National Crisis and UNP Agitation -What is the Need of The Hour?

By Darmitha-Kotte

The news media during the last week or so, has been reporting some interesting information regarding the current national crisis and LTTE. All politicians, if they are national minded or patriotic irrespective of party affiliations, must put their heads together and join hands to wipe out terrorism from this country. That is what the citizens of this country yearn for-no matter whether they be Tamil(except terrorists),Sinhalese or Muslims. As politicians of the incumbent GOSL or politicians of the opposition who are aspiring to take on the mantel of power, their actions whether by word or deed, is being closely watched by the people. They are beginning to" open their eyes" regarding who the traitors of this nation are? What is of prime importance to them-national security and solving the terrorism crisis or, personal aspirations of taking over power?

Traits of an Unsuccessful Leader:

It is no secret anymore, that after 14 election defeats under the current leader of the UNP, the UNP has experiencedits worst internal crisis which resulted in a massive exodus of UNPers onto the Government camp. This is no doubt create a niche in the history of the UNP as a "black patch" as it has created a precedence never before witnessed in the UNP and hopefully never more either. If the UNP leader wishes to rectify this situation, all he requires is humility and sincerity, to understand where the problem lies and step down for someone more experienced and mature, to take the UNP on a path of rectification and re-organization-this is what the UNP membership wishes wholeheartedly. However, like an Ostrich hiding its head under the sand, the UNP leader behaves as if his weaknesses are all ignored by the entire country! This is bad governance of the party and is certainly not signs of efficiency or open-ness of which he is talking about on a daily basis these days! Constructive criticism for the benefit of the UNP-it does not matter who gives it, should be welcomed wholeheartedly for the sake of party unity.

A leader who wishes to be a successful one, will in all humility, listen to the constructive criticism offered by concerned friends or supporters. A person unable to accept criticism, will invariably end up as a loser!

Creating Dissention Among Those Who Supported the UNP:

Instead of the above, Mr. Ranil Wickramasinghe is moving closer and closer into a quagmire of misconceptions and miscalculation-his driving forces are a few close confidantes who are equally distanced and isolated from the pulse of the people and more, the anxiety to grab political power in this country. Apparently it is being done on the predictions sold by some Astrologer to the UNP leader with which, the UNP leader has suddenly jumped out of his slumber and begun to attack the government from all angles. These are unwise steps for him to take without rectifying his own shortcomings. His latest vendetta has been against Podi Haamuduruwo of the Gangaramaya Temple who upto now has been one of the staunchest supporters of the UNP who has extended unstinted support to all UNP governments in recent times-the crime committed, is the fact that the Venerable Monk has made some balanced comments about the situation in the country and the irresponsible manner in which Mr. Wickramasinghe has been acting! In "order to cut his nose to spite his face" the UNP leader has tendered his resignation from the Dayake Sabha of the Gamgaramaya Temple-no big loss either for Gangaramaya Temple or to Podi Haamuduruwo Ven.Galaboda Gnanissara Thero but for Mr. Ranil Wickramasinghe himself.

During the last 2 weeks or so, as Leader of the Opposition Mr. Wickramasinghe has also been raving and ranting about throwing out the current Defense Secretary who has guided the security operations successfully during the last one and half years to create a very uncomfortable situation for LTTE terrorists who have now been cornered by the international communities as well. In a state of war there are bound to be a few unforeseen lapses which can be rectified but this is not half as dangerous as a party who refuses to step down after 14 election defeats and who refuses to understand his shortcomings! What is most unfortunate in this whole episode, is the fact that he has brought in the respected name of Gen.Janaka Perera into this issue which will eventually be seen as if Gen.Janaka Perera himself was behind this agitation and tarnish his character as well as credibility. We are quite certain that this is not what Gen.Janaka Perera wants? Having been an army officer himself involved in active operations, there is no doubt that he understands things which Mr. Wickramasinghe does not! There is no doubt that Gen.Janaka Perera does not want to be thrown into the midst of a controversy between sparring politicians or army personnel and it is best for him to stay totally out of this mess that Mr. Wickramasinghe has made for himself, the UNP and Gen. Janakal Perera.

Hypocrisy of The UNP Call for Media Freedom:

Another agitation of the UNP leader, is calling for media freedom which according to him and his left behind UNPers, is sadly lacking under the current GOSL. The "record of media freedom" under the previous UNP leaders from the late J.R.Jayawardane upto Mr. Ranil Wickramasinghe's time has already been recorded in history. The brutal murder and disappearance of the late Richard de Zoysa is an excellent example. The humiliations that journalists with opposing viewpoints under the Jayawardane regime and that of the late Ranasinghe Premadasa must certainly be wiped out of Mr. Wickramasinghe's memory! The blood splattered inside the famous Batalande Torture House must have been done with a lot of " Karuna" and forgiveness indeed. The thousands who were burnt on tyres during the UNP regimes must have been done to show appreciation to the masses of this country? The undue pressures put on journalists during Mr. Wickramasinghe's tenure as Prime Minister from 2001-2003 and the discrimination may have been done "under the instruction of another Wickramasinghe instead of Ranil?" The direct threats made by Mr. Wickramasinghe himself to journalists of newspapers during this time MUST CERTAINLY HAVE BEEN to promote media freedom?

Think Wisely:

Citizens of this country, wish to see the UNP as a steady and united party with a solid leadership. Unfortunately, this does not seem to be forthcoming and it has created frustrations in the minds of long-term stalwarts. When we see in the media whether it be print or digital (or any other) we can see clearly that the UNP leader is presently like the popular saying " Vandurate Dalipihiya Dunna Wage"( like giving a blade to a monkey-who does not know what to do with it) hitting out at any and every possible target that he thinks might click! First he tried to create a simile between Chaminda Vaas and Sachin Vas; then he suggested throwing out Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapakse and replacing him with Gen.Janaka Perera; then he throws away his Dayake Sabha entitlement at Gangaramaya Temple by sending his resignation to Ven.Galaboda Gnanissara Thero (as if it is a big loss to the temple?); then he tried to use the Sripathie /Mangala issue as a political tool with two UNP stalwarts Mr. Thilak Marapane and Mr. Choksy two well known lawyers defending Sripathie to spite the SLFP; now we see Mr. John Amaratunga and Mr. Ravi Karunanayake suddenly turning into highly vociferous critics of this government-ALL BECAUSE they feel the time is now right for them to "topple the government!"

It would be well for all of us to sit back and think whether we need to appoint politicians who only have their personal agendas and egos as priority no. 1 instead of "country first" and national pride as priority no.1. It is wise for us to wean out any unpatriotic politicians and wean them out from all prospects of sitting in the August House of Parliament- it does not matter which political party they belong to-we have had just enough. Mr. Ranil Wickramasinghe had best wake up to realities surrounding him instead of acting as the "Court Jester" of the entire nation instead of just the King's Court!