UNP is not progressive enough to think of national unity to solve the problem of terrorism, that affects every one without exception.

By Charles Perera

Hakeem has still no word of gratitude for the Sinhala soldiers who, some with their lives, saved as many of the Muslims of the East.

The President has asked all political parties to join the government to find a solution for the on going terrorist aggression in the North East. The CWC and UPF have already put their weight with the government. UNP has said no as the governments policies do not go along with theirs. SLMC head Hakeem on the other hand on receiving the invitation to join the government, imitating his erstwhile model Ranil Wickramasinghe ,went to India as the Chief of the Sri Lanka Muslim Community, perhaps to be received as a VIP, and walked the corridors of power seeking India’s support to carve out a kingdom for the Muslims where he could rule in peace.

It is strange that UNP who talked so much about a national government some time ago goes cold and warm when it becomes feasible. The UNP Chief, the debonnaire Ranil had in the meantime gone in his Sunday best to Oslo, for a very special meeting with Solheim, and strangely the India’s Foreign Secretary Saran who seems to be rather anti Rajapakse, also went to Oslo at the same time. It may be the out come of this meeting of mighty men that made Ranil refuse to be a part of a National Government. Ranil still has hopes to be the President !!!

Hakeem, the SLMC Chief shedding tears for the homeless 15,000 Muslims of Muttur, does not seem to know or care that it was the Sinhala Soldiers, some with their lives, saved those Muslims in Muttur and elsewhere in the North and East. But Hakeem has still no word of gratitude for them, or sent messages of sympathy for the families of the soldiers who sacrificed their lives to save as much as they could of the Muslims in the East.

Rakheem has refused to be a part of a National Government. He as well as Thondaman are two politicians on whom one cannot place any trust. To-day they will be there and tomorrow they may not be there.

UNP had never been a progressive party. The UNP had been the political party of the merchants, high society, thugs, the underworld, and those that had been duped with favours and privileges. When they were asked to join a National Government , they seem to have thought that they could use the opportunity to change the government by getting it to change the policies to come line with theirs. GL Pieries, Rajitha Senaratne, Tissa Attanayake were putting forward conditions to accept the proposal.

It is a bold and an appreciative move taken by a progressive statesman with a genuine wish to solve the ethnic problem. It is therefore an opportunity that should be seized by every patriotic politicians without hesitation. If the UNP refuses this bold step taken by the President , those members of the UNP who disagree with the leadership should join the government without seeking Ministerial posts. For that would be an act of solidarity at an hour of need to end the suffering of the masses burdened by terrorism.