Manipulating such adverse circumstances prevailing within the main opposition the SLFP have managed to turn the voters away from the UNP and make a voter base for themselves that is solid and immune to small threats.
by Helasingha Bandara
(September 24, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) The United National Party of Sri Lanka is in its death bed breathing its last breath. It would die a chaotic death which makes it slightly different from the death of the old left which was relatively peaceful. UNP deserve to die for the evils that its leaders have created for the country. JR. Jayawardana introduced all forms of corruption, a rogue constitution and an autocratic rule and died an unceremonious death without many people shedding tears. Premadasa introduced death squads and a culture of murder and mayhem and died a violent death making the nation rejoice at his death. Ranil Wikkramasingha signed a treacherous peace accord that strengthened the LTTE to such an extent that they could virtually paralyse the nation wherever and wherever they wanted and he is dying a slow but sure political death.
People by and large have lost trust in the UNP. It is comprised members who are not charismatic, not ethical, not moral but opportunistic and untrustworthy. Lakshman Senevirathna and Paba have publicly proclaimed that they cannot waste another 6 years sitting in the opposition. How decent is this claim? Do they mean that wasting years without getting undue perks? Jonstan Fernando and Lakshman Senevirathna gave false evidence against the General. For what?, to be in the good books of Rajapakshas. Do they understand how vital is the role of an opposition in a true democracy? In certain situations contribution of the opposition is more important than the contribution of the government. If those politicians do not understand the most basic principle of politics in a democracy is to have a strong opposition they deserve to be chased away from the parliament. Have they forgotten or do they not understand that people voted them in to oppose the current party in power? Do they not acknowledge that if they have told the public that they would cross over if their party failed to form a government they would never have been elected? Do they, the rogues, the liars and the betrayers, not owe an explanation to the people? If they have an iota of decency in them they should resign and face by-elections.
Manipulating such adverse circumstances prevailing within the main opposition the SLFP have managed to turn the voters away from the UNP and make a voter base for themselves that is solid and immune to small threats. It is too late, too complicated and merely impossible to revive UNP into its former glory as it is incredibly difficult to sway the voters in their favour under the leadership of any of the current forerunners within the party.
Sajith Premadasa is earmarked by many of the party members to be the saviour. It will take at least another 15 years for his father’s memory to fade away from the minds of those who suffered in his hand. The ten to twenty year olds in 1989 are the majority of the electoral register today. From late eighties it would take 40 to 50 years for them to be in the minority of the electoral register. This means that Premadasa has to wait another 20 to 30 years for those who remember his father’s atrocities to be in the minority of the electoral register. At present they are the majority and still talk about Premadasa era in which how the bodies were burnt by the roadside, how the severed limbs of men were displayed at roundabouts, how the suspects were killed by hammering nails through their ears, how the loved ones were dragged out of their houses in front of the mothers and their dead bodies were found later and how people disappeared without a trace. This was the most horrendous terror era of our times and it is impossible for people to trust an offshoot of Premadasa. It will be a tremendously hard task for young Premadasa to absolve himself of his father’s guilt however good his intentions are. His decision to be in the shadows while working to build up a good reputation is wise and he needs more time to emerge as a fully fledged leader.
The only possible strategy to face the Rajapaksha menace is to form an alliance of individuals not parties. Starting from the 7 members of the DNA there are other good individuals in other parties who should think of uniting and forming a new alliance of people. Someone should initiate action towards this. Lest us hypothesise that Sri Lanka is divided into Pahatha Rata, Meda Rata, Uda Rata, Uthura and Negenahira. If the organising of Pahatha Rata is given to Sajith Premadasa and Vijitha Herath, the Meda Rata to be given to Sarath Fonseka and Arjuna Ranathunga, Uda Rata to be given to Anura Kumara Dissanayaka and Dayasiri Jayasekara and find some quality individuals to organise the North and the East, what would happen?
(The writer can be reached at helasingha@googlemail.com)
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