JVP

People want change - Tilvin Silva

Q: Why do you think the voters should trust the JVP after the terror unleashed by them in the late '80s?

Tilvin Silva

A: For the past six years the JVP carried out its political work in a genuine and disciplined manner. We have always projected the party as one which is united. It is because of this that during the Provincial Council Elections the party did not opt for preferential votes. Secondly none of our Provincial Council members take their salaries, instead we direct them towards development work in the respective province. Through this we have shown the people that the JVP is not a party which is there to make money. We have also carried out protests and put pressure on the Government by becoming the voice of the people. We were with the people when the Government heaped burdens on the people and when it tried to push through the new Constitution. I feel that through such actions the people are convinced and they know that we are genuine and honest. For the past 52 years the country was ruled by the UNP and PA and there was no democracy, but the people need a change and they are willing to accept a change.

Q: Is the JVP a wolf in sheep's clothing?

A: The people have realised that the JVP is genuine and is dedicated to democracy. The JVP was forced to resort to violence because it was being suppressed. We learned through our mistakes and we have decided not to go back to violence. We will face any threat and take up any challenge. It is the People's Alliance that is the wolf. The party's hidden agenda is unfolding and it is now showing its true colours. 

Q: Do you think this changed attitude affected your election campaign 

A: The people no longer regard us as a rebel group. As I told earlier we were forced to do the things we did in the 80s. We were not allowed to come into the democratic fold, our members were harassed, our party was banned. But today things have changed, the people have come to accept us and this was clearly seen during the campaign.

Q: If a hung parliament is formed is the JVP planning to support the PA or the UNP ?

A): We have taken a firm decision not to support any party to form a Government. We will remain in the Opposition. We will support any positive action taken for the benefit of the people, similarly we will protest against any harm which will come upon the people, but we will never join or support a party.

Q: How has the election violence affected the party's campaign ?

A: The violence that occurred during the past few weeks has greatly hampered our campaign. Two of our members sacrificed their lives. The party had to face many obstacles. It was worse because on one hand we were helpless due to the police not taking any action and on the other hand we decided not to retaliate. The PA realising that they no longer have the people's trust and confidence has turned to violence.

Q : Will the party policy calling on the voters to vote for the party and giving less prominence for preferential votes lead to conflict in the party after the elections or have the members agreed to resign if necessary after they are elected?

A: The JVP never had such a problem. As a party we are disciplined and we stand for certain values. When we draw up the candidate list the members are placed in such a position according to his standing in the party. Similarly the voters too know who deserves to be selected from their respective electorates. 

WP: where promises run hollow

By Chandani Kirinde and Hiranthi Fernando

In the Colombo District, 575 candidates are contesting for the 20 seats at stake.

In the fray are prominent politicians from the PA, the UNP, the JVP, Sihala Urumaya and Purawasi Peramuna. Among the PA top rungers are ministers G.L.Peiris, Kingsley Wickremaratne, Indika Gunawardena and A.H.M.Fowzie. 

The UNP list is headed by party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, former Speaker M.H. Mohamed, Tyronne Fernando, Gamini Lokuge, Karunasena Kodituwakku, Sunethra Ranasinghe, Ravi Karunanayake and Dixon J. Perera who crossed over to the UNP from the PA two months ago.

One-time UNP strongman Sirisena Cooray is contesting under the banner of the new party, Purawasi Peramuna, while the Sihala Urumaya's President S.L.Gunasekera and its media co-ordinator Champika Ranawaka have also entered the fray from the Colombo district. 

The JVP's list is headed by its Propaganda Secretary Wimal Weerawansa.

Film star Jeevan Kumaranatunga who was the Deputy Minister of Sports in the last government will be joined by fellow actor Cletus Mendis as a candidate for the PA while popular singer Abeywardena Balasooriya is seeking election from the UNP.

Although residents of the district are the beneficiaries of modern technological developments that are yet to be spread to the other areas of the country, they are also burdened with numerous problems that do not affect the less developed areas.

With a population hovering around two million people and rapidly growing with more and more people moving into the district for employment and educational purposes, the problems of poor public transport facilities, traffic jams, garbage piles, pollution and growing slums with squalid conditions make life difficult for the Colombo residents in addition to the burden heaped on them as a result of the rising cost of living.

Voters of all hues do not appear to take promises made by politicians to address these issues too seriously.

To persuade the voters in the district, candidates are for the first time using the fast developing information technology. A number of candidates have set up their web sites to boast about the work they have done for the people.

Many candidates are using the telephone to contact the voters and urge them to vote for a particular party and candidate. House-to-house campaigning is also highly competitive in the district with residents being handed out bundles of literature on the political achievements of each candidate.

