| JVP
must accept 2000 draft constitution
Q: The SLFP has made a strange move by negotiating a
pact with the Marxist JVP. What led to this development?
A: I think in order to face a strong government that is
backed by vested powers there was a necessity for the opposition
to bring all forces together. It is with this intention
the SLFP decided to bring the JVP into the scene to counter
the government.
Q: How do you think the ethnic problem in the country
could be solved under a SLFP-JVP coalition, especially with
the JVP openly opposing federalism and the SLFP not?
A: Well, we have not yet signed the MoU. We are only working
out the modalities for an eventual coalition with the JVP.
I have a strong feeling the JVP will accept our 2000 proposals.
If they fail to accept these proposals then there is going
to be a problem. These are the proposals both the UNP and
the JVP burned in parliament. But today, the UNP has accepted
these and I am glad the party is going ahead with the peace
process. And I also believe that the JVP will compromise
on it. If you go through the history of the JVP, it is clear
that their party accepted Bopage's proposal during its second
annual general meeting. I must say that Bopage's report
goes beyond the SLFP proposal in talking about self-determination.
Therefore, I see no reason why they cannot accept the 2000
SLFP proposals and be part of the coalition.
Q: Some SLFP members who oppose this alliance say that
the alliance only exhibits the SLFP's bankruptcy. Is it
true?
A: What we are doing today is nothing new. We have in the
past rallied round other parties for support and it is an
accepted phenomenon in politics. This is not a new theory.
We have had coalitions with so many parties like the Communist
Party and Vasu's party. So this is yet another step. The
SLFP is a large political party and we have already re-established
the party and have started massive campaigns to get new
members into the party - I mean a membership drive from
the grass roots level. So we are not bankrupt. The SLFP
feels that it is the duty of the party to rally round all
the forces but not because the party is bankrupt, it is
to ensure a strong and healthy future government.
Q: Opposition Member Anura Bandaranaike who claims he
would contest the next presidential election has said that
the SLFP alone cannot win elections and therefore they had
to enter into a pact. How do you view this?
A: Firstly, I am not sure whether he could be the presidential
candidate. The party should decide on it. But I can say
that the SLFP is a strong party. The PA won the election
without the JVP in 2000. Subsequently we won all the local
government elections without the JVP. When we faced the
2001 election we were in power and most of our supporters
voted for the JVP. Therefore, it is not that we cannot win
elections without the JVP, but as a responsible political
party that heads a coalition, we are rallying round other
parties. So on that basis I do not agree with Bandaranaike's
theory. But the fact is that it is easier to win elections
when there is an alliance.
Q: The PA last week sacked the Attanagalla Pradeshiya
Sabha chairman for being critical of the proposed JVP-SLFP
alliance. Has the SLFP become so undemocratic that it goes
to the extent of sacking people for airing their own views
against party policies?
A: I don't think he was removed for this reason alone.
Q: The opposition has taken a complete anti US stand
after the US commenced its attack on Iraq. Considering the
volume of aid that is granted to Sri Lanka by the US, would
you have opposed such an attack led by the US on Iraq if
you were in power?
A: That is a difficult question. First of all our policy
is against war and our policy is for peace. No one should
support a war or an attack on any country. Iraq has been
a friend of Sri Lanka for a long time. We have had our labour
force working in the Middle East. Iraq was our largest tea
buyer. So with all that as peace loving people we can't
support a war. Hence, the agitation.
Q: But during the PA regime the war in the north and
east was intensified. According to reports the most number
of casualties have been reported during the last PA regime.
Also the biggest defence budgetary allocation was made for
war during the PA regime. But you did not mention this at
that time?
A: You must remember the PA government first began talks
with the LTTE and at the beginning we did have a ceasefire
for nearly six months. And we held a series of discussions
with the LTTE though it failed in the end. There were a
lot of shortcomings. We were the only party that gave a
concrete proposal in the form of a package to solve the
crisis. You also must remember that President Kumaratunga
who was actively involved in peace initiatives was attacked
by the LTTE. She is still a victim of war. So nobody could
point their finger at us and say we did not enter into any
negotiations with the LTTE. Though there was war during
our time, we continued to develop these areas and never
neglected them. In a war situation it may have not been
enough, but we did our best.
Q: LTTE's Anton Balasingham says if the PA comes back
to power, there would be an all out war. He has specifically
indicated his opposition to President Kumaratunga
A: I think it is a very unfair statement made by Dr. Balasingham.
When a government wants peace and when a government is ready
to negotiate I can't understand why he cannot accept it.
Probably he must have said this to satisfy the UNF government.
Q: But he has personally indicated in many reports that
the LTTE has no trust in President Kumaratunga. So how do
you foresee a peaceful administration under a government
led by Kumaratunga?
A: Well he may have said this to satisfy the UNP government
and get more benefits. If we return to power, I am sure
Anton Balasingham and the LTTE will agree to talk with us.
It is a known fact that the LTTE had a close relationship
with the UNP even prior to the election. So it is natural
for a party that has supported another party to condemn
the third party that is out of power
Q: Being one time labour minister, are you satisfied
with the manner in which the present government is handling
the migrant workers' issue in the Middle East, especially
during a war situation like this? Do you also think the
war could affect our workers?
A: It all depends on the war. If the war continues, this
would definitely affect our work force. This would also
have an effect on our economy. The government might have
to spend a colossal amount of money on repatriation. At
the moment our workers I am told, are out of danger. I have
already spoken to our ambassadors in Iraq and Kuwait and
from them I have learnt that they are ready for any evacuation
programme. Now I am trying to contact some of our workers
in Kuwait and find out about their situation personally.
However, I don't think the present government is handling
this issue properly. It is very unfortunate that the labour
minister who is directly responsible for the thousands of
workers who bring in foreign exchange to our country, has
still not decided to visit the Middle East to ascertain
for himself the actual position of our Sri Lankan workers.
He seems to be depending on others for information. For
instance, during the 1991 Gulf War, the Labour Minister
at that time, the late Mr. Premachandra personally visited
these areas with a media team and returned giving the whole
country an assurance that the workers were well looked after
Q: The PA has begun a series of protest campaigns against
the government. For how long do you think this would go
on?
A: Untill this government is defeated. For instance we
are strongly opposing the privatisation of buses, the reduction
of 10% of public servants from the provincial councils and
so on. We also learn that the war in the Gulf is having
an adverse effect on the tea smallholders and the tea factory
owners. We demand that the government pay compensation to
this sector after negotiating with the US government. The
government can also negotiate with the UN and try to send
our tea to Iraq because the Iraqi people consume our tea
a lot. Furthermore, the government is not allowing the authorities
to fill the vacancies in provincial councils. This is why
we are continuing our protest against the government. The
Treasury in addition has cut down on the financial allocations
to provincial councils. They are not releasing sufficient
money to the councils and this is drastically affecting
development within the provinces.
Q: Is the party ready to face an election?
A: Yes. But it all depends on the President who will decide
on the date of an election. But as the PA, we are organising
our party for a snap election. With the present skyrocketing
cost of living and the way the government assets are being
sold to private entrepreneurs and also how the labour reforms
are turning against the labour force, we strongly feel that
the people will vote for us. Now the people have realised
that the government has no proper agenda to develop the
country and give relief to the masses.
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