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| Sunday, 17 October 2004 |
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Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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We could have won sans monks - Champika
Q: There have been media reports that you have been ousted from the post of Secretary you have held in the party. Is this true and if so what is your position in the JHU now ? A: Media reports to the effect that I have been ousted is totally false. I have not resigned, and no one has requested me to resign. Due to a notion that the party is stagnant and dormant, the membership has decided to have an interim General Secretary and Secretary temporarily, and the Venerable Kotapola Amarakeerthi Thera has been appointed for the dual posts, pending transformation and re-organisation of the party. National and international forces along with the evangelical movement are at work to jeopardise our progress by spreading such deformative rumours. Q: Who made the initial decision for the monks to contest the General Eections? A: The initial decision was made by the monks themselves and we, as laymen agreed to their proposals and decided to render our fullest support to build a 'Dharma Rajjiya' in our land. Q: But there is a popular belief among the masses that you as laymen had used the monks as a 'pawn' to achieve your goal of entering Parliament, which you could not achieve on earlier occasions? A: No that is not true. We could have won by ourselves, sans the intervention of the monks. But we thought that our unity with the monks would consolidate our position. Q: Did you have a written agreement relating to your exclusive functions as lay and clergy? A: We had monks and laymen from all walks of life and spheres. The 'Jathika Sangha Sammelanaya' was a key player in establishing our party. We all believed that an element of Buddhist Nationalism was necessary in our political mainstream. However, we had to differentiate the services of the monks from the laymen. We had to take decisions as to how we would contest in future elections, such as whether we would contest exclusively as a lay party or together, and whether we would contest at the Provincial Council elections among others, who would be the national and regional organisers and under what limitations they should operate, had to be determined. The internal structure of the party and the objectives to be achieved from a Buddha Sasana viewpoint and a political one had to be clarified. Due to differences of opinion among the membership, we failed to reach a final consensus on some of these crucial issues within the past six months. It is for this reason that we have now decided to re-organise and re-structure our party to preclude stagnation Kotapola Amarakeerthi Thera was appointed both the General Secretary and the Secretary of the party under a temporary and interim arrangement for this purpose. This is wholly an internal party matter. Q: What are the external factors you mentioned? A: The UNP was greatly perturbed by the massive mandate received by the JHU, especially from the urbananised-educated. The Alliance was also disturbed when they failed to get the massive mandate, the two thirds majority they envisaged from the masses to implement a constitutional change. Therefore these elements resorted to discredit and attack the JHU using all methods at their disposal. Initially the government tried to take-over the JHU by violent means and when they failed, by flattery. As the architects of the 'Anti Conversion Bill', we were threatened by the Americans and various other extremist groups which opposed the bill. All these external forces alleged that we were not the true representatives of the Sinhala Buddhists of this country. They acted in unison to destroy and dismantle our party. Q: Are you ready to comply with the Oslo/Tokyo Declarations agreed between the LTTE and the Government? A: No, we don't agree with either of these declarations. I as an individual would immediately quit the JHU or any other party which accepts these declarations. What is the Oslo Declaration? It accepts the North East 'Nijaboomi' concept, right to self-determination or separatism and Federalism. The Alliance including the JVP, the UNP among others accept these. We totally reject all these three concepts. Q: Will your party participate in the National Advisory Council talks for Peace and Reconciliation? A: No, we are opposed to talks with the Tigers who are slaying their opponents and consolidating their war-strength by build-up of weapons. They must lay down their arms prior to talks. However, we welcome talks with the other democratic parties on the same. Our monks would oppose such talks even if the Mahanayakes are in favour of the same. Q: Then what are your options for a sustained settlement to the North East conflict? A: We should consolidate the democratic Tamil parties of Devananda and Anandasangaree and not the pro-LTTE