Terrorism

Dona Kathirina betrays the nation

Chandrika is scheming for the great betrayal of the nation

Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga has vowed to resurrect her ethnic peace plan which suffered a major vote setback in parliament, officials said Saturday. Kumaratunga's plan seeks to turn the country into a de facto federal state within two months of the next elections that must be held by October 10.

"We will never abandon the new constitution," Chandrika Kumaratunga told national television, adding that she wanted a new parliament after elections due by October to act as a constituent assembly to approve the proposed new constitution.

Chandrika's problem is compounded by the fact that the Opposition United National Party (UNP) and the newly-formed Sinhala Urumaya have rallied round the Maha Sangha, sensing possibility of using the influence of the clergy at the village level to rake in votes. So far, Ms Kumaratunga has not directly plunged into the task of getting the Sangha over to her side, but the appointment of Mr Ratnasiri Wickramanayake as the PM and his being received by the Mahanayakes of Malwatte and Asigiriya in Kandy, have created a line of communication between her and the prelates.

But there is a catch here. The Mahanayakes have not openly come out with a pro-devolution statement yet. Another worrying factor is the Malwatte Maha-nayake's alleged refusal to see Mr S B Dissanayake, the general secretary of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), Ms Kumaratunga's party and the main constituent of the ruling Peoples' Alliance

The Ven. Madihe Pannasiha Maha Nayake thera called on the nation to forget party differences and unite to avert this disaster which will mean the demise of this country, the Buddha Sasana and an ancient civilisation.
What would be the result, he asked.
"The north/east will be the 'nija bhumiya' (homeland) of the Tamils; the south will be their 'weda bhumiya' (workplace) and for the Sinhalese it will all be a 'susana bhumiya' (burial ground)" he said.

"The final hour has come for all Buddhists to rise and protest this so-called new constitution," -Ven. Athuraliye Rathana

"This is not a protest where we want to commit suicide. This is a sacrifice of life for the greater good of our people." -Ven. Tebuwana Piyananda.

• Chandrika's method is undemocratic: Wickremesinghe- (Indiaabroad - 28/08/00).
• Reforms in Sri Lanka on the backburner - (Economic Times - 27/08/00).
• Sri Lanka to introduce fresh Constitution Bill, says PM-(The Hindustan Times 27/08/00).
• Fears of violence in Sri Lanka -Vigilance required as election looms (BBC -23/08/00).
• Sri Lankan monks fear blood-splattered polls (123India - 23/08/00)
• Chandrika walks tightrope on issue of Buddhist monks- (Hindustan Times - 23/08/00)
• Kumaratunga to quit politics after strife ends (Times of India - 22/08/00).
• Sihala Urumaya recognized (PRIU - 22/08/00)
• Chandrika's bid to 'impose' new Statute flayed (The Hindu - 21/08/00)
• Sri Lanka poll campaign off to violent start (123india-21/08/00).
• UNP to oppose plans for a Constituent Assembly (The Hindu - 21/08/00)
• 'Next Sri Lankan Parliament will be a Constituent Assembly' (The Hindu - 20/08/00)
• Buddhist clergy says it will guard voters' rights (Times of India - 20/08/00).
• President talks with Mahanayake Thera (PRIU - 18/08/00).
• Sri Lanka in bid to revive 'gerrymandering' bill (123India - 17/08/00).
• Sihala Urumaya to link with MEP (PRIU - 17/08/00).
• Prime Minister assures the status of Buddhism (PRIU - 16/08/00).
• Lanka's opposition blasts Indian diplomats (Times of India - 16/08/00).
• Kumaratunga in trouble as monks go on the warpath (Times of India - 16/08/00).
• Malwatte Nayaka Thera wants all groups to unite to thwart future attempts to pass draft (The Island - 15/08/00)
• New Sri Lanka PM to mend fences with monks after bill fiasco (123India - 15/08/00).
• Letter sent to the High Commissioner for Sri Lanka in the UK by the Sri Lanka Association of Britain on the RanaViru Seva Authority (14/08/00)
• Sirimavo was forced to leave: Anura (123India - 14/08/00).
• Curtains for Sri Lanka's mother-and-daughter political union (123India - 14/08/00).
• New Sri Lankan PM hopes to convince monks (The Hindu - 14/08/00)
• Death fast monk vows political campaign to defeat reform bill (123India - 14/08/00).
• New Sri Lankan PM woos Buddhist clergy (The Hindu - 14/08/00)
• Mixed response to Chandrika's constituent assembly proposal (Hindustan Times - 14/08/00)
• Chandrika firm on new statute (Ther Hindu - 13/08/00).
• Chandrika plans to convert Parliament into constituent assembly (Hindustan Times - 13/08/00).
• "We will never abandon the new constitution"- (ABC News - 12/08/00).
  
