How the manipulators in the UNP engineered the exodus of the reformists

Cuda Ellepola

D. S. Senanayake

Dudley Senanayake

Sir John Kotelawala

J. R. Jayewardene

Ranasinghe Premadasa

Politicians: Since the takeover of the party leadership by Ranil Wickremesinghe in 1995, he changed the Party Constitution to make him leader for life. Then changes were made, to make the Party Working Committee a tool of the leader.

Unfortunately the party has been taken over by a group of manipulators whose sole objective is to ensure their continued grip on the party. The welfare of the party and the country are of no consequence.

Thus they set about appointing Ranil's cronies to key positions in the party, as district leaders, electoral organisers, youth league officers, trade union officers and so on, with the connivance of the manipulators.

Senior UNP politicians with long loyal service to the party countrywide were removed if they did not become yes men. Thus a mafia style plan to takeover the party was conceived by these manipulators.

As part of this plan senior politicians were undermined at every opportunity, they were kept away from public platforms, and not given time to speak in Parliament. During the short lived UNP Government of 2002-2004, Ministries headed by the experienced senior Cabinet members were undermined at every opportunity.

An example is the Power and Energy Ministry where the minister's plans for power generation plants such as Norochcholai, Upper Kotmale and Kerawalapitiya were stalled and blocked by the manipulators. Other ministries headed by seniors had similar experiences.

Unelected manipulators were appointed to the most powerful Cabinet Sub Committees such as the Economic Policy Committee. Corruption was rampant and condoned by Ranil Wickremesinghe. These unelected individuals even interfered in the smooth functioning of these ministries.

The manipulators have large amounts of money collected for general and presidential elections from generous donors and corporates at their disposal. The conspiracy was to remove the remaining reformists from all party positions at the Party Convention of 2006.

These funds collected for general and presidential elections were controlled by the manipulators and resources given to committed hard working senior politicians were limited.

The cronies were given unlimited resources so that the performance of the seniors can be faulted. Large sums collected reportedly running into billions have not gone through the party treasurer.

Realising that the party had no chance of an electoral victory with these manipulators, committed dedicated UNPers called for party reforms as far back as 2001. With the electoral defeats of 2004 and 2005 the call for party reforms became even more stronger.

After the electoral defeat of 2004, a committee chaired by N. G. P. Panditharatne (a former party chairman) was set up by the Party working committee to inquire into the defeats and suggest reforms.

The comprehensive and far-reaching recommendations of this committee were never acted upon. This report was not even tabled at the Working Committee. Proposals for reforms were made by many sections of the party including UNP professionals.

As calls for reforms became more vocal a reform group was formed. It was probably then the manipulators decided to activate their most devious plan to engineer the exodus of the reformists. The manipulators believed that with the exodus of the reformists, they can take full control of the party, and pack all the key positions with their cronies.

So, part of the plan was to appoint committee, upon committee to discuss reforms and delay decisions as much as possible. Also to offer some cosmetic reforms which they were confident would not be accepted by the reformists.

They planted concocted stories in the media through their paid journalists to discredit the reformists. Every effort was made to weaken the determination and unity of the reformists with the offer of party positions and money.

In the meantime an alarming development for the manipulators was the consensus being reached between the party representatives consisting mainly of reformists and the Government on a common stand on key issues.

This had to be sabotaged. Ranil Wickremesinghe on the advice of the manipulators hijacked the talks and agreed to an ineffective MoU with the Government, leaving out many key issues. The MoU was trumpeted among the international community as a great achievement whereas it was not worth the paper it was written on.

This left the reformists with no choice but to join the Government. They could have resigned from the Party and Parliament. But then the manipulators would have achieved their objectives.

It is sad that a great party such as the UNP, which was headed by giants like D. S. Senanayake, Sir John Kotelawala, Dudley Senanayake, J. R. Jayewardene and Ranasinghe Premadasa is today controlled by a group of manipulators.

Appointments are based on cronyism and other considerations but not suitability or merit. It is now up to the UNP Parliamentary Group to insist, that meaningful reforms are carried out and to ensure the expulsions of the manipulators from the party, help arrest corruption, so that the party can be rebuilt and the reformists can return, its credibility restored, and the Party becomes electable once again.

UNP Constitution

Chapter 7, Article 7.1

Composition 7.1

The Party Working Committee shall consist of the leader of the party and all the office-bearers of the party, and any other members not exceeding fifty nominated annually by the Party leader from amongst the members of the National Executive Committee.

Chapter 8, Article 8.1

Elections 8.1

The National Executive Committee shall elect the Leader of the Party when there is a vacancy. Such power may be delegated by a resolution of the National Executive Committee to the Party Working Committee.