No confidence motion against Govt. in P’ment today
Tuesday, 20 May 2014 00:32
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By Ashwin Hemmathagama
Our Lobby Correspondent
A vote of no confidence against the Government will be taken up today and tomorrow for debate in Parliament, led by the UNP and supported by other parties in the Opposition.
In its motion filed in February this year, the UNP highlighted the media reports of the investigations and raids carried out in Sri Lanka to curb the drug menace, pointing fingers at the Government.
“The media reported that Police investigations in Afghanistan, Pakistan and India and other countries have revealed the existence of an international drug cartel operating across South East Asia and the Gulf Coast. The investigations have also revealed that Afghan-manufactured heroin is brought into Pakistan and then directed to Sri Lanka, and brought into Pakistan and India through the Punjab border and finally to Sri Lanka, making Sri Lanka the focal point for distribution of heroin to other parts of South Asia. This drug cartel has become a threat to the wellbeing of the region. The investigations have revealed the involvement of Pakistani, Indian and Sri Lankan nationals in this syndicate,” the UNP stated.
Presenting the resolution, the UNP asserted that it has lost confidence in the ability of the Government to secure and promote the welfare of its citizens.
“These drugs are available in every nook and corner of Sri Lanka, resulting in increasing consumption of heroin by young people. Kumaran Pathmanathan who is wanted by Interpol for the assassination of Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and reported to be involved in drug smuggling lives in Sri Lanka under the protection of the Government. In August 2013, the Coordinating Secretary to the Prime Minister had issued a letter to the Manager of East Asia Gateway Terminal requesting the release of a container, which turned out to contain narcotic drugs. The Coordinating Secretary’s complicity in this transaction is evidenced by his resignation dated 9 December 2013. The Government has failed to coordinate with the authorities in India and Pakistan with regard to eliminating this syndicate. The Government has failed to make a full inquiry into the detection of vast quantities of drugs smuggled into the country and no meaningful measures are being taken to eradicate the distribution of drugs within Sri Lanka.”
It appears that the Government is unwilling to control and curb this menace and it appears to be continuing unabated as seen by some recent reports of containers been released without checks, the UNP stated.
“This will result in disastrous consequences to the social and economic fabric of this land, which boasts of a proud history of over 2,500 years. If this continues, the future of this country will be in peril, making Sri Lanka a narcotic state,” the charged UNP in its no confidence motion.
