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The speech made by Dr. Vickramabahu Karunarathne MPC (New Left Front) at the Western Provincial Council against the motion moved by the JVP requesting the immediate deportation of the Norwegian Ambassador, on 7th January 2003.

Hon Chairman, the Hon. LSSP member said that the ambassador should be handcuffed and chased out of this country. I was surprised. This ambassador intervened in the National Problem. Norway intervened here, due to the request of the President and the PM of this country.

The transmitter, referred to was taken to Jaffna with the complete knowledge of the government. Then, we must chase out both the President and the PM first. In other words this resolution is completely meaningless. This resolution states that we must throw out the ambassador as he has directly worked to divide this country. What a meaningless statement? This country is already divided. President wanted Norway to be a facilitator to unite this already divided country.

Tamil people were moving towards separation. President invited the Norwegians to stop this. Why did the global powers start intervening here? Is it because there was peace? No, because there was a war. It is because there was a struggle to separate by the Tamil people. This gave an opening for Americans and others. Because we were helpless due to this war, THEY COULD INTERVENE IN THE NAME OF PEACE. If you want to stop the ill effects of capitalism, the undue influence of Western powers, we must go for a federal solution to resolve the Tamil national problem.

Then we can get together, both the North and the South, and resist the ill effects of the multinational companies and the global capitalism.

Hon. Chairman, in effect there are two regimes in this country. One is an informal regime of the rebels.

This situation is accepted under the peace accord and discussions are going on to find out how to incorporate the rebel regime into the Sri Lankan state. There is a rebel army within the rebel regime. Discussions are going on to end this situation. Federal state means the end of sovereignty of the rebel regime and the incorporation of the Tamil nationality within the Lankan state. Madam Chandrika gave a solution on this line in 1995 August 4, to end this division and to come together as a union of regions.

She wanted to drop the unitary nature of the state, and this is an enlightened view. In 1985, in discussions, I raised the question of assimilating the Tamil army. The present army is really a Sinhalese army. It works in Sinhalese and the command system is in Sinhalese. If we want to create a real national army then we must absorb the rebel army, at least as a Tamil regiment.

If we have a Lion regiment why cannot we have a Tiger regiment? It is true that even for a federal state there could only be one army. However that army should incorporate all the separate identities within the country. Now, no Tamil can join the Sri Lankan army and work in one's own language. Hence in the course of settling this problem, we have to think of Tamil speaking regiments.

President has said that the government is marching along the path of peace laid down by her. If so then she should work to consolidate the achievements. To do otherwise is to push the country towards disaster. We are sorry that the JVP, which claims to be a left party, is taking a reactionary stand in relation to the democratic rights of a minority nationality. Even capitalist leaders have agreed to a democratic solution.

President has proposed a union of regions but was pushed to seek foreign help. This is a time the left should counter balance this by offering help to consolidate democratic solution. But this so called left party is pressing for a racist conspiracy, by making use of people such as Mr. Anura Bandaranaike. There is an attempt to mobilize racist forces within the armed forces, Buddhist monks and students. This is similar to what they did in 1988.

Then the Desa Premi Janatha Viyaparaya was built making use of Anura Bandaranaike. What did they do, at that time? They killed progressives and left leaders. All those who stood for language rights, citizen rights and autonomy were attacked. They attacked and shot me too, but, they could not kill me. President's husband Vijaya Kumaranatunge was killed.

Today they have launched the second edition of the same conspiracy. They say they are building a Grand National Front with the likes of Anura Bandaranaike. But on 8th they have called a demonstration under their banner. By this they hope to drag the SLFP rank and file with them. Their strategy is to mobilize the SLFP for a chauvinistic, militaristic campaign. It is for this purpose they brought this resolution today. So they say that an ambassador has intervened to divide the country. How can that happen? Of course there are real foreign interventions. Western powers are intervening throughout the world. They interfere everywhere.

Can we resist this through silly steps like this? No we should consolidate progressive unity among the people through peace. Recently LTTE representatives met us, the New Left Front. They raised the question of MNC take over of their homeland.

They said they cannot be taken for a ride by the government. We of the New Left Front warned them, "Do not allow the global capitalism to take over your liberated homeland.

Are you aware of this possibility?" I indicated that we must utilize the peace to put our resources together to challenge Global oppressive forces.

I appeal to this house to go along the path of peace with such a prospective and to throw this nonsensical resolution in the dustbin.

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