S.Lankan Coalition Government's Destiny Hangs in Balance

Destiny of Sri Lanka's ruling People's Alliance (PA) government now hangs in balance as the country's leftist JVP or People's Liberation Front has decided to let the lawmakers in the Parliament to decide on how they will vote for the no-confidence motion against the shaky government.

"The central committee empowered our 10 MPs to decide on how they will vote," said Wimal Weerawansa, parliamentary group leader of JVP, after the party held a 10-hour meeting that ended on Sunday morning.

The war-torn country experienced a political turmoil last week when Rauf Hakeem, leader of the main Muslim party, the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), decided to quit the government on Wednesday hours after he was sacked by President Chandrika Kumaratunga.

Following the October parliamentary elections last year, Hakeem was appointed by Kumaratunga the minister of internal and international trade and commerce, Muslim religious affairs and shipping development in the 46-member cabinet, the largest one in the history of the small island country.

Hakeem became a king maker helping the PA successfully form a coalition government as the PA won only 107 seats in the 225- member Parliament in the elections, short of 113-seat simple majority required to form a single party government.

However, his discord with the government surfaced shortly after he was given the portfolio when he issued an ultimatum to the government for the establishment of four independent commissions for elections, police, the public service and the judiciary within 100 days or his party would quit the government. But fortunately that did not occur so soon.

Explaining the reason for removal of Hakeem from his post, Kumaratunga said that he violated the principle of collective responsibilities of cabinet ministers and posed as a threat to the national unity with too much demand.

Hakeem hit back against his dismissal by announcing on the same day the departure of his SLMC from the government, reducing it to a minority in the Parliament.

To make the political situation in the country worse, the main opposition United National Party which has 89 seats in the Parliament submitted a no-confidence motion against the government two days later. The UNP complained that the government cannot solve the pressing problem of the country and its people.

With its 109 seats in the Parliament, four short of the required 113-seat simple majority for its survival, the support of JVP is of life and death importance to the government.

Facing the possible collapse of her government, Kumaratunga, the all-power president in the country, expressed her confidence that none can topple the government.

"The government has sufficient power today, as it had in 1994. Whoever quit this government we will not step down until the majority of the people ask us to do so," she said Saturday at a foundation stone laying ceremony for a hospital in Nittambuwa near capital Colombo.

She added that alternative means has already been found to strengthen the power of the government but she did not elaborate what alternatives she had in her mind.

The constitution of the country stipulates that a government is allowed to be dissolved one year after the general elections, therefore Kumaratung still has sufficient time to woo support from certain parties in favor of the government in the no-confidence vote due to take place next month.

The SLMC has not decided its stance on the no-confidence vote against the government and four of its members from the National Unity Alliance remain loyal to the government. The Tamil rebel turned Eelam People's Democratic Party, another PA partner, has also assured its support for the government.

Despite the change of balance in the political strength, observers say that Kumaratunga's government might be able to survive the no-confidence vote.






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