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“The people are rising against the regime” February 7, 2014

 Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the newlyele!te" #ea"er o$ the %anatha &imukthi

'eramuna (%&'), *ows to "e$eat !ommunalism, religious e+tremism an" separatism in

the !ountry -e asserts that the .ar+ist %&' will put more weight behin" rea!hing an"

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so!ialising with the Tamils in /orthern an" astern 'ro*in!es as an approa!h to sol*e

the national uestion Following are e+!erpts $rom an inter*iew with the Daily FT

• 'arty aims to gi*e lea"ership to buil" people3s power, !ommon politi!al program

• ays un"emo!rati!, arbitrary an" "espoti! $amily rule shoul" be topple"

•

&ows to sa$eguar" rights o$ people in the north, a""ress real issues

5 6hat was the reason behin" the %&'3s su""en lea"ership transition

 A For a long perio" o$ time !omra"e omawansa Amarasinghe ha" been pointing out

the importan!e o$ a lea"ership !hange This was later submitte" to the 8entral

8ommittee, where it was "is!usse" at length Then we all agree" that the party was

rea"y $or a lea"ership !hange

5 9ut many belie*e the lea"ership !hange was "one in preparation $or the up!oming

ele!tions

 A The %&' is a party that trans$orms, a party that !hanges, a party that re*olutionises6hen we $eel we nee" !hange, we "o it :n the other han", the %&' is not a party that

targets ele!tions 'reparing $or ele!tions an" winning ele!tions is not our only

ob;e!ti*e Apart $rom naming a new lea"er, on the "ay o$ our se*enth !on*ention we

a"opte" new resolutions, we agree" on a number o$ new proposals an" a new politi!al

bureau was appointe" At the !on*ention we took some important "e!isions *ital to the

!ountry an" the people

6e ha*e been in politi!s $or a long perio" o$ time 6e ha*e re!ognise" the nee" to

a"opt new strategies to suit the mo"ern worl" 6e are rea"y $or a !hange This is notabout toppling go*ernments This !ountry nee"s a system !hange A system !hange is

not as easy as toppling a go*ernment There$ore we nee" to e"u!ate an" prepare the

people $or that !hange This was an initial step

6e ha*e $o!use" on three main pro;e!ts Firstly, we ha*e laun!he" a program !alle"

<:ur &ision3 6hat our !ountry nee"s at present is a new so!iety with a people3s

a"ministration base" on so!ialist poli!ies u!h a so!iety !oul" be "e*elope" not with

$alse promises, but by implementing a !lear an" stea"$ast set o$ poli!ies <:ur &ision3

poli!y $ramework was laun!he" $or this purposee!on"ly, we !an !learly see that people are rising against the present regime 9ut

these are mainly isolate" protests an" struggles 6e

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ha*e re!ognise" the importan!e o$

gi*ing proper lea"ership to these isolate" struggles The %&' will take e*ery e$$ort to

bring them to a !ommon plat$orm

Thir"ly, as a party the %&' has "e!i"e" to plan an" prepare $or the ne+t general

ele!tion 6e agree there is ample time, but we nee" to start now 6e will buil" a

strong ele!tion rally

 As a !ountry we ha*e $aile" to a""ress the real issues o$ the people in the north =t is

high time we raise a *oi!e $or these inno!ent people The present regime has

negle!te" an" aban"one" them As a responsible politi!al party it is our "uty to

sa$eguar" the rights o$ the people in the north = personally belie*e the %&' too hasn3t

taken mu!h e$$ort to rea!h the minorities in this !ountry, espe!ially the Tamils 6e

ha*e $aile" to talk su$$i!iently about the issues o$ these people 6e ha*e re!ognise"

the importan!e o$ working !losely with the Tamils 6e ha*e worke" out a spe!ial

program $or the betterment o$ the Tamils in the north an" estate Tamils =t is !urrently

being "is!usse" at the 8entral 8ommittee There$ore, the %&' will take e*ery possible

measure to rea!h the Tamils in the north an" estates

5 -ow "oes it $eel to be the #ea"er o$ the %&'

