… stresses need for rebuilding a ‘left and nationalistic’ political force

‘Parliament should be represented by newcomers from all parties’

By Shamindra Ferdinando

General Secretary of Devana Parapura (DP) Uvindu Wijeweera said that an overwhelming majority for the National People’s Power (NPP) at the forthcoming parliamentary election could be politically catastrophic.

Therefore, the electorate should be mindful of the repercussions in case the NPP secured a near 2/3 majority, the Kurunegala district contestant said.

The son of the JVP’s founder leader said so when The Island sought his views on the NPP’s all-out campaign to build a massive parliamentary power at the expense of the Opposition.

Referring to political strategies pursued by President J.R. Jayewardene in the wake of the UNP securing a mammoth 5/6 parliamentary majority at the 1977 general election, Wijeweera emphasized that the country couldn’t bear a similar situation.

Rohana Wijeweera was killed in the second week of Nov. 1989 while in government custody.

Relatively young Wijeweera is third in line of a 15-member group of office bearers of DP which received the Election Commission (EC) recognition in late Feb. 2022, several weeks before the eruption of public protest campaign that was launched on March 31 outside President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s private residence at Pangiriwatte, Mirihana.

The DP General Secretary said that his party didn’t find fault with the NPP’s declaration that corrupt politicians should be defeated to pave the way for a clean Parliament. But, it wouldn’t be fair to push the electorate to elect only NPPers as quite a number of newcomers were in the fray from both new and old political parties, he said.

“Let there be an equal opportunity for all newcomers,” Wijeweera said, urging the electorate not to be swayed by the NPP rhetoric.

DP contested the recently concluded Elpitiya Pradeshiya Sabha election. “We couldn’t secure a seat among the 30 elected to that Council but the voters declared, in no uncertain terms, that the NPP shouldn’t expect the demise of the Opposition,” Wijeweera said. The sharing of 30 seats between the NPP and the Opposition, 15 each, proved that the general election may not go the way the government anticipates.

Responding to another query, Uvindu Wijeweera said they were to contest all electoral districts, except those in the Northern Province and Batticaloa in the Eastern Province. “However, our nominations for Ratnapura and Moneragala were rejected. Therefore, we are in the fray in 17 districts. We believe those who still believe in the JVP’s struggle for justice for all would exercise their franchise in support of us,” he said.

Uvindu Wijeweera said that the country was being exploited mercilessly by foreign powers while the ongoing battle for supremacy between the US-led grouping, that included India and China, placed bankrupt Sri Lanka in an extremely difficult situation.

Referring to the Chinese taking over the strategically important Hambantota port on a 99-year-lease, the DP leader said that development caused further deterioration of Sri Lanka’s position and today the ‘Quad’, comprising the US, India, Australia and Japan, were consolidating its position.

Uvindu Wijeweera regretted the failure on the part of President Anura Kumara Disanayake to attend the recently concluded Russia’s BRICS Summit. The President shouldn’t have missed that opportunity as Sri Lanka couldn’t afford to work with the powerful grouping.

Uvindu Wijeweera said that the left parties and nationalist groups should get together to save the country from destructive neo-liberal strategies. Attacking UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe’s political agenda, Wijeweera appreciated that the NPP adopted some left oriented policies but was tilted towards neo liberalism.

The DP would like to play a role in building a real people-based organization that addressed the issues at hand. Priority should be given for fresh effort to re-build a real Opposition that realized the sensitivity of the issues and challenges ahead. The young politician stressed the pivotal importance of improving relations with Russia and China and be part of the active global south.

Wijeweera said that rapid developments were taking place and no one should be surprised if Western powers stepped up pressure on Sri Lanka. He raised the possibility of the US pushing Sri Lanka over SOFA (Status of Forces Agreement) as well as India seeking to increase its influence at all levels. Emphasising on the economic crisis, Wijeweera said that whatever the political parties that had represented Parliament said, the country was not yet out of the woods.

Having explained how Somawansa Amarasinghe gradually spearheaded the JVP efforts to bring nationalistic parties and groups together after their return to mainstream politics, in the ’90s, Wijeweera found fault with the party for reaching consensus with the UNP on a common programme. Wijeweera was referring to the 2009-2019 period before the formation of the NPP ahead of the 2019 presidential election.

Uvindu Wijeweera said that there were over 17.1 mn people eligible to vote at the general election. At the presidential 3.5 mn or nearly 1/5 of them refrained from voting, he said, urging the people not to waste their vote.