From the Green Corner

We are the better team!

By Virudhdha Paakshikaya

Paakshikaya attempts to display his "superior" knowledge of the Queen's language by quoting chapter and verse on the definition of the word "statesman" but I shall not deal with that issue anymore, knowing that the final judgement will be with neither of us but with the people.

However, while Paakshikaya indulges in his pet pastime of ridiculing others, let us take a look at what his own leader is up to.

President Kumaratunga we know spent this week in the cool climes of Nuwara Eliya, rubbing shoulders (metaphorically speaking, of course!) with Foreign Ministers of the SAARC region while at the same time dabbling in a bit of campaigning. There is of course, nothing wrong with that.

But while she is at it she seems to have forgotten the realities facing her crisis-ridden party at present and that is what we intend to remind our readers of today.

Paakshikaya accuses our party members of infighting and states that our leader Ranil Wickremesinghe lacks full authority over the UNP. While disagreeing with that may I ask what kind of command or hold Chandrika Kumaratunga has over the PA?

Our readers will recall that some time ago, Paakshikaya made an idle boast about "exposing" the so-called "Top Ten" businessmen who he alleged had links with our leader. A few names were mentioned but no substantial or specific allegations were made.

Now then, let us for a moment digress from the world of politics and look at the other pastime that arouses the deepest passions of Sri Lankans- cricket. What is happening at the Cricket Board elections due to be held next week, Paakshikaya?

The contender for the post of President is Clifford Ratwatte, the uncle of President Kumaratunga and the younger brother of Prime Minister Sirima Bandaranaike. Again, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that as Clifford, honourable man that he is, says the President got to know about his election bid only at breakfast on the day of his press briefing.

But, Paakshikaya, my friend, take a look at those supporting Clifford Ratwatte-the Dharmadasas and the Punchihewas are all there. Now, a few months ago you would have branded these gentlemen as being among the "Top Ten" of the UNP leadership and made other insinuations.

I, for one will not deny that they indeed have certain links with our party. But, more importantly Paakshikaya that has not prevented them from gathering to support your President's uncle- and a staunch supporter of the SLFP- when it suits their purpose.

As I see it, Paakshikaya, there is a moral in this story. They say that in politics there are no permanent friends, only permanent interests. Now, I make bold to say that among businessmen in Sri Lanka too there is no permanent commitment to political parties, only a permanent commitment to profits.

But the bottom line is, Paakshikaya, your President's uncle has to rely on our supporters to win the Cricket Board election and that must be a reflection of the sad state of affairs prevailing in your party.

Who, for instance is your energetic Sports Minister S.B.Disanayake supporting in this Ratwatte-Sumathipala tussle, Paakshikaya? I am ready to bet a ticket to the World Cup in London that S.B. supports the youngerman.

Now, isn't that a strange turn of events? How does a Minister in your government's Cabinet endorse a candidate running against the President's own uncle? Now, don't tell me, Paakshikaya that the President has nothing to do with this election. If that were so, what was your omnipresent Media Advisor to the President, the debonair Sanath Gunatilleke doing organizing Mr. Ratwatte's press conference?

Then again, don't tell me that it just shows the democracy in your Cabinet of Ministers because that is not what it really is. It really is a lack of strong leadership by your President, my friend. And that is why Ministers- Thondaman, Ashraff, Batty Weerakoon and now S.B. Dissanayake openly defy the President's authority every now and again.

But, as I said before, I digress. Let us now focus on the more important elections that the country faces-the Provincial Council polls on the sixth of April and here again the news is very disturbing.

A reputed media person recently told a TV talk show that Ministerial sources indicated to him that the government would do a "Wayamba" on the sixth of April and capture power in all five provinces.

Todate, Paakshikaya, this statement has not been contradicted by any Minister in your party and judging from what happened at Wayamba we in the UNP have reasonable fears that these predictions may come true.

The fact is, Paakshikaya recent events have not encouraged us to believe otherwise. Take the attack on the Lakbima journalist, for instance. The attack comes at a time when a ruling party which made the death of Richard de Zoysa a political slogan is in power. 

I know you would argue that this incident has no political connotations and is merely a personal vendetta. But, if that were so why did the Ceylon Daily News-the official journal of your party printed at the expense of taxpayers' money- state in banner headlines that the journalist had been abducted by UNP goons? Interestingly nowhere in the story is the information given in the headline substantiated. The story merely states that your President is making every effort to trace the culprits in the case!

Of course we all know that your President is no great lover of the independent media, especially after she assumed office though she used the same media to ride to power in 1994. This has been proved yet again by some recent disparaging remarks made by her about journalists. I wonder what you have to say to that, Paakshikaya, you being a journalist of sorts now? 

Then, if media reports which have not been contradicted are to be assumed to be true, the President has also called the Constitution a "bahubootha viyavasthaawa". That must be the height of cheek, Paakshikaya, because the good lady is in power today because of this "bahubootha viyawasthaawa" and for no other reason.

After all, who gave a solemn pledge before the 1994 elections that the 1978 constitution of J.R.Jayewardene would be abolished forthwith? Then, after the elections, who gave a promise that the Presidency would be done away with by July 15, 1995? All that was done by none other than Her Excellency Chandrika Kumaratunga.

Then, what prevents her from keeping those promises and abolishing this "bahubootha viyawasthaawa" now? We in the UNP have repeatedly stated that we will help the government to get the two thirds majority it requires to amend the Constitution and abolish the Presidency so that is one issue on which you cannot blame us!

But what does Chandrika Kumaratunga do? She retains the "bahubootha viyawasthaawa" knowing only too well that her political survival depends on retaining that piece of legislation which was a masterpiece by that other incomparable statesman, J.R.Jayewardene.

But, that does not bother Chandrika Kumaratunga from looking people in the eye and telling them that everything that has gone wrong in this country is due to the J.R.Jayewardene and Ranil Wickremesinghe, the UNP and now, the 1978 constitution!

But, of course, such terminological inexactitudes are nothing alien to your President. To cite another example, we had the Police Chief on TV explaining at great length why he could not remove posters of candidates at the forthcoming Provincial elections. There was no manpower for the job he said and implied that the Police Force would have to stop all other work if they were entrusted with the task of removing political posters.

Hardly 24 hours later President Chandrika Kumaratunga- who is also Defence Minister and therefore the Commander in Chief of the Police as well- tells us that all political posters will be removed forthwith on Saturday, the twentieth of March. Did the severely understaffed Police suddenly recruit thousands of constables to remove political posters, Paakshikaya? If not, who was trying to fool whom, my friend?

This is the level to which you have stooped to even before the election, Paakshikaya. Even before a single vote has been cast, you, your party and it's leadership is aiming to prejudice the voters against the UNP using the most disgusting methods but beware because the voters realize your tricks now, especially after what happened at Wayamba.

But remember Paakshikaya such tactics can have only one effect- they will only convince the people of this country that they will have to fight harder to defeat you when the General and Presidential elections are called next year.

But I'm sure that will happen-just as it happened to the UNP in 1994- and you will regret you ever resorted to such methods. The fact is, Paakshikaya, whatever you try, it will be the better team that wins and we have no doubt that right now, given the mess that your government is in, we are the better team!

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