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Lanka's President Decides Not to Seek Re-election

Harold Pieris writes from Colombo
***Mr Wijetunga proved to be a weak leader with no vision for the country and no control over his own party's machinery***
IN a surprise move — which some analysts . believe was a wise one — Sri Lankan President D B Wijetunga. 73. has announced lie would not be a candidate when the country holds presidential elections on 9 Nov.
Mr Wijetunga’s decision to bow out of politics caught Sri Lankans by surprise for the widespread view was that the incumbent was only waiting for a suitable time to announce his re-election campaign.
The speculation was fuelled by the President's decision to advance the Sri Lanka Expo '94, originally scheduled for 25-30 Oct to 18-23 Oct. Thus, there were many who believed that 24 Oct would be an auspicious day for the incumbent to make an announcement, which everyone assumed was his reelection bid.
Mr Wijetunga’s announcement has thrown open the 9 Nov presidential race — the third to be held in Sri Lanka to choose an executive president. Nominations for the election will be accepted 7 Oct.
Many analysts think the in-cunilx-nt chief executive made
the right decision In declining to run for re-election.
Dingiri Banda Wijetunga became Sri Lankan President I may 1993 when his predecessor, Ramaslnghe Premadasa, was killed in a bomb explosion. Mr.Wijetunga was just completing the late Mr Prema-dasa’s term of office and was supposed to be running for the position of President for the first time 9 Nov.
But Mr Wijetunga proved to be a weak leader with no vision for the country. He could not control his own party’s machinery and lost the Southern Province Council elections in March this year. His latest misfortune was when his party lost in the 16 Aug Parliamentary elections and Chandrika Bankdaraaike Kumaranatunga of the opposition People’s Alliance (PA) triumphed and became Prime Minister.
Premier Kumaranatunga. 49. and her party favoured the abolition of the powerful executive system. But now PA is fielding Ms Kumaranatunga as its presidential candidate. With PA holding only a very slim majority in Parliament, they are keen to win the'
presidential elections.
Sri Lanka's President is all powerful and can dissolve Parliament, appoint or dismiss any Minister and is head of the Armed Forces. It is vital for the PA to win his this post before making any moves to abolish or amend its terms of reference. Besides, there is very little time left to effect the abolition.
The scheduled presidential election will cost Sri Lanka 400 million rupees (about US$100 million), one reason why there is broad support for the PA's desire to have just one system of governmental elections.
Following Mr Wijetunga’s announcement, the right-wing and ruling United National Party (UNP). to which the incumbent belongs, announced its choice of Lionel Gamini Dissanayake. 52. as its presr-dential candidate in Noyember.
A lawyer. Mr Dissanayake
has accepted the UNP nomination declaring "every defeat is a challenge to me”.
The UNP nominee, who was -formerly Minister of Lands. Irrigation and the Mahawelln River Development Scheme, is known to be a good strategist and a technocrat. He first Joined Parliament in 1970 as one of its -youngest members or MP. After regaining his seat in Parliament, which he lost in 1971 over an election protest, he was appointed head of Sri Lanka's massive Mahaweli River Development Scheme and later helped formulate the Indo-Lanka Accord in 1987 in a bid to resolve a prickly ethnic conflict.
Mr Dissanayake was aspirant to the presidency in 1988 when the late Mr Premadasa was nominated. He served in the later President's Cabinet soon clashed with the chief executive resulting in the loss of his ministerial post. Later, with colleague Lalith Athulathmudali, he attempted to oust Mr Premadasa. Following this unsuccessful campaign, the two MPa. left UNP and formed the Democratic National Front.
He rejoined the UNP after Mr Premadasa's death, on the invitation of President Wijetunga. and was re-ap-pointed a Minister. Mr Dissanayake's wife, who is also a lawyer, is a member of the Central Provincial Council.
At the last parliamentary election. Mr Dissanayake topped preference votes in the central Province, receiving 198.000 Votes. It was a spectacular performance consider-
ing that the UNP was k>slng.
Despite this accomplishment. analysts doubt Mr Dissanayake's ability to defeat Ms Kumaranatunga. who has fared extremely well in her first few weeks as Prime Minister.
Ms Kumaranatunga has assured Sri Lankans the open economic polices would continue, foreign and local investors would be welcomed, exports will be stepped up and the private sector would be the principal engine of growth.In reality, she is continuing the right-wing UNP policies and this had allayed the fears of the business sector
In a speech to the business community, she said. "There are no plans for the nationalizations or expropriation of private property, whether domestic or foreign. All bilateral investment protection agreements and relevant international conventions will be honoured. No restrictions will be placed on the repatriation of dividends and capital. The foreign exchange liberalizations measures already implemented will continue and will be improved upon.
"Private foreign Investment, both direct and portfolio, will be ’strongly encouraged through the provision of appropriate incentives, because domestic savings are inadequate to generate the investment needed for rapid development”.
She stressed foreign investment would be encouraged to fund infrastructure development in the country. She is aiming for an eight per cent growth in gross domestic product (GDP).
Ms Kumaranatunga has also won over the support of the Tamil parties Including the plantation Indian Tamil groups . by her prompt attempts to re-
solve the ethnic or Tamil problem. She is trying lo end the war with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam which has been raging for 12 years and has cost 30.000 lives.
She has Immediately lifted the economic embargo on 28 products being transported to the country's northern part and eased the economic hardship in the area somewhat.
The Tigers in return has released 10 policemen they were holding captives. They have promised to release all soldiers in captivity if the embargo on all 70 items is lifted. But Ms Kumaranatunga is taking her time bearing in mind the Tigers past record.
She has promised to restore electricity to the north soon and has appointed a Ministerial Task Force to work out the rehabilitation of the ■war-ravaged north and east.
The ground work is now being prepared to for talks with the Tigers who have already named four members of the negotiating panel.
However the new government is being vigilant. There would be no relaxation of the military positions even if talks commqpce anq no ceasefire as requested by the Tigers.
Government sources also caution not to expect quick so-l^itions. They are aware negotiations would be protracted.
The new governments is also trying to work out a safe route for civilian traffic between the north and south and has promised to allow about 100,000 Tamil Catholics to come to Colombo, for the Rope's visit in January 1995.
But with the hopes of the Tamil Parties lifted, votes are bound to go to the premier at the presidential election, giving her a definite edge over Mr Dissanayake
— Depthnews Asia