End of SLFP and also UNP?
Posted on September 23rd, 2019
N.A.DE S. AMARATUNGA Courtesy The Island
We live at a time of unprecedented political turmoil and uncertainty. There is no visible government. The officials are probably running the country, and as there is no political direction the economy is gradually and perceptibly declining, making a huge impact on the lives of the poor people as all economic parameters indicate. Prime Minister is doing what he knows best, making more and more promises, and outdoing himself when compared to 2015. President is also doing what he knows best, trying to undermine friend and foe in a bid to survive. There seems to be an excess of acrimony, rivalry, and power hunger.
Due to these rivalries, acrimony, jealousy and power hunger, two of the major political parties that existed from the 1940’s are showing unmistakable signs of breaking up into factions and disappearing from the face of the earth. The UNP was formed of the leaders who collaborated and learnt from the European master and aped them in dress, manner and culture. They could not reach out to the common man and understand their economic and cultural needs. The SLFP was born to fill this void and look after the interests of the common poor people. “Sinhala Only” policy was meant to be only a rallying call and symbolic of the people’s needs, and not discriminatory towards the minorities. SLFP met with immediate success due to the resonance it struck with the inner feelings of the people, the “civilizational consciousness”. This vital character and identity of the SLFP was destroyed when it formed a union with the UNP, which from its inception was identified with foreign interests and culture, and formed the “yahapalana” government. It is not too late for the SLFP to correct its mistake at this opportune moment, but it seems to be thrashing about due to personal agenda, rivalry, petty jealousy and power hunger. If it misses this opportunity the SLFP would be in political wilderness.
The UNP also, almost fatally, damaged itself when it joined up with the SLFP in a marriage of convenience. The incompatibility has not only ruined the country in these last four and half years, but almost destroyed the two parties also. The policies of the SLFP have been taken over and preserved for the people by the SLPP. The remnants that remained in the government had made governance almost impossible and now it is in its last throes. Poor governance and economic decline have clearly impacted on the credibility of the UNP leadership, and what it could do at the critical eleventh hour is nothing but make promises. But the damage to the leadership is reflected in the mass defection of the loyalists, and their demand for a different nominee for the presidential election, resulting in a gross rupture of the party. If this crack is not repaired early the party will go to polls in a divided state risking a colossal defeat. But here too the power hunger, personal agenda, petty jealousy, acrimony created by the rebellion and future political stake may not allow room for compromise. If the rebellion succeeds it would be at huge cost and there is no guarantee that undermining tactics, reminiscent of what befell Kobbekaduwa, would not be resorted to by desperate people. Such is human nature infected with power hunger, acrimony and vendetta. If the rebellion within the UNP fails and the breakaway faction joins up with the SLFP, which is waiting to commit ‘hara-kiri”, it will be the demise of the UNP too.
Sri Lanka is at political crossroads and we may witness catastrophic political upheavals in the near future. But sometimes political catastrophe brings in its wake changes that are better for the people. Our people have relentlessly suffered untold misery due to political blunder, and personal vendetta among the politicians. They deserve a break from all this madness and pettiness, and a modicum of stability in their lives. So, it is good for the people let political parties breakup and disappear.
N.A.DE S. AMARATUNGA
September 23rd, 2019 at 2:12 pm
Whoever wins the election, it is the end of Sri Lanka.
Quoted – But sometimes political catastrophe brings in its wake changes that are better for the people.
September 23rd, 2019 at 2:50 pm
End of UNP occurred also in 1970 when SLFP Sirima won landslide.
End of SLFP occurred also in 1977 when UNP JR won landslide.
I thought UNP died in 2009 too with a minuscule leading them was defeated with 2/3 majority by someone appeared as a giant.
But the giant was shamefully defeat by the minuscule in 2015. These defeats more than sufficient to prove political incompetence the ACTORS who ruining the country, regardless of the party.
Over the years all these ENDs of political parties did not do any good to the country. There were continuous rule of one party from 1970-1977 ( 7 years SLFP), 1977- 1994 (13 years UNP) and then 2005-2015 (10 years SLFP). These are long periods sufficient to bring or show clear indication of that in any norm.
