Sunday Observations: The Political Column

SLFP - UNP hand in hand

The progress of the SLFP and the UNP committee on national issues look steady with two sessions already held within ten days. Both parties have realised that there is an urgent need before them to bring an early restoration of peace for the nation.

The committees headed by Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremenayake and Karu Jayasuriya have worked out several subjects to the agenda under preparation for the important third round that would meet shortly. The success of this committee gave strength to President Mahinda Rajapaksa to tell the United Nations that soon there would be no opposition in his country as all parties would work together for the betterment of the nation.

The President's move to bring the SLFP and the UNP together for the benefit of the nation is hailed by all quarters. The composition of the two committees have proved that all members are moderate in character and are keen to work out a durable solution to the ethnic problem which had devastated the future of Sri Lanka since independence.

Unlike the earlier conferences like "All Parties" and "Round Tables", the present committee is not composed for a single purpose. It covers a wide spectrum of activity designed for national benefit.

Hence, it has proved to be a worthy committee where both the SLFP and the UNP work together since independence. Similarly, both President Rajapaksa and UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe have given the committee a free hand to discuss matters of national importance following which decisions would be put before all parties and then before the people.

The members of the UNP are in full agreement with the move taken by their leader and the President to bring the two sides together. Last week,a group of UNPers who met in parliament discussed that the party should not attack the government on petty issues as it would create problems for the committee that is now in progress on national issues.

They decided to meet deputy leader, Karu Jayasuriya in this regard as some UNP MPs who gave press conferences had the tendency to attack the government on minor issues disputing the figures on national growth rate etc.

The UNP in the interest of the ongoing talks with the SLFP appears to have kept party reforms down in the party agenda. It is learnt that the party is now in agreement to work out a strong working system with the government to ensure national stability.

Deputy Leader, Karu Jayasuriya last week urged all members to contribute their views to the UNP seven-member committee on national issues that would be taken up with the SLFP. Wickremesinghe briefed Jayasuriya to consider views of all partymen before the UNP proposals are put before the table for discussion.

Unlike in the past, the present SLFP-UNP committee looks very strong as the UNP has decided not to withdraw from the committee at any stage. Party sources said that they were happy to work with SLFP leaders like Ratnasiri Wickremenayake and Maithripala Sirisena who were experienced politicians at party level.

A member of the UNP committee said," It's a pleasure to work with the Prime Minister. He gives us more time at the committee to express our views and listens attentively". Meanwhile, the UNP leader has urged his parliamentarians in the East to look into the welfare of those affected by terrorist violence.

The MPs have been advised to visit the affected villages and work with the state machinery to provide relief to the displaced and affected. These moves also come from the UNP following the setting up of the SLFP-UNP committee on national issues.

Wickremesinghe has also told his partymen to refrain from any criticism on defensive action taken by the armed forces in the face of terrorist attacks. The internal squabbles in the UNP seem to have calmed down with the operation of the SLFP-UNP committee as the party has put full focus on the matters that are scheduled to be taken up for discussion by the committee.

If this trend continues in the UNP, the President's prediction that soon there will be no opposition in Sri Lanka will become true giving a sigh of relief to Sri Lanka and her people.