COLOMBO: The United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA), whose centrepiece in the election campaign for the Aug 17 parliamentary elections is Mahinda Rajapaksa, released its manifesto in the presence of the former Sri Lankan president on Tuesday.
In his speech Mr Rajapaksa said he was ready to lead a drive to avert a looming international war crimes investigation against the country’s armed forces for alleged excesses committed during the 2009 operation against the Tamil Tigers.
The former head of state, who is running as a UPFA candidate for a parliamentary seat from the Kurunegala district, said a new constitution and electoral reforms would be enacted if his party won the general election.
The manifesto said that a UPFA government would try to strengthen the economy by forging close ties with India and China.
The manifesto avoided any reference to the US and Europe, but said the UPFA would not allow “foreign interference in Lanka’s internal affairs” and try to ensure that security forces were not pilloried at human rights forums. “Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe asks why I re-entered politics”.
Published in Dawn, July 29th, 2015
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