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Suspension Of Sri Lanka Parliament Triggers More Turmoil
COLOMBO, July 11 (News Agencies) - Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga came under scathing attacks on Wednesday, both from the opposition and her own party, for suspending parliament to prevent the collapse of her government.
Kumaratunga halted parliament at midnight to avoid a no-confidence vote against her shaky coalition and called a nationwide referendum on a new constitution that could possibly alter the electoral system.
The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress, which defected last month from the ruling coalition and thus ended its majority rule in parliament, described Kumaratunga's two-month suspension of parliament as "devious and unethical."
Political sources said several cabinet ministers had questioned the legality of the move as the constitution prohibits any referendum to amend, alter or adopt a new statute by bypassing the national parliament.
Although seemingly valid, in the current political context Kumaratunga's decision was undertaken "with an ulterior motive, to overcome the consequences of a no-confidence motion," said retired Supreme Court judge K.M.M.B. Kulatunga.
He added that the presidential order could not be challenged because of the legal immunity Kumaratunga enjoyed, but a "writ of prohibition" could be obtained to stop the elections commissioner from conducting a referendum.
Kulatunga said the government had not specified the form of the proposed new constitution and said calling a referendum on a non-existing statute was like "putting the cart before the horse."
Parliament could still impeach the president if it musters a two-thirds majority, which no party enjoys on its own in the present assembly.
Ruling party politicians said Kumaratunga faced a stormy session of her cabinet Wednesday as rifts emerged. However, a government statement said the cabinet unanimously approved her surprise move.
The United National Party (UNP), the main opposition, condemned Kumaratunga's sudden decision to suspend parliament for two months and vowed a united campaign to "restore democracy."
"This is a most deplorable move that has sought to suspend democracy," a UNP spokesman said, as the party called a crisis meeting of all opposition political parties and professional groups to be held on Friday.
Kumaratunga's move to effectively cripple parliament came after the opposition presented a petition to Speaker Anura Bandaranaike on Tuesday calling for the vote against the government to be taken on July 18.
The no-confidence motion was the first time the opposition had flexed its new majority in the 225-member assembly, where the PA was reduced to a four-seat minority on June 20 when seven legislators from the main Muslim party defected.
The opposition has 115 seats against Kumaratunga's 109 - the first time in Sri Lanka's parliamentary history a minority government has clung onto power.
Even if the government had fallen after the no-confidence vote, Kumaratunga would remain as head of state and chief executive until November 2005, since she is elected directly by voters and is not a member of parliament.
"We received the news of the prorogation of the parliament with a rude shock of utter disregard for democratic norms in civilized society exhibited by the president," the Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization said.
"This proposed referendum is a joke," said party spokesman Abbo Yussuf. "It is the political joke of the new millennium."
In turn, the moderate Tamil United Liberation Front accused the president of taking a "highly ridiculous step."
Last week, the government allowed an 18-year-old state of emergency to lapse rather than risk a vote in parliament for the mandatory monthly extension of the measures.
Instead, Kumaratunga enacted similarly tough anti-terrorism laws.
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