BY METHMALIE DISSANAYAKE-2017-01-18
The political furnace is heating up once more with Athuraliye Rathana Thera's decision to remain an independent MP at a juncture when former President Mahinda Rajapaksa announced that he will topple the government in 2017. In an interview with Ceylon Today, JVP Propaganda Secretary Vijitha Herath commented on the prevailing political situation and noted that the government has been rendered unstable in the last two years and that the Thera's decision to function as an independent MP only aggravates the situation.
Excerpts follow:
Q: What can you say about Athuraliye Rathana Thera's decision to be an independent MP?
Q: What can you say about Athuraliye Rathana Thera's decision to be an independent MP?
A: Athuraliye Rathana thera acted independent for a long time. Therefore, the news did not bring any surprise to us. The only difference is that the thera is not a part of this government now. But we should not forget, it was he, who came to the Parliament from the UNP national list. He also supported to establish the national government which now is creating chaos among the citizenry. He should have thought about the consequences of forming a government such as this. Now it is too late because this government is dragging the entire country and the people into a grave crisis.
Q: Are there any other MPs who wish to break away from the government?
A: That we do not know. But, this current situation is a normal thing in any country, which has an unstable political environment. When a government becomes weak, its members tend to desert the 'sinking ship'. This is what is happening in the country at the moment. We assume that more situations like Rathana thera's decision to act as an independent MP could be seen in the future.
Q: Going by this decision, some people may question whether the government is stable. Do you have any views on the matter?
A: The UNP and the SLFP did not have a mandate to form a joint government. People did not give them power to do so. These two parties formed this government against the people's mandate. Now look at what has happened? Due to that decision political stability of the country is in danger now. They gave thousands of promises to the people, yet have failed to fulfil even one of them in a proper manner. Under their control, now the economy is in a total mess.
Q: Is it possible to overthrow the government, as the Joint Oppositions wants to do?
A: We do not see such possibility at the moment. There are three more years for the next election and the President cannot dissolve this Parliament. Therefore, we think the government will remain as this until 2020, even though it is a total failure and it will not do any good to the country. The UNP and the SLFP is proving again and again that they cannot guide the country in the correct path. They have no objectives; they have no goals for that. We even cannot see a genuine intention to develop the country from them.
Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Joint Opposition are the ones who keep on saying that they will topple the government. But we do not see a way it can happen right now.
Q: Some people claim that the JVP only talks about corruption of the Rajapaksa era
A: They will not say that if they listen to us properly. I think the Joint Opposition wants us to shut our mouths on the corruption they did together. They like to see that happen. That is why they point their fingers at us by making such false allegations. But we do not see any fair reason as to why we should not talk about the misdeeds and corruptions done by Rajapaksas. Because they stole State money and misused State properties with the collaboration of some MPs who are now members of the Joint Opposition. Revealing the truth about them is absolutely necessary because such people should be punished according to the law.
But, this government is not any different. They also are 'big thieves' like the people of former government. Therefore, we, as the JVP, criticize both these governments when there is a necessity. We never keep our mouths shut while witnessing the harm they are doing to this country.
But, this government is not any different. They also are 'big thieves' like the people of former government. Therefore, we, as the JVP, criticize both these governments when there is a necessity. We never keep our mouths shut while witnessing the harm they are doing to this country.
It was us who raised voice against the Central Bank bond scam. It was us who revealed the truth about MPs who take State vehicles in an inappropriate manner. If they now accuse us saying that we do not act, they are mistaken and they do not listen to us properly.
We have a bond with the people in this country. Therefore, we never support any government to steal and misuse State money and State properties which originally belonged to the citizenry.
Q: The National Audit Bill is one promise made by the government. Its introduction keeps on getting delayed. What are your comments on that?
A: The government appointed the Audit Commission but has failed to pass the New National Audit Bill. This is completely a joke because the commission cannot be operated without empowering the Bill. Passing the National Audit Bill is a promise the government gave to the people from the 100-day-programme of this government. Now, almost two years have gone and yet they are struggling to fulfil that promise.