Large-scale public meetings in the district have been scaled down due to terrorist threats. In the past leading candidates had been targeted by the LTTE suicide bombers at the main election rallies. UNP Presidential candidate Gamini Dissanayake was killed in an LTTE bomb attack on the eve of that election in 1994 at a public rally in Colombo while there was an attempt on the life of President Chandrika Kumaratunga at a public rally in May. However, the cost of living seems to be the most pressing issue for the city dwellers.

"We suffer the most from the high cost of living with soaring electricity bills, water bills, telephone bills, taxes and increased gas and petrol prices. Living in the cities we are at the receiving end of all this," said a resident.

Kanthi Jayasinghe, a housewife, said she had lost faith in both the two main political parties and would not vote for either of them.

"On top of the high cost of living, we are also having to live in fear because of the high incidence of crimes and robberies," she said.

Most voters in the Colombo district seem to be disillusioned with politicians and politics and felt their vote in Tuesday's election will make little difference to their day to day lives irrespective of who wins the poll.

Surveying Gampaha District, one week before the general election, the first impressions are of apparent indifference among the general public. 

Gampaha, the stronghold of the Bandaranaike family, which was a mass of blue flags and bunting during the Parliamentary and Presidential elections in 1994, seemed surprisingly low key with regard to election décor. Although blue was more evident than green or red, it was seen mostly in the towns, particularly where party offices are located. One could hardly feel that a crucial, hard fought election was around the corner.

Candidates and their party supporters on the other hand are active in the district. A total of 399 candidates from 14 recognized political parties and five independent groups are in the fray, for 18 Parliamentary seats from 13 electorates. Political stalwarts like Anura Bandaranaike, Karu Jayasuriya and John Amaratunga are on the UNP list while Jeyaraj Fernandopulle, Susil Premjayanth, and Reggie Ranatunga lead the PA list. The trend during this final week of campaigning seemed to be more for pocket meetings held at small junctions and by roads rather than large meetings in prominent locations. Vehicles displaying candidates' posters and numbers rushed around blaring out from loudspeakers, requests for preferential votes. Candidates of both the PA and UNP appeared to be confident of success.

Jeyaraj Fernandopulle, leader of the PA group of candidates, said they expect to get 12 seats from Gampaha. 

"Because we are already in power, the people want us to continue in office so that they can get their development work done", Mr. Fernandopulle said. When asked about the issues that affect the people of the area, he said "when we hold meetings, the people do not bring up any issues. We have developed the district. We have commissioned several electricity projects, improved schools and roads. Five thousand jobs will be available in the Free Trade Zones. Gampaha is a highly educated, developed district".

Anura Bandaranaike, leader of the UNP group of candidates, said there was a total lack of development in the Gampaha District since the PA Government came into power. 

"Under the UNP government, the two largest free trade zones were established at Katunayake and Biyagama and two large housing schemes were established at Katana and Attanagalla", he said. 

This government has done nothing. Unemployment is rampant, he said. Mr. Bandaranaike said the main issue affecting the people was the high cost of living. "GST, the defence levy and taxes on electricity and water are a burden on the people. The UNP will eliminate all unnecessary taxes on those who can least afford to pay," he said. 

Housing and unemployment are their main problems said a vegetable vendor at Madurupitiya in the Mirigama electorate. He said most of the people in that area are poor and live by farming or working as casual labourers on estates. No candidates have given them any promises for the future so far. The first meeting to be held in their area was last Sunday when Anura Bandaranaike and Karu Jayasuriya accompanied by a large motorcade held several small meetings in Mirigama. A farmer from the area said he feels there is support for both major parties but with a tilt towards the PA. He seemed satisfied with the facilities they had and had no special issues to raise.

"When campaigning house to house, we feel that we have more support at this election", said Vijitha Herath, the leader of the JVP group of candidates. "Neither the UNP nor PA will get the two thirds majority" he said.

According to Mr. Herath, the main problems in the area are unemployment and the high cost of living. Many of the private sector workers are employed on casual basis and have no security. Paddy farming has declined in the area due to lack of facilities. Coconut prices are also down, he said.

"We used to sell a coconut between Rs. 8 and even Rs. 15 at this time of year", said H.P. Rupasinghe, a small trader from a village in Gampaha. Now we have to sell at Rs.4, he said. According to Rupasinghe, there is no violence or party rivalry in his village. Ten to fifteen candidates drive past shouting their preference numbers daily but it is peaceful. The villagers of Mimbula and Yatiyana in Attanagalla also said there was no violence in their villages. 

Peace has not reigned throughout the district however. 

"There is an escalation of violence all over and Gampaha is no exception", said Karu Jayasuirya, Chairman of the UNP and a candidate in Gampaha district. "There have been many instances of intimidation, shooting and attacks on our vehicles. Complaints have been lodged. Local politicians are involved. State machinery, funds and media are being abused to the hilt to boost the images of politicians. We feel the election will be tainted to a great extent" he said.

