as councillors who had voted to elect NPP heads as council chairs change their votes. The defeats of these budgets, coming very close together, were a source of embarrassment for the government. The disaster brought on by Cyclone Ditwah, however, has put a pause on these defeats, as local council meetings in many areas have been halted as councillors move to assist disaster response and relief efforts in their respective areas.

The SLPP and other opposition parties are, in the meantime, planning to capitalise on the momentum generated by the success of their rally in Nugegoda on November 21. Before the Cyclone Ditwah disaster overshadowed other events, these parties had announced the intention to hold a second rally in January. The SLPP obviously is the most enthusiastic about the rallies, given the visibility accorded to Namal Rajapaksa at the rally. Mr Rajapaksa was the main draw at the rally and was even referred to as the “Prince” by the United National Party (UNP)’s speaker, Harin Fernando, on stage. In fact, with rain threatening to drench attendees, a suggestion had been made to bring forward Rajapaksa’s speech at the rally and push some others back. Former SLPP MP Sanjeewa Edirimanna, who was controlling the agenda, had remarked that if Rajapaksa’s speech is brought forward, attendees would leave after he finished, thinking the meeting was over. Accordingly, a decision was made to strike off the names of several speakers who were scheduled to speak and make Rajapaksa’s speech the final one.

While moves to hold such joint opposition rallies were first suggested by the UNP and had earlier met with a lukewarm response from the SLPP, it is the latter that is leading the charge to hold such rallies in light of the realisation that they would give its national organiser even more exposure and recognition in the days ahead. Party insiders say that way he will be one step ahead of Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, whose party opted out of the rally.

Separately, the UNP and the main opposition, Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), are continuing with what appears to be a strained effort to forge a potential reunion. With SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa taking the lead in efforts to unite the two parties, the UNP has also taken steps to appoint a three-member committee comprising Deputy Leader Ruwan Wijewardene, General Secretary Thalatha Atukorale, and National Organiser Sagala Ratnayaka to discuss future steps regarding the UNP-SJB reunion.

Tilvin in UK

Prior to Cyclone Ditwah, JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva was in London to attend the party’s 36th ‘Il Maha Viru Samuruwa’ (November Heroes Commemoration). The event, organised by the NPP’s UK Branch, was held to remember JVP cadres killed during its failed insurrections. Mr Silva, though, was confronted by a large number of pro-Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) protesters as he arrived at Alperton High School in Wembley, where the event was held. Several protesters were carrying versions of the LTTE’s flag and were shouting slogans such as “Sri Lankan government, terrorist government!” and “Stop, stop genocide!” A video uploaded on social media showed chaotic scenes as dozens of angry protestors attempted to block the Mercedes-Benz carrying Silva as it neared the event venue, with the few British police officers and security guards on the scene struggling to clear a path for the vehicle. “Owa heti ohoma thamai, sahodaraya. Ganan ganna epa (This is how things are, comrade. Pay no heed to them,” one person is heard telling the JVP General Secretary as he finally alights from the car once inside the gate and walks to the meeting venue.

Mr Silva appeared undeterred by the incident and made a speech lasting almost an hour. Addressing the gathering, he pointed out that this year’s commemoration was different from previous ones in that during previous years, they were focused on gaining inspiration and experience on how to develop the party to a position from where it could assume power. “Today, however, the path we have taken has led to victory, and, with assistance from all of you, we have been able to establish a true people’s government for the first time in history,” he said. Now, the time has come to effect a social change, though this cannot be done overnight, he added, quoting the maxim “Rome was not built in a day.” There will inevitably be obstacles in the path to change.

He also insisted that the JVP “was never a party that lived in the past or continues to live in the past, but we do have something to learn from the past.”

Mr Silva pointed to the determination of the JVP, which, despite having most of its senior leadership decimated following its failed second insurrection in 1987-89, continued to endure challenges. The then UNP government boasted that the “match was over” and that what was left was a “B Team”, but whether the party’s members were in prison, in exile or in hiding, they were determined to rebuild the movement. They did so to a point where they were able to take the movement to governmental power through the people’s mandate, he added. “The task before us is to build a new society, and I pledge to you, here, before our deceased comrades, that we will emerge victorious in this objective. We will not abandon this effort whatever obstacles will come our way,” said Mr Silva.

A day before his attendance at the commemoration event, the JVP leader met with another group of Sri Lankans in the city of Leicester. He delivered a lecture titled ‘The Victory Achieved and the Country’s Future’. He acknowledged during his speech that some people, both within and outside the country, had raised concerns that the government was not moving fast enough to fulfil its promises. “However, they must understand the state of the country we inherited. Our victories should be judged in comparison to where the country was when we came to power. We inherited a bankrupt country that had stopped paying its loans.”

The JVP General Secretary also took a dig at the credit given to former President Ranil Wickremesinghe for leading the country out of the economic crisis. “Ranil Wickremesinghe did not lead us out of this crisis. The only thing he did was to put the burden of the crisis onto the people.” The reluctance to even acknowledge the contribution of former President Wickremesinghe and his government towards helping to chart the country’s path to economic recovery has been a trait seen among those in the JVP-led NPP government over the year it’s been in office. One wonders whether it is because of a misplaced belief that they would lose face by giving such credit, considering that it is following many of the same policies of the previous president, or whether it stems from a personal antipathy towards Wickremesinghe himself. Either way, it pours cold water on Silva’s claim that the JVP “was never a party that lived in the past or continues to live in the past.” On the contrary, it lends more ammunition to persistent claims that the JVP-led NPP government still behaves as if it is an opposition party more than a year after assuming power.

Maaveerar Naal

While the JVP General Secretary was in the UK to remember fallen cadres considered “heroes” by his party, similar commemorations were being held both in the UK, Europe and other nations as well as in the North and East of Sri Lanka to remember fallen cadres of the LTTE. The NPP government has been more open to remembrance events in the North and East compared to previous governments.

Despite the heavy downpours throughout this week, thousands of war-affected people in the North gathered at one-time war cemeteries of the LTTE across the province to commemorate their loved ones on Heroes’ Day, or Maaveerar Naal.

On Thursday (27), at 6.05 pm sharp, the commemorative oil lamp was lighted at 30 LTTE war cemeteries known as Thuyilum Illams simultaneously across Northern and Eastern provinces.

Unlike in the past, there were mini public commemorative huts set up at major junctions, while suburban cities were decorated with yellow and red flags. The public more freely engaged in remembrance activities, placing flowers and garlands.

There was a palpable sense of ease among the public compared to previous years when police obtained court orders against organisers on the grounds that attempts were being made to remember ‘terrorists’. Even though no police orders were obtained this week, those who took part in the events said the presence of the military was evident on several occasions.

In addition to LTTE war cemeteries, local bodies, political parties and local youth outfits organised low-key events in villages as well to mark the day. The occasion was dampened only by the cyclonic weather.