Independent Left vital to guide country on correct path - Wickramabahu

by Ranil Wijayapala

Dr. Wickramabahu Karunaratne, a stalwart of the country's Left movement, and now the leader of the New Left Front stresses the necessity to have an independent Left in the country in order to put pressure on the leaders to steer the country on the correct path.

He says the Left no longer can work with Mahinda Rajapakse since he has become a prisoner of chauvinist forces while also being highly critical of Ranil Wickremesinghe who he charges went all out to sell the country through his 'Regaining Sri Lanka' programme.

Following are excerpts from the interview the Daily News had with him at his party office at Kew road, Colombo 02.

Q: All the Leftist parties have extended their support to Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse's candidacy at the forthcoming Presidential election. Instead of following suit you have fielded a candidate from the New Left Front to contest the election. What is the reason for this ?

A: I think the reason should be given by them. Not by me. Because I can't say any reason why left Parties should support Mahinda's candidacy because, he had neither rejected the open economic policy as a whole , nor has he agreed on devolution. Those are the most important democratic questions.

Whereas, in 1994 President Chandrika said she will go for a federal type of solution and also she was very strongly critical of the open economy. She almost said that she would go back to the type of economic programme that was started by her mother in 1970's. So at least there was some reason at that stage for Left parties go along with her.

Today, Mahinda is clashing with his own leader President Chandrika, on the issue of devolution and Chandrika is very strongly critical and even in her recent speech she had warned the people and told them to lend him guidance to keep him away from the extremists.

In such a scenario the Leftist parties even without the criticism made by Chandrika, are going along with Mahinda. I can't give any reason why they are doing that. They are very foolish. They are creating a situation that would cause a huge damage.

I am happy that President Chandrika is warning them and warning the people to make them aware of the disasters of extremism. Particulary, the recent speech where she said groups representing a mere four percent voters were trying to control a democratic party is very apt. This is an example for the so-called Left parties.

Q: Do you think the JVP and Jathika Hela Urumaya going along with Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse will be an obstacle for him to bring peace to the country ?

A: Yes, I think so. The President is surprised and she is quite concerned that Mahinda is becoming a prisoner of these parties. On the other hand, even on the economic policy she had warned him. Now he is a prisoner of the Sihala Urumaya and the JVP.

A serious struggle has to be made by the democratic elements within the SLFP and the PA to salvage him. I think, in future for him to get out of this trap he has fallen to President's help is necessary. If Chandrika continues to be the leader of the party in future she can mobilise forces within and could balance the situation and pull him out of the situation.

Q: Do you think, Opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe can bring peace to the country if he become the President of the country ?

A: Not alone. He has correctly consulted Chandrika which he failed to do when he was in power. During that period we insisted that he call a Peace Deployment Council which he failed to do. He was not prepared to consult the devolution oriented people in the PA.

Now he has realised it. His consultation with President Chandrika the other day, is an indication that he is seeking help from her if he gets elected, to pursue a common policy. So, 80 per cent of the people will be on the side of peace.

That makes a good strategy. I don't think he alone can do much but in consultation with Chandrika he will achieve something. And also we believe that an independent Left is a necessity to push them.

That is why we are contesting. Our role we believe, even if we get a few thousand votes, we can have an independent voice there and push them toward peace and devolution. That is why we want to remain independent and play an important and positive role after the elections.

Q: There are arguments that all those who worked for a federal solution have been assassinated by the LTTE. What is your opinion ?

A: No I don't agree with them. People in any way look forward to federalism. LTTE is like a animal. When provoked it retaliates. It doesn't think twice. So the terrorist method is a very irrational method. It has no logic.

They have killed all kinds of people. They have killed Annamalai, my party member. He was for self-determination. Yet they killed him. That is because they felt that there is a threat or there is a competition. So, I don't think they have killed federalists. They killed whom they consider as posing some kind of competition or threat to them. So their logic is very different.

Q: So, how do you see the LTTE's cult of assassinations. Even Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse is facing death threats from the LTTE ?

