MR was President Sirisena's 3rd option

COLOMBO (News 1st): The UPFA's 'Ratama Rakina Jana Mahimaya' rally was held at the Parliament Roundabout today (November 05) under the patronage of the President and the Prime Minister. Crowds gathered at the rally in support of the new government.

"I will not take back the foot that I have taken forward"

Speaking at the event, President Maithripala Sirisena said that he was asked by both the UNP and the Speaker whether there wasn't anyone else he could have appointed as the PM. The President stated that he responded by reminding the Speaker that he offered him the position of PM over 8 months ago. "After the no-confidence motion against Ranil Wickremesinghe, I said that the policies and the programs of Ranil Wickremesinghe are not suitable for me. I cannot work with him," the President stated. He went onto note that following several rounds of discussions and initially agreeing to the proposal Speaker Karu Jayasuriya finally rejected the offer for the position. The Head of State then revealed that as the next step, he invited Sajith Premadasa, the deputy leader of the UNP to his house. "For the last two months, I have been asking him. Your leader is not suitable for me, that vision is not suitable for the country. I told him that I cannot work with him. I told him Sajith, let us remove the Prime Minister and you take over the post of Prime Minister. I brought him to my house on many evenings and I asked him to take over the position of PM. I told him I will take care of the problems that arise." Just as Speaker Karu Jayasuriya did, Sajith Premadasa had informed President that he cannot fight with the leader. "I wanted to find a leader that is suitable for the country. I have not found a person who can fight with Ranil, I have found a person who can beat Ranil Wickremesinghe and I have appointed Mahinda Rajapaksa as the Prime Minister." said the President. He went on to say that the economic and political vision of Ranil Wickremesinghe "burdened the innocent helpless poor people of this country". President charged that Ranil Wickremesinghe "forgot to solve the problems of the country". "The decisions of the government were not taken by the cabinet, they were not taken by the President or the Prime Minister. The Decisions were taken by Ranil Wickremesinghe and his so-called butterfly clan. Now he is bowing down before the embassies. Everything has been done legally and according to the constitution. I have to say this to the people who are raising allegations. If there is any legal question that needs solving, this is a country with an impartial judiciary. Anyone can go to the supreme court and inquire into this. We will make the parliament strong. Do not be suspicious about the 113. The 113 are there. Irrelevant of the forces that will be or threats I will not take back the foot that I have taken forward." said President Maithripala Sirisena

"will not let rumors break this bond"

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa addressed the gathered crowd, admitting that he would not have done what President Maithripala Sirisena did, if he was President. PM Rajapaksa said: "We came together for the country". "The people of the country must remember when Ranil Wickremesinghe was trying to sell off the country when the right of the people of this nation, the land was being sold to foreign lands," he added. The Premier said that he checked if taxes, the price of goods and oil cannot be reduced when he assumed duties at the Ministry of Finance. He said, "If I can do it, it could have been done by them as well. No. Their hope was to live luxuriously even if the people were suffering. We along with the President are committed to safeguarding democracy. We will not let rumors break this bond."

"President removed the cancer"

UPFA MP Wimal Weerawansa also addressed the gathering, compared former Prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to a "cancer" which does not understand the country's culture. "He is a cancer that does not understand the history of the country or respect the identity of this country. The cancer that does not worry about the security of this land. The cancer that does not think about the national economy. The cancer that only knows to satisfy the foreign nations. There is no future for this country if this cancer is not removed." he added. Weerawansa continued: "There should be a specialist doctor for this surgery to be done. That surgery cannot be done by us, That cannot be done by you. There is only one specialist doctor who can do this surgery. There is only one person and that person is President Maithripala Sirisena. On the 26th President removed the cancer called Ranil Wickremesinghe from our country. This cancer was removed in accordance with the constitution." He also said that Karu Jayasuriya is the Speaker of Sirikotha, who is saying that until a new faction is capable of showing a majority in parliament, he is compelled to accept the state of parliament that existed before the change. "Where is this mentioned in the constitution?" questioned Weerawansa.

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Letter from the Speaker

I consider it my paramount duty to act in accordance with my conscience for the protection of rights and privileges of the majority of the Members of Parliament including the Leader of the Opposition of the Parliament and the prevention of the destruction of democracy that we have safeguarded up to now.

I am of the opinion that the request submitted to me under the hand of 116 Members of Parliament of the United National Party, the Tamil National Alliance, the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna and the Muslim Congress stating that the decision made by His Excellency the President was unconstitutional and undemocratic and as they are not in agreement with the said decision that the Parliament should be summoned forthwith and seek approval thereto is extremely reasonable.

When I met His Excellency the President on 01st of November, he conveyed to me that he would pay attention to the request made by me to summon Parliament and would brief me on the evening of that day itself.

He contacted me over the phone the following day around 10.30 a.m. and informed me that the gazette notification proclaiming the summoning of Parliament on 07th November would be issued and during a meeting with the ambassadors of Japan, France, the U.S.A. and Afghanistan in the morning of the same day, His Excellency had reiterated that Parliament would be summoned on 5th November.

The Hon. Mahinda Rajapaksa, too, confirmed during a meeting with a group of university teachers that the Parliament would be summoned on 5th November.

If I am to follow the verbal assurance given by His Excellency the President, it is my duty as Speaker to summon Parliament by 7th November and restore stability in the country. I consider it as the duty of His Excellency the President too to extend his support to me towards this end.

It is difficult for me to remain silent in the face of severe violation of democratic principles, forcible taking over of administration of media institutions and other public sector institutions disregarding the moderate employees and information to the effect that various perks and privileges are offered to Members of Parliament.

At a time it has been brought to my attention by the majority that the lawful summoning of Parliament has been prevented and the rights of the Members of Parliament have been usurped, in the name of justice and fair play, I have to make my stance known to the world.

I wish to state that these events which should not have occurred in a democratic society is an unpleasant phenomenon that took place without the use of arms.

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