According to Police figures for the district, there have been 127 complaints of election offences of which 65 are by the UNP and 23 by the JVP levelled against the PA. The PA has made 34 complaints against the UNP. The Police say they are mostly incidents of destroying party offices and propaganda material. In the Kandana police area, two UNP supporters had suffered gunshot injuries in a clash with the PA. 

In the attack on Anura Bandaranaike's office at Weveldeniya on September 21, three PA members, including one Provincial Councillor have been arrested and produced in court. A PA cooperative society president has been arrested in connection with another attack on UNP supporters.

A major concern among the public is the possibility of violence on election day and whether they would be prevented from exercising their right to cast their vote. 

The opposition parties, particularly the JVP are mobilising the public as well as the Buddhist and Christian clergy of the area to prevent election malpractices at the polling booths. 

The battle for supremacy in the Kalutara district seems to be a tough fight with the two main parties, the UNP and PA having to compete with strong competition from the JVP and the newly formed Sihala Urumaya in the area.

The PA campaign in the district is headed by Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickraman-ayake with the party holding its final campaign rally in this district. 

Mr. Wickramanayake's campaign has been mainly on how the government will react to the LTTE and about ending the war with a military solution — a hardline stance to counter the Sihala Urumaya opposition. The campaign seems to have generated interest and has been able to gain support.

Since Mr. Wickramanayake was appointed as the new Prime Minister ahead of the elections hastily prepared development activities in the district have been underway.

The UNP candidates include former MPs Imtiyaz Bakeer Marker and Sarath Ranawaka.

The JVP's candidates include the party's former presidential candidate Nandana Gunatilleke and the Sihala Urumaya list includes its General Secretary Thilak Karunaratne. There are a total of 260 candidates contesting for the ten seats in this district from 15 political parties and five independent groups.
Fact sheet

The Colombo district returns the largest number of members to Parliament totalling 20.
 
 

Electorate  Colombo North  Colombo Central  Borella  Colombo West  Colombo East  Dehiwela  Ratmalana  Kolonnawa  Kotte  Kaduwela  Avissawella  Homagama  Maharagama  Kesbewa  Moratuwa  Total  Results of General Elections - 1994 No. of registered voters  No. of valid votes  PA 469,642 (50.94%) 11 seats UNP 385,100 (41.77%) 9 seats  Electoral District No 2-GAMPAHA Total no of Reg voters  Wattala  Negombo  Katana  Divulapitiya  Mirigama  Minuwangoda  Attanagalla  Gampaha  Ja-ela  Mahara  Dompe  Biyagama  Kelaniya  1994 Results  No of Registered voters  No of valid votes  PA 509030 (56.79%)11 seats  UNP 375,631 (41.91%) 7 seats Kalutara District The Kalutara district returns 10 legislators to Parliament.  Electorate  Panadura  Bandaragama  Horana  Bulathsinghala  Matugama  Kalutara  Beruwala  Agalawatta  Total  1994 Results No. of registered voters  No. of valid votes  PA 271754 (53.77%) 6 seats UNP 221115 (43.75%) 4 seats

No. of voters 80,510  152,701 58,676 66,374 40,939 58,883 65,042 99,485 71,617 130,721 90,721 121,170 111,204 125,802 111,701 1,385,547     1,235,959 921,933           1,253,416 89.336 84.290 103.105 84.780 98.681 101.131 103,805 114.218 106,364 110,100 89,364 90.501 77.681     1,140.808 896, 288                        No. of voters 94,221  95,223 88,937 67,198 85,838 92,550 89,742 83,947 697,656     646199 505360

Southern province: return of terror spectre 

By Chandani Kirinde and Taniya Fernando

Though in 1994, the PA swept the province, this time round the fight appears to be a close one with the strength of the UNP also evident.

In the predominant Sinhala areas of Ruhuna which bore the brunt of the JVP insurgency in the 1988-90 period of terror, memories of those violent times refuse to die — a factor that goes against the UNP. 

But the high cost of living, poor infrastructure development and high rate of unemployment are factors that go against the ruling PA.

"The voters are like the counters on a carrom board. We are being pushed from all sides. The PA, the UNP and the JVP force us to vote for them," said Rasika Rupasinghe, an unemployed youth in Henegama in the Matara district.

"We have asked politicians who come canvassing to first give preference to building our roads and bridges and solving our problems and then we will give them our preference votes," he said.

The pathetic sight of broken roads, half broken bridges and poor public transport services could be seen by anyone visiting Matara though the district has returned a cabinet minister and two deputy ministers to parliament.

UNP candidate Sagala Ratnayake claimed that unemployment rate was very high in the district which also lacked a good agricultural development plan.

Mr. Ratnayake, who is also a southern provincial council member, said he believed the UNP had a good chance of winning the district, because the PA had not done much in terms of development. 

