Ex-UNP MPs air their views on party’s plight
By Jaliya Wijayekoon
Sri Lanka remained under British rule for well over a century
beginning in 1815 and the patriotic leaders of yesteryear felt the
necessity of independence and started clamouring for freedom from the
colonial masters. A number of organisations was formed by local
patriotic leaders with the participation of all communities and they
jointly worked to obtain autonomy.
The Ceylon National Congress was one of the foremost political forces
in the country representing all communities which agitated against the
British Empire for the country’s Independence. It metamorphosed in to
the United National Party headed by D.S. Senanayake and the country
obtained Independence in 1948 after 133 years under British bondage.
D.S. Senanayake was the greatest visionary of modern Sri Lanka who
chartered the course of the future of the nation under the umbrella of
the United National Party. With Independence, the United National Party
became extremely powerful as it initiated a huge number of development
projects in the country to enhance the socio-economic standard of its
people.
Unfortunately, D.S. Senanayake had an untimely death falling off
horse back while he was on his regular exercises at the Galle Face
Green. His son Dudley Senanayake, a Cambridge Scholar, who was the
Minister of Agriculture was unanimously elected Prime Minister by the
party members. He continued the good work of his father and went for an
election even before the term was completed and achieved a mammoth
two-third majority victory for the party.
However, Dudley Senanayake stepped down from politics after a few
years due to ill health and Sir John Kotalawala took over the leadership
of the party. Sir John, though a straight-forward and honest politician,
was unable to consolidate the party and continue as he was very arrogant
and rigid in political and administrative affairs. He constantly had
problems with his colleagues and even with the Maha Sangha.
The United National Party was defeated in 1956 by S.W.R.D.
Bandaranaike and since then the power has been shifting between the UNP
and SLFP-led coalitions at every successive election until the 1977
general election when the new leader of the UNP, J.R. Jayawardene won
with five-sixth majority and consolidated power firmly with the
introduction of new Constitution. From 1977 upto 1994, the United
National Party won all elections held in the country. Since 1994, the
UNP had been in a dismal position except at the 2001 general election
where the party managed to form a government with the able support
rendered by a breakaway group of the then PA government headed by its
general secretary S.B. Dissanayake, and six other prominent members.
However, Ranil Wickremesinghe couldn’t consolidate the power he won
and continue for long. They were swept out of power after barely
completing two years. From that point onwards, the UNP suffered defeat
after defeat and continued to be in a quagmire.
The Sunday Observer sought the views of some former party stalwarts
to ascertain why the party has descended to such abysmal levels.
The views expressed by some of them:
Buddhika Kurukularatne, Ex Parliamentarian, Galle District:
Q: Your party had rendered a great service to the nation from
its inception and had been a forceful and formidable political force in
the past. However, during the last few years, it had performed very
poorly and pathetically at all elections. What is the reason for this
gradual downfall?
A: A number of social and political reasons may have
contributed to the present dismal position of the party. However, it is
an accepted fact that the present feeble leadership is the main cause
for the downfall of the patty. I know Ranil Wickremesinghe from his
school days. He used to visit my place and discuss political matters. I
worked at ANCL with his father Esmond Wickremesinghe who was a great PR
man who would put his hand around my shoulder and advise me on
professional matters. I don’t believe that Ranil has inherited even one
percent of the PR abilities from his father.
Ranil Wickremesinghe is not a practical politician who feels the
pulse of the grass roots level membership. Moreover, he doesn’t possess
intellectual advisors. A large number of former party stalwarts had left
the party mainly due to his arrogant and rigid ways. He is not prepared
to listen to the grievances of the party members. I have nothing
personal against him and I must say that he is the only man who could
pull the country out of the present mess. Unfortunately, he doesn’t have
the charismatic leadership to gain power by launching an aggressive
campaign at a future election.
U.L.M. Farook, Ex Parliamentarian – Kegalle District, Former State
Minister of Transport.
It is true that our party had been reduced to deplorable levels. The
gradual deterioration of the party began with the assassination of our
great leaders such as Lalith Athulathmudali, Ranasinghe Premadasa and
Gamini Dissanayake. Had at least one of them survived, this unfortunate
situation wouldn’t have arisen in the party.
I do not want to point an accusing finger at anybody for the downfall
of the party, but we have to accept the fact that the organisational
mechanism of the party do not function properly. The party hierarchy is
not interested in capitalising on crucial national issues and instead is
involved in meting out punishment to party stalwarts on trivial issues,
demoralising the party supporters. Unlike in the past, no regular
organisational activities are conducted, monitored and evaluated to
ascertain the performances of the electoral organisers.
The media wing of the party has become defunct over the last few
years. The party paper Siyarata is no longer in existence. People
unfriendly measures taken by the Government are not adequately exposed
to the public. Counter-attack on certain political matters is not upto
the standard. With these drawbacks and shortcomings, it is not possible
for our party to bounce back to power even at a future election. The
leadership should realise that unity is of utmost importance to regain
the lost glory of the party after addressing other important issues.
Karunasena Kodithuwakku – Colombo District Ex-Minister of education:
There are a number of reasons for our party’s present situation. Let
me start from the recent past. We formed a government in 2001 and we
were compelled to take some austerity measures to resurrect the economy
from the sorry State. Hence we couldn’t provide employment during the
two years, but we brought the economy to a sound footing. Chandrika
Kumaratunga dissolved the Government and we lost power at the election.
The LTTE was weakened in some aspects over its divisions due to
Ceasefire Agreement and it didn’t allow Tamil community to vote at the
Presidential Election and Ranil Wickremesinghe was defeated marginally
by Mahinda Rajapaksa. Then the Mahinda Rajapaksa Government defeated the
long drawn terrorism militarily and that is the main reason for them to
remain in power to date.
