It is time for the people to choose between the destructive path reached by giving power to the traditional parties for 73 years or the path to rebuilding the battered country through a mass movement, says JVP leader Anura Dissanayake.
Mr Dissanayake made this observation addressing a media briefing convened by the NPP today (16th) to brief the media on the forthcoming NPP Representative Conference to be held on the 20th under the theme ‘Solution to Rebuild the Broken Motherland. Dr Harini Amarasuriya, Member of Parliament of the NPP, Advocate Lal Wijenayake and Specialist Dr Nihal Abeysinghe also spoke at the media briefing.
Mr Anura Dissanayake addressing the media, said, “As the NPP, we have made arrangements to hold the delegates’ conference on the 20th at the Monarch Imperial Conference Hall in Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte. We all know that the President has been in office for more than two years, and the term of Parliament has gone beyond one year. This ruling group made many promises to the country during the Presidential and Parliamentary elections. The people were given unrealistic expectations such as safeguarding the rule of law and order, creating economic development, providing relief to the farming community and providing hundreds of thousands of jobs. But in a very short time, they are rapidly falling into the people’s displeasure. The main reason for this is the economic crisis.
The economy is facing the most profound crisis in our history. According to media reports, more than 1,500 containers of essential goods are stranded at the port. There is a risk of not being able to repay foreign loan instalments. There is a shortage of essential commodities, and prices have skyrocketed. The government has imposed various import restrictions. It has failed to provide quality inputs to the farming community. People from all walks of life and all sectors are experiencing these conditions today. Due to this, the country’s people have started talking in the hope of a new change. It has been revealed that fraud and corruption have been committed even during the covid epidemic. Decisions taken to solve the fertilizer problem are rife with fraud and corruption. There have been many tax evasions, including sugar tax fraud. Therefore, the people of our country expect a government free from fraud, corruption and waste. The state institutional system has become inefficient, and state enterprises have become massive losers. State property is being sold. The country has to kneel before the world and borrow under various conditions. They have left the people a country that has failed in every way.
People now want a solution to problems rather than a discussion of issues. The answers traditionally expected from the SLFP or the UNP are not currently being sought. Just as the government has become disillusioned, so have the United National Party and its dissident faction. They, too, have been rejected. People are rallying for a new solution. Everyone is eager for a new power transfer instead of the traditional one. The people are suffering from a thirst to build a peaceful state that would uphold the rule of law, uplift the lives of the rural people, who are free from fraud and corruption, that would even take over the property stolen from the people and punish the perpetrators. Until now, our country had a history of embracing one party when the other was rejected. The National People’s Force is ready to solve the crisis, the rebuilding force of the shattered motherland. People rally for a policy change that goes beyond the traditional transfer of power. We are ready to accept the challenge of making the NPP the solution to rebuilding the broken motherland.
We had lengthy discussions with bar associations, engineers, agronomists, rural folk, trade unions. Building this country is not an individual aspiration. The forces that want positive change in this country must be called together. That centre is the NPP. We are holding the Representative Conference of the NPP on the 20th to launch a programme and introduce the group that would carry out the mission. Not everyone can be invited due to health reasons. Therefore, delegates identified from various fields will be convened for the conference. We plan to introduce leadership councils at the district level in January. The Top teams only cannot overcome this challenge. This challenge can only be overcome if millions are lined up together.
We will bring Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims, as well as people from rural, urban and all walks of life to one centre. A programme has been formulated to empower not only the people in urban but also those in rural areas. It is planned to make it a big public movement by engaging in dialogue and communication with the people. We call on the people to find a path to find solutions instead of the destructive path the country has taken until now.”
The country has been dragged into a situation where only Afghanistan is below it in the region – Attorney-at-Law Lal Wijenayake
For 73 years, the Senanayake family, the Bandaranaike family, Jayewardene and now Rajapaksas have implemented politics without any change in the country. As a result, our country today is only above Afghanistan in the region. At the time of independence, our country was second only to Japan. It has collapsed economically and is in a tragic position regarding human rights. Those in police custody and prisoners are killed. Also, the debates in Parliament show how much of a breakdown has taken place. The main challenge before us is how to rebuild the shattered country. It is so broken that educated and talented youth in our country are waiting to leave. Therefore, to overcome the economic, social and political crisis, a different programme from the traditional method should be implemented. A programme of discussions will be presented to the people on the 20th, and a leadership council will be announced to take our actions forward. It is the first time in the history of Sri Lanka that such an event has been held. We present a programme to run the country by empowering the people.
We invite all to make the decisive change required for the country – Dr Harini Amarasuriya
From the outset, we have prioritized working out a plan to move the country forward in consultation with various communities. Things changed rapidly over the past year. It became clear how complex and unstable human life was. People are crying and suffering and burdened with problems, and they have no place to say all their woes. Even amid the covid epidemic, we are holding the Representatives’ Conference to put the people on a path of change with our solutions within the existing boundaries. A decisive change with a collective effort is needed. The people are in a situation where they are avoiding the economic process and the political process. Therefore, we aim to get the people involved in this process again. This country needs genuine democratic activism.
Consequently, we invite everyone to join us. There can be debates and differences between us. But we have common ground to agree and unite. Based on that belief, this conference is being held to restore hope to this country’s people and restore the confidence that the country can be changed. The first step will be taken on the 20th.
We urge the youth to join hands in building the country without leaving the country – Dr Nihal Abeysinghe
Our country is at a critical juncture. In 1505 the Portuguese invaded our country and took complete control of the coastal areas. One hundred fifty years later came the Dutch invasion. After that, the English came and completely conquered our country. This is what is happening now, as both these camps have brought the country to the same position after ruling the country for 73 years. It is clear that these people have entered into agreements with various countries and companies and that there will be a catastrophe in the future. Therefore, the programme presented by the National Intellectuals Organization and the NPP will be made public. In the last Presidential and General Elections, the people voted overwhelmingly with high hopes. Many people voted for these two groups for various privileges, employment and housing.
Meanwhile, many cast their votes to Gotabaya Rajapaksa and others in the hope of protecting this country without expecting anything from the government. The people who voted to live a free and secure life are now talking with the NPP. The group that voted for the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) also realizes that they have no plans. All those who love this country are joining the NPP to prevent this country from going further into the abyss,. We emphasize that we are ready to move forward with these people at any time, at any cost. We also appeal to the youth not to leave this country. We invite them to join the NPP to build this country. We urge you to make it your duty.
