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JVP’s chaos theory condemned

By Mandana Ismail Abeywickrema, Marianne David and Sehan Soyza

The controversial statement made by JVP politburo member and parliamentarian Anura Kumara Dissanayake disclosing the party’s view that intense political chaos in the country would provide a positive backdrop has been widely condemned.

Dissanayake has made this statement in response to a question in an interview published in the pro-JVP Lanka Sinhala weekly in its November 30 issue.

The statement raises questions on the JVP’s democratic credentials and claims of moderation and also its involvement in the spate of strikes in the public sector in the recent past.

As reported in the media, an exact translation of the concluding question and answer is as follows:

“Q: In this situation what is your party’s decision?

A: History contains any number of experiences. New victories were brought into this world not in peaceful political circumstances. The socialist Soviet Union was born in the political situation of great upheaval during the First World War. In the mid-1940s the socialist camp expanded in the midst of the great turbulence generated by the Second World War. We must definitely utilise this crisis, this turbulent situation in this country today, to bring victory to the people.

“It may not be a total and broad social transformation. It must at least prevent the destructive programme of Ranil Wickremesinghe, retard its pace. We hope at least to effect a change up to that point. But it will be the first step in a final victory. For this purpose, our party is engaged in intervening to the maximum extent possible.”

   Statement highlights Marxist ideals

Commenting on the controversial statement made by Anura Dissanayake, Sinhala nationalist parties of the view that it highlighted the Marxist ideals of the party rather than the patriotic ones, which according to the JVP is the driving force behind its activities.

However, the People’s Alliance (PA), with whom the JVP is now planning to form an alliance professing to have the best interests of the country at heart, did not wish to comment on the matter.

The PA chose to remain silent with regard to the JVP statement with officials passing the buck each time The Sunday Leader contacted them. PA spokesman Sarath Amunugama said that it was Party Secretary Maithripala Sirisena who was authorised to make a comment on the matter but Sirisena kept saying it was Amunugama who could make an official statement.

When The Sunday Leader later tried to contact Sirisena he had disconnected the line.

Tilak Karunaratne of the Sihala Urumaya told The Sunday Leader that while there is a chaos theory in science, chaos in any situation is bad for a country.

Commenting on JVP parliamentarian Anura Dissanayake’s statement that political unrest in the country is a good sign by highlighting the Russian revolution in 1917, Karunaratne said that it is a classic Marxist theory.

He added that the Sihala Urumaya does not agree with the statement as the party is not a Marxist movement but a patriotic one. Karunaratne said that “according to Marxists, chaos rules.”

Karunaratne noted that chaos in a country is bad, as destabilisation of the country’s system would not help it in any way.

However, Karunaratne explained that the JVP should not make such statements if they claim to be patriotic, as it is not a statement that patriots would make. “They should go for a more democratic and systematic solution. Chaos in the country is not an option,” he said.

According to Harischandra Wijetunga of the Sinhale Maha Sammatha Bhoomiputhra party, when the JVP speaks of political chaos, it is their revolutionary attitude that comes out. He said that he does not believe in revolutions, as it first should come through a revolution in philosophy.

“All parties other than the Bhoomiputra party have no revolutionary ideas in philosophies,” he said.

Wijetunga stated that the Bhoomiputra party does not agree with Dissanayake’s statement, adding that however, there would be a war very soon judging by the present situation in the country and that “the UNF government under the guise of ushering in peace with the help of the Lutheran church of Norway and Western powers aided by the UK and the US is sowing the seeds of war in Buddhist Sri Lanka.”

“Sri Lanka was a country which was enjoying peace for several millennia. Now the foreign powers have almost carved out a separate state for church-guided Tamil terrorists in Sri Lanka. After killing and massacring thousands of our people, it is they who are pushing the country in to bloodshed with a view to creating an opportunity to wipe out Buddhists,” he said.

According to Wijetunga, foreign forces are trying to create another Chechnya, Rwanda, Croatia, Vietnam or a Yugoslavia in the country. However, he said that it is no doubt a futile act, as the “Buddhists will come victorious.”

Wijetunga stated that the Bhoomiputra party is vehemently against creating a war situation in the country.

“Political stability essential”

The business community vehemently disagreed with JVP MP Dissanayake’s statement supporting political chaos in the country. They were under the impression that political chaos will bring about a downfall in the economy, which in turn would affect the people of the country.

