The Year 1988: JVP Demands And The Coalition Government Interlude
By Rajan Hoole -January 21, 2014
Rajan Hoole
The Year 1988: The Red Moon Over Sri Lanka And The Dawn Of New Wisdom – Part 6
A particular episode is very revealing about the manner in which different parties approached the elections. The JVP was not attacking Premadasa and Premadasa was saying that the JVP was innocent and that the SLFP was behind the violence. Having given hopes to the SLFP, the JVP became a thorn in its flesh and on 21st October banned SLFP meetings in the Uva Province. It began insisting that it would remain part of the 8 party alliance only if its proverbial 11 points were met. The 7 remaining parties wrote to Jayewardene asking for a meeting to discuss these – that is the President to dissolve parliament and step down, and elections under a caretaker government.
Premadasa said at a meeting with his peculiar logic, “The JVP is not among the 7 parties asking for a caretaker government so that the violence could be brought to an end. Therefore, the JVP is not responsible for the violence. It is the SLFP that is articulating the violence”.
As an experienced campaigner, Mrs. Bandaranaike could hold her own. She said, “The Prime Minister (Premadasa) is on record saying that the JVP is not responsible for any killings. Then why are his own security forces hunting the JVP?” Yet, the drift of events was against her. The JVP was giving her dead ropes. Its only interest, if possible, was to use the SLFP to get Jayewardene to install a caretaker government and step down.
This was the time (26th October) the brutal killing of three supposedly pro-JVP students, allegedly by the son of Ratnapura MP Punchi Nilame, became an issue. (The same MP was also accused of playing a prominent role in the 1981 anti-Tamil violence.)
Jayewardene’s response (Sunday Times 30 Oct. 88) to the 11 JVP demands that were raised with him by its 7 allies, was essentially that the release of detainees was possible, if it would bring a permanent end to violence. He added that the immediate lifting of the emergency and that the dissolution of parliament could be seriously considered if the foregoing conditions are met. Then the paramilitary groups including the STF, he said, could be disbanded if they exist. He would step down, he said, if it would help the situation. He added that in that event Premadasa would become president according to the constitution and asked if they would like that. He remained a master politician to the last, who could have achieved much if his abilities were directed aright.
To be continued..
*From Rajan Hoole‘s “Sri Lanka: Arrogance of Power - Myth, Decadence and Murder”. Thanks to Rajan for giving us permission to republish. To read earlier parts click here
