From the Blue Corner

We will record a historic victory

By Paaksikaya

Now, my friend Viruddha Paakshikaya already claims the polls will be rigged. But, as we all know, Umpire Hora is a favourite refrain of those who cannot take up defeat.

The UNP came out of hibernation after a four year period of slumber quite confident that the country has gone to the dogs and a victory at Wayamba was a sine qua non. Even Ranil Wickremesinghe, the UNP leader, was slow to start the UNP campaign doing so only after our campaign was well underway showing their lack of confidence.

Now, Viruddha Paakshikaya, with defeat staring at them in their eyes, they are getting ready with the excuses. They, of all people, are complaining about violence! As someone pointed out the 'Guruthuma' is complaining that the 'Shishya' has outdone him.

The UNP is in total disarray. The Party leadership, I heard, was blaming the UNP Provincial Councillors of the previous administration for not having resigned earlier, when they were asked to. Now, by their own folly they have had to fight this election with the might of the ruling party against them. Or else, the Wayamba elections would have come together with the other Provincial Council polls, somewhere in March and there would not have been so many clashes at Wayamba. This, Viruddha Paakshikaya, is what happens when you crave for power and don't resign when you should!

Then, Viruddha Paakshikaya, look at the difference on our side. We called for elections, we were prepared to have them as soon as the security situation became feasible and now, our leader, President Kumaratunga has announced she could be having polls in other provinces as well. That is what political confidence is all about, Viruddha Paakshikaya.

And, starting with a lack of confidence, you go about the campaign in the most amazing manner, Viruddha Paakshikaya. You have put one of your strongman ex-cops into campaigning. While I'm certainly a little sympathetic towards him - he was asked to do a job, that of quelling the JVP insurrection, and part of his family was wiped out by the JVP as a direct consequence - I'm not too sure of the wisdom of the UNP leadership to flaunt him in and around Wayamba.

He is not Mother Theresa, you know, and I'm not sure how his presence in the campaign balances out: the good that came out of the way JVP suspects were killed - and you know, Viruddha Paakshikaya, in many places the ''JVP" suspects were known SLFP supporters whom the UNP local organisers wanted eliminated - or the fact that the JVP was vanquished, despite the way it was done.

Anyway, Viruddha Paakshikaya, that is upto you. You in the UNP can have whomever they want in Wayamba as speakers on their platforms. But on the subject of speakers your own party men have been making complaints, I hear.

Your ''Nava'' UNP ("New" UNP) under its "Nava" leader Ranil Wickremesinghe has as its frontline speakers, Ronnie de Mel (Prime Minister designate), A.C.S. Hameed (Vice-President designate) and Karu Jayasuriya (Western Province Chief Minister designate).

Others in the UNP refer to the trio as TG or Tear Gas, because they have the ability to drive people away! Ranil Wickermesinghe himself is not the greatest orator East of Suez, so together they make a very sorry team, lacking the likes of a Premadasa, Athulathmudali or a Dissanayake.

The better - those more virulent - speakers like Rajitha Senaratne and Sarath Kongahage have been sidelined. They are good speakers at public platforms, unlike in Parliament, but UNP seems to use them vice-versa.

So much for campaign blunders, Viruddha Paakshikaya. But even without such blunders, the UNP would have enough to worry about. They - or at least their leadership - is naive enough to think that people will easily forget in four years what they were subjected to for seventeen years. Remember, Viruddha Paakshikaya, families which lost a loved one during your 'Beeshana Samaya' are not going to forget or forgive you in a hurry.

Of course you now make counter accusations against us, saying that we have unleashed a Beeshana Samaya in Wayamba. But that is hardly justified, Viruddha Paakshikaya. Violence in Wayamba is not our monopoly and you know that.

Your favourite target has been our Anamaduwa MP, D.M. Dassanayake. Just this week, one of his supporters was shot dead. Now, Viruddha Paakshikaya, who is responsible for that foul deed? Does'nt it show clearly that the UNP has not forsaken its policy of Beeshanaya, though it cries foul whenever one of its supporters get assaulted?

Now our leader, President Kumaratunga has appealed from the platforms of Wayamba to our supporters not to resort to violence. She has done that because she knows that she can win this election without resorting to thuggery.

But what does your leader, Ranil Wickremesinghe do, Viruddha Paakshikaya? Has he made such an appeal? Of course not. Our theory is that he would prefer to have a violent election because he could then offer a convenient excuse for his party's loss at the poll.

As for who is responsible for the violence, Viruddha Paakshikaya, you have absolutely no right to blame us for every incident that happens in Wayamba, and I have statistics to substantiate what I say.

