|
|
 |
 |
| Sunday, 29 February 2004 |
 |
|
 |
Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
|
'JVP committed to fight corruption' by Karel Roberts Ratnaweera
Somawansa Amerasinghe was amused. He was reacting to a story that had been heard by this writer on radio which I told him, that if the JVP wins the April elections, a family will not be allowed to own more than one house. 'This is like that old story that if we won in 1971,' (there was no question of an election at that time) 'we would kill everyone over 55 years old,' the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna leader said, having a hearty laugh. This writer remembers that China brought in legislation that every couple should not have more than one child. This legal restriction was rigidly observed and we see today that China is in a much better position than it would have been had no such legislation been introduced. Mr. Amerasinghe agreed that this 'one child per couple' did not affect religious beliefs but was based rather on right education, given the times it was implemented. Housing is one of Sri Lanka's most serious problems, affecting as it does the vast majority of the people who find it difficult to make ends meet because the living wage is not commensurate with the ever-rising cost of living. Mr. Amerasinghe said that people will be watchful and alert and see that the MoU is implemented. He said that the MoU between the SLFP and the JVP will see that the most critical problems facing the country are addressed before anything else. 'These are the economy, democracy and our culture. The MoU is a guiding document and we treat it as not only signed by two of nine parties. It is not a secret document. We need to learn from history. 'History gives us a vision that could be developed with modern ideologies.' Somawansa Amerasinghe believes that globalisation - a concept that would have been unthinkable to the JVP in the 'good old days,' so to speak, has its positive and negative sides, like a photographic negative (my words, not his). 'The JVP is going to absorb what is positive to develop our country and culture. Among some of the negative aspects of globalisation are child prostitution and things like that,' he said, adding that the JVP will do everything in its power to stamp out such practices. Corruption, criminal wastage, disregard for it, and other such allied corrupt practices will be dealt with 'appropriately.' There were other Asian countries that did not open their doors to what the JVP leader described as racketeers, in the name of the open economy. Sri Lanka unfortunately did not demarcate what was positive and what was negative when it ushered in the open economy and thus began the ills that beset the country today, letting in corruption and its bed fellows. 'We lost everything,' Amerasinghe said. He talks about the new re-colonisation that is making inroads in the name of investment. 'Ranil Wickremesinghe is now talking about regaining Sri Lanka. What the JVP proposes to do is stop what the UNF is doing at this moment. 'If we implement his (Ranil's) vision we will starve to death because his vision demands abandoning agriculture which we have lived on for three millenia,' he said. He said that in 2002 Mr. Wickremesinghe admitted that the MoU between his government and the LTTE was flawed. 'There was a secret pact between the Prime Minister and Prabhakaran. There was an imbalance of power towards the LTTE.' He said that there was 'tremendous gain' in store for them (the LTTE). 'People dont want war,' Amerasinghe said, 'but we are not going to deal with this problem like Ranil Wickremesinghe did. The JVP is not going to accept the sole responsibility of the Tamil people. And we will not accept that the LTTE is the sole representative of the Tamil people. Peace is not an abstract phenomenon. 'Sri Lanka is a sovereign nation,' Amerasinghe said. 'It is the homeland of so many people and of so many religions,' he said. 'But no one has a traditional homelend in Sri Lanka. The North and East is not the traditional homeland of the Tamil people. Fifty-five per cent of them are not living in the North and East. Boundaries cannot be demarcated.' Amerasinghe is optimistic about the Muslims being in the peace process, he said in answer to my question. But he said it is a must that Northern and Eastern Tamils and Muslims must be treated equally. Welfare and rehabilitation, in the area are part of Prabhakaran's aspirations. Muslim grievances against the ethnic cleansing of 1991 are still going on. He said that it is in fact still going on and this is a very crucial factor that has to be dealt with. 'We must not forget that there is a powerful neighbour.' He believes therefore that our territorial integrity is safeguarded. The leader cited the Western Province (WP) as a good example of co-existence, except for the troubles of 1983 which he places at the doorstep of J.R. Jayewardene. Elaborating, Mr. Amerasinghe said that the people of all the ethnic communities live in harmony in the WP. It was an interesting observation. 'We are optimistic that we can generate wealth and its distribution equally. In answer to my question on how well the JVP was known in other countries, Mr. Amerasinghe said that there was 'encouraging development' in about 25 foreign countries. 'We believe in peace but not in the peace process. They withdrew unilaterally in 2003. 'The peace process does not exist any longer.'But the ceasefire is there alright. There is pressure on the government to have discussions on the so-called interim administration.' The government must set an example against corruption - start at the top -. We have already set an example by our commitment, by sacrificing ourselves. We can make a change, and when we make a change, people will see the change with their own eyes.' Will it ever be possible to remove distrust of the JVP in the private sector given its obstinacy to change? 'A combination of the public and private sectors can be promoted,' Amerasinghe said. 'In fact,' he added, 'it can be a good combination for generating wealth. It has been happening.' |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security Produced by Lake House |
Somawansa Amerasinghe returned from exile to lead the JVP in the
election campaign as a partner in the United People's Freedom Alliance
despite the heavy demands on his time he met Sunday Observer staffer Karel
Roberts Ratnaweera at his residence to hold forth on the political
situation with special reference to the JVP stand on the national
question, the economy and good governance. This report is based on that
tete-a-tete.