 A /o one in the %&' has ;oine" this party e+pe!ting positions 6e are in the party

be!ause we want to work During the 3>>?3>@ perio" a large number o$ our lea"ers

were kille" At that time we were young members without mu!h e+perien!e /one o$

us !ame to this party asking $or responsibilities The $irst task o$ most o$ those who!ame to the party woul" ha*e been pasting posters All o$ us are oblige" to $ul$il any

responsibility the party wante" us to -owe*er, when we $irst !ame into a!ti*e politi!s,

we ha" to $a!e numerous !hallenges 6e ha" to take this party to the people 6e

were gi*en *arious responsibilities an" !hallenges an" we ha" to $ul$il those "uties

entruste" to us :ur task is to ser*e the party 6e !are less about positions an" perks

5 6hat are the !hallenges you ha*e to $a!e as the new #ea"er o$ the %&'

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 A The biggest !hallenge is to !reate an i"eology among the people 'eople in this

!ountry no longer see the true pi!ture %ournalists are kille", ;ournalists are assaulte"

an" threatene" .e"ia institutions are burnt an" "amage" ome me"ia institutions

are bought o*er by the o*ernment an" some *oluntarily "an!e to the tune o$ the

o*ernment be!ause they "on3t want to be in trouble 'eople no longer see or hear

the truth This !ountry no longer en;oys $ree"om o$ e+pression This is a gra*e

situation 6e are !ompelle" to listen an" wat!h this $i!tion portraye" by the Ba;apaksa

regime an" belie*e that is the truth =t is our "uty to e+pose the wrong"oings o$ the

o*ernment

6hat we nee" is a system !hange This is not as simple as !hanging a regime A

system !hange reuires more time, organising an" strategy a"ly to"ay the law o$ the

!ountry has be!ome Ba;apaksa3s will This has to be !hange" 6e nee" to alert the

people 6e nee" to !reate an i"eology among them This is our biggest !hallenge

 As a le$tist mo*ement we nee" to be more organise" As a party we ha*e to be

prepare" to !on$ront this regime o while alerting an" e"u!ating the people, we will

ha*e to be more organise" 6e nee" to be stronger an" more power$ul internally

5 6hat imme"iate !hanges nee" to be ma"e in the party

 A =n our party we take !olle!ti*e "e!isions 6hen a new lea"er !omes to power he

will not try to !hange anything that was "one un"er the pre*ious lea"ership = know

that is how other politi!al parties in our !ountry works 9ut the %&' is "i$$erentC it is not

how our party works

.ore than !hanging things, there are many things we nee" to learn $rom !omra"e

omawansa Amarasinghe /o one in our party !an mat!h his *ast knowle"ge an"

e+perien!e 8omra"e Amarasinghe was arreste" in 1@71 an" went through immense

har"ships in prisons an" "etention !amps $or more than $i*e years -owe*er, the $aith

in so!ialism or the *i!tory o$ the party ne*er es!ape" him There$ore, more than

!hanging what he has "one, we ha*e to learn $rom his lea"ership

5 Do you belie*e the lea"ership !hange will help to re*i*e the party

 A There is a !ommon agreement among the people that it is only the %&' that talks

about national issues They know that we are the only party whi!h will speak $or them'eople belie*e that we will !riti!ise the Ba;apaksa a"ministration an" !ontinue to

e+pose how !orrupt this regime is 6hether people *ote $or us or not, they ha*e $aith

in us 6hat we nee" to "o as a party is to work out a me!hanism to rally these people

an" we are rea"y to "o that

= strongly $eel that the programs we laun!he" at the se*enth !on*ention su!h as the

<:ur &ision3 poli!y $ramework an" pro*i"ing lea"ership to isolate" protests an"

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struggles along with our new publi!ity !ampaign will make a !hange All these

measures will help re*i*e the party 6e are hope$ul that we will be able to rise on!e

again as a strong party

5 :n!e again the o*ernment is !harge" up about an attempt to table a resolution

against ri #anka at the / -uman Bights 8oun!il to be hel" in .ar!h Eour

!omments

 A 6estern nations, espe!ially the nite" tates, ha*e inter$ere" in the internal

matters o$ !ountries like ours $or a long perio" o$ time n$ortunately the Ba;apaksa

regime is <o$$ering them opportunities on a platter, in*iting these $or!es to me""le with