"It's a close fight. The UNP has made an effort to clean up its act and I don't think what happen in 88-90 period could influence the voters' decision," he said.

Deputy Minister Dallas Alahapperuma, whose gentlemanly brand of politics has won him many a praise said that in an area where at least one in ten families had been affected by the terror of the late eighties, people were grateful for the freedom they were enjoying today under the PA government.

Posters and banners of Mr. Alahapperuma were conspicuous by their absence in Matara where voters are being bombarded by a publicity blitz by all three dominant parties. The campaign is dominated by two of PA's candidates, Media Minister Mangala Samaraweera and Deputy Minister Mahinda Wijesekera.

Asked why he was abstaining from self-promotion, Mr. Alahaperuma said people of Matara knew him and the works he had done there. "It is useless putting up posters and dirtying the walls. It is ineffective," he said.

UNP candidate Ratnayake has also found a novel way to reach voters by distributing pens with his name, party symbol and number on them."

It costs Rs. 3.50 to print a poster and Rs. 5.00 for a pen. And the pen comes in handy to the people unlike the posters," he said.

Some people even feel over exposure is counter-productive with voters being confused with names and numbers of hundreds of candidates.

Premasiri Manage,a JVP candidate in Matara, said the party expected to win a seat from the district.

"The people of the South are highly literate but there is a high rate of unemployment. Even the gram sellers who were in the towns are out of business as they have started importing packeted gram from India," he said.

The JVP candidates said they did not believe that the elections would be free and fair election because they feel some PA candidates were planning to rig the polls.

One of the positive aspects of the Southern campaign is that it has not seen much violence.

"The majority of the cases from the South includes cases of abuse and threats and minor assaults. The incidents we categorize as serious offence are very low in the South, " said a spokesman from the Police Election Secretariat.

He said the only serious incident recorded from the province was a murder in Tangalle few days ago, the first since nominations closed on Aug.20.

This low incidence of violence is in sharp contrast to the bomb attacks, shootings, killings that have marred the campaign in other provinces.

In the Hambantoa district which returns six MPs, the government campaign is dominated by the Rajapakses — Minister Mahinda Rajapakse, his brother Chamal and cousin Deputy minister Nirupama Rajapakse.

The UNP campaign is headed by Sajith Premadasa, son of former President Ranasinghe Premadasa. He is seeking public office for the first time.

Many believe the failure of the PA to fulfil its promises may go against it at the general election.

The Matara-Colombo super highway, the Galle and Hambantota harbour development were among the pledges made by the PA in 1994. But not much progress has been made in regards, said a resident.

In the Galle district, which returns 14 members to Parliament, the People's Alliance seems to have the edge over the UNP.

Among those seeking re-election is Education Minister Richard Pathirana who has adopted a strong anti-JVP stance throughout the campaign, reminding people the terror unleashed by the leftist rebel groups in the late 1980s.

A notable factor was the absence of support for the newly formed Sihala Urumaya.

"We see them going in vans and shouting out the names and numbers of their candidates but they are not drawing much support from the public," one resident said. 

In an area still haunted by the ghosts of the 89-90 period of terror, the vote would reflect if people in the area are willing to forgive and forget the dark period they were forced to live through.

Fact sheet 
The Southern province returns 24 MPs to Parliament — Galle district 10, Matara 8 and Hambantota 6. 

Galle District
Electorate            No. of voters 
Balapitiya                 46,935 
Ambalangoda           60,173 
Karandeniya             58,321 
Bentara-Elpitiya        77,095 
Hiniduma                  81,126 
Beddegama              78,867 
Ratgama                  70,225 
Galle                        65,313 
Akmeemana             71,256 
Habaraduwa              9,196 

Total                       687,509 

Results at 1994 General Elections: 

No. of registered voters   632422 
No. of valid votes            492914 
PA 277956 (56.39%)       6 seats 
UNP 203,268(41.24%)     4 seats 

Matara District

Electorate              No. of voters 
Deniyaya                          76,101 
Hakmana                          76,562 
Akuressa                          78,408 
Kamburupitiya                   71,211 
Devinuwara                      69,003 
Matara                             73,737 
Weligama                         79,629 

Total                                524,651 

Results at 1994 General Elections: 
No. of registered voters     503470 
No. of valid votes              379467 
PA 227285 (59.9%)           5 seats 
UNP 142024 (37.43%)       3 seats 

Hambantota District 
Electorate                No. of voters 
Mulkirigala                         80,283 
Beliatta                              69,413 
Tangalla                             91,814 
Tissamaharama                 118516 

Total                                360,026 

Results at 1994 General Elections: 
No. of registered voters      326913 
No. valid votes                   246679 
PA 32008 (53.51%)            4 seats 
UNP 95382 (38.67%)         2 seats 

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