However the present government has miserably failed to address issues
on education, health, international relations, and in a number of
crucial areas.
People are faced with lots of difficulties with the ever increasing
cost of living. We are slowly and steadily organising our party for
victory at a future National Election.
M.D. Premaratne, Ex Parliamentarian – Avissawella electorate and
former Deputy Minister of Sports and Parliamentary Affairs
I started my political career as a VC member of Boralugoda way back
in 1958 and since then I had been working closely with all UNP leaders.
We had our ups and downs from time to time in the distant past, but we
were never bogged down in the Opposition for more than one parliamentary
term. I feel really sad at the present plight of the party. There are a
lot of reasons for this debacle. The main reason is that the present
leader is not a practical politician who rubs shoulders with the grass
roots level membership of the party. Over the last eight to 10 years,
our party had been gradually and steadily being dragged away from the
masses. A large number of our party stalwarts have left the party mainly
due to the manner in which the present leader handles the affairs of the
party. When area organisers and one time provincial leaders desert the
party and join the government, invariably the grass roots level members
get demoralised. A substantial number of our district leaders who left
party have been elected back to parliament under the UPFA banner. It
clearly indicates the down fall of our party.
The entire party mechanism has to be revolutionised if we are to have
even a glimpse of hope of a victory, which is not in the foreseeable
future.
Renuka Herath – Ex-Minister – Nuwara Eliya District:
It is true that we are bogged down in the Opposition for the last
number of years due to some of our shortcomings. At the same time
President Mahinda Rajapaksa managed to eradicate terrorism with the able
support given by the security forces. We are happy about it. We are not
very much interested in the results of minor election. We know the
general trend is that government in power always win minor elections.
Our main focus is on the next general election for which we have already
started preparing the ground work. We know a large number of people
distracted from us in the past. They are gradually rallying round us
back again because they know that Ranil Wickremesinghe is the only
leader who can lead the country for socio-economic prosperity. People
are extremely fed up with the present government and silently and
impatiently waiting to see a regime change. Although some development
projects are there, the dividends of them have not reached the ordinary
public. Only a handful of people are benefited by their so called
projects. Day to day domestic expenses have reached unprecedented
heights. With the backdrop of this situation we are quite positive that
we form a government at the next general election under our leader Ranil
Wickremesinghe.
Upali Amarasiri, Ex Parliamentarian Galle, District
The main reason for the pathetic situation of the United National
Party is that it had not fulfil its responsibilities as the main
Opposition party during the last few years. They should realise that a
good government and a vibrant Opposition are the key bodies which
safeguard all the interests of the public.
I can cite enough and more examples on these things. I do not want to
name the people and the positions they were appointed to which were
totally illegal and unethical, but the main Opposition never raised its
voice against those postings.
The shortcomings at the present administration had not been
adequately exposed by the Opposition to the public. No alternate plans
had been presented to the public at the last elections. Ranil
Wickremesinghe has not addressed the Sinhala Buddhist majority, but is
more concerned with the interests of the minority communities. The
Sinhala Buddhist vote base had got distracted over these actions and
utterances made by Ranil Wickremesinghe.
Vajira Abeywardene Galle District Ex-Minister:
The services rendered by the United National Party to the nation are
immeasurable and invaluable. But its true that it had stagnated during
the last few years in the Opposition. We have to accept the fact that
the eradication of terrorism is the main factor which contributed to the
present rulers to be in power continuously. Our previous leaders also
tried and controlled the LTTE movement and Ranil Wickremesinghe’s Peace
Agreement divided the LTTE outfit and weakened them. You have to admit
the fact that Karuna Amman and Pillaiyan broke away from LTTE due to the
Ceasefire Agreement.
However Mahinda Rajapaksa Government look the full credit of winning
the war and still remains in power.
But now the Government is becoming increasingly unpopular due to the
very high cost of living and unprecedented degree of corruption and we
are quite certain that we will be able to return to power under the
astute and far-sighted leadership of Ranil Wickremesinghe at a future
election.
Daham Wimalasena, Ex Parliamentarian (One year) and former Chairman,
Ceylon Petroleum Corporation.
The recent debacle in the United National Party is due to the lack of
democracy in the party. There is no transparency in whatever political
or financial dealings. All important activities are conducted with the
approval of Working Committee Members who are appointed by the leader.
If the leader is interested in maintaining democracy in the party, he
should go for an election for the leader’s post, allowing all the
elected UNP representatives of Parliament, Provincial Councils and all
local bodies to cast their vote. Then he will realise the degree of
popularity that he has in the party.
One thing is dead certain, that is, he would never be able to form a
government under his leadership. He is doing irreparable damage to the
party by remaining its leader.
Vincent Dias, Ex Parliamentarian, former Deputy Minister Badulla
District.
The debacle of the party is fully due to its leader who has his own
way. Today, he is enacting a sort of a drama with a handful of his
people. At this rate, the future of the party is at stake. Although
Ranil and his people say that they will form a government in 2014, the
grass roots level membership is not ready for that. They are more
interested in going for a referendum rather than an election to remain
in parliament for a further period, enjoying all the perks.
Rankil
Wickremesinghe and his near and dear are not bothered about the grass
roots level members who have been undergoing untold hardships due to the
sky rocketing cost of living. They don’t want to challenge the
government on issues such as corruption.
In this backdrop, a victory for the UNP would be a distant dream.
Mahen Gunasekera, Gampaha District Ex Parliamentarian and former
Deputy Minister
I do not want to beat about the bush. The reason for the present
debacle of our party in a nut shell its leader Ranil Wickremesinghe. The
Sunday Observer contacted a few more former UNP Parliamentarians who
abstained from making any comment over the present situation in the
party, alleging that it’s a mere waste of time.
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