We are for changing the present electoral system - Anura Kumara

by Ranil Wijayapala

The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna JVP) is fully supportive of changing the present electoral system in the country, JVP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayaka said expressing the part’s views on the 20th Amendment to the Constitution .

Q:What is the stance of the JVP to the 20th Amendment to the constitution, to change the electoral system ?

A:We are strongly backing the idea of changing the present electoral system in the country. There were some proposals which we have been discussing. But the proposal which was presented to the Cabinet on June 1, was different from the one which was discussed by us earlier. The Cabinet paper submitted on Friday was also different from the one presented to the Cabinet on Monday. Now they have gazetted a completely different proposal from the earlier discussed proposals and has never been discussed with us.

Therefore, we cannot agree with the gazetted 20th Amendment because one strategy behind introducing these electoral reforms is to keep the political power which is being distanced from President Maitripala Sirisena at present. The second objective behind these proposals is to strengthen the dual party system in the country. What they wanted is to concentrate political power between two main political parties in the country.

Therefore, we are of the opinion that the proposals presented today are not reflecting the fair representation of different ethnic groups scattered and also not reflecting the diverse political trends among different groups of people and political parties.

Q:In which way it should be changed then ?

A:The JVP is of the opinion that the electoral system has to be changed through a collective process. It should represent the views of all ethnic groups in the country and also different political trends of people and also political parties. At the same time these electoral reforms should open the doors for a multi-party political system in the country distancing from the dual party system in the country. We should make changes to accommodate all these systems when changing the electoral system.

Q:What is the opinion of the JVP with regard to changing the number of seats in the Parliament through these electoral reforms?

A:We are not a party which acts according to the number of seats in parliament. We had 41 seats in the parliament in 2004 and we offer two seats to President Chandrika Kumaratunga to accommodate party members.We had a MP by the name Polgampola.

He was caught when he was trafficking a youth to Japan. We removed him from his seat on the following day. In 2010 when Sarath Fonseka was deprived of his seat it was to be given to Lakshman Nipunaarachchi of our party. But we gave that seat to Jayantha Ketagoda. Now they have filed a case to get that seat back from Jayantha Ketagoda.

Which political party has done such politics in this country. But we also need to have a powerful team to represent the parliament. It is with that aim we are working towards the next general election. But what is more important here is not the number of MP s in the parliament. What is most important is the way they are being elected to the parliament. We can decide on the number of MP s at any time. But the most important fact is to decide on the method of selecting them to the parliament.

Q:There is a perception that this is the most opportune time for the country to have these electoral changes and such opportunity will not come again ?

A:We don’t believe so.

Q:Then do you think such an opportunity can be created in the future ?

A:We strongly believe such an opportunity can be created by the people when they are electing representatives to the Parliament. They can send people to the parliament who are thinking democratically and committed to the democratic process in the country and also thinking about the human rights of the people. Then they can create such an opportunity in the future. Not only we need to change the electoral system we also need to change the

Constitution of the country too, if people can elect people of that caliber to the parliament at the next general election.

Q:There is an opinion that the next general election should be held under the new system if the 20th Amendment cannot be passed in parliament. What is you opinion on this issue ?

A:President Maithripala Sirisena has categorically stated that the next election would not be held under the new electoral system. His stance on that and the proposals on the electoral reforms has also been changed from time to time. Therefore, placing trust on his statement is becoming a difficult situation for anybody.

Q:If this attempt to change the electoral system failed, as a political party what is the program will you launch to make such changes in the future ?

A: We are not only committed to work towards electoral reforms. We are also committed to work towards changing the Constitution of the country.

Therefore we will definitely work towards achieving these two objectives in the future.