parties. The LTTE is also very weak now. They cannot fight a war. They are also isolated by the international community. They have to come the democratic way. If they don't, they have to be crushed militarily. We have to be prepared for it as a nation. Q: What are your comments on the recent media reports which have alleged that Government Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle has gifted two luxury vehicles to your former General Secretary Uduwe Dhammaloka Thera? It was also alleged that the monk had travelled on 'business class' flights to/from London to take part in the voting of the 'Tax Amnesty Regulation' bill recently, at the expense of the government. It is alleged that this has resulted in chaos within the party, especially involving you, for raising a voice on the same. A: Well I don't like to comment on this. This is wholly an internal matter of the party. The monks would reply to this on their own soon. These were not allegations against me. I think I should not comment to the press on these issues about which I am not aware. Q: There is a notion that your former leader Tilak Karunaratne was an agent of the UNP, and the UNP was utilising him to split and divert votes from the Alliance. Is this true? A: No, these are common allegations made in the past. In 1982, when Rohana Wijeweera of the JVP contested separately, there were allegations by the SLFP that the JVP was contracting for the UNP. When Bopage left the JVP, it was alleged by the JVP that he was an agent of the Catholic Church, and so on. All these are baseless rumours. Q: What is your personal view on the decision taken by your former leader Tilak Karunaratna, who has now defected to the UNP? A: Tilak Karunaratne has taken a wrong and miscalculated decision on his personal capacity. However this would not in any way dilute the aspirations of the National Sinhala Movement. Nobody in the Sihala Urumaya (SU) would follow him. Not even Gammanpilla. I can assure you of the same. All these are results of the reactionary forces. These are repetitions of the past such as Philip Goonewardena and K.M.P. Rajaratna joining UNP 'Hath Havula' (7 parties) in 1965. Q: It was alleged that the JHU was behind certain attacks made to Christian places of worship in the recent past. What is your response to this? A: The JHU categorically denies any involvement in these attacks. The police had not taken into custody any JHU member in this regard. Those involved in these attacks are the Alliance supporters. I challenge the government to disclose the reports of these attacks. Then the country would know who the real culprits are. Q: How do you view the conditions laid down by the CWC to the Government to solicitate their support? A: It is their problem. However, I think certain demands are detrimental to the country. Q: Do you support the envisaged Upper-Kotmale project of the Government? A: No, I oppose the project put forward now, but approve the old optional project which has not been pursued due loss of commission among others, such as wooing Thondamans fancies. Why is the government concerned about the displacement of the plantation families only. Q: Why is it claimed that the JHU had obtained more votes from predominantly Christian and not Buddhist constituencies? A: No, this is not true. We have received the least from Negombo. But we expect that we have got the mandate of urbanised, educated and rightious people who are non-Buddhists, especially from Muslims who are teetotaller. Q: What is the progress of the 'Anti Conversion Bill' and the Commission Report on Soma Theras death? A: Now both bills are with Minister John Senevirathna. They would never bring them forward as they are being manipulated by various reactionary forces opposed to the Buddha Sasana. Q: Has there been so much, so-called 'Unethical Conversions' as claimed by the JHU? A: Yes. We have evidence of about 30,000 conversions. Although it appears to be negligible, there is an 'exponential growth' effect in the same, as shown in countries like Sudan, Brazil and South Korea. Q. But is it not a basic human right to choose one's faith? A: No, that is not the issue. We don't oppose one's freedom of worship. It is the unscrupulous methods used by the fundamentalists that we oppose. Furthermore, we oppose any 'unethical conversions' from any religion, and not only Buddhists. Q: What is your stand on making the 'National Identity Card' mandatory at elections? A: We are supporting it. Q: Do you think the JHU would succeed in making Sri Lanka a 'Dharma Rajjaya'? A: Yes. It is a very arduous task in the present circumstances. But we would finally succeed. |
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| Produced by Lake House |
Sunday Observer staff reporter
Rohan Mathes had an exclusive interview
on the current developments of the JHU which appears to be in turmoil at
present, with the controversial JHU Secretary Patalie Champika Ranawaka
at
his office in Nugegoda. Here are some excerpts.