According to a director at a leading company, political uncertainty is detrimental to a country’s economy even in the short term. He went on to say that political stability is essential to encourage long-term investors in the country. “Economic prosperity could be achieved through a stable political environment and people will be the final beneficiaries of it,” he said.

President, National Chamber of Exporters, Felix Yahampath asserted that political turbulence would certainly destroy business in the country.

He said that the country has experienced enough political turbulence. “Enough is enough,” he said regarding the uncertainty in the political front. “We want smooth sailing. That is what the country needs right now.”

Yahampath explained that as an exporter, he felt it would be difficult to compete with other neighbouring exporting countries in such a situation. He stated that political turbulence is dangerous as the country only keeps going back.

He said that political parties should get together and resolve any political crisis, blaming them for the negative publicity created in the foreign media.

Yahampath said it is important for politicians to first be interested in the country before themselves or their parties. “I once spoke to an MP from the south who considered safeguarding his party more important than the country. I was surprised to hear that the people of the country were not important to him,” he said.

“Politicians have already ruined the country. If they cannot govern the country, they should hand it over to the business community,” Yahampath said.

He added that politicians should refrain from making comments such as the one made by the JVP as it could only make the country go backward without achieving any substantial progress.

   Not always the case

According to Bellanvila Wimalarathna Thero, what JVP MP Anura Dissanayake said is not correct as countries like Singapore have shown that war or a social revolution is not necessary for economic or political stability.

He said that though the JVP says victory for the people could be achieved through the existing political instability and the possibility of the recommencing of the war, this is not true and that the JVP has used the Russian revolution that took place in 1917 as their model.

“Just because the revolution in Russia worked in that country, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it would work here. My opinion is that the JVP MP should clarify what he has said in the interview. Using the political instability in the country as an opportunity for victory is not correct,” he said.

  People prefer peace

Though JVP politburo member and parliamentarian Anura Dissa-nayake in his interview with the Lanka paper stated that the party must “definitely” utilise the crisis situation and turbulence in the country today to bring “victory” to the people, when The Sunday Leader sought public opinion on Dissanayake’s views, it was clear that people did not agree with this view.

While many people were reluctant to speak out against the JVP fearing reprisals, they were all of the opinion that utilising the crisis situation and turbulence in the country was wrong.

Three wheeler drivers M. Swarnapala and Shirley Francis Silva: A revolution will not bring peace to the people and this idea is wrong. We do not condone war. But we feel that the government should not give the Tigers everything they are asking for.

Even when we go on hires we ask for a certain amount but the person who is travelling may realise that the amount is too much and not agree to give it. Likewise if the government gives the LTTE whatever they are asking for, that is wrong. But we do not want war.

Even after fighting for 20 years, we were not victorious. It is the innocent who died. So it is good that the government is working towards peace. War will not work. But we do not agree with the JVP statement.

They must not use the situation in the country for their own needs. The JVP prefers revolutions because that it how the party came to be in the first place and we don’t think they will give up that opinion.

Lottery ticket seller D. Chandrapala: I do not agree with the JVP statement. Even in 1989 they tried to ruin the country. The people do not want such a situation. We prefer peace.

Pavement hawkers Muneer and Sanjeewa: We feel that using the crisis situation in the country is wrong. We want peace without the checkpoints.

S.H.A. Nushard and Mohomed Faizal: We do not like the JVP idea. We want peace, that’s good for us.

Production supervisor Karunaratne: The JVP, UNP and SLFP are all the same. They are all power hungry and only want to be in power, they don’t care about the country. I don’t vote for any party because of this. Even the JVP wants power.

If there is a national government, who is going to speak for the people? All the parties will get together and share and rob the country. There will be no help or relief for the people. When all are together in power, they will be silent and the people will be helpless.

Former journalist W. M. Dayawantha: At a time of such uncertainties and political turbulence all the parties must come forward and work together. The current sad state of affairs in the country is the result of mistakes made by all the parties.

The JVP is responsible for causing a civil war, which resulted in deaths of many people and causing untold misery. At a time when even Pirapaharan is ready to come to a negotiated settlement there should not be more bloodshed.

Everybody should think of their responsibilities to the nation and not about narrow political gains. The nation should be protected for the future generations and past mistakes should not be repeated since this is the only home we will ever have.