Rajapaksa’s racist brand of politics should be defeated - UNP

Minister Joseph Michael Perera says that it is very necessary to continue with the newly established atmosphere of communal and religious harmony in the country. 

The former UNP Parliamentarian stated that the UPFA is unfortunately engaged in spreading racism and religious extremism by making false statements. 

“Therefore, on the 17th of August Mahinda Rajapaksa’s racist and extremist brand of politics should be defeated in order to prevent the re-surfacing of an uncivilised era against the present day civilised society, an era where a single family holds the reigns of the government instead of an administration of people and the re-emergence of a society of Ethanol, drugs and Casino as against the righteous society that we live in today.” 

“We should not pave the way for the re-establishment of the corrupt administration which ruled for 10 years damaging the dignity and integrity of the nation preserved throughout the 2500 year old history of our country,” the Minister of Home Affairs and Fisheries said.

He stated that the Yahapalanaya Government within its 100-Day program has implemented the most number of welfare measures for the people which no other government has ever done since the independence. 

“If anybody disputes this statement, it is nothing but utter callousness and political cynicism,” he said. 

The UPFA is engaged in belittling the relief measures and privileges granted to the people through the 100 Day Program; by making various statements daily at media briefings and public rallies, he charged.

Full Statement Issued by Joseph Michael Perera:

The Yahapalanaya Government within its 100-Day program has implemented the most number of welfare measures for the people which no other government has ever done since the independence. If anybody disputes this statement, it is nothing but utter callousness and political cynicism. The UPFA is engaged in belittling the relief measures and privileges granted to the people through the 100 Day Program; by making various statements daily at media briefings and public rallies. The people of this country on the 8th of January expected a complete transformation through changes in political, economic and social spheres.

The abolition of the executive presidency, change of the electoral system, establishment of independence commissions were the prime changes that the people asked for. These expectations were fulfilled to some extent when the 19thamendment to the Constitution was enacted. The aspirations of the people would have been completely fulfilled if the subsequent amendment had not been thwarted by Mahinda Rajapaksa followers in Parliament who obstructed the proceedings of Parliament and passage of legislation; by sleeping overnight in the Chamber, consuming liquor. Maintaining the supremacy of law is the prime characteristic of an administration committed to Good Governance. This government has ensured that the above situation prevailed under its administration. It is amply demonstrated in the ruling given on the 19th amendment which portrayed independence of the judiciary made possible through the appointment of the senior most judge of the Supreme Court as the Chief Justice. This move also resulted in meeting with justice to the former Chief Justice who was removed on the findings of Wimal Weerawansa after amazingly producing a report of more than 1000 pages overnight.

The actions taken by the Commissioner of Elections during this period also indicate the independence of the public servants in performing their duties. Today, the public servants are able to work freely without any pressure and with a sense of relief in their minds. The police act in accordance with the law. Officers of the three armed forces are no more engaged in road cleaning and similar activities which are duties of the Local Government authorities.  

The salaries of the public sector employees were increased and added to the basic salary which was only confined to mere statements and utterances during the 10-year rule of the Kurunegala district candidate Mahinda Rajapaksa. UPFA has been always talking of rectifying the pension anomalies of the retired public servants as a trump card during their election campaign. This government removed the pension anomalies and made arrangements to make payments commencing this month itself.

The government within the 100-Day Program had taken several measures to upgrade the living standards of the people. Reduction of fuel and gas prices, payment of a guaranteed price for paddy and rubber, reducing the price of vehicles under 1000 cc capacity which benefitted to  the youth of this country (in contrast to the relief measures given by Mahinda Rajapaksa to his sons to import Lamborghinis for motor racing within the precincts of Dalada Maligawa) are some of the people’s friendly measures this government has implemented within a short span of three months.

Today the civil society activists, artistes, university academics, trade unionists have come forward to establish a new government committed to pursuing policies of good governance, because of their sincere feeling to preserve and continue with programs implemented by the United National Party even though it had only a minority representation in Parliament.

It is very necessary to continue with the newly established atmosphere of communal and religious harmony. The UPFA is unfortunately engaged in spreading racism and religious extremism by making false statements. Therefore, on the 17th of August Mahinda Rajapaksa’s racist and extremist brand of politics should be defeated in order to prevent the re-surfacing of an uncivilised era against the present day civilised society, an era where a single family holds the reigns of the governmentinstead of an administration of peopleand the re-emergence of a society of Ethanol, drugs and Casino as against the righteous society that we live in today. 

We should not pave the way for the re-establishment of the corrupt administration which ruled for 10 years damaging the dignity and integrity of the nation preserved throughout the 2500 year old history of our country.