This proves that it is not the parties that the problem, it is the entire system ( which creates politician parasites) which has dragged the country in reverse gear since 1948.
Parties can come in using different names or the same name but parasites remain, moving from party to patry sucking blood of the nation.
Please look at the history.
1. Since 1989 Sri lanka is a Federal country. ( that doesn’t matter to parasites)
2. In 1994 the People’s Alliance Chandrika won elections on a platform of concessions to the Tamils and a ‘balanced economy’. Kumaratunga became Prime Minister and in November she was elected President, appointing her 78-year-old (but still active) mother Prime Minister.
3. At Presidential elections in 1999, GOOD Ranil contested on a platform of no concessions to the Tamils, but was defeated by Chandrika (people wanted her because they thought she was more patriotic despite Ranil gave no concession to Tamils. )
4. Soon that GOOD RANIL became BAD RANIL and in December 2001 the he returned to office on a policy of a negotiated settlement with the Tigers.
5. In 2004 Mahinda came to power with promises to even MEET Prabhakaran for negotiated settlement. ( Please read the election manifesto)
Since GOOD RANIL BECAME BAD RANIL, every parasite promised keeping FEDERAL CONSTITUTION. ( Please read all the election manifestos , I did that)
THIS TIME DO NOT VOTE TO ANY PARASITE BECAUSE OF GLORIOUS PAST, FAMILY OR CALCULATING PROBABILITY OF WINING. VOTE ANY minuscule WHO PROMISES TO REMOVE FEDERAL CONSTITUTION , that is , as a minimum repeal 13A.
ALL Executive presidents have won carefully not antagonizing minorities. DO NOT VOTE THOSE who are silent on FEDERAL CONSTITUTION.
September 23rd, 2019 at 5:03 pm
SL can become ungovernable from November 2019 to April 2020 if the president and the majority of parliament cannot work together.
All PCs would have completed their term by then. Parliament will be the only administrator of finances. The next president cannot hold a ministry under 19A. There is nothing the president can do to stop total anarchy if he/she goes against the parliament. If the president confronts the parliament, public sector salary payments will come to a standstill resulting in absolute chaos.
The parliament must grab this opportunity and allocate no money to the office of the president for 2020 at the November 2019 budget. The president cannot dissolve parliament until February 16, 2020.
This is the perfect opportunity to abolish EP or make the position even weaker that it becomes imperative to eliminate it for the nation to function. On the other hand it may force the president to do what Naga proposes – a new constitution directly passed by the people.
Contrary to what some fools advocate, the military must not interfere. If the military intervenes it can raise war crimes issues. This is the time the military needs public support. Illegal orders from the top must be disregarded or face war crimes charges.
September 23rd, 2019 at 5:09 pm
@Randeniyage
Yes; the 1999 situation was very strange. Ranil’s UNP was far more patriotic than CBK’s PA but people thought otherwise.
CBK openly vowed to bring her confederated “package”; ordered the army to withdraw (General Ratwatte refused); secretly brought Norway as a mediator (not just a facilitator) and kept appeasing SLMC as never before.
Thanks to Ranil’s tricks SL survived the “package” vote in August 2000.
This does not mean Ranil is a patriot! It only means there are no permanant traitors and no permanant patriots. There are only permanant fools.
September 23rd, 2019 at 6:43 pm
The period between Nov 2019 and April 2020 is a PERFECT OPPORTUNITY to ABOLISH the REDUNDANT PRIME MINISTER’s post in our Motherland!
The Cabinet should be the Executive President’s Cabinet as it is NOW, not a Prime Minister’s Cabinet!
DO IT FAST, DO IT NOW!
September 23rd, 2019 at 6:57 pm
President Sirisena said ysterday “No party can win without SLFP support”!
That FORLORN HOPE of the Sorry Sira may ALSO FALL BY THE WAYSIDE as the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna marches to a LANDSLIDE VICTORY without the SLFP, the JVP, and the MINORITY parties!
ALL THAT IS NECESSARY is for the Sinhala Buddhist and Christians to VOTE EN MASSE for the SLPP dumping BOTH the SLFP and the UNP into the gutter!
Jayawewa DESHAPREMI Sinhalayeni, JAYAWEWA!
