A critical analysis of UNP's 2001 promises

A.A.M.NIZAM MATARA.

An analysis of achievements of UNP 's 2001 Manifesto. A document called " Programme for completing the unfinished business " has been released by the ever promising never fulfilling UNP that far outweigh the gold bangles, gold chains, denim trousers, monthly pocket money, and passenger vans promises made in 2000 and the mountainous promises made in the 2001 election manifesto entitled "For a new Economic Futureā€. At this juncture, it is very much prudent and sensible to review and analyze the 2001 Economic Future document to ascertain the extent of expectation, deception and misleading the people were subjected to by the government to appease the terrorist gang and the anti-national elements that financed its election campaign.

Citing the PA government rule as the darkest seven years, in 2001 the UNP, jubilant with the cashing in of several PA parliamentarians including those renowned as quota-swindler, jungle-eater, and palace- builder, pledged to salvage the nation, to provide an efficient and an accountable government with a vision, and totally free of corruption. An ordinary PA parliamentarian who was one among the 72 Ministers (a world record) in the UNP government publicly announced that he obtained 30 million rupees to crossover to the UNP. A thorough examination of the government's acts and deeds during the last two years will convince even a toddler that those salvaged by them were a handful of richest billionaires, the defeated candidates, and the political stooges. The efficiency shown was to compete in plundering and looting government property and assets and underhand sale of national wealth to kith and kin and foreigners. The accountability evidenced was shamelessly kneeling down (cr awl) before the tiger terrorists and the foreign imperialists. The corruption free status was the biggest ever joke of the millennium and not delved here, as the details of which can run into several volumes.

The 2001 document pledged to strengthen the Samurdhi Programme (a pet programme of the President introduced in 1994 to help the poor families) under a Family Development Plan designed for every family. Contravening the pledge, benefits given under the programme were drastically slashed and many families were politically victimized by removing them completely from the programme. Moves were afoot to slash the benefits further and deprive many more families. A form has already been distributed seeking various silly information to legitimize this crime.

Assuring plenty of Jobs the 2001 document said that they would immediately launch a massive Development Programme to create enough jobs using the tried and tested economic management capabilities of the UNP. But actually what happened? Government Department and State Institutions were instructed to freeze all jobs. Nonetheless the defeated candidates, and the UNP big wigs were installed in every Department and Corporations with six digit or five digit salaries. UNP Chairman Charita Ratwatte was made the Secretary to the Treasury, UNP's Deputy Chairman was made Chairman of Sri Lankan Airlines, UNP Ex- Co Member Daham Wimalasena was appointed as Chairman of the Petroleum Corporation. Defeated candidates such as Renuka Herath, Sunethra Ranasinghe, Sarath Munasinghe were made Chairman of State Corporations. Some others such as Azhar Mowlana, Nandimitra Ekanayake, Ediriweera Premaratne were made Advisors to Ministries. Family members of the UNP Parliamentarians and financiers were appointed as Ambassadors to many countries depriving the rights of career diplomats. Surpassing all these abhorrent appointments, Ranil Wickremasinghe who has no regard and respect for anything Sri Lankan appointed an American, Jim Robertson as his Economic Advisor with a salary of Sri Lankan Rupees one and half million per month and other facilities.

Addressing the youth, the 2001 document stated that they would introduce a Graduate Employment Assistance Programme for unemployed youth. They were promised creation of a "Youth Corps"and provision of Rs. 2000/= per month as a living allowance along with training in English, computer and vocational skills. To introduce information technology to the village, establishment of Cyber-Kiosk in each of the Grama Sevaka Division was promised. As nothing happened and unable to bear the severe hardship of sky-rocketing cost of living the unemployed graduates staged a fast in Matara demanding jobs for them. These innocent youth were inhumanly assaulted by a Minister and a Parliamentarian of the District and many of them were hospitalized with severe injuries.

Referring to the energy sector the 2001 document promised establishment of all kinds of power projects. Despite all these illusive projects, the deputy leader of the UNP was unable even to implement Kotmale project formulated by the PA Government due to high- handedness of a Minister in his own government. The matter was covered up with various silly excuses.

Concerning the so-called peace process, they promised to initiate with a warm heart and a cool head a process to bring about a political solution acceptable to all within the framework of an undivided Sri Lanka. In fact what happened does not need much elaboration. There was nothing to initiate. From the very first day, the government was moving on a premeditated programme to serve the terrorists, legitimize their fictitious claims of decades of discrimination, internationalize their cause, whitewash their crimes, and strengthen them politically, militarily and economically. All State resources were thrown in the service of the terrorists, to transport them in hordes to various European capitals and the people were subjected to all forms of shortages and difficulties.

The warm heart was so compassionate and functioned under the concept of ask a little we will offer everything. The head was cooler than that of a dead person and pretended to be unaware of amassing of arms , strengthening of armed and naval forces, establishment of every aspect of administrative units. The government itself helped the terrorist to acquire state intelligence secrets and then unleash a horrendous programme of annihilating officers in the intelligence unit. Contrary to the basic diplomatic protocols foreign leaders, ambassadors were allowed to have direct links and negotiations with the terrorists legitimizing their two-nation theory claim and completely negating the promise of an Undivided Sri Lanka. Our valiant forces who braved to protect the integrity and sovereignty of this nation was imprisoned in their camps and their movements were restricted and subjected to the dictates of the terrorists. The path to ultimate bifurcation of the nation and establishment of the initial stage of Eelam was facilitated on 31st October through the document called ISGA proposal. The bold steps taken by President on 3rd November and subsequent announcement of elections have te mporarily stalled this heinous crime of offering Eelam in a platter to the terrorists.

The UNP-Terrorist Coalition will make every effort in this election and use all their means to steal power and achieve their goals of ruling separately on a two-nation basis. Prevention of this catastrophe is the foremost duty and responsibility of all and everyone who claims that he or she is a Sri Lankan.