What with Inspector General of Police (IGP) Pujith Jayasundara and the country’s economy rocking the Yahapalana boat, the cold war that has been brewing between President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has surfaced like never before. Sirisena’s barrage against the IGP last week was contradicted by the Prime Minister’s words of praise supported by UNPers loyal to him. From the Cabinet meeting to the meeting organised by the National Economic Council (NEC) last week, the rift between the President and Prime Minister was abundantly clear to all those gathered on both occasions. While the Prime Minister was engaged in a “one up game” with the President, Sirisena, not to be outdone, decided to take matters into his own hands. He summoned a meeting of the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) Executive Committee where matters pertaining to the electoral system, economic woes, and the future role of the alliance in the Government were discussed at length. It is in this backdrop that a meeting took place between Sirisena and former President Mahinda Rajapaksa. The Sirisena-Rajapaksa meeting was organised by a senior Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) MP S.B. Dissanayake, who this year defected from the Government to the Opposition. The meeting in fact took place at Dissanayake’s residence. Along with Rajapaksa, his siblings – Basil and Gotabaya Rajapaksa – were also present at the meeting. At the outset of the meeting, after exchanging pleasantries, the Rajapaksas raised concerns about the alleged plot to assassinate the President and key members of the Rajapaksa family. The Sunday Morning learns that the Rajapaksas have expressed their concerns over the matter and the manner in which the investigation is being handled. Sirisena has also responded by saying he was concerned and that he wanted a new IGP in order to conduct an effective, impartial inquiry into the matter. The IGP’s statement a few days earlier – that he had more information to reveal and would do so if he was questioned by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) – added to Sirisena’s woes. Sirisena and the Rajapaksa brothers have then discussed the current issues faced by the country’s economy and the future political path of the nation. After a lengthy discussion, the meeting ended on a very cordial note. The mole The President, for the past few weeks, has faced many issues of a personal nature. Key among them was the alleged assassination plot. The next is the issue of a “mole” in the Presidential entourage during the recent New York tour who had released confidential information about Sirisena, his family members, and other VIPs in the delegation. Soon after returning to the country, the Head of the Presidential Security Division (PSD) DIG Rohan Silva lodged a complaint with the Police calling for an inquiry into the publicising of details that threatened the security of the President as well as public peace and security. The complaint raised concerns over the publicising of photographs taken of President Sirisena, his family members, and other members of the delegation at the VIP terminal in Doha, Qatar while in transit on their way to New York on 22 September to attend the 73rd UN General Assembly, along with details of the hotel where the President resided while in the US on a website being operated from the United Kingdom. The website had also listed the room numbers and overseas mobile phone numbers used by the presidential delegation while in New York. The Sunday Morning learns that the CID is currently conducting an inquiry into the matter. Meanwhile, PSD officials got down CCTV footage of the VIP terminal at the Doha Airport to check for the culprit leaking photographs to the website, Lankaenews.com. Upon close monitoring of the CCTV footage, the PSD personnel noticed an individual claiming to be a coordinating secretary to Health Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne clicking several photographs on his mobile phone at the VIP terminal in the Doha Airport. The individual after traveling to New York with the Sri Lankan delegation had also participated in the discussions that had taken place at the United Nations. He travelled aboard Qatar Airways flight number QR655. However, the probe into the matter revealed that the individual is one Wijenayake Malith Isuru residing in Rotumba, Matara according to his national identity card. He resided in Matara about 10 years ago and had later lived on rent in Kumaragewatte Road, Deniya, Jayawadanagama till one-and-a-half months ago. He has now shifted to a residence in Hokandara. The investigators have also uncovered that the individual used seven mobile numbers and further investigations are currently ongoing. New twist in plot Apart from the leaking photographs, lodging details and mobile phone numbers, the woes faced by President Sirisena were far from being over with the latest twist in the assassination plot. The Sunday Morning reliably learns that the CID on Friday (5) sent two light machine guns (LMGs) recovered from TID custody for a full report from the Government Analyst’s Department. It is learnt that the two