The Centre for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV), an independent and non-partisan organisation set up in 1997 has this to say about the violence at Wayamba in the recent campaign ''Six hundred and eleven incidents have been reported to CMEV from December 7, 1998 to January 20, 1999. The UNP has made 310 complaints. Of these 210 are against the PA. The PA has made 213 complaints. Of these 138 are against the UNP....."

This shows, Viruddha Paakshikaya that for every three incidents where the UNP was ''victimised', there were two incidents where the PA was at the receiving end!

As far as we know, this shows two factors: Firstly, the UNP is more efficient at complaining than campaigning. Secondly, for the PA while conceding that it has the advantage of being the ruling party - to be victimised while being in power, the UNP's terror machine must also be working at full strength. So, Viruddha Paakshikaya, all your talk of being the ''innocent'' victims at Wayamba are pure humbug.

You may fool a few naive individuals in the diplomatic circuit with such theories, Viruddha Paakshikaya, but you will not be able to fool the people of Wayamba.

As to who will win the election, I will venture a theory. It was said those days that Ronnie de Mel was a political weather = cock, when he jumped to the UNP in 1976 on the eve of the 1977 elections and the UNP won, in '77.

But since then, Ronald Joseph Godfrey de Mel has -miscalculated his ''jumps''. He joined the SLFP on the eve of the 1988 Presidential Poll and Ms. Bandaranaike lost that election. Then, he rejoined the UNP on the eve of the 1994 elections and the UNP lost both polls that year.

My theory, Viruddha Paakshikaya, is that Ronnie de Mel's position as a political weather cock has now been taken by that remarkable lady, Srimani Athulathmudali. She joined the PA on the eve of the 1994 general elections, after the Southern Provincial poll victory by the PA.

And now, 24 hours to go for the Wayamba Provincial Council elections, she has come back home and joined the PA campaign, sharing the same platform with President Chandrika Kumaratunga.

Viruddha Paakshikaya, my friend, you and I both know that Srimani Athulathmudali is a lady who makes good choices. She made an excellent choice in choosing her husband. And, when her DUNF was undecided between the UNP and the PA, she made another correct choice, choosing the PA and becoming a Minister.

Now, Srimani Athulathmudali has made another excellent choice. Need I say more?

From the Green Corner

Since you'll lose, get a good night's rest at least

By Virudda Paakshikaya

So, the PA is claiming victory already - even before balloting has started at Wayamba. As my friend Paakshikaya is only too aware of, they must be confident of victory only because of one reason - the widespread violence being now perpetrated in the North Western Province.

The diplomats who visited the Province on Tuesday were shocked to see only Blue streamers, buntings, banners and flags. If the decorations were any yardstick, Wayamba should then give the PA over 90 percent of the vote because 90 per cent of the province was decked only in blue. The balance, ten per cent was shared by the green decorations of our party and the red of the JVP. The Green and red are only allowed to survive, for appearance sake in front of a party branch office or the candidate's house - if the latter is not already seriously injured that is!

But not allowing decorations is only a minor part of the PA's strategy. The major part comprises organised, widespread acts of thuggery and intimidation that have already led to the death of one of our party supporters.

Now, my friend Paakshikaya, might suggest I'm making wild allegations. Just for this reason, our party has set up a separate unit to record all such acts of thuggery and intimidation. And, thanks to the PA, they have been kept unusually busy these last few days documenting these events.

Now, for the benefit of Paakshikaya and more importantly our readers in Wayamba I will enumerate a few of these incidents:

Last Sunday a van belonging to our candidate Johnstone Fernando was attacked and damaged at Siyambalangamuwa. On Monday UNPers campaigning in Galgamuwa, including MP A.M.S. Adhikari were attacked and nine UNPers were injured. On Tuesday UNP organiser for Kalladiya, Anura Kumarasiri's house was attacked with hand bombs. Also on Tuesday, UNP opposition leader of the Anamaduwa Pradeshiya Sabha, R.H. Thilakarathne was shot at and seriously injured at Anamaduwa. 

Again on Tuesday, UNP activist Gunaratne Wickremasinghe was shot at and threatened at Dummalasuriya.

These are just a few drops from an ocean of violence, Paakshikaya. Nor are we in the UNP the sole recipients of your 'treatment'. On Monday JVP office at Anamaduwa was stormed and virtually destroyed. Then, on Tuesday a JVP meeting at Pannala was disrupted when armed thugs stormed the stage and attacked JVP leaders.

In relation to all this violence, one must pose the next obvious question. Why is the police allowing all this to happen? And the answer to that is very, very interesting and Paakshikaya, if you are the "insider" in the PA that you claim to be, I'm sure you are well aware of it.

