[ The signing of the MoU]
The translated text of the opposition common candidate Maithripala Sirisena singed with Venerable Omalpe Sobitha Thera of the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU).
Agreement signed between the leader of the Jathika Hela Urumaya Ven Omalpe Sobitha Thera and the Common candidate Maithripala Sirisena
As Sri Lanka in 2015 will reach an important milestone in the country’s history with its presidential election;
As the country’s administration is today cankered with power hunger, injustice, corruption, chicanery and deception;
As society, the economy and the environment are being destroyed due to exploitation by a small, privileged fraction;
As the country has an urgent need of social, economic and environmental reforms;
As the most pressing need of the hour is to reinforce the democratic institutions and other decision-making bodies and reinstate good governance;
We agree that the following political reforms must be implemented within hundred days after the presidential election.
1. Constitutional reforms pertaining to Executive Presidency, the electoral process, and Good Governance must be implemented through a national consensus in parliament.
2. In keeping with those reforms, the executive powers of the president will be removed with no impact on national security or territorial integrity. It is proposed to have a stable government which reflects thinking of the majority of the public, a strong Opposition and an electoral process that will include a first-past-the-post system at the electorate level.”
3. Agree to pass an Act on Right to Information to ensure that people have the right to know anything regarding development and finance of the country excluding matters pertaining to national security.
4. The following commissions will be instituted through the Constitution: an Independent Judicial Commission to ensure that all appointments to the judiciary are independent; an audit commission that is independent and strong; an anti-corruption commission to detect and punish technical, administrative and financial corruption, an Election Commission to be established through the Constitution to ensure that no candidate will misuse power during elections and to hold fair and independent elections.
5. Agree that the above mentioned Constitutional amendments will make no changes to the existing Constitution regarding the Unitary Status of the state and in regard to the Buddha Sasanaya and other religious institutions.
6. We agree to work against attempts to take action by any foreign war tribunal against the President as the chief of the armed forces for his actions in combating terrorism in Sri Lanka.
7. A Presidential Commission will be instituted to investigate into large scale cases of corruption, chicanery and misuse of power in implementing development projects. All citizens will be allowed to send written complaints. In the first three months of the commission, legal action will be instituted against those who have been involved in major cases of corruption and punished.
8. An economic policy to reduce the cost of living, reinforce free education and free health services, to eradicate narcotics and other forms of abuse, to increase the Government’s income, to encourage and support export of minor crops and to improve small and medium scale businesses, to encourage permanent agriculture, to rejuvenate the plantation sector, to create equal opportunities in the finance and commerce sector, will be drawn up.
9. The Jathika Hela Urumaya offers its assurance that the party will work for the victory of common candidate Maithripala Sirisena based on the above mentioned agreements.
10. In order to realize the above mentioned, short term political goals, a national common alliance government will be formed, and all ministerial positions will be distributed among all parties in parliament for a specified time frame. After achieving the above mentioned goals, and after the necessary amendments are implemented regarding the executive presidency, the electoral process and regarding good governance, we agree to hold a fair general election which will allow every party to contest on equal terms, keeping to the policies of each party.”
[The translated courtesy of the Sunday Times]