LMGs were released by the TID without stating any specific reason. An investigation is also being carried out by the CID into a sniper weapon that has gone missing after the TID recovered it in June this year. On 26 June this year, the Police in Oddusudan had taken into custody one Ramiah Vivekanandan along with a cache of arms and ammunition. During the process of the arrest, another individual, Vellasamy Vedambaram alias Atha Kota had escaped. Vivekanandan upon being interrogated by the Police revealed that there was a sniper weapon hidden in a house in Sampur in Trincomalee. Officers from the Mankulam Police had meanwhile arrested Atha Kota on a tip off. A few hours later, several officials from the Terrorism Investigative Division (TID) arrived in Mankulam and took Atha Kota into their custody. The TID personnel then visited the residence of Punyamoorthy Kirubakaran alias Ilachchiyan Master in Sampur with Atha Kota to recover the sniper weapon revealed by Vivekanandan. The TID had recovered the sniper weapon in Ilachchiyan Master’s possession. The TID personnel had claimed that Ilachchiyan Master had escaped during the search operation and remained missing to date. However, it is learnt that Ilachchiyan Master’s wife has lodged a complaint with the Human Rights Commission office in Trincomalee stating that her husband had gone missing. Interestingly, the sniper weapon that was taken into custody by the TID was not listed in its official records and its whereabouts unknown. Hence, the CID is currently probing the missing sniper weapon as well as trying to locate the missing Ilachchiyan Master. The controversy that was launched by the Anti-Corruption Force’s Namal Kumara’s revelation on TID Head DIG Nalaka de Silva’s involvement in an alleged assassination plot of the President and several Opposition VIPs keeps twisting and turning with new disclosures each week. Last week, The Sunday Morning revealed DIG de Silva’s attempt to set up a paramilitary unit within the TID with the IGP’s backing and how it was shot down by the Commandant of the Police Special Task Force (STF) DIG Latheef. Two clear paths Amidst all these revelations, the President seems to be alone in his battle to inquire into the conduct of the IGP and bring about a complete overhaul of the Police force. Last week’s Cabinet meeting was the place Sirisena chose to vent his anger over the whole issue. However, prior to the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, the President, it is learnt, exchanged words with Field Marshal Minister Sarath Fonseka. Sirisena has expressed his anger over the comments made by Fonseka in response to the statement made by the President about his role in the final stages of the war before the Sri Lankan community during his recent visit to New York. Fonseka on the other hand also responded by saying that he had little option but to make a statement following the President’s speech in New York since it portrayed him in a bad light. Sirisena said that then President Mahinda Rajapaksa, then Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa and then Army Commander Sarath Fonseka left the country during the final stages of the war, leaving him (Sirisena) in charge of making the key decisions. Soon after the President’s statement was widely publicised on social media platforms, questions started to pour in from journalists to Fonseka and the Rajapaksas. Fonseka said in response that there was no truth to the President’s remarks in the US. However, the President said that the story was misreported. Nevertheless, the fact remains that the video clip of the statement made by Sirisena before the Sri Lankan community in New York was widely shared by locals as well as international viewers. Be that as it may, after exchanging words with Fonseka, the President walked into a Cabinet meeting where all those seated were anticipating some fireworks. The fireworks that hit the Cabinet were mainly on the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Pujith Jayasundara. Sirisena, after lashing out at the IGP’s conduct, even called his behaviour unbecoming of his post. The President made these accusations after Higher Education Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe raised concerns with regard to the increasing number of crimes in the country. Law and Order Minister Ranjith Madduma Bandara quickly noted that there was a drop in the overall crime rate in the country as highlighted by available statistics despite media reports claiming otherwise. Nevertheless, the President cut in saying that the Police service had deteriorated under the IGP and that immediate steps needed to be taken since the Police Chief’s actions have embarrassed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and himself. Garbage at the Cabinet Next to the President, the other show stealers at last week’s Cabinet meeting were Ministers Mangala Samaraweera and Patali Champika Ranawaka. The two ministers exchanged words over a proposal presented by Ranawaka to the Cabinet. Ranawaka, who holds the Western Province and Megapolis portfolio, requested for funding to set up two project offices in relation to the garbage disposal project