The ruling People Alliance (PA) announced on 8 August that the Bill for a new constitution will not be pursued after failing to muster enough support among MPs to ensure the two-thirds majority required for its passage in the Sri Lankan Parliament.
The Bill, which provides for devolution of power to the regions as a solution to the prolonged ethnic conflict, faced widespread opposition. The Tamil groups say the provisions fall far short of Tamil aspirations and will not solve the problem. They have declined to support the Bill despite attempts by foreign envoys in Colombo to persuade them. The Sinhalese groups contend that the Bill will only exacerbate the problem, as the Tamils will use devolution to establish a separate state in the north-east. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) have rejected the proposals. The opposition United National Party (UNP) refused support saying that an all-party consensus and a common negotiating position with the LTTE are needed.
President Chandrika Kumaratunge reiterated her commitment to solving the ethnic conflict by constitutional reform and expressed confidence that the Bill will be passed within two months of PA winning the next general elections. She declared that if UNP’s support was not forthcoming and PA is unable to obtain a two-thirds majority, then a Constituent Assembly will be established to adopt the constitution by a simple majority. In 1972, the United Front government, led by her mother Sirimavo Bandaranaike, ensured the adoption of the first republican constitution, when the National State Assembly (Parliament) sat as a Constituent Assembly to overcome constitutional difficulties.
President Chandrika initiated measures to achieve unity within the PA and gain support outside. The World’s first woman Prime Minister, Sirimavo Bandaranaike, 84, was persuaded to step down and Public Administration minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayake was appointed as premier, in preference to other aspirants such as Lands minister DM Jayaratne and Culture minister Lakshman Jayakody. Sources say that in return for the appointment, Mr Wickramanayake, is expected to appease the Buddhist clergy who are up in arms against government devolution proposals.
The new Prime Minister, who is considered a hawk in the cabinet, declared that the immediate task before the country is to destroy LTTE terrorism and launched a scathing attack on Tiger leader V Prabhakaran. He also pledged that the views of the Buddhist highpriests, the Mahanayake Theras, would be sought on ‘every line, clause and paragraph’ of the draft constitution.
Youth Affairs and Samurthi minister SB Dissanayake was elected General Secretary of PA’s main constituent, the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) on 17 August. Some observers believe that the move is to ensure the services of thousands of officers of the government poverty alleviation programme Samurthi for election campaign, particularly in the face of the new nationalist party Sihala Urumaya (Sinhala Heritage) making inroads into PA’s vote bank. Mr Dissanayake is reputed to have been the brain behind the PA victory at the anarchical Western Provincial council elections in January 1999.
The PA signed an electoral agreement with Mahajana Eksath Peramuna (People’s United Front or MEP) on 27 August. MEP is a Sinhalese nationalist party led by Dinesh Gunawardene and has campaigned against constitutional reform. The appointment of Lt. Gen. Lionel Balagalle as new commander of the Sri Lankan Army following the retirement of Lt. Gen. Srilal Weerasooriya is seen as part of the election strategy. As expected, government forces launched a new offensive, Operation Rivi Kirana (Sunbeam) on 3 September to retake LTTE-held areas in eastern Jaffna. Victory in Jaffna is needed to boost the chances of the PA at the elections.
President Chandrika dissolved Parliament on 18 August, just six days before the end of the six-year period of Parliament and fixed nominations for the week beginning on 28 August. Parliament is expected to be recalled to extend Emergency rule, which means the government will retain the enormous powers under Emergency regulations during elections. As in 1994, President Chandrika called for a mandate to end the war and resolve the ethnic conflict.
As the scramble for electoral alliances commenced, accusatory salvoes were fired in attempts to tarnish the images of political leaders. The police say former Superintendent of Police Douglas Peiris, who was arrested at the Colombo airport on 3 August, has confirmed that UNP leader Ranil Wickremasinghe was involved in running a torture chamber at Batalanda in the period 1988-1990. UNP General Secretary Gamini Athukorale is also accused of involvement. The UNP has dismissed the allegation as a government election stunt.
Observers say the LTTE may attempt to capture whole of Jaffna before the elections and simultaneously launch operations to destabilise southern areas. Meanwhile, election violence reported in several areas is expected to escalate. Diplomats are warning of a bloodbath and the US embassy has cautioned American citizens to avoid political meetings, government and military installations and public transport.