We know that several attempts are being made to weaken the draft of the Audit Bill. This Bill is intended to make the Parliament's authority stronger over the public funds. Moreover, it will give more powers to the Auditor General. But now, there are several ministers and MPs who do not wish to see that happen. They are attempting to remove many of the most-important provisions from the Bill. That is why the task of passing this Bill takes months and months.
We should say that the act is of no use without those provisions. Removing them will make the bill weaker. So the bill should be passed along with those phrases. If the government fails to do it, then it betrays and disappoints people who placed their trust upon it.
Q: What is your opinion on the incidents regarding the Hambantota port?
A: The people cast votes for these authorities to see a developed country by managing the resources we have in an effective manner. However, this government is selling and sacrificing the most important resources that belong to the people. How can a government sell almost all the national treasures and then develop a country? That does not make any sense.
It is not a sound economic plan for a country to sell lands and national assets to other countries by just showing debt numbers of previous regimes. This path the government has taken cannot be justified by any means.
It is not a sound economic plan for a country to sell lands and national assets to other countries by just showing debt numbers of previous regimes. This path the government has taken cannot be justified by any means.
The JVP urges the government to stop this immediately. The government should stop selling the Hambantota Port to China. They should stop selling our lands to China. They will receive money by selling them now, but generations and generations will have to suffer because of stupid decisions like that.
As a political party and trade union movement we will begin a firm struggle against government's policy of selling and sacrificing country's resources.
Q: The government has warned of a rice shortage. How did this happen?
A: I remember the Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake once saying that there was no need to cultivate paddy in Sri Lanka. He said it is more profitable to import rice rather than manufacturing rice inside the country. Then, the Agriculture Minister Duminda Dissanayake, I think for the first time in the history, said that 100,000 acres will be withdrawn from the paddy cultivation. I don't think any other agriculture minister in the world would say something like that. But again, we cannot expect any better than that from a government like this.
However, now the situation has changed. Same people who said that there was no need to cultivate paddy inside the country are now making decisions to import rice from south Asian countries. I think that these kinds of fiascos can only happen in Sri Lanka.
Moreover, now they say the country is in a rice crisis due to the drought. The Finance Ministry says that the country could be faced with a famine. What they suggest to people is consume sweet potato and manioc leaves as a solution. The government has failed to provide food to the people. This is a shame.
Moreover, now they say the country is in a rice crisis due to the drought. The Finance Ministry says that the country could be faced with a famine. What they suggest to people is consume sweet potato and manioc leaves as a solution. The government has failed to provide food to the people. This is a shame.
The government should take the entire responsibility for this situation. If they had a proper management plan to handle this, such a situation would not have arisen. If they had taken the necessary action, the people would not have needed to buy a kg of rice for Rs 90. This is a mafia the authorities have created with the coalition of rice mill owners.
Q: What can you say about the dispute regarding Wilpattu National Park?
A: There are several Muslim families who had abodes in that area before. Therefore, the government should solve their land and housing problem first. As we know, before the war some families lived near the Wilpaththu reservation, like in Kallaru. They have their lands in the area. So there is a genuine problem there and the government must come up with a proper solution. Instead of doing so, the government is shifting all the blame to minister Rishad Bathiudeen and is talking and doing nonsense. It is originally they who created this problem. But it seems that they do not want to solve it.
Q: What is your opinion about the current situation of national security?
A: We cannot see any immediate threat to national security right now. But we can see racism spreading among the communities in the country like wildfire. The communities refuse to trust each other and the suspicion about other communities is growing. In North, Chief Minister Wigneswaran makes claims which are harmful to the peace and harmony. Just like that, in the South, 'Rajapaksa and the clan' trying to divide ethnic communities by spreading lies.
Q: What steps can be taken by the government to control this situation?
A: These people are not capable of giving a permanent solution for the ethnic problem of the country. Both the UNP and the SLFP could not do it nor does the Joint Government.
What both these parties did is the same. Every time when they wanted to gain power they used racism to do so. That is what they did every time. They will do it even in the future too.