A: This is what I mean, the parties resort to terror. They work on irrational basis. In our country too, it is the same. The LTTE uses killings as a political tool without venturing into representative politics. In that scenario they will have a logic of their own. It is very difficult to tackle that.

Even the JVP in the period they used to resort to terrorist methods, it was difficult to tell why they killed. They have killed some people who were very close to them. They tried to kill SLFPers who were working together. They tried to kill those with similar ideologies. There were also those who were rabidly opposed to them. So it is very difficult to rationalise on terrorist methods.

Q: What do you think of Mahinda Rajapakse's election manifesto 'Mahinda Chinthanaya'?

A: Obviously, Mahinda Chinthanaya is not Bandaranaike Chinthanaya. Bandaranaike Chinthanaya is the populist democratic nationalist thinking or nationalist democratic, populist ideology. He has diverted from that. Nor is it Wijeweera's thinking. Wijeweera was for some special kind of socialism.

Now instead, his philosophy is difficult to understand except that it is chauvinistic. It is dominated by Sinhala chauvinism. This is the type of ideology that spawned the July 83 riots. This is a development on that ideology as far as my thinking is concerned. That is the danger. That is why we believe that the Left, an independent Left, has a role to play. That is why we are fighting and intervening.

If it is at least populist democratic opposition, then we can think of critical support. Here there is nothing in common for us to think of a critical support. This dangerous tendency in that thinking has been identified by President Chandrika and Ven. Elle Gunawansa Thera very well.

They should know better. And Ven. Elle Gunawansa Thera who was an admirer of him has taken a very critical stand and even asked Minister Dilan Perera to somehow defend the SLFP explaining that SLFP is the real nationalist populist party of the country.

He has advocated that it should be defended. That is why the President and the likes of Ven. Gunawansa Thera warned people of a dangerous tendency in the Mahinda camp. We in no way can get close to that. We have to be outside and carry on our struggle.

Q: What is your opinion on UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe's manifesto People's Agenda ?

A: His manifesto is based on Regaining Sri Lanka, the programme for a sell out. It is the programme of the brokering class. The brokering class of this country who are depending on global capital. They are doing imports and exports and trying to exploit the situation.

That class is represented by Ranil Wickremesinghe. There is no doubt about it. But the only redeeming factor is that is he is for devolution. For that he has his own reasons. They want the market to be integrated. There is a bigger market if there is peace and they can exploit it. Even exploiters need a peaceful situation. Exploiter needs an integrated market. But he is for devolution.

He is a democrat. That is one aspect which has to be recognised. Even, the President has recognised it. That is why, she has given him a discussion. Otherwise, I don't think if he was just a representative of a brokering class, she would have anything to discuss with him. Because of this democratic aspect she has agreed to discuss. We are also, prepared to help in the devolution if after winning if he is ready to implement devolution. However, we will strongly oppose his regaining Sri Lanka programme.

Q: Set aside all other issues, people consider Mahinda Rajapakse as a representative of the working class. He has done so much to safeguard workers rights. How do you see him from that point of view ?

A: Well he is a very nice man and a friendly person. He has done social service. But politically, he is now a prisoner of certain dangerous forces. He is a good friend of mine no doubt. He has been very friendly. he has helped me in very difficult situations personally. I think he has helped a lot of people.

That is when he was following the Bandaranaike policy. Its populism. Populism is a part of that. He was a great Bandaranaike man in those days. He was a clear representative of Bandaranaike populism in those days.

That is why he helped the poor people following the path of Bandaranaike populist policy. But he has abandoned that. He is now treading a dangerous path. When a man has changed we can't just keep on telling what he did long time ago.

For example he came with Ranil who was against devolution. He was one of the people who put me in prison. He is one of the people who threw me out of University, because I stood for devolution and criticised their dictatorial Constitution. But today he has changed his stance. He is now for a federal solution. So people can change, Mahinda has changed for the worse and Ranil has changed for the better. He has taken the democratic path. That is the difference.

Q: Then who do you think will work to safeguard the rights of the working class ?

