• MR unmoved by ‘fear-inducing threats’, awaits legally valid written notice to vacate; Govt. to present fresh legal provisions to Parliament 

In response to continuous statements made by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and other Government representatives directing former President Mahinda Rajapaksa to vacate his official residence, the latter's Media Spokesperson, attorney Manoj Gamage reiterated that he (Rajapaksa) would not do so unless a legally valid, written notice is issued.

Speaking at a public meeting in Galgamuwa on 1 February, Dissanayake said that the Government would not allow Rajapaksa to remain in his current official residence at Wijerama Mawatha in Colombo 7 under any circumstances.

When queried by The Daily Morning as to whether Rajapaksa would vacate his official residence, given the continuous statements from the President and other Government representatives, Gamage said that the Government is yet to issue any written notice directing Rajapaksa to vacate.

"The National People's Power (NPP) is a legally elected Government. They don't need to go around the country asking Rajapaksa to vacate the official residence like thugs. All they need to do is issue a letter. But, why haven't they done it? That's because they know that they can't. As they don't have the authority to do it with the current legal provisions, they try to threaten and make him (Rajapaksa) feel that he should leave the official residence." he said.

Speaking further, Gamage said that the official residence currently occupied by Rajapaksa was not obtained during his (Rajapaksa) tenure as the President. He added that it was granted to him by the United National Front for Good Governance Government, which came to power in 2015. "I would like to remind the President and the Government that it is not someone else but Rajapaksa. If the Government issues a written notice asking him to vacate the official residence, he will respect it and leave. However, he will not leave it in fear of threatening statements."

Meanwhile, speaking to the media on 1 February, the Deputy Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs Sunil Watagala said that they would not issue a letter to Rajapaksa, but that he should vacate the official residence if he has a “conscience.”

He said:"If he refuses to leave, the legal provisions will be presented before the Parliament in the coming days. At that point, he will have to comply with the legal provisions." When queried by the media as to whether the Government would issue a letter, he responded: "We will not issue a letter, but, the legal provisions are forthcoming. He will have to obey the law and leave."

In response to his statement, Gamage said that Government representatives themselves have acknowledged that they cannot ask Rajapaksa to vacate his official residence under the current legal provisions. "By saying that they won't issue a letter and will instead introduce new legislation, they are admitting that they cannot act under the present circumstances. What's more, the Government itself has admitted this. The advisors should provide the President with proper guidance."

Rajapaksa is willing to vacate his official residence if the Government officially informs him to do so, said the General Secretary of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) Sagara Kariyawasam. During a press conference in Colombo yesterday (3), he explained that since the Good Governance Government officially allocated this residence to Rajapaksa, he has to be officially notified to vacate it. Kariyawasam further emphasised that if informed in that manner, Rajapaksa would leave the residence immediately, and that therefore, there is no need to make any statements about it in various places. He also pointed out that the Government must take responsibility for the threats to Rajapaksa’s life following the handing over of the official residence. Speaking further on this matter, he said: “That residence was officially allocated to Rajapaksa, and he officially accepted it. If you want him to vacate the official residence where he is residing, you will have to inform him officially and he will not remain there even for a moment. He will leave immediately.” He further stated that if the Government is attempting to embarrass Rajapaksa into leaving the official residence by making statements in various places, they (SLPP) will not allow that to happen.

President Dissanayake and his Government have pledged to curtail the privileges granted to former Presidents, including official residences. Former Presidents Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga (1994-2005), Rajapaksa (2005-2015), and Maithripala Sirisena (2015-2019) are currently living in official residences provided by the Government.