He said, “The government is spreading an opinion in society that there will be no election next year. They say that there will be no election for another two years. They are trying to form such an opinion because they do not have votes and know they will lose if an election is held. It is confirmed that spreading the word that there is no election is to avoid defeat. The Ranil Wickramasinghe government is afraid of public opinion, the declaration of public opinion. Therefore, they are using all the methods to try to prevent and stop the declaration of public opinion.
Why don’t they hold the local government election? The current public opinion will be known if the local government elections are held. It will be possible to know the extent of the people’s will towards the government. The National People’s Power will definitely have great power. Ranil Wickramasinghe and his henchmen will definitely lose. That’s why the local government elections are not held. It is totally anti-democratic.
Now, the government has submitted a bill on the security of online systems to the Parliament – the Online Security Act. This bill is also brought to prevent the publication of people’s opinions. Not only in our country but also in the world, people’s opinion is not limited to traditional media but is spread through social media. It is difficult for the government to control it. In it, opinions against the government, opinions revealing the truth of the government, and opposition opinions appear. In the past, the main media lied as much as possible on behalf of the government. Sterile stories and doctors who sterile people were created through media. Later, it was revealed that they were false. No investigation was conducted. The main media spread hatred among the people. When these are questioned through social media when the nakedness of the government is exposed, it is disadvantageous for the government, and the government tries to prevent social media.
Of course, fake news is published through this social media, and sometimes wrong ideas are socialized. But the government is not going to prevent it. Instead, it is trying to prevent anti-government views by leaving out anything disadvantageous to the government. In the recent past, government groups, who were paid salaries, created a large number of fake accounts to spread canards in society. A Mahinda Rajapaksa’s group used these fake accounts to spread false opinions. Even now, a group is getting paid to publish lies. The authorities are afraid to see genuine public opinion being spread among the people. Therefore, the Online Security Bill has been brought, and efforts are being made to prevent the expression of public opinion.
Also, they are trying to bring a new terrorism bill. They are trying to bring it to prevent opposition to the government. The Anti-Terrorism Bill is being brought in to prevent public opinion from being democratically expressed through the coercion of protests on the highway. If that bill is brought, forcing the government to do or not do something will be turned into an act of terrorism. This government has become a government that fears the people and public opinion. They cannot win the masses. The people who have experienced 75 years of this destructive administration have left the political forces that ruled this country aside and joined alternative political movements. It is for this reason that a campaign is being carried out to spread the view that the upcoming presidential election will not be held. They say that instead of holding the presidential election, they will work to abolish the executive presidency through the constitution or a constitutional amendment. Then, the executive power is transferred to the Parliament. When the executive system is abolished, there is no need to hold a presidential election. Through the transfer of powers to the Parliament, those powers will last until 2025. Therefore, they are spreading the view that there will be no elections for another two years. We believe it will happen differently than they like.
The struggle to abolish the executive system has been in society since the beginning of the executive system. We, as the JVP and many in our country, stood against the executive presidential system, which creates an undemocratic dictator. There were many occasions when political parties that ruled our country to deceive the people agreed to abolish the executive system. In 1994, Mrs. Chandrika Kumaratunga promised to abolish the executive system before July 15, 1995, but she didn’t.
Ranil Wickramasinghe, Mahinda Rajapaksa promised. But they didn’t. They all promise to abolish the executive system when out of power. After taking the power, instead of abolishing it, they increased the power. During the probationary government in 2001, we intervened and passed the 17th amendment, which reduced the executive power. As soon as Mahinda Rajapaksa came to power, he brought the 18th amendment and again increased the power of the executive President. They brought the 18th amendment, and the opportunity to contest for the presidency only twice for one person was changed so that a person could contest for the presidency any number of times. Again, we brought the 19th amendment and reduced the power of the President to some extent. After Gotabaya Rajapaksa came, the 20th amendment was brought, and those powers were taken back. Every time Rajapaksas came to power, they worked not to abolish executive powers but to increase those powers.
Why are Rajapaksas, who have acted like this, suddenly working to abolish these powers? In the next presidential election, the Rajapaksa will lose drastically. They don’t even have a candidate to present in the presidential election. Therefore, it is necessary to avoid the presidential election without facing it. According to the constitution, elections cannot be postponed. As such, they say they will choose to abolish the executive powers, transfer the power to the Parliament and rule by the Parliament. A referendum must be held for the abolition of executive powers. In that referendum, we all have to abide by it.
We agree to abolish the executive presidential system. A new constitution has to be brought, not a constitutional amendment. There are a number of problems associated with the executive system. Even if a new constitution is brought, if the executive powers are transferred to this parliament, this council of ministers, and this prime minister, the people of this country will not agree to it. This government is a government rejected by the majority of the people. This government has no mandate. It is an anti-people government. Transferring the powers of the executive President to such a parliament would not be fair at all. It is against the will of the people. We emphasize to the government and the people that if an amendment is brought to abolish the executive presidential system, there should be a proposal to dissolve this parliament as soon as the amendment is passed. At the same time, a new parliament should be formed by popular vote. It should be a Parliament elected by popular vote. This parliament was elected when there was an executive president. This parliament has not been voted for a parliament with executive powers. If the executive powers are transferred to this parliament, the parliament should be a parliament appointed by the people with that understanding.
If the Ranil-Rajapaksa regime tries to wriggle through loopholes in the constitution, does not hold the presidential election, takes over the powers of this corrupt, mandateless parliament and tries to run it for two more years, it will not happen. This parliament should be abolished. We will not help a referendum that is brought without that happening. If so, it won’t win. The government will have to go to a presidential or general election after losing the referendum.
The government has to choose between the two measures. One is to hold the presidential election, or if there is no presidential election, the general election should be held next year. Otherwise, we will not allow this parliament without a mandate to take over the powers. We say to the people, don’t be fooled by the government stalwarts’ opinion that there will be no elections next year. There will definitely be an election next year. The presidential election is coming as scheduled. If the presidential system is to be abolished somehow, a referendum should be held and won. The referendum must be won with the condition of holding a general election. By going to a general election, the public will be able to form a government of their choice. That government gets the ability to form a government with executive powers. That government can change the country and move forward.
We ask the rulers not to play with the mandate. The local government elections have been postponed, and the provincial councils are not being held. In that way, the people may think that other elections too can be postponed. But that cannot be done. There are provisions in those constitutions with the ability to run those institutions without holding local government elections. They could do it by appointing special commissioners. There are provisions in the constitution to run provincial councils without elections. However, the parliament does not have such provisions. The President does not have either. Presidential elections and parliamentary elections must be held. The only thing they can do is to abolish the executive presidential system and avoid facing the presidential election. It can be done with the will of the people. Elections must be held next year. This government has only ten more months to exist. If there is a presidential election, the National People\u2019s Power will definitely win. We will not keep this parliament after that victory. There will be an election. Maintaining the illegal and anti-people ruling power through political conspiracies is impossible. We tell the people not to worry about the opinions spread by the rulers. Keep up the good work. Get organized. We assure you that next year will be the year to end this evil regime.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/lankatruth.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Harini-com.-Tilvin.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n