Challenges for the SLFP

SINCE its founding on September 2, 1951, the Sri Lanka Freedom Party has had quite an eventful journey in the political life of Sri Lanka. Today the SLFP could claim to be a time-tested vehicle of the democratic aspirations of the people on account of its resilient ability to attract to itself most of the progressive political forces of the country and thereby represent a wide cross section of the people.

Over the years the centrist SLFP has weathered many a political storm and emerged a strong nucleus of political coalitions which have, more often than not, proved the people's first choice on the issue of suitability to exercise governance. This is borne out by the fact that since 1994, the SLFP- led People's Alliance, under the leadership of President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, has won 13 out of 14 elections.

Its democratic outlook and its pro-people vision could be said to be the secret of the SLFP's success. Rather than be seen as a party which represents the interests of only one cultural group, the SLFP today envelopes within the PA umbrella, a wide diversity of democratic political forces, some of which represent ethnic minorities.

Thus from the mid-fifties when the SLFP consciously championed the cause of the 'Pancha Maha Balavegaye', which comprised the less privileged social groups, the SLFP has steadily spread its wings and included within its fold, almost all the ethnic and cultural groups of the land.

It is President Kumaratunga who has proved an important catalyst in this process of steadily diversifying the image of the SLFP. President Kumaratunga could be said to be deeply sensitive to the needs of the times. Today our prime requirement is ethnic peace and no political party which is not prepared to bring peace by peaceful means, could be considered as having a promising future.

Ethnic peace has been our principal requirement over the past 25 years and President Kumaratunga should be credited with having ideologically revamped the party to meet current needs. This is the secret of the SLFP's long life in power.

However, the issues of the fifties, when the President's father, SWRD Bandaranaike, formed the party, were different to those of the present. At that time the need was governance by the people, who had until then been sidelined by a Westernised ruling elite, symbolized by the UNP.

The historic task of placing the indigenous masses in the seats of power was achieved by SWRD Bandaranaike and further consolidated by his widow, Sirimavo R.D. Bandaranaike, but it was left to Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga to further diversify the support base of the SLFP and render it a resilient nation-building vehicle. It is this stage in the transformation of the SLFP that we are witnessing today.

There is no gainsaying the fact that President Kumaratunga has helped greatly in enhancing the democratic character of the SLFP by declining the life presidentship offer of her party. The SLFP has always been identified with the common people and it should ideally retain the image of a party which is accessible to all.

It will be the responsibility of Presidential hopeful, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse and his running-mate Minister Anura Bandaranaike, to retain the image of the SLFP as a national party which is committed to the nation-building effort.

To be more precise and specific, the policy of evolving a just solution to the ethnic conflict should remain and be enhanced. For, it is a negotiated solution which would complete the nation-building task by melding our peoples into a united whole.