• Ill-fated 'operation buy-off MPs' (The Island -13/08/00)
• Match-fixing and constitution-fixing (The Sunday Island -13/08/00).
• New draft Constitution only after consulting Mahanayake Theras - PM (The Island - 13/08/00).
• Sri Lankan monks call for more oppostion (Asianage - 13/08/00).
• Lanka panel to review draft statute (The Times of India - 13/08/00).
• Chief prelates of the four Nikayas vow to fast against any separatist bill -(The Island -11/08/00)
• Two-thirds majority required - Mahinda- (The Island - 12/08/00).
• Sri Lanka leader vows statute reforms in two months-(123India News - 12/08/00).
• New constitution after polls: Kumaratunga - (Times of India - 12/08/00).
• Chandrika sets deadline for UNP on Bill- (The Hindu - 12/08/00).
• "Terrorism will have to be wiped out militarily," New PM Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka (The Hindu -11/08/00).
• Chief prelates of the four Nikayas vow to fast against any separatist bill -(The Island -11/08/00).
• Effort to Halt Sri Lankan Civil War Stalls- (Washington Post - 11/08/00)
• A betrayal of the nation - ACML- (The Island - 10/08/00)
• To accommodate UNP traitors who will betray nation for money, houses - SU- (The Island - 10/08/00)
• Sri Lanka tension mounts as reform vote delayed (123India - 08/08/00)
• Monks vow to keep up death fast (123India - 08/08/00)
• Bombers of Buddhist monks get instant justice (123India - 07/08/00)
• Sri Lanka attack targets opponents of constitution (VNY - 08/08/00)
• Mahinda Rajapakse flays Electoral Reforms Bill (The Hindu - 07/08/00)
• Sri Lanka Government starts a campaign of terror on unarmed clergy and civilians as CBK's PA Government thugs attack "National Council of Buddhists"
• Thousands of monks protest new constitution
• MEP distance itself from PA, vows to fight reforms
• The controversial bill on the new draft constitution
• Liberal leader objects to ethnic enclaves
• The essentials of constitution-making
• Mahanayakes say no to CBK (Sunday Times - 06/08/00)
• War of votes on reforms Bill (Sunday Times - 06/08/00)
• Parliament like fortress: armed forces on alert (Sunday Times - 06/08/00)
• Jittery MPs take five-star cover (Sunday Times - 06/08/00)
• Reforms unhealthy say government doctors (Sunday Times - 06/08/00)
• I am in danger says Vasudeva (Sunday Times - 06/08/00)
• Chandrika confident new statute bill will be passed (Asian Age - 05/08/00).
• New, Tamil-Friendly Constitution for Sri Lanka? (New York Times - 05/08/00).
• Sri Lanka offers rebels autonomy (AAS - 05/08/00).
• Political turmoil over Lankan constitution bill (Rediff - 05/08/00).
• Sri Lanka proposes concession to Tamils (Boston Globe - 05/08/00).
• Opposition jeers greet president's speech (The Island - 05/08/00)
• Sri Lanka drops democracy, socialism from new statute (AFP/123India - 05/08/00).
• Country will not be divided: Chandrika (Asian Age - 05/08/00).
• What the Constitution Bill says (The Hindu - 05/08/00)
• UNP to boycott Constitution debate (Hindustan Times - 05/08/00).
• Sri Lanka peace bid bogged down in numbers game (AFP/123India - 05/08/00)
• Marxists, monks block traffic against reform bill (AFP/123India - 04/08/00).
• Sri Lanka president seeks Tiger views on peace plan (123India - 04/08/00).
• Protests greet Sri Lanka's political reforms (Reuters/ABC News - 04/08/00).
• Lanka to be federal in all but name (Hindustan Times - 04/08/00).
• UNP formally pulls out of reform deal (AFP/123India - 03/08/00).
• Sri Lanka's new constitution faces supreme court challenge (AFP/123India - 03/08/00).
• Buddhism given foremost place under new Constitution (PRIU - 03/08/00)
• Sanghas urge MPs not to vote in favour of draft bill (PRIU - 03/08/00).
• Minority parties happy with Draft Constitution (PRIU - 03/08/00)
• Colombo ignores monks protest, sends statute Bill to SC (The Hindu - 02/08/00)
• Chandrika trying to win over key monks on reforms (Times of India - 02/08/00)
• Sri Lanka cabinet approves constitutional reforms (Reuters/ABC News - 01/08/00)
• Lankan monks warn of division (Times of India - 01/08/00)
• Monks on war path as Sri Lanka pushes reform plan (AFP/123India - 02/08/00)
• New Lankan Constitution for north, east regional councils (Asian Age - 02/08/00)
• Sri Lanka President in Talks with Tiger leader: report (AFP/123India - 01/08/00)
• Sri Lanka at political cross-roads as monks mount pressure (AFP/123India - 31/07/00)
• Politicians claim citizenship pact for 2 lakh Tamils (Times of India - 25/07/00)
• Interim Council - 'A joke' (The Island - 18/07/00)
• Kumaratunga's reforms are a sell-out: Sinhalese -(Times of Iindia - 14/07/00)