(Lanka-e-News- 21.Nov.2014, 11.00PM) In the evenning former SLFP general secretary and Minister Maithripala Sirisena addressing a media briefing at the new Town Hall revealed , he will be contesting as Presidential candidate at the upcoming elections , and the UNP working committee has officially approved it. This announcement receiving a huge applause from the media in its entirety that were present was something noteworthy .
Maithri commencing his speech by reciting the Gatha ‘appamadho amatha padhin ‘ and ‘nahi Werana werani ‘was something extremely rarely done by a speaker , and hence was most welcomed by all . A senior SLFP advisor and former President of the country Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaranatunge also attended this media conference.
Ministers Rajitha Senaratne , Duminda Dissanayake , deputy minister K D S Gunarathne ,national list MPs Professor Rajiva Weerasinghe , as well as the two MPs Arjuna Ranatunge and Vasantha Senanayake who crossed over to the UNP yesterday also participated n the discussion.
The common candidate Maithripala Sirisena alias destroyer of executive Presidency ,speaking most optimistically at the conference, he said he is definitely going to win the Presidential elections , and he will certainly be abolishing the executive Presidency within 100 days of his victory .
Maithripala Sirisena also expressed his effusive thanks and his respect to the UNP and its leader Ranil Wickremesinghe for taking the initiative to field him as the common candidate .
Sirisena said he was deeply beholden to UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe who made a supreme sacrifice , the other UNP leaders and the UNP working committee for appointing him as the common candidate -something that has never happened in Sri Lanka ‘s history , that is, a general secretary of the SLFP being selected by the UNP as the common Presidential candidate . He also acknowledged his debt to other political parties and organizations that decided he should assume this responsibility.
For 45 years he was with the SLFP , and he was its general secretary for 13 years ,the longest period in the SLFP history ,Sirisena added.
Recalling briefly the democratic history of the SLFP, he said , the present rulers by introducing the 18 th amendment following the war victory , plunged the country into a lawless , chaotic anti democratic state raging with corruption.
Corruption is overriding , with injustice and lawlessness reigning supreme. The very foundation of law is destroyed. Independent Courts are not impartial. Police force is degraded , and it is unable to discharge its duties duly. The country is being ingloriously led into what is called a ‘glorious dictatorship ‘ he quipped. ‘A number of SLFP ministers therefore decided that this trend must be changed, and discussed with UNP and other parties, but I never thought let alone dream that these parties will choose me as the common candidate ,’ he observed.
Siresena also spoke with deep regret that he was subjected to great pain of mind when the national drug policy was obstructed. ‘When the display of cancer warning on a packet of cigarettes was reduced from 80 % to 60 % , I was thoroughly disillusioned while I was in courts seated on a bench’, Sirisena was charged with emotion when he revealed this. ‘As we are born so we have to die. During this life span we should contribute to the well being of man, and die’, Sirisena stressed.
He urged the Commanders of the three forces, IGP and the Elections commissioner to assist to ensure that there is a fair and free election.
He also requested them not to bow to illegal orders , and he would give due recognition to those who performed their duties abiding by the laws ,after he becomes the President.
The government sector will be de politicized and made independent , supremacy of the law , media freedom and a new elections system will be established, he pointed out. Answering a question posed by the media , he said , he is still the SLFP gen. secretary. The people must decide whether the true SLFP is in the Temple Trees or here , Sirisena further noted.
Replying to questions posed by the media , Sirisena said, like in 1972 , while functioning as a Parliamentary constitution committee the constitution can be ratified. Ranil Wickremesinghe will be the prime minister of his government , he added.
Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaranatunge speaking on the occasion revealed how she was insulted by the present rulers . Referring to one such insult , she said, her birthday was chosen on purpose to dismiss her from the SLFP President post. She also briefly recalled how Ministers were barred from speaking to her. Anyway this is not the occasion to highlight them , and these humiliations were not what prompted her to attend this campaign , she asserted
‘I am happy that I am now able to enter my political ancestral home . I remained silent for 9 years . There were requests made to me to come forward as Presidential candidate again, but I turned down the offer because I am not power greedy,’ she told.
Certainly there will be a lot of intimidations , pressures and even threats to life in the future, but we embarked on this struggle while being fully aware of those . At a time when the country is nose diving into a calamitous situation , the people must rally round the opposition holding hands with it to avert this dire crises ominously threatening the country , Chandrika went on to warn.
Her full speech can be heard by clicking here .
Moreover the media discussion was telecast through all TV channels Island wide. According to reports , after this media discussion was telecast , the entire nation started rejoicing and reveling as though the whole country had instantly transformed into a wedding house.
Residents of Polonnaruwa had come out to the streets to celebrate, and just now , based on reports ,people of Avisawella too had come out to the streets to celebrate.
At the meeting this morning of UNP M.P.s and opposition leaders it was announced that a common candidate shall be fielded , and it is Mathripala Sirisena of the SLFP who has crossed over to the UNP. It was also decided that he should be extended the fullest support .
The UNP working committee that met subsequently ratified this decision . The UNP was also to convene a special media discussion today (21) at 6.00 p.m.
To listen to the historic speech of Maithripala Sirisena , click here .
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by (2014-11-22 18:28:38)
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