our internal matters

 A$ter the war we !oul" ha*e !hange" in numerous ways ri #anka !oul" ha*e ma"e

that the opportunity to begin many things 9ut the Ba;apaksa regime $aile" an"

un$ortunately they $aile" the !ountry too This o*ernment ne*er trie" to get out o$ the

war mentality They !ontinue to suppress Tamils an" people who talk on behal$ o$

Tamils are labelle" as terrorists an" traitors They !ontinue to brag about the

war *i!tory This is their biggest mistake The war in this !ountry is

o*er 6e all know that 6e nee" to mo*e $orwar" n$ortunately this o*ernment !an3t

un"erstan" this simple truth

This bragging about !rushing the Tigers as well as the o*ernment3s $ailure to a""ress

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the real issues $a!ing the Tamils is lea"ing this !ountry towar"s another !lash This

o*ernment !an3t un"erstan" that a$ter ;ust $i*e years, we are gra"ually losing

whate*er pea!e we a!hie*e" in 200@ 6e are pushing the Tamils in this !ountry

towar"s another !on$li!t The Ba;apaksa regime has $aile" to bring the rapi"

rehabilitation an" re!onstru!tion programs that shoul" ha*e been initiate" $i*e years

ago

The language issue is another sensiti*e an" important matter $or the Tamils This

o*ernment is not in the least !on!erne" about su!h matters 6e ha*e to respe!t

these people They ha*e their own religion, language, rituals an" !ustoms 6hy !an3t

we a!!ept that

Bather than making an attempt to a""ress the issues $a!ing the Tamils, what "i" the

o*ernment "o =t initiate" military rule in the north, $urther suppressing those

inno!ent people The people in the north !annot ha*e a party or e*en a $uneral without

military inter$eren!e There is no longer !i*il a"ministration in those areasC it is the

military that rules

“6e !an !learly see that people are rising against the present regime 9ut these are

mainly isolate" protests an" struggles 6e ha*e re!ognise" the importan!e o$ gi*ing

proper lea"ership to these isolate" struggles The %&' will take e*ery e$$ort to bring

them to a !ommon plat$orm

 As a !ountry we ha*e $aile" to a""ress the real issues o$ the people in the north =t is

high time we raise a *oi!e $or these inno!ent people The present regime has

negle!te" an" aban"one" them As a responsible politi!al party it is our "uty to

sa$eguar" the rights o$ the people in the north

The biggest !hallenge is to !reate an i"eology among the people 'eople in this

!ountry no longer see the true pi!ture %ournalists are kille", ;ournalists are assaulte"

an" threatene" .e"ia institutions are burnt an" "amage" ome me"ia institutions

are bought o*er by the o*ernment an" some *oluntarily "an!e to the tune o$ the

o*ernment be!ause they "on3t want to be in trouble 'eople no longer see or hear

the truth This !ountry no longer en;oys $ree"om o$ e+pression This is a gra*esituation

6hat we nee" is a system !hange This is not as simple as !hanging a regime A

system !hange reuires more time, organising an" strategy a"ly to"ay the law o$ the

!ountry has be!ome Ba;apaksa3s will This has to be !hange" 6e nee" to alert the

people 6e nee" to !reate an i"eology among them This is our biggest !hallenge

 A$ter the war we !oul" ha*e !hange" in numerous ways ri #anka !oul" ha*e ma"e

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that the opportunity to begin many things 9ut the Ba;apaksa regime $aile" an"

un$ortunately they $aile" the !ountry too This o*ernment ne*er trie" to get out o$ the

war mentality

Bather than making an attempt to a""ress the issues $a!ing the Tamils, what "i" the

o*ernment "o =t initiate" military rule in the north, $urther suppressing those

inno!ent people The people in the north !annot ha*e a party or e*en a $uneral without

military inter$eren!e There is no longer !i*il a"ministration in those areasC it is the

military that rules 6hile they suppress the Tamils in the north, they are me""ling with

the li*es o$ people in the other parts o$ the !ountry too

=n to"ay3s worl" no !ountry !an isolate itsel$ an" battle with the rest o$ the worl" 6e

nee" ea!h other Te!hnology, knowle"ge, literature, !ulture all these $a!tors ha*e

inter!onne!te" all nations in the worl" /o !ountry !an e+ist in isolation

The %&' shoul" me"iate an" gi*e lea"ership to buil" a people3s power an" a !ommon

politi!al program by rallying all $or!es that !oul" gather to en" the e+e!uti*e

presi"ential system an" $amily rule The un"emo!rati!, arbitrary an" "espoti! $amily

rule that is being built in the !ountry shoul" be topple" imme"iately an" no room

shoul" be le$t in the !ountry $or a similar a"ministration”

