By Charles. S. Perera

Ranil Wickramasinghe is the unchallenged leader of the UNP and by virtueƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  the unchallenged leader of the Opposition in the Parliament .

AfterƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  the victory over his opponent, Karu Jayasuria -a politician of unreliable political honesty, Sajith Premadasa, who talks but has not enough guts to take the leadership of the party, and the rest of the ambitious elementsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  who have no definiteƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  ideaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  as toƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  the direction in which the UNP should move, exceptƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Rosy SenanaykeƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  who has more leader ship qualitiesƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  than the other rebel Party members put together, the President MahindaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Rajapakse quite correctly reminded Ranil Wikraminghe, that ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  special responsibility, of uniting everyone and building a strong opposition, has been bestowed upon Ranil Wickramasinghe with winning the election for leadership.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚

The President added, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…- ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦ Mr. Wickramasinghe, who was re-elected as UNP leader after beating Karu Jayasuriya in yesterdayƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s election, should now proceed to build a strong opposition and give the government a ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”neck-to-neckƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ battleƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚

Those are the words of a democratic leader.

So far Mr. Ranil WickramasingheƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  has not shown himself to be a democratic leader of the Opposition despite his being the Vice Chairman of the International Democratic Union.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  A democratic opposition to a Government of the ruling party shouldƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  oppose the Government politicallyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  without attacking the President or the members of his Government at a ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ personal level.

Ranil Wickramasinghe since the election of Mr.Mahinda Rajapakse as the President of Sri Lanka, carried out a series of manifestations, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ making many a funerals and weddings whenever possible an occasion for a manifestation ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ to attack the President and his family. His sworn efforts were for the fall of the government and dissolution of the Parliament, other mattersƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  of development, defeat of terrorism, and financial stability were not of ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ interest to him.

At least now, with his newly won confidence of the Working Committee of the UNP, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ he should change tactics to be aƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  respectable political ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Leader of the OppositionƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  criticizing the governmentƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s failures or wrong decisions, and at the same time ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ rallying round the government to defend ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…- the Government and the countryƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ on national issues.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  That type of an opposition can keep away the anti Sri Lanka forces to allow the country to progress without any foreignƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Government interfering into its affairs.

Ranil Wickramasinghe hadƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  openly sought the European Governments to interfere into the internal affairs of our country.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  This is not a good political stand, and shows his lack of political foresight. A strong country independent of foreign interference is important for its development by the UPFA government today, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ or a UNP Government tomorrow.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

What we want from the Western Governments is their assistance for our development, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ and transfer of technology, but not to be critical of the projects of the Government or the use of itsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Armed Forces for the protection of the country and its people the way it wants as an Independent Sovereign State.

If the PoliticalƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Parties of Sri Lanka are patriotic oriented, they should unite with the government if there is a threat to the CountryƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Sovereignty, no matter ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ what their political differences.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  The political differences should be debated within the country, without taking them ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ to different foreign governments to find solutions.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

 

Through out the military operationsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  against the terrorists by the Armed Forces of the Government, UNP had been very criticalƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  of the Armed Forces.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  The UNPƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s short sightedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  efforts then to oppose military operations against the Terrorists, have resulted in the Western GovernmentsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ criticism of the President and the Government of Sri Lanka, and its Armed Forces for violation of human rights, and war crimes.

No Opposition Political Party in Sri Lanka couldƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  feel happy about theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  threats of these Western governments, Humanitarian activists, and trouble makers in various International Agencies ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ to take the President and the Armed Forces to a tribunal accused for war crimes.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

The Government and the Opposition shouldƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  stand together to oppose anyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  threat by Foreign Governments to intervene into the internal affairs ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka has fought a war against a ruthless terrorism, and that war was not the war of the President Mahinda Rajapakse or the Sri Lanka Armed Forces, but it was ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ a war of the people, by the people , forƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  peace , end of suffering, and to eliminate terrorism and to unite the people.

The UNP and the other political partiesƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  taking the internal problems of our country abroad show their disloyalty to the people.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  The people are sovereign , and if UNP is hoping to form an alternative government in Sri Lanka it has to appeal to the people of Sri Lanka and not to the Western countries.

