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Quo Vadis, JVP ?

JVP should join the government now to preserve its popularity, if not JVP too will soon pass into history and oblivion.

By Charles Perera

Since JVP broke away from its rebellious past to enter a democratic phase, it soon became a popular political party first among the youth , and then among the right thinking people of all walks of life. The JVP is composed of honest educated youth from among the common people. They know what the people want, and are able to trace a path parallel to the thinking of the masses. They have progressive ideas, and willingness and enthusiasm necessary to put them into practice.

The Earlier leftist political parties the LSSP, and the Communist Party, remained a popular among the urban workers and the estate sector, and were not able to rise above to influence the grass root voters of the country.
And the passing away of the great pioneers Dr.Wickramasinghe, Peter Keunaman, N.M.Perera, Colvin R de Silva, Leslie Gunawardhana , Bernard Soyza and the rest, saw the loss of popularity of these parties becoming mere phantoms of the past remaining only in name as memories of the good old days.

The Present day party leaders like Vasudaeva Nanyakkara, Batty Weerakoone, Wickramabahu Karunaratne, are gnomes trying to keep the past alive. They inspire none except perhaps themselves to go on at any cost, participating in cheap publicity gimmicks with anti-war manifestations. All those left revolutionaries and their political activities are reduced to mere memories.

The disappearance of these parties was due to the leadership being diehard theoreticians rather than practical politicians. Though the left moment in Sri Lanka began somewhere in 1930 they were not able to influence the general mass, and their popularity remained among a limited area. They proved , that theory does not so much interest the people, and to come to power through a parliamentary system a political party should b able to inspire the sentiments of the people. The left parties after 25 years of their existence was to see SWRD Bandaranaike within an year after he formed the SLFP carried shoulder high by the people to make him the most popular Prime Minster.

JVP should learn from the history of the left movement in Sri Lanka, not to fall into the same trap by stubbornly sticking to theory, and become outsiders to the popular masses. They were voted to power to help the President Mahinda Rajapakse to form a government, and not to stay out of the government and be its critics. People did not vote for Somawansa Amarasinghe. If he is the theoretician let him stay out side and not be the spokesman for the Party.

Wimal Weerawansa, is a good speaker, but his talent should not be misused to lash at every one, on every thing. His speeches should be more studied, forceful, but refined to inform the people and point out what is correct and what is incorrect, without trying to be market place speech makers, speaking for the applause of the people, or imitation Tissa Attanayake or Senaratne of the UNP. Tilvin Silva, Lalkantha, Herath and Anura Dissanayka should try to put sense into the minds of the militants, and the impatient elements. The strikes for increase of salaries in the present climate, in which hundreds of our heroic soldiers die in the defence of our country , leaves a bitter taste in the mouth, to say the least.

It would be a great strength to the President Mahinda Rajapkse, who is giving the correct leadership to the country, to have trust worthy friends like those in the JVP on his side. Therefore, instead of berating him and asking for the 20 points some of which is not workable at least for the time being, the JVP should join the government and strengthen it, making meaningful the election manifestos presented to the people. The President is popular to-day and to stabilise this popularity the JVP should join the President without further ado.

One begins to wonder, why this hesitation on the part of the JVP to join the government. The left parties should make use of the popular parties, ride along with them and realise whatever of their socialist programme, to win the confidence of the people. If not they may only help the reactionary forces to displace the government in place, to come into power. Now itself one witnesses, the reactionary right wing dentists, jailbirds and empty wind bags, trying their best to create a negative picture of the present government Surely Wimal Weerawansa does not want be an imitation Tissa Attanayake or a Rajitha Senaratne ?

If the JVP abides time further, without joining the government, they are bound to loose the popularity, which it seems already beginning to ebb. If that happens, they will soon follow the old left moments into history and then to oblivion.

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