Friday Forum expresses grave concerns on opposition’s role and responsibility

The role and responsibility of the opposition

I write on behalf of The Friday Forum, comprising a group of concerned citizens who have been meeting frequently, giving thought as to how they could help in accelerating socioeconomic development, ensuring good governance and addressing the national question.

The Friday Forum

2, Greenlands Avenue,

Colombo 5, Sri Lanka

E-Mail; [email protected]

Telephone; 0773634444

Fax; 2504181

 

17 March 2011



Ranil Wickremesinghe Esq.

Leader of the Opposition,

Office of the Leader of the Opposition - Sri Lanka Parliament,

Parliamentary Complex,

Sri Jayawardenapura, Kotte.

Dear Mr. Wickremesinghe,

The Friday Forum wishes to express its grave concerns regarding the political strategy and stance of opposition parties especially in regard to boycotting Parliament and Parliamentary Committees.

In Sri Lanka, the accepted method to change governments is by voting at elections. We expect the losing parties to recognise they are vital parts of Government machinery, and constitute the channel through which different views are articulated in a civilised manner and recorded in Hansard (when the articulation is in Parliament) and in the electronic and print media. We do not expect other considerations to affect matters of national importance and we are concerned when such distractions are offered by either the ruling party or those in opposition.

Recently there have been instances where the opportunities for engagement with Government on behalf of those who have views different from those of the ruling party have been tragically lost. The most worrying example was the absence from the debate on the 18th Amendment when very important matters were discussed and became law – the most significant of these being the removal of limitation on the number of terms the President may appear for election, and other amendments relating to the independence of high-ranking appointees.

There, was thus no record in Hansard of the views of the main opposition party. Consequentially, opposition nominees on the group appointing for example the Human Rights Commission were absent. It is a matter of concern there has not been any forcefully articulated opposition view on the non-appointment of various other commissions.

We believe physical presence and engagement of the opposition is necessary so that we know with what it finds acceptable and agrees, and with what proposals of government it disagrees. Some observers gain the impression that non-participation on certain occasions is a reflection of petulance or some kind of infighting; others ascribe it to simple lack of a sense of responsibility to the voters who sent the MPs to Parliament.

Furthermore, it disquiets us that we do not hear protest from opposition about MPs’ car permit regulations, about MPs’ pensions, or even about MPs having an allocation to send children to selected schools. On these matters, which affect personal facilities of MPs, there seems to be ‘cohabitation’.

The Friday Forum considers it pertinent to ask that if those who disagree with the Government are denied their right of being heard through elected representatives and other legitimate channels, what other avenues are available for forcing the Government to at least listen to and debate matters of urgent national interest?

We trust these concerns will be noted and seriously addressed.



Yours sincerely,

 Jayantha Dhanapala

On behalf of The Friday Forum, the Group of Concerned Citizens consisting of:

Jayantha Dhanapala, Professor Arjuna Aluwihare, Suriya Wickramasinghe, Ahilan Kadirgarmar, Lanka Nesiah, Dhamaris Wickramasekera, J.C. Weliamuna, Dr. A. C. Visvalingam, Dr. Jayampathy Wickramaratne, Dr. Cameena Gunaratne, Dr. S. Sivakumaran, Dr. Deepika Udagama, Sithie Tiruchelvam, Professor Siri Hettige, Shanthi Dias, Dr. Selvy Thiruchandran, Professor Ranjinie Obeysekera, Professor Gananath Obeysekera, Daneshan Casie Chetty, Mahen Dayananda, Dr. Devanesan Nesiah, Suresh de Mel, Chandra Jayaratne.