6hile they suppress the Tamils in the north, they are me""ling with the li*es o$ people

in the other parts o$ the !ountry too They !hase" out the 8hie$ %usti!e, they brought in

the 1>th Amen"ment that $urther strengthens auto!rati! rule 6hen people take to the

streets against these matters, what "oes this o*ernment "o =t shoots them an" kills

them in broa" "aylight

6hen the o*ernment a!ts in su!h a manner, we are helping $or!es like the nite"

tates to inter$ere in our internal matters =t gi*es them a goo" opportunity This is a

serious threat to our !ountry 9ut the o*ernment is using it $or its own a"*antage

This is e+a!tly why the southern pro*in!ial ele!tion whi!h was "ue to be hel" in last

eptember is now s!he"ule" $or .ar!h They knew the out!ome o$ the .ar!h

sessions o$ the nite" /ations -uman Bights 8oun!il in ene*a woul" be serious an"

they ha*e s!he"ule" the ele!tions "uring the same time to take a"*antage o$ the

situation6hat is important is i"enti$ying the breaking line :ne !annot embra!e the Ba;apaksas

an" then $ight against the nite" tates an" other international $or!es .eanwhile, one

!annot support the international $or!es an" blame the Ba;apaksas 9oth the

international $or!es an" present regime are on one si"e =$ we are unable to i"enti$y

this simple truth we will ne*er be able to sol*e these matters

5 =$ the %&' !omes to power, how woul" you !ounter allegations by international

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$or!es on human right *iolations an" war !rimes

 A 6e are a so*ereign nation :n one han", other nations ha*e to respe!t the $a!t that

we are an in"epen"ent !ountry :n the other han", we also must respe!t other

nations This is why we nee" to a"opt a $oreign poli!y base" on pea!e$ul !oe+isten!e

:ther nations a"opt an aggressi*e $oreign poli!y towar"s our !ountry .eanwhile ri

#anka is !lashing $oreign poli!y 6e nee" to !hange this 6e ha*e to a"opt a pea!e$ul

!oe+isting $oreign poli!y

=n to"ay3s worl" no !ountry !an isolate itsel$ an" battle with the rest o$ the worl" 6e

nee" ea!h other Te!hnology, knowle"ge, literature, !ulture all these $a!tors ha*e

inter!onne!te" all nations in the worl" /o !ountry !an e+ist in isolation

5 -ow prepare" are you to $a!e the $orth!oming 6estern an" outhern 'ro*in!ial

8oun!il ele!tions

 A 6hen we hear" that the ene*a proposals woul" take pla!e in .ar!h, we knew the

o*ernment woul" s!he"ule ele!tions "uring the same time 6e !ommen!e"

preparations early 6e announ!e" #alkantha as our 6estern 'ro*in!e !hie$ ministerial

!an"i"ates three months be$ore the ele!tions were announ!e"

6e are prepare" :ur aim is not only $o!use" on the pro*in!ial !oun!il ele!tions 6e

are on a mission o$ buil"ing a strong ele!tion rally .eanwhile, we a"opte" a series o$

resolutions $or a new so!ialist so!ial system to repla!e the *i!ious e!onomi! poli!ies

that torment the masses, whi!h allow a small se!tion o$ the prestigious !lass to grab

the wealth o$ the e!onomy

The %&' shoul" me"iate an" gi*e lea"ership to buil" a people3s power an" a !ommon

politi!al program by rallying all $or!es that !oul" gather to en" the e+e!uti*e

presi"ential system an" $amily rule The un"emo!rati!, arbitrary an" "espoti! $amily

rule that is being built in the !ountry shoul" be topple" imme"iately an" no room

shoul" be le$t in the !ountry $or a similar a"ministration

Posted by Thavam