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At the very inception, the JVP inherited mass-friendly principles,
theories and slogans and the party was popular more with the youth of
the country. However, they were so hesitant, haughty, proud and
prejudiced, not to allow even an year for 1970 coalition government to
function, when they desperately unleashed the 1971 rebellion, driving
out about 60,000 intelligent youth to the slaughterhouse, in less than
three weeks. Impudent leadership of JVP reaped what they did sow.
Jockeys ride horses carrying different weights. JVP members resemble
such jockeys, when they ran the political race in this country for over
three decades, registering more lamentable defeats, than victories. Once
they coalesced with the SLFP and won a comfortable number of
Parliamentary seats, but soon exhibited signs of pride and prejudice and
went to the lap of the UNP. Their change of the horse resulted in harsh
defeat.
Later they crept into the SLFP fold but having got dejected with the
blue horse, decided to experiment with an ‘army horse’ and tied up an
agreement with a retired General, who lost the Presidential polls
decisively, which episode culminated in another back-fire for JVP
jockeys. Finally, at the recent General Election, they managed to get
only five Parliamentary seats, which no doubt remains a demoralising and
pathetic ending.
JVP jockeys have experimented their obsolete political theories and
concepts several times but masses rejected them along with their UNP
horses, convincingly at the General Election. Today the JVP is in
jeopardy, breathing their last. The UNP is crossed with the erstwhile
violent colleague. Obviously they are strange bedfellows. Masses well
remember how brutally UNP regime killed their leader, about 39 years
ago; but the JVP is jittery to re-call the event. If violence, canard,
envy, fiction and hypocrisy are their current re-enforcements in
political battles, then they are miserably mistaken.
JVP has already forfeited the voting base and their rank and file is
depleted to alarming proportions. The leader has lost the seat.
University students are matured enough not to fall prey at insidious
manoeuvring. The JVP can survive for a few years on NGO secret funding,
but before that masses will bring about doom to their dynasty.
JVP jockeys should openly apologise to the nation for their past and
present atrocities, and reform themselves on a rational and national
basis, with the auspices of the incumbent regime, if they design to win
the confidence, goodwill and sympathy of the voter, they must shed
sinister motives and keep aloof of political bungling, if they wish to
build up cadres and concepts, acceptable to the voter at large. Then
only will these jockeys deliver the goods.
SUSANTHA S EDIRIMUNI - Moratuwa
May 1st is celebrated as Labour Day in Sri Lanka thanks to the
efforts of great leader and national hero A E Goonesinha. Unfortunately,
today certain political parties use May Day to spread their false
doctrines. Furthermore, they make no mention of the man who made it
possible for workers to call for their rights. Certainly, A E Goonesinha
appreciated the good things in life. All the more he felt it was only
right that the workers too had a chance of an uplift of their life to
some standard.
Many Sri Lankans who carried on wining and dining with the British in
the ‘good old days’ indeed lived hypocritical lives. Goonesinha may have
also wined and dined with them but at the same he had a conscience.
There were thousands of Sri Lankans out there who at the same time
suffered at the hands of the British, who were subjected to humiliation
and against whom so many atrocities were committed. Goonesinha could not
turn a blind eye to that. He fought against the injustice.
“He asserted that the rich showed more sympathy to birds, bulls and
dogs than to the working class and stated that there was therefore a
need for a Labour Party to press for minimum wages, sickness benefits,
workmen’s compensation, free compulsory secondary education and rent
restriction” (The Rise of the Labour Movement in Ceylon - Kumari
Jayawardena - Page 276).
Indians openly condemn the atrocities committed by the British
against their people and today are a proud nation bowing down to none.
Sri Lanka on the other hand still has those who live in cuckoo-land and
tend to ignore the injustices meted out to their people during colonial
times just for the sake of being able to dine on silver platters with
colonial masters. Wake up Sri Lanka! We need strong and committed
politicians and national leaders like A E Goonesinha who worked
tirelessly and selflessly for the country and for a cause that was long
due.
J M L Ekanayake - Colombo 7
English is a world language. We must teach children Sinhala, Tamil
and English till about Grade Six. Then we can drop one of two languages
and continue teaching English and another language. This will help build
bonds between all children.
English is very important. I remember one doctor who qualified in Sri
Lanka went for further studies to England but came back after a few
months as he could not follow the lectures in English. It is very
important for children to learn all three languages till about Grade
Six.
Dr Olga Mendis
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