Karu petitions President to reconvene P’ment

Speaker of Parliament Karu Jayasuriya wrote to President Maithripala Sirisena once again requesting him to reconvene Parliament in keeping with the demands of more than 125 MPs.

The following is the Speaker’s letter.

His Excellency the President Maithripala Sirisena, 

Presidential Secretariat, 

Colombo 01.

Your Excellency,

Safeguarding the Rights and Privileges of the Hon. Members of Parliament

I wish to draw your attention to the letter dated 28-10-2018 that addressed you regarding the matter mentioned above.

The following political parties representing over 125 Hon. Members of Parliament have requested me to take immediate steps to safeguard their rights and privileges and to establish majority in Parliament.

United National Party 

Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi

Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna

Sri Lanka Muslim Congress

As the Speaker, it is my duty and responsibility to listen to these requests. The aforesaid requests can be fulfilled only by summoning the Parliament immediately and handing over the government to the party with the majority. Failure to do so shall amount to a deprivation of democratic right.

It is inconceivable that you who secured a mandate for democracy and good governance have rendered the Parliament inactive for eighteen days. Further, it will be damaging to reputation and good name you earned before the international community. The prevailing political instability has already resulted in the loss of two innocent lives and public life is in chaos in many places. Media institutions have been stormed and their administration had been forcibly taken over. Incidents of attacks on employees have been reported from workplaces. This is not the good governance culture for which we received a popular mandate. 

As you have already sworn in a Prime Minister and a Cabinet of Ministers, I kindly appeal to you to summon the Parliament immediately and restore stability without waiting for two weeks. If not, it is inevitable that people may be compelled to look for alternative means to protect democracy.

Once again, in the name of democracy, I kindly urge you to summon Parliament forthwith for the wellbeing of public and to ensure justice without allowing the country to be dragged into a crisis.

May the Triple Gem bless you!

Karu Jayasuriya

Speaker