The PA is making a big fuss about ex DIG P. Udugampola being the head of the Black Cats that indulged in extra judicial killings. The Daily News has published extracts of the Liyanaarachchi case. What the PA and the Daily News is silent about is who was Udugampola's deputy? Is he not with presidential security now?As you know, the PA has announced that all police promotions - including that of the likes of Bandula Show Wickremasinghe - will be granted, but that was only after 48 police inspectors took the matter to courts filing a Fundamental Rights application.

Now, we hear the state counsel has given an undertaking in court that no promotions will be effected until the next day of the hearing - which will be after the Wayamba polls. What an election gundu Paakshikaya! But if the PA government thinks the policemen have more brain than brawn, so be it!

In the meantime, 21 ASPs also have filed a Fundamental Rights application over deprivation of promotions. So, from a government which promised non interference in police matters, the PA has gone on to become a government falling on their knees before policemen to win the Wayamba polls. It is disgraceful conduct for any government in office and we now know the police will be an integral part of your plans to rig the election.

But why, Paakshikaya, do you have to resort to all this? A look at your campaign slogans tells us why. You are just repeating what you said in August and November 1994 and that is all about the UNP's alleged misdeeds during its 17 year rule.

Take a look at the speeches of your President, Paakshikaya, as ever so faithfully reported in the "Daily News". What are the issues she raises? She talks of the "Beeshana Samaya" in 1989, about how the UNP sold Puttalam cement and about our leader's alleged election offences at the Mahara by-election! Of course, she faithfully promises - again - to keep her campaign promises some day dismissing the fact that these promises have not been honoured until now. "Eka davasin karanda be" is her explanation (they cannot be done in one day). But, Paakshikaya, what she does not realise is that it is now well over a thousand days since your government assumed office.

And, Paakshikaya, what's more your President even attacks President D.B. Wijetunge, the very man who held a free and fair poll both in August and November 1994 in keeping with the best traditions of democracy, enabling her to come to power!

And, just to point out how absurd your campaigning is Paakshikaya, I will highlight some issues raised by the President and her Cabinet Ministers at Wayamba. Then, our readers - some of whom are voters at tomorrow's poll - can make their own judgements.

The President takes joy in attacking the Presidential Constitution of our late leader, J.R. Jayewardene. The UNP has promised her support if she wants to abolish it. But does she do that, despite a promise to abolish the Presidency by July 15, 1995? No, of course not.

The President tries to entice the voters of Wayamba saying the region produced the highest number of war heroes. What she does not say is that her government contributed to that "achievement" by overseeing the biggest military debacles of recent times.

You say that during the UNP, no one could proceed beyond Vavuniya. Can you do so now, Paakshikaya? Perhaps you can proceed beyond Vavuniya now, Paakshikaya, but the chances are you will never return. At least, during our time, the Deputy Defence Minister and the service chiefs didn't have to crash land into Tiger territory and then walk incognito!

Then, you boast that there are human rights today. I suppose the best example of this, Paakshikaya is the arrest of a High Court Judge when he had already been granted bail! And, to cap it all, the person who ordered the arrest is given a promotion, to ensure his human rights are not violated, I suppose!

You talk of formulating an agricultural plan, just to please the farmer voters of Wayamba. And, Paakshikaya, that is perhaps why we are now importing onions and potatoes and farmers in Wayamba and North Central Province are drinking pesticides and committing suicide!

Then, your President and her Education Minister talk of sensational education reforms. Education has been reformed indeed, we agree, Paakshikaya because now there is an international school at every junction and you know whose kids go to international schools!

You also talk of alleged financial corruption during the UNP regime, and say that you are transparent. Transparent you are indeed which is why we can see through your corrupt practices - like, for instance, importing train locomotives with ship engines, overthrowing the decision of the Cabinet appointed Tender Board and the Technical Evaluation Committee!

So, this is how you campaign, Paakshikaya - trying to slander the UNP without ever confessing that you have done precious little to improve the quality of life of the people of this country.Wake up, Paakshikaya. The people of Wayamba are not living in 1994 any more. They are looking forward to the new millennium. Some of the voters at tomorrow's election weren't even born during the 1977 UNP landslide. So, what you say about 1977 will not make any sense to them Paakshikaya.

But I guess old habits die hard. I'm sure at next year's Presidential and General Elections you will still be talking about what the UNP did during their seventeen years. You are welcome to do so, Paakshikaya, because we can only gain from such tactics.

As for what will happen tomorrow, Paakshikaya don't lose any sleep trying to keep up with the election results. When your party is losing, the next best thing to do is to get a good night's rest. And, when the results start coming in don't say that we rigged the polls either, because that will be confessing to your government's impotence.

But nevertheless, just be prepared with an excuse to cancel those five other PC elections which your President says she will hold - for if she does that the PA will lose those councils too!

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