Economic crisis: 11-party SLPP dissident group divided over APC

SJB, UNP yet to decide, JVP won’t go

By Shamindra Ferdinando

The dissident SLPP group will be represented by Ven. Athureliye Rathana, MP and Prof. Tissa Vitharana, MP, at the All-Party Conference (APC), to be held 23 March to discuss ways and means of overcoming the current crisis.

A senior spokesperson for the dissidents told The Island that following talks among the group a decision had been taken to send Ape Jana Bala Pakshaya MP Ven. Rathana and Prof. Vitharana of the Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP), on behalf of the group.

The rebel group, comprises Democratic Left Front, the LSSP, the Communist Party of Sri Lanka, the National Freedom Front, the National Congress, the Pivithuru Hela Urumaya the Sri Lanka Mahajana Pakshaya, the Vijaya Dharani Jathika Sabhawa, the Eksath Mahajana Pakshaya and the Yuthukama civil society organisation.

The SLFP, which is a member of the dissident group, will be represented by a delegation led by its leader Maithripla Sirisena himself.

Political sources said that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had called the APC on a request made by SLFP leader Maithripala Sirisena when the SLPP and SLFP delegations met at the Presidential Secretariat on 08 March to discuss the current situation. Sources explained that the dissident group had been compelled to attend the APC as it was proposed by the SLFP, a member of the alternative group.

The dissident group consists of nearly 30 lawmakers.

NFF leader Wimal Weerawansa, PHU leader Gammanpila and DLF leader Vasudeva Nanayakkara have decided against attending the APC. Weerawansa and Gammanpila were sacked from the Cabinet recently. Nanayakkara remains a Minister but does not carry out ministerial duties and responsibilities in protest against the sacking of his colleagues. Sources said that the dissident group would have boycotted the event if I thad not been Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) leader Sajith Premadasa yesterday (20) told The Island that his party was yet to decide on its participation.

The SJB is expected to announce its decision today (21).

JVP Gampaha District lawmaker Vijitha Herath yesterday (20) told The Island that there was no point in attending the APC. Alleging that the government had been engaged in a futile exercise to settle the crisis within the SLPP, he said the issues should have been dealt with over a year ago.

MP Herath emphasised that the government hadn’t so far briefed the other political parties represented in Parliament on the state of the economy though President Rajapaksa acknowledged his government was entering into negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake said it would be absurd to have a discussion with those who had created the crisis. He said so when the media sought his response to a proposal to establish a Leadership Council.

SJB’s Dr. Harsha de Silva, MP, has repeatedly pointed out that one of the major problems experienced by the current dispensation is its leaders’ failure to speak with one voice on the state of the national economy. Dr de Silva blamed the crisis on Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal and Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa pulling in different directions.

The current Parliament is represented by 15 political parties. They are SLPP (145 members), SJB (54), ITAK  (10), JJB (03), AITC (02), EPDP (02), UNP, SLFP, OPPP (Our Power of People Party), TMVP (Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal), MNA (Muslim National Alliance), TMTK (Tamil Makkal Theshiya Kutani), ACMC (All Ceylon Makkal Congress), NC (National Congress and SLMC (Sri Lanka Muslim Congress) represented by one MP each.

The UNP said it was still undecided, a party spokesman said.

ITAK MP M. A. Sumanthiran was not immediately available for comment.

The SLPP constituents, the MEP, EPDP and the CWC will attend the APC.