September 23rd, 2019 at 7:16 pm
Dilrook,
Please view Ratana Thero’s video below regarding the necessity for the Executive Presidency!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUzLcMSc-jo
September 23rd, 2019 at 11:37 pm
No one can abolish the PM post!
No MP has even suggested it. Mahinda will be the PM after the next parliamentary election.
September 23rd, 2019 at 11:50 pm
“Mahinda will be the PM after the next parliamentary election.”
together with beautiful face of Mahindananda, Basil, GLP, Bandiula Mama, Rattarang Malli, Pavitra…..Rishard, HAkhim, Hizbullah
Replacing
Ranil, Karunanayagam, Sajith, …….Rishard, HAkhim, Hizbullah
Game on !
September 24th, 2019 at 4:08 am
I apologise for forgetting name which may appear in both the above lists
Patali Champika invited to join Pohottu Party
23 September 2019 08:15 am
The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) has reportedly invited Leader of Jathika Hela Urumaya Party, Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka, to join them.
Pointing out that the SLPP would be the best place for Champika Ranawaka to carry out his political career in accordance with his policies and vision, the SLPP promised to hand him over the familiar Ministry of Municipal and Western Provincial Development without any change and the projects in which the ministry has planned for the next five years would not be changed, sources said.
They have also assured that Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s administration will not let him suffer any hardships he had faced during the Mahinda Rajapaksa regime.
The invitation has been made without informing Leader of Pivithuru Hela Urumaya, Udaya Gammanpila, to avoid any unnecessary objection, sources added.
However, Minister Ranawaka has neither accepted nor rejected the offer, according to sources.
Ranawaka, who has already launched and planned a successful campaign aimed at the presidential election of 2025, will not leave the United National Front (UNF) at this moment, political sources said.
September 24th, 2019 at 4:11 am
Hope anti Buddhist, anti Sinhalese, anti Sri Lanka GooandPee (kakka and chu party) aka UNPatriotic_rats party
with its traitor deshapaluwan will be wiped out for good in the elections for Sinhalese race, Sri Lanka and
Buddhism to survive.
Traitor chief die hard catholic token Buddhist bay gal karaya mega thief mega thakkadiya
murderous alugosuwa (to Sinhalese Buddhists only) Batalande wa(n)dakaya Pol Pot r@ni_leech wickrama
Sinhala killer should be hanged in public for destroying this country. Its traitor alugosuwa (to Sinhalese Buddhists
only) uncle thambi mudiyanselaga jr@ put the foundations to destroy Sri Lanka, Buddhism and the Sinhalese
race by introducing its disastrous new constitution, 13, 13A. Traitor GoodandPee use Jr@’s new constitution every
time running to courts with its portuguese nationals to tweak and fool the Sinhalese. Hope these thieving, lying,
Mother Lanka dismembering, minorities king making murderous (Sinhalese Buddhists only) deshapalu @s will be
wiped out for good never to come back.
September 24th, 2019 at 6:00 pm
It is most despicable that some cowards who never wandered past Vavuniya during war time are attacking the former army commader Mahesh Senanayake. He is a proven war hero who played a massive role in war victory, the formation of Special Forces, etc. He was removed from the army in 2010 along with 50 other war heroes without any investigation. He worked at a foreign company in Dubai that provided logistical support to US troops.
He is not the only retired army personnel to work for a US company!
He is not the only retired army personnel to deal with logistics relating to the US military either. ACSA was about logistical support to US military.
April 2019 terrorist attack has nothing to do with his failing. Army intel units informed the government. The army cannot go to war on its own! But the army swiftly moved and eliminated the threat within a few days.
Mahesh must contest the presidential election to bring about law and order, human rights (which the army always stood for) and discipline of politicians.
Opportunisitic politicians must not cause division within the army. It is an unforgivable crime.
Mahesh must specifically target military families in his campaign to uplift their families, provide better salary conditions, give them the dignity they deserve, better civil-military co-operation to overcome threats, clean up inefficiency and corruption in policing, better protect the nation’s fisheries resource for locals, better protect forests and reserves, strictly enforce law on offences against women and children and protecting of historic sites.