UNP membership hopeful of settling differences

By Jaliya WIJEKOON

Jayalath Jayawardene

Renuka Herath

P. Harrison

Ranjan Ramanayake

The United National Party (UNP) membership heaved a sigh of relief with the party's much awaited Annual Convention on December 12, 2010 and election of new office bearers; Ranil Wickremesinghe remained as the Party Leader while Sajith Premadasa accepted the co-Deputy Leadership of the party.

It was considered as a historic convention of the party as an unprecedented number of supporters from all corners of the country attended the event and a number of new clauses were added to the party Constitution while some clauses which were not in line with true democratic norms were repealed.

Everyone was content with this turn of affairs and expected all newly elected office-bearers to work for the betterment of the party in view of achieving victory at a future election for which they had unanimously agreed at the convention in the presence of a large crowd of party supporters.

However, to the utter dismay and disappointment of the party membership, the reformists group has once again started accusing the leadership of the party on a number of issues. They were not happy with the manner in which the National Organiser was elected and initiated legal action against this appointment.

Some former UNP stalwarts, headed by Rukman Senanayake, Imitiiaz Bakeer Markar and a few others, recently convened a meeting in Colombo and pledged to work together to save the party from the dictatorial leadership.

This meeting was attended by all sitting parliamentarians of the reformist group who unanimously endorsed what the key speakers said.

Parliamentarians Dayasiri Jayasekera and Ranjith Madumma Bandara, addressing the gathering said they would go round the country and convince the UNP membership of the dictatorial manner in which the leadership handles the affairs of the party.

With all these negative developments in the party, it is the general belief of the membership that the UNP will not easily return to power, but would see even further deterioration.

There seems to be a rift between two groups of executive members of the UNP over the present developments of the party.

The Sunday Observer contacted some of the party stalwarts to obtain their views on the present position of the party and its political activities.

Jayalath Jayawardene, Gampaha District MP

Q: You have been appointed as the President of the party trade union Jathika Sevaka Sangamaya (JSS) by the leadership recently amidst various problems in the party mechanism. Do you think that you would be able to reactivate the trade union and bring back its lost strength to mobilise the employees and workers at a future election to attain power for the party?

A: Yes. Reactivating a long defunct or dormant trade union is not an easy task. I have already formulated a comprehensive program to do it.

With the correct approach, proper guidelines and imparting assurances to the workers only could we resurrect it.

It's true that, since this government came into power, for a long time, the JSS has become virtually non-existent since our unionists have been victimised. They are frustrated.

I hope to analyse the plight of these victims and prepare a priority list in addressing their grievances under a future UNP government. We hope to take legal action where possible and legal advice will be provided free.

We will appoint a separate group of lawyers to look into the grievances of these employees and adequate compensation will be paid by the party fund for deserving cases.

We hope to set up JSS branches in all institutions and encourage employees to actively involve themselves in its activities without fear or favour. We will monitor the performance of our trade union branches and give adequate support to all while recognising the best performers.

We hope to introduce a welfare scheme for the benefit of the dependents of JSS members and financial assistance will be provided on emergency situations and for the higher education of outstanding children of deserving employees. When we fully implement our comprehensive plan of reorganising our trade union, I am quite confident that we should be able to mobilise the employees of State sector institutions to work actively for the party goals and attain power at a future election.

Q: With never ending internal problems in the party, do you think that your party could come back to power at a future election?

A: Tell me one big party which has no internal conflicts. We have our differences of opinion on certain matters. It doesn't mean that we are divided.

We had our annual convention and elected new office-bearers and all agreed to work for the party to bring it back to power as soon as possible.

Don't you remember that the SLFP was once divided into a number of groups - Sirima-Anura group, Maithreepala - Anura group, Kobbekaduwa - Wijaya Kumaranatunga group etc?

Their party headquarters was closed down and the party was in political wilderness for a long time. However, with the passage of time and with a few setbacks for our party, they bounced back to power.

The UNP has not fallen to that level. We never closed down Sirikotha. We conduct our regular meetings and take decisions.

The islandwide co-ordination of the UNP is carried out through Sirikotha. Some unscrupulous media organisations are trying to tarnish the image of our party by making mountains out of molehills.

Ranjan Ramanayake, Ratnapura district MP

Q: The long drawn battle for the leadership of your party ended with the annual convention on December 12, 2010. However, once again, the reformists group headed by Sajith Premadasa, is making various statements to the media which reflect badly on the image of the party and the leadership of Ranil Wickremesinghe.

What are the reasons for these negative remarks of those reformists?

A: Please don't name anybody or any group as reformists. We have no groups in our party; we are a single unit who work tirelessly for the party. At the same time, anybody has the right to agree or disagree on certain political matters of the party.

As a democratic party we are bound to uphold and respect the views of others.

According to some media institutions disparaging remarks that were supposed to have been made by Sajith Premadasa involving Ranil Wickremesinghe and Sarath Fonseka, If that is true, they should be condemned outright. Premadasa is rapidly losing his credentials and popularity among the membership and the public with this type of irresponsible and unfounded allegations cast upon the leadership.Even in the past, there had been temporary conflicts among our party leaders on certain political matters. Some had been on the verge of seeking legal redress. But, finally, they came to a compromise and worked together to bring the party back to power. Similarly these minor hiccups will not hamper the forward march of our party in future.

Renuka Herath, Nuwara Eliya district MP

Q: You are a senior parliamentarian representing the Walapane electorate in the Nuwara Eliya district. What do you have to say about the present crisis of the party and its political activities?

A: First and foremost, I should tell you that we do not have any crisis in the party other than differences of opinion on certain matters. Certain parties are trying to paint a gloomy picture about our party, mainly to divert the attention of the public from the situation the Government has fallen into.

Unfortunately, some of our parliamentarians, those who do not have sufficient political experience, have fallen prey to this trap.

I don't like to elaborate or point fingers at anybody on this issue.

I have been loyal to the party hierarchy from the day I entered politics and have worked under J. R. Jayewardene, Ranasinghe Premadasa, D. B. Wijethunge and Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Of course I had problems with Gamini Dissanayake, but when he became the party leader, I fully supported him.

The Government is becoming unpopular day by day due to various reasons. UNP leaders and loyalists should shed all differences and march forward as a single unit to bring back the party to power at a future election.

P. Harrison, Anuradhapura District MP

Speaking to the Sunday Observer, Harrison categorically denied any party conflict and stated that all minor differences would be ironed out soon and the UNP would bounce back to power. "People are frustrated and angry over the manner in which the Government is handling the affairs of the country.

The sky-rocketing cost of living, corruption, favouritism and the dictatorial attitude of some powerful ministers have led to disgust and dismay. People are finding it difficult to make ends meet, and seek solutions," he said.