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| Sunday, 25 January 2004 |
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Politics |  |
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Views on the Alliance New leaf is turned in country's political history The SLFP and the JVP entered into an Alliance on January 20 turning a new leaf in the political history of this country. The two secretaries placing their signatures on the MoU made the Alliance a reality that was in the doldrums for nearly ten months. The public reaction to the MoU varied. A cross section of the intelligentsia expressed their views on the MoU. Some welcomed the MoU with reservations. Ven. Bellanvilla Wimalarathana Thera: Commenting on the MoU the Ven. Thera said that if the intentions were genuine one must welcome the Alliance for the good of the country. " Alliance is not a new experience for the SLFP as from 1956 onwards they have been in this kind of grouping. What matters is the intention of the parties getting together and that is something important to the country. What the country needs today is to see that economic progress is being made by cutting down waste and curbing corruption. That is the hope and aspiration of the masses of this country. The MoU signed between the two parties has a number of proposals on peace. If the Alliance were to win a future election they should take the lead in implementing what they envisaged. Will they move from where the UNP stopped in respect of peace? If the UNP has done wrong they should proceed after correcting the mistakes committed by the UNP in the peace process. `X-Group': It was of the view that the politics of the Alliance was decided by the JVP and hence the JVP should have solutions to the problems faced by the country today. The JVP political history will be scrutinised and judged by examining JVP activities. This is the first and the last opportunity the JVP will get for such an evaluation or examination of their actions. The salient feature in this MoU is that it places politicians in the positions occupied by the economic giants. As the JVP is a party which maintains strict discipline one could hope that their influence would help to maintain `law and order'. Their presence will minimise the opportunities for thuggery and theft. But the X-Group is critical of the short cut chosen by the JVP to come to power. Dr. Sumansiri Liyanage, a Senior Lecturer of Political Science at Peradeniya University said that he wouldn't entertain a pessimistic view on the alliance between the two parties. In the event of the SLFP-JVP forming a government and is able to run the country at least for two years, I am of the view that would help to bring down corruption and waste. I can't say what directions they would take when new problems arise after they have run for two years. The country may not have a vast economic development through the influence of the JVP because the economic growth is decided by the standard of international economic forces. But, the JVP influence would help to bring down corruption to some level. It is a positive sign when compared with the current economic situation. The second important aspect of the alliance is the JVP's willingness to enter into dialogue with the Tamil nation. But, I don't know how they will do it. On the 19th of this month the "Lakhanda" carried a news item quoting JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva that the JVP was ready to talk to the LTTE. This shows that one who is looking for power has to talk to others involved in vital issues as the one faced by us today. The third issue is the fact that the country has to bear the burden of maintaining a huge Cabinet of Ministers. While everything has been privatised, one also sees that there is an increase, in the Ministerial portfolios. The Alliance will be able to cut down unnecessary expenditure and maintain law and order in the country and at the same time the JVP should be able to hold their identity. Prof. Walter Marasinghe says that the Alliance should first defeat the UNP strategy of dividing the country. The main issue the Alliance has to face is the North-East problem. They have to come to power to implement what they intend doing to bring about a settlement to the pressing problem. They must propose a balanced solution. The LTTE is not a group that would ever enter democratic streams. They hold onto weapons and wish to come into power through an arms struggle. All parties who have ideas or coming into power have a duty by the people and that is never to take the country to the point of engaging in war. The new Alliance has that responsibility. But, the LTTE is adamant in fighting and in such a situation others have no option but reluctantly to engage in war. I don't think that the Alliance should go for an election immediately. They should go for election once they have a good understanding of themselves and educating the people. Dr. Navaratna Bandara says that the Alliance should come to an agreement on the economic policy and the solution to the national issue. The UNP could not understand the national problem in its proper perspectives. Even Prof. G. L. Peiris didn't have a clear view in respect of the LTTE proposals. Government also doesn't have a clear idea. This is very well manifested in the way they acted in respect of the Muslim community. If the Muslim Congress is not taken to the negotiating table a very grave situation will arise in the East. National problems are no more a two-party matter but a tri-partite issue. To find a lasting solution they have to take the Muslim factor into account. |
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