being carried out under his ministry. Samaraweera has shot down the proposal asking Ranawaka why one project office could not be set up to coordinate the work. After exchanging a few words, Ranawaka said that the issue of garbage was plaguing the nation and was not a personal issue related to him. He added that all the garbage was now piling on him. SLFP gets aggressive The growing frustration among the SLFP members in the Government, over the continuing tit-for-tat actions taking place within the Coalition Government, has resulted in the party reforms process being expedited. It is in this backdrop that on Monday (1) a group of senior SLFP members met in a hotel in Colombo to discuss the report to be presented to the President, outlining the proposed party reforms. During the discussion, attention was focused on the issues the President has to resolve in his capacity as Party Leader. However, it was unanimously agreed by the SLFPers at the meeting that the party reforms should be carried out according to a time frame. A majority of the SLFP parliamentary group met on Wednesday (3) under President Sirisena’s patronage and emphasised the need for the party to get more involved in the preparation of the 2019 Budget due to be delivered by Finance and Mass Media Minister Mangala Samaraweera on 5 November. It was unanimously agreed by all members at the meeting that the President should be more involved in the 2019 Budget since the country was facing a serious economic crisis. They noted that there was no point in finding fault with the Budget after the UNP presents an economic framework according to their policies without including the proposals of the SLFP. Hence, the SLFP this time is determined to make sure the party members in the Coalition Government have a say in the 2019 Budget. They called on President Sirisena to have a one-on-one with the Prime Minister and call for a meeting between the SLFP and UNP seniors to formulate the 2019 Budget. Meanwhile, on Tuesday (2), constituent parties of the UPFA had sent a letter to the President stating their grievances of being left in the dark with regard to the proposed electoral reforms to be adopted for the provincial council elections. The party leaders requested a meeting with the President to discuss the issue. Seeing the letter sent via fax, Sirisena telephoned UPFA General Secretary Minister Mahinda Amaraweera the following morning (3) and asked him to convene a meeting of the UPFA Executive Committee. However, due to the busy schedules of those supposed to participate at the meeting, the discussion had to be postponed to Thursday (4) evening. The meeting finally took place on Thursday evening under the patronage of President Sirisena. The meeting focused on two main areas of concern – issues faced by the country’s economy and the electoral system to be adopted for the provincial council elections. Dissident SLFP MPs Susil Premajayantha and S.B. Dissanayake presented their long-standing proposal of calling on the SLFP to move out of the Government. The duo have raised concerns over the current economic conditions in the country and claimed that the only option was for the SLFP to distance itself from the current disastrous situation and move out of the Coalition Government. Ministers Nimal Siripala de Silva and Mahinda Amaraweera have immediately responded saying there were no objections among the SLFPers currently in the Government and that they would quit if there was need for such an action. They have explained that the group of SLFPers in the Government, supporting the President, was not part of the Coalition Government due to perks and privileges of holding ministerial posts. They noted that it was by holding several portfolios in the Government that they managed to address issues faced by the party membership. “We can quit; then what?” was the question posed to Dissanayake and Premajayantha. Afterwards, it was decided to appoint a committee comprising Mahinda Amaraweera, Rohana Lakshman Piyadasa, Duminda Dissanayake, S. B. Dissanayake, Susil Premajayantha, and Dinesh Gunawardena to discuss and present a report covering the key issues discussed at the meeting and to submit proposals to the UPFA Executive Committee within 14 days. The committee is to deliberate and propose the alliance’s stance on the electoral system and solutions to address the current economic woes. Namal to London Former presidential progeny, MP Namal Rajapaksa continues to steal the limelight in the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP). In the absence of Basil Rajapaksa, the key strategist of the SLPP Namal took over the role of becoming the face of the party at the grassroots level. Upon Basil’s return to the country, the organising mechanism of the SLPP lined up once again with him. Namal was on Friday (5) London bound in a bid to expand his propaganda work for the SLPP to international heights. He would be accompanied by Opposition MPs Dullas Alahapperuma and Udaya Gammanpila. The three MPs are expected to address the inaugural meeting for SLPP’s London branch. Namal, it seems, is looking at gaining recognition among the Sri Lankan expatriates as the Crown Prince.