UNP: To reform or not

[email protected]

Struggle for reforms in the UNP is still continuing and reformists vow to campaign within the party to win their demands. UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe is trying his best to dilute reforms as original reforms have clipped his wings in the Working Committee. Here Tissa Attanayake and S. B. Dissanayake from the two factions speak, on the crisis.

Q: What is the actual problem in the UNP?

T.A: Two groups are having discussion on introducing party reforms. S.B and Karu led group came to an agreement on reforms on November 8 at the Working Committee. Now it is a matter of implementing those reforms. The UNP Annual General Meeting approved the reforms and in 100 days it will be implemented after passing it again at a Special AGM.

S.B: Agitation for reforms in the party started since the defeat of Presidential election in 1999. We have lost 14 elections so far. Late Gamini Athukorala together with Ravi, Rajitha, Rukman and many others stressed on reforms. Rukman took the signatures of 29 MPs urging the leadership to introduce reforms though now Rukman camped with Ranil. However reforms were dragging since 1999 on different excuses to todate.

Q: Can you tell me whether the actual reason behind the crisis is due to the leadership of Ranil Wickremesinghe or not?

T.A: Even the reformist group leaders S.B and Karu told the media that they don't intend to change the leader. What they want is reforms in the party. At an election victory everyone shares it. But it is wrong to put the blame on the leader on election defeats. Some of the reformists who are insisting on sweeping changes in the party lost their electorates at the last Presidential election.

S.B: With the defeat at the last Presidential election, Ranil wanted to resign from the leadership. But parachutes around him changed his mind. The actual reason for the crisis in the UNP is the 'friends' of Ranil who have been elevated to influential positions. There are no capable men. All are appointed by the leader. They are useless persons in the Working Committee who do not have grass root level support.

Q: The UNP has become a Wickremesinghe and Company today. Your leader's friends and family members are running the party. How do you say it is wrong?

T.A: Every leader has to think that his party is his own property. Otherwise, he will not deliver goods. That is how J.R.J, Bandaranaike, Rohana Wijeweera worked. They picked the most capable people to assist them. Our working Committee is represented by various persons from different organisations like Trade Unions, Fishing and Agricultural organisations, intellectuals,etc. There is no rule in any party to select the leader from the vote and that the leader should take decisions asking others.

S.B.: It is like a small club. Former Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, and Vice Chairman on legal affairs, etc.. are the ones who scuttled the reforms for their own survival. They are close friends of Ranil. They cannot thrive in the party with reforms as they don't have people's power. Actually Ranil wanted to go ahead with reforms but this 'bunch' of people did not allow him.

Q: Provisions in your party Constitution in relation to the removal and appointment of a leader had been diluted after 1995. Your leader today behaves like a dictator and if he has deprived internal democracy in the party, can the people expect him to be a democratic leader to rule the country?

T.A: Can you show me any other party which has internal democracy. JVP leader Somawansa is the leader todate. Now Mahinda Rajapaksa has taken up the leadership in the SLFP. Why are you only talking about internal party democracy in the UNP alone?. If any party wants to select the leader democratically every year, it can split into many groups. Reformist now accept the leadership of Ranil Wickremesinghe.

S.B: I don't know how the provisions on appointment and removal of the UNP leader has been changed. Ranil wanted to bring sweeping changes. But party officials stopped him.

Q: The UNP lost 14 elections since 1994. Ranil lost the last Presidential election and could not capitalise on the Tsunami devastation. Tsunami victims while living in huts voted for SLFP candidate Mahinda Rajapaksa. So can you market Wickremesinghe any more at future elections?

T.A: Recently S.B gave a very good answer to your question at a press interview. Just because Ranil is not smiling, and not too close to people, Ranil should not be compared with other leaders. S.B said that Ranil is the only leader who can resurrect the country from the present status if he has a very good team around him. I think that answer is enough for your question. However, we lost about 50 UNP leaders from the Thotalaga bomb. We mustered maximum votes at the last Presidential election.

S.B: Leaders in political parties in US,UK and many other countries resigned after election defeats. But we don't have that culture here. It is true that there are difficulties to market Ranil who lost 14 elections but still we can do it. JR was not as close as Ranil to people but JR had a very good team around him like Premadasa, Gamini, Lalith, Hameed, Mohamed, Cyril Mathew, Jayasuriya and so on. Ranil does not have such a team around him. That is the whole problem. Actually they are responsible for Ranil's defeat. But if Ranil appoints capable men to the Working Committee, it is he who will benefit and he can win any election.