A: I don't think either Ranil or Mahinda will work for the working class. That is why we are contesting. If they are going to do an iota of service to the working class we can withdraw and try to give them critical support. I don't see it. We will have to defend the working class and the rights of the minorities. That is why we are contesting and trying to build up an independent leadership.

Q: The LTTE has not publicly extended its support to any of the Presidential candidates. How do you see this situation ?

A: I think they are also beginning to get tired of this Sinhala leadership. So they would like to see how many people in Sinhala areas will vote for devolution and then judge for themselves rather than making Tamils commit themselves.

They want to see the division in Sinhala areas and to see whether there is a way out by negotiating with anyone who get elected. That is, I think the reason. Even Ranil when he started on the peace process did not consult Chandrika. He was not serious about it.

They were not happy with him also. Chandrika at least gave P-TOMS. That in a small way sought to create a combined administration. But, Ranil was not able to do that. She on the basis of the peace agreement managed to go further and came to P-TOMS. So therefore the LTTE must be thinking and calculating their options before they take sides.

Q: You repeatedly mentioned about consulting President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga on the peace issue. What is the role, do you think, she can play after her retirement on Presidency ?

A: Definitely as I said her role is to see that the People's Alliance and her own party remain on track as democratic populist parties.

And to see that a joint effort could be made for a peace programme with the UNP. These are the two things she can do. She has a very important role to play in the coming period to counter the racist forces and also to lead a section of the rural masses against these kind of chauvinist forces.

I believe that Ranil and Chandrika getting together on peace is a very positive thing. They can come to an agreement that will be workable. Then they can make a common effort. So in the coming period whoever wins I think she has a role to play.

Q: There is public perception that people should rally round Rajapakse to save the country from being sold out to Westerners. What is your opinion ?

A: Yes that is right. We have to save ourselves from western powers. At the same time the country has to be saved from chauvinist forces. Who is going to do that ? That is the problem. Now if Ranil does not win the elections, Mahinda and Wimal Weerawansa will both sell the country for chauvinistic reasons.

In order to go for a war how are they going to manage ? They will go to George Bush and kneel down and ask for money and ask for weapons. Ranil will sell the country for the benefit of his own class. These people are selling the country for no reason but for bombs and weapons. I don' think this is an argument. There is no meaning to it.

Q: So what is your programme after the Presidential elections ?

A: We are already making people aware of the necessity and mobilising several hundred votes. If we get at least 50,000 or 100,000 votes that will be a mandate for us to go forward and call meetings, demonstrations, strikes and various mass actions to pressurise both leaders including the President to come together for a federal solution.

That is one. And also to stop the sell out of the country according to the Regaining Sri Lanka programme. Both items are in our agenda. We are appealing to the people to vote for us to build up a movement and then we can go for a mass action. Our perspective is that. Not to win the Presidency. That is not an accessible thing. We are going for accessible things to build a force that can be utilised to pressurise, whoever the leader to go along the path which we believe is the correct path for the country.

Q: You have fielded a candidate for the election without you yourself contesting. What is the reason for it ?

A: The main reason is that in this election it is not necessary to use my popularity. Because this is not a election where we are expecting to get a largest number of votes. But we want to mobilise people. Therefore, we thought an active young man can do better.

The necessity is to go round the country and go for the smallest meeting and walk and talk to the people. Therefore we selected the best comrade. That will give us the next generation of Left leaders.

We all, Mahinda, Chandrika and myself are of the same age. We all have reached sixties. Ranil is a little younger. We must build up a generation of 30's, to prepare for the decades to come.

Q: Do you think people have decided to whom they should vote at the elections ?

A: Yes, 80 per cent of the people have decided already unless some dramatic change takes place. People are very silent.

Q: Who will win the election ?

A: If Mahinda goes along this path and gets himself caught up in Sinhala Buddhist chauvinism, I am sure he will be defeated. With the President also criticising I don't think he can win unless he gets out of this situation and makes a real turn.

Q: That means you think Ranil Wickremesinghe will win the election ?

A: Yes, unfortunately.