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.