Q: But your leader deliberately avoided bringing the original draft of the reforms agreed upon at the Working Committee to the AGM, what have you got to say?

T.A: It is wrong to interpret it that way. We came to an agreement at the Working Committee on certain reforms and presented those reforms to the AGM after taking legal advice. Then the membership passed it. There were only two minor changes on legal advice. It will be passed and ratified at a special AGM in 100 days. So it is unwise to fight on silly issues at this juncture.

S.B: After the Working Committee finalised the reforms, how can a lawyer amend the Working Committee decision? The lawyer has removed the two vital proposals such as -Working Committee to make all the appointments and appointment of Trade Union members, Artists, Students, etc. So now it is useless to accept these amended proposals. We are insisting on the original amendments.

Q: Why are the UNP seniors sidelined and key posts in the party given to the leader's favourites?

T.A: There is no truth in that. There is only one leader in the party, that is Ranil. Party Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer are just administrative posts. But Senior Vice Chairman posts have been given to the most senior members Alick Aluvihare, Dharmadasa Banda and M.H.Mohamed. They can work for the country from these posts. Every party needs the support of young blood to push the party forward with the advice of seniors. I rose to this position after being a MP for 18 years.

S.B: Alick Aluvihare, Dharmadasa Banda, M.H.Mohamed, Dayaratne and Gamini Lokuge were given positions after the agitation started. Giving positions for senior members is a good decision.

Q: Actually why are the seniors who are mostly members of the reformist group today are agitating? Is it mainly to get positions in the party?

T.A: There can be many motives but I don't like to make any comment. Because it could hinder the on going talks with them to bring about unity in the party.

S.B: We don't have any individual motives. What we want is to bring the UNP to power after experiencing 14 elections defeats. We want to introduce a system in the party to give positions according to the capabilities of individuals. But not for people who come last in the election list and lose their electorate or not for boot lickers.

Q: Reformist are scared that again the agreed reforms will be diluted and presented to the next special AGM because your leader is capable of such tricks. What is your comments?

T.A: The Working Committee again met last week and passed the reforms again. We are planing to bring a single document containing all the necessary reforms to push the party for a victory.

S.B: We reiterated again at the Working Committee meeting held a few days ago that there is nothing to further discuss on the agreed original Working Committee decisions on reforms. If they don't agree with us we will start a campaign in the party to muster the support of others.

Q: Can you tell me whether the original reform proposals have been diluted after it has been amended on legal advice?

T.A: Some minor changes were done according to legal advice. If reformists think of the betterment of the party, we must shed our differences before party members divide into two camps.

S.B: Yes, we will not agree with amended proposals. What we want is to implement the original proposals. Otherwise, we cannot reform the party.

Q: Karu Jayasuriya and S.B.Dissanayake are two influential figures in the party. But they have been stripped of their posts as they boycotted the recently held AGM. Will they be reappointed to their posts again?

T.A: Discussions are going on reforms. After reaching an agreement, they will be given their posts. We can not lead this party by sidelining members. We need the support of everyone. They will be given posts according to their abilities and capabilities. We can appoint Karu as our Deputy Leader and get it approved at the next AGM. S.B's posts does not require approval at the AGM. It was approved by the Working Committee in the UNP. It is similar to my previous posts.

S.B: My National Organiser post is still there according to Tissa Attanayake because it does not require the approval of the AGM. Since others Karu Jayasuriya, M.H.Mohamed, Dharmadasa Banda, P.Dayaratne boycotted the AGM, they lost their posts. But if we can come to a settlement it is not a problem to reappoint them again.

Q: Will the party take disciplinary action against reformists if they continue to agitate against Wickremesinghe's leadership?

T.A:It should be decided by the Working Committee. We have not yet decided to take disciplinary action. It is alright to make any statement in party at various meetings. They should avoid making public statements because it will bring the party into disrepute.

S.B: They cannot just sack us. 18 MPs came forward openly and 25 other MPs are backing us. They will come out at the correct juncture. I don't mind if they sack me from the Working Committee. UNPers know the sacrifice I made to bring the UNP to power in 2001. Of the 4.7 million UNP supporters at least 4.5 will agree to my quest for reforms. I am a grass root man and I don't want any post in the party because I live in the hearts of 4.5 million UNPers. I went to jail because of the speech I made at the meeting held to elect our Presidential candidate and not due to my Habaraduwa speech.