Kumaratunga's stand undemocratic and opportunistic, says UNP
[TamilNet, Thursday, 20 January 2005, 11:59 GMT]
President Kumaratunga, seizing the tsunami disaster as an opportunity to extend her presidential term, is behaving in an undemocratic and opportunistic manner, charged the main oppostion United National Party (UNP) Parliamentarian Prof. G.L.Peiris at a press conference held in Sinhala at the Oppositon Leader's residence Thursday. Stating that there is no change in UNP's stand that the Presidential election should be held December 2005, he said relief work need to be carried out independently with full transparency according to workplans agreed with involvement of all parties.
He also charged that the United People Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government is attempting to utilize the funds for its own agenda without involving and initiating discussion with the opposition. The situation at temporary transit camps of the victims is not satisfactory, the UNP parliamentarian added. The tsunami victims are unable to get a clear understanding as UPFA politicians and government officials are expressing incompatible statements on granting relief have further compounded the problems, Prof. Peiris told the media. Relief and reconstruction plans need to be discussed with all parties and descriptive work plans should be evolved as a result of involvement and discussion. He further stressed the need for a coordination mechanism for channelling the aid. He added that the attention to relief service in the Northeast is inadequete. Government has not taken proper responsibility in this regard, Prof Peiris charged.
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