East Container Terminal row: Sirisena role highlighted

COLOMBO: Former President Maithripala Sirisena has opposed the proposed Indian investment at the East Container Terminal (ECT) of the Colombo Port, but he himself agreed to Indian and Japanese investment during discussions with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 11, 2018 in New Delhi, and with the then Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Tokyo on March 14, 2018, The Island quoted “highly placed government sources” as saying.

Former President Sirisena met PM Modi on the sidelines of the First Conference of the International Solar Alliance (ISA). From New Delhi, President Sirisena flew to Japan on the invitation of Prime Minister Abe. President Sirisena returned to Colombo on March 17.

At the time of the tripartite agreement involving Sri Lanka, India and Japan, the SLFP was a partner of the UNP-led administration.

The sources’ revelation came after SLPP MP Sirisena, who is the SLFP leader, recently told the media his party is totally opposed to Indian investment at the ECT.

National Freedom Front (NFF) leader and Cabinet Minister Wimal Weerawansa has requested five political parties, represented in the SLPP government, for urgent talks in case the government decided to go ahead with the Indian investment at the East Container Terminal (ECT), The Island English daily reported.

Well-informed sources told The Island that Minister Weerawansa had explained the need for them to take decisive action if the government submitted a Cabinet paper next week on the ECT deal.

According to the newspaper, sources said that among those who had received invitations for the meeting at Minister Weerawansa’s Colombo residence were PHU leader Udaya Gammanpila MP, LSSP General Secretary Prof. Tissa Vitharana MP, CP General Secretary Dr. G. Weerasinghe, Sri Lanka Mahajana Pakshaya leader Asanka Navaratne and National List MP Tiran Alles.