Dignity burned to a cinder
Wednesday, January 10, 2018During the height of party’s internal crisis; and after being prematurely thrown out of power by Chandrika Kumaratunga, leading to an electoral loss in early April, the United National Party decided to hold its the May Day celebrations in Jaffna in 2004.
Chief Opposition Whip John Amaratunga in a statement on April 23, stated, “The government plans to disrupt the Joint Opposition May Day rally in Jaffna,”
The statement further said; “the government and its friendly forces within the UNP have been working to see that the Jaffna rally would not be successful,” and that “the party was determined to make it otherwise.” What sort of dismal depths, a dominant political might in the country can be fallen to; for a senior stalwart to declare: “Government friendly forces within their party.”
However, the truth remained that, being incapable of facing the mainstream membership of which the majority are supporters of the ‘anti-leader’ faction, the leader and his inner circle planned an ‘excursion’ to the North, seeking the assistance of the Tamil National Alliance. John Amarathunga added that “other parties had pledged their participation.” He did not substantiate his claim by naming them. Presumably, they were, the Dr Wickramabahu group, Sirithunga, Manamendra, and Mujibarr Rahaman group, who’s participatory strengths were well understood.
Premadasa Commemoration rally
As reported in the media, the anti-leader faction was having on their own a Premadasa Commemoration rally in Colombo which falls on May 1 too, in the afternoon on May 1, a deviation from the usual morning ceremony held every year; and their unusual rush for sophisticated arrangements organised well ahead of time, all adding up to the doubt created in the minds of the public on their motives and covert agenda as well. They said it is nothing but an act of destruction to the Party that the leader and the deputy have indulged in; it was against not only the ‘Grand Old Party’ but the nation as a whole; they, in fact, saw the unfortunate act as a creation of two separate states with Colombo and Jaffna as capitals.
Worse, their actions provided a ‘free-hand’ to the CBK-Mahinda government to continue their ‘picnic’ at the cost of the nation.
Amarathunga’s statement further stated that the UNP has made arrangements to ensure the participation of 100 supporters from each electorate. Leaving the north and east out, there were approximately 120 electorates, making it a total of 12,000 people. The ideal, the organisers thought was to have a special train leaving Polgahawela.
The government supporters used the opportunity to remind them that their leader can commemorate the UNP governments ‘great excursion of 1981’ to ‘conduct’ the Jaffna DC elections, which was carried out under the supervision of two senior ministers and the then leader.
The 1981 drama contemptuously called ‘They came from Colombo’, left half of the Northern city in flames, Jaffna TULF MP Yogeswaran’s house was torched. Biblioclasm in one of Asia’s best libraries with 96,000 books and ancient manuscripts, disruption and rigging of DC elections with ballot boxes finding their way to the Subash Hotel. Just the main parts of the drama or atrocities committed by the Police, assisted by the trainload of state-sponsored Sinhala hooligans from South.
Hence, the move to visit the Northern city was hailed by many as one of the current leaders thought-provoking and progressive acts and an ideal opportunity for the UNP and Party leader to make a belated confession before the people of this nation on behalf of his former seniors giving into narrow and traditional mindsets. Perhaps he wanted to do it from the very place the past leaders committed the crime years ago.
Rational thinking politicians
Let me quote here just two excerpts, out of a long list, for lack of space; which the present leadership of not only the UNP but all other rational thinking politicians could take serious note of.
1. President J R Jayewardene was interviewed by S. Venkat Narayan, senior editor India Today on Sep 15, 1981 – as reported on its page 18.
Narayan— “In Jaffna, people are very upset. Policemen set fire to the library and burnt 96,000 books. They also set fire to a TULF MP’s house.”
JRJ — “That’s because they think he is in touch with the terrorists.”
Narayan — “It seems they were trying to catch him (the MP) so they could kill him.
JRJ — “Terrorists do that too.”
2. Parliamentary Debates June 9, 1981, Hansard-Col. 155-156.
V. Yogeswaran – MP Jaffna:-- Mr Deputy Speaker, I was telling this house about the incidents of the 31st …..I could see the flicker of flames from the bazaar area. My wife told me, “I think they will attack our house.” I was an MP who was elected by the people and lived with them. I tried to contact the District Minister…. told his secretary, that the police are burning some portions of the town.” (Laughter - government benches).
“Mr Deputy Speaker, while they are laughing the whole world is laughing at them! You have burnt a part of the great city and you show nothing but your derisive laughter! Those who read this Hansard will look down upon you.”
National Integration and Reconciliation Week-
Last year the Cabinet of Ministers declared this week, from January 8 to the 14, as ‘National Integration and Reconciliation Week’ to coincide with the second anniversary of the Presidential election of January 8, 2015, and this was the first occasion on which this annual National Integration and Reconciliation Week was observed in Sri Lanka.
One of the main features of this Observance, a Pledge for National Integration and Reconciliation was read out on January 9th in schools and state institutions including in Parliament, -“resolving to work together, hand in hand, while respecting the richness of our diversity, to foster peace, understanding, mutual trust, and brotherhood; a new Sri Lanka united in its diversity.”
Although the 30-year war ended in May 2009, the healing of wounds of over three decades of conflict, achieving national integration, reconciliation, catching up on economic development and development that got away from us due to conflict, and guaranteeing of non-recurrence, remain challenging responsibilities for our Nation.
