He said it was essential to set up the independent commissions as required by the 17th Amendment.

Mr. Jayasuriya who was a former UNP deputy leader told a news conference that appointments and promotions given to government sycophants had led to the present mess and muddle. “These sycophants are misusing and abusing their powers and today we see one law for government supporters and another for those in the opposition,” he said.

Referring to the forthcoming provincial council elections, Mr. Jayasuriya said on the one hand the government was spending a huge amount of money to hold the elections while on the other hand it was taking loans from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to prop up the economy.

“What is more essential is for the people in the North to exercise their franchise and not to hold elections in areas where they are not needed,” he said and added that the government should discuss matters with democratically elected MPs and resolve the national question without wasting time and money.

Mr. Jayasuriya warned that if the democratic rights of the Northern people were suppressed there was a chance of another Prabhakaran or Pottu Amman emerging.

He said the UNP had no faith in the government holding free and fair elections.

Source: Daily Mirror - Sri Lanka