The Darusman Report of Ban Ki Moon, interference and ridiculous accusations of violation of human rights by the Human Rights Watch , Amnesty International , complaints of the International Crisis Group, Canadian Prime MinisterƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s demand for an International Investigation, Hillary ClintonƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s accusation ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  violation of human rights and her collaboration with Jayalalitha to accuse Sri Lanka for ethnic violence, Navi PillaiƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s disgusting link with the UK Channel 4, are all the result of the disunity of the Political Parties in Sri Lanka, and UNPƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s failure to stand by the government in a National Crisis, notwithstanding its political opposition to the Government, orƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  signing the traitorous CFA behind the back of the people of the Country, without even informing the then President of the People of Sri Lanka.

Ranil Wickramasinghe who speaks of respect for democracy,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  ridicules it by himself being undemocratic.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Where according to the Constitution accepted by the people, a government has been formed by the representatives of the peopleƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  elected at a duly carried out elections or a President has been elected by the vote of the people, that decision of the people has to be respected in a democracy, by every one including those candidates who had lost because they had failed to obtain ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ a majority of the ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ votes.

It is then the bounden duty of the opposition parties to stand by the decision of the people and allow the country to be governed by those who have been elected during the constitutionally specified period of time .ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  The opposition has the right to oppose the government, not systematicalƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  at every turn of the government with the intention of making it unpopular so that it will be forced to resign, but to oppose any project of the government the opposition rightfully considers is not in the ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ interest of the people.

To make the government unpopular with the people, and force it to resign before the end of its term of officeƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  is not democratic.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  This is what UNP had been doing , and which JVP does as its ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-dutyƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

Now that Ranil Wickramasinghe has been given a new lease of life as the leader of UNP, he should change his political tactics to become the Leader of a Democratic Parliamentary Opposition.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  So that he could confidently present himself as an alternative Presidential candidate to the present President Mahinda Rajapaksa, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ or any one else when the times comes for the next Presidential elections.

He must also be able toƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  controlƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  his party members to be responsible and honourable in their pronouncements, and statements to the press.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Jayalath Jayawardhana who seems to have a separate agenda of his own, which he promotes exploiting his membership in the UNPƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  is oozing with CatholicƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  hypocrisy, Mangala SamaraweereƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  has joined the UNP not through political conviction but to take revenge from the President Mahinda Rajapakse for having been sacked by the President from his cabinet, Tissa Attanayake, Dayasiri Jayasekara, Lakshman Kiriella , Gayantha Karunatilleke and other ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ hollow wind bags trying to fool the gallery pretending to be taking their role of Parliamentarians seriously, should be asked to follow a correct democratic conduct avoiding political rhetoric ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ without each one of them having their own definition of Democracy-which they think isƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  freedom to talk.

We have to show the West and all International reactionary forces, and individuals working against Sri Lanka that, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ we the ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ people from all Communities in Sri Lanka, whether we be politically with the UNP,TULF, JVP, TNA, LSSP, CP or SLFP are ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ collectively with the Government and the President of Sri LankaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  in matters concerning the Nation, and that we will not want any one to interfere into the affairs of Sri Lanka, dictating terms to us as to how we should carryout the affairs of our country. Will UNP, TNA and JVP be able to promote that type of patriotism ?

We should show these interfering Governments, Agencies and individuals ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ that we have trust and confidenceƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  in our intellectuals and elders when appointed to committees such as the ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ LLRC to do a good job of work unbiased, and with objectivity.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  It is we, as the people of Sri Lanka to accept what ever conclusions they come to and what ever proposals theyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  make, or reject them. It is not any one from outside ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ who have to decide for us the people of Sri Lanka.

The people of Sri Lanka has a good memory, they know what UNP had been when they were in power.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  They remember how Ravi Karunanayaka sold the CWE or others privatized Profit Making Government Establishments.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  They have not forgotten who signed theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  CFA and who opposed the Military Operations against the terrorists.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Therefore UNP should think twice before it runs down the Government.

