Hi! what's up?

        By Deepal

JHU to strengthen President's hands

SO: May I speak to Ven. Rathana Thera please.

Thera: Speaking who is there?

SO: Ven Thera. I am from the Sunday Observer. What is news?

Thera: I just returned from Bangladesh after participating in a Relics exposition ceremony.

SO: How do you assess the country's political situation?

Thera: Why? Nothing wrong is taking place. At the Presidential Election we worked to defeat the Eelam ideology. Now, under the leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the Armed Forces had defeated the LTTE in the Eastern Province. Except for several minor happenings, everything is functioning smoothly.

SO: Yes, we have liberated the Eastern Province. Now, what is the next target of the government?

Thera: We do not preach to wage a war against the Tamil community. But this terrorism should be defeated. Now, it is the right time to start the humanitarian development process. The very first thing which the government has to do is winning the hearts and the minds of the Tamil community.

SO: There were allegations against the government regarding the way they handle the Forces in the East. What have you got to say?

Thera: A surgery cannot be done without pain. Some of the things we have to expect and that is the reality. But some people were speaking about refugees. Then later human rights violations. But all these allegations were made only to get petty political advantages.

SO: Whom did you mean by "some people"? Are they the NGOs or....

Thera: Specially the Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe. He did not like this process to proceed like this. When he made unnecessary allegations, there were a number of parties to benefit from such situations.

SO: But, there were some talks inside the inner political circles that the JHU was formed to assist Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe. What is that?

Thera: I do not reject that. Because at the very beginning the UNP helped us a lot. Some times their media gave us adequate coverage. But, we knew what we were doing and where to go.

SO: Is that true that the JHU MPs have sold their tax free vehicle permits?

Thera: The JHU is not a political party like others. We formed this to do something for the country. In the process, we knew we want some logistics to run the show. Then, our 30 member central committee decided to raise the party funds in that way. All those CC members are laymen and they took the decision.

SO: Anything special you have to add?

Thera: Time has come to begin the rehabilitation and development process in the Eastern Province. In a short time the JHU has done a lot for the country as we promised before the election. This is the time to strengthen the hands of the President, the government and the forces to proceed with the humanitarian development project in the East.

UNP ready for a mass rally

SO: Mr. Gayantha Karunathilake?

MP: Yes, speaking.

SO: Mr. Karunathilake, I am from the Sunday Observer and I want to get some information from you for the Hi, what's up column.

MP: I have read it several times.

SO: Well, what is the latest?

MP: The latest is we, the UNP is in these days getting ready for a demonstration and rally in Colombo on June 26 to agitate against the government.

SO: Why these demonstrations and rallies. Are you getting ready for a sudden election?

MP: I don't know about elections. But people are desperate with the present government. All the promises given by the government before coming to power have been completely forgotten. Therefore, they are rallying around us and we are leading them for a new government where their dreams can be realised.

SO: While the government celebrated the Thoppigala victory on a grand scale in Colombo, on the same day you signed an MoU with the SLFP(M) faction. Is it acceptable?

MP: Why? What's wrong in it. Thoppigala victory by the three Armed Forces is an issue that should be appreciated. But it cannot be mixed with party politics. But we were engaging in a political activity. It was just the beginning.

SO: Do you mean you cannot agree with the government's claim of liberating the Thoppigala area from the LTTE?

MP: This is the real story. In 1994 the UNP handed over to the former President Chandrika, a fully safe area which was controlled by our Armed Forces. I do not know who is responsible for losing it. That is why we say that the government should pay the price for innocent soldiers who sacrificed their lives. Specially, what we don't like is spending public money on this kind of unnecessary events.

SO: These days the talk of the town is your leader's statement over the Hela Urumaya bhikkhus. Is it is fair to criticise Buddhist bhikkhus publicly?

MP: No, He never criticised Buddhist or any religion's reverend sirs. But what he did was revealing the truth of some bhikkhu politicians. The Buddhists or others who voted for the Hela Urumaya won't be happy to see this kind of activities by them.

SO: Finally, What have you got to say to the Sunday Observer readers?

MP: Well, the government is in a crisis. There is a burst inside the government. The results are not yet to be seen. We will be leading and guiding the public to show them the real situation of the present government.

JVP to go for a new front

SO: MP Bimal Rathnayake please?

MP: Speaking. Who is speaking there?

SO: I am from the Sunday Observer. Comrade Rathnayake what is latest?

MP: Well, we are very busy working to set up a new national front. It would be the newest front which is to be set up in the country to safeguard it from various dangers. These days we meet people in all social groups at district level.

SO: Can you elaborate on what kind of front it is. Is it another political party?

MP: We just began and still in the first three months. It is not a party. But a front representing all the categories of the society. By August 1, we will be announcing to the public what our effort is.

SO: What about the response you receive in this process?

MP: Very satisfactory. When we go to the people what we see is most of them know the truth of what is happening. Anyway. They do not have a voice; that is why they keep silent. We are ready to provide a platform for their voice.

SO: What do you think about the country's present political situation?

MP: People are worried. According to the JVP's point of view, at present the country is in a political and economic crisis.

SO: How do you assess the military victory in the Eastern province?

MP: It is a victory by the three Armed Forces and the police. They have done it for the country's sake and to secure the country's sovereignty. The Opposition Leader who is still unable to realise the danger of the LTTE is trying to push the country into the mouth of the Tiger. At the same time the government is trying to use the event for political gains. Both cannot be accepted.

SO: The Opposition Leader had recently said that the "Vee FM" Radio channel is a JVP property. Is that true?

MP: We strongly reject it. We have media to take our message to the masses. He was speaking about some vehicle permits last week. But I do not know he spoke about radio channels too.

SO: Are you involved in restarting the Lanka weekly Sinhala newspaper.

MP: That is not a question for me. You have to ask from that company. But, your questioning makes me feel that you are labelling the media. Anyway, what I know is we have enough platforms to bring our message to the public.

SO: Anything special you want to say?

Yes, when this government began its military operations from Mavil Aru everyone said "No, it cannot be done". But by today the picture has been changed. Our Armed Forces proved they are clever than the LTTE and they can reach any target. That is my message to some NGOs as well as INGOs which try to demoralise us always in this effort.