Many Lankans disappointed by SLFP-UNP MoU progress

A recent email survey by The Sunday Times FT on the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the SLFP and the UNP found a majority of the respondents disappointed with its progress.

Asked whether the agreement which is more than a month old by November 23 has seen any progress apart from the UNP supporting the government in the budget vote, 96 percent of the respondents said a resounding ‘No’. There was not a single respondent who said there had been progress while the balance was undecided (U).

The three questions asked were: (1) The SLFP and the UNP signed a historic MoU on Monday, October 23, 2006 and the agreement is more than a month old. Has there been any progress in this alliance apart from the UNP supporting the government in voting for the budget? (2) Has it boosted the economy, encouraged business or investment? and (3) Has it provided a positive impact to the peace process?

On the second question, 69 percent of the respondents said there has been no impact on the economy while 76 percent said it didn’t have a positive impact on the peace process.

Here are some of the general comments:

**It seems to have been a extremely short term tactic to get positive publicity for the budget

**I feel that the UNP joining the government was a strategy adopted by Ranil Wickremesinghe to safeguard the party. Either way it would have split the party but joining the government is a boost for any politician so he did the less damaging thing he could do under the circumstances.

** We have often seen a big void between intent and action or outcome in Sri Lankan politics. The present position with the SLFP/UNP MoU is no different. However, the fact that the two parties took this step for the first time probably in 50 years is a good start, giving us hope for forming a much needed Southern consensus. Let's hope that the two parties and key individuals in them put the country's needs ahead of their own needs, in finding the political solutions to the ethnic crisis.

** The MOU was mooted, to save the ‘skin’ of both parties; (a) UNP to survive crossovers and avoid depletion of their ranks, (b) For the President to ensure that the budget will survive the vote in parliament, therefore, avoiding any damaging repercussions to his leadership and also, to show the world that a collective approach is being formulated, to find a solution to the conflict.