UNP, JVP or the TNA cannot fool the people criticizing the governmentƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  like Imitiaz Bakeer MarkarƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  a former UNP MinisterƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  when he said:

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚«ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦..There is no proper administration. Waste and corruption is the order of the day. When students raise an issue on their education, the government responds undemocratically. The same response is given when people raise issues on their day to day life. When trade unions make demands, the government responds with fire power. The whole world knows about the governmentƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s attitude. To change this state of affairs, it is important to have a strong opposition. The opposition was non functional during last two decades and the UNP has studied this situation.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚»

Those are perhaps words for the UNP vote base ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ which is down to 28 percent today according to Imitiaz Bakeer Markar himself.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  But the majority of the people can see for themselves the tremendous development projects taking shape before their eyes, the express roadways, bridges and flyovers, buildings and cleaning up of citiesƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  and towns, bumper harvests of paddy and vegetables, fish markets, power plants, etc.

Is this the sign of a Government making profit for themselves and letting the country and people suffer, is this the sign of waste and corruption ?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  There should be a certain amount of sacrifice that has to be made somewhere by someone to make the future of the country brighter, like a mother risking her life making untold sacrifices to give birth to a child that would assure the future happiness of a family.

Of course corruption cannot be ruled out, and it has to be attended to, but can the government do all that all at once ? HavenƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t those in places where corruption is reported ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ a duty to reform themselves for the sake of the people of the country?

When I was young I heard it being said that we always put the blame on our parents when some thing goes wrong, but do we question ourselves how much the parents sacrificed for our well being, and what we have givenƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  them, and what sacrifices we have made for them in return?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Those who criticise the President of Sri Lanka and his Government shouldƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  knowƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  whatƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  sacrifices they had made and what risks they have taken, andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  ask them selves what sacrifices they have made to the country and the people .

Mr. Imtiaz Bakeer Markar says , ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚«ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ But if the frustration of the masses against the government could be manifested through effecting the necessary changes in the UNP, they would gather to oppose the governmentƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚»

Mr. Markar, who are dissatisfied with the GovernmentƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

Those who are dissatisfied with the Government are the so called intelligentsia, the University Professors, Teachers,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  the University Students, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Doctors, Magistrates, Trade Unions, and the Politicians.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Because they want more, their wants are unsatiable.

ShouldnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t they too make some sacrifice for the betterment of the countryƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  and its people?

But, Mr. Markar, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the poor people,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  ordinary villagers that make up the majority of the population of Sri Lanka are with the President Mahinda Rajapakse and his Government.

This Government of the President Mr.Mahinda Rajapakse has done so much within the past five yearsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  for this country, both the PresidentƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Mahinda Rajapakse andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  the Secretary of Defence have made sacrifices risking their own lives. Can the UNP ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ give the name of oneƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  from their Party who have made that much of sacrifice and taken risks for the love of the country ?

They ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ President Mahinda Rajapakse and the Defence Secretary were determined to rid terrorism from the country and give the people a respite of peace and happiness. They are undoubtedly sincere and honest in their political undertakings, if not they could not have despite a terrible ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-warƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ against the terrorists carried out all those magnificent development projects to change the face of Sri Lanka from an under developed poor country to one which is forging ahead in a considerable speed towards development and progress in all fields.

They seem to be indefatigable in their effort to take Sri Lanka forward. They have gone beyond our expectations , in economic, social and infrastructure developments.

That gives confidence , and courage for us to go through even a rising cost of living as both the Defence Secretary and the President are way ahead in their political thinking and undoubtedly doing the right thing.

CannotƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Mr.Ranil Wickramasinghe understand this and rethink his political strategy if he has the ambition to become the President of Sri Lanka at the next Presidential election ?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

He can change his political strategy, first by learningƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  to ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ felicitate the governmentƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  for whatever commendable actions it has taken, which are evident to the ordinary people so that he would be in agreement with this vast majority of the ordinary people, and win them over to his side as an honest political leader who know when to criticise the government and when to appreciate the government for its positive undertakings.

At the same time he should point out waste and wrong political decisions and economic undertakingsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  of the government, informing the people of his own remedies as a ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ true democratic Leader of the Opposition.