Vigneswaran's & Mahinda's communalism can give nothing to the country
“At a time when people’s unity is crucial, the bankrupt capitalist political groups in the North and the South seek refuge from communalism. Communalism of the likes of Vigneswaran nourishes communalism in the South. The communalism of communalist groups including Mahinda Rajapaksa nourishes communalism in the North. Both these are harmful to the country,” says General Secretary of the JVP Tilvin Silva.
He said this at a press conference held at the head office of the JVP at Pelawatta yesterday (28th). The Member of the Central Committee of the JVP Luxman Nipunarachchi too was present.
Mr. Tilvin Silva addressing the media said, “Communalist politicians are again making an attempt to rouse communalism in our country. Recently, the likes of Vigneswaran brought a proposal to Northern Provincial Council stating they want a federal administration. Using this proposal defeated communalist cliques, including Mahinda Rajapaksa, have begun spreading communalism. Spreading communalism by both these groups is not a good omen for our people and the country. The attempt by the likes of Vigneswaran to divide the country must be defeated. People in the North would not receive anything from proposals brought for a separate administration. The communalism they spread would pave the way for foreign interventions in our country. Only national unity could prevent this. Hence, this attempt by communalists should be completely defeated. Also, the communal ideology spread by the defeated cliques in the South using the incidents in the North too would not bring anything good for the people or the country.
People in our country, without any difference, were oppressed due to the thirty year separatist war. A large amount of property was destroyed. The country lost many lives. This paved the path for foreign intervention. Specially, India applied a big pressure on Sri Lanka. At a time when people’s unity is crucial, the bankrupt capitalist political groups in the North and the South seek refuge from communalism. Communalism of the likes of Vigneswaran nourishes communalism in the South. The communalism of communalist groups including Mahinda Rajapaksa nourishes communalism in the North. Both these are harmful to the country.
National unity should be built in the country without paving way for communal conflicts. It could be done only by finding solutions for issues in the North as well as in the South. This government following the previous government does not care for the people in the North and the South. Their land issues, housing issue and economic issues are not solved. Hence, people in the North as well as in the South are oppressed. A small amount of gold jewellery plundered by the LTTE during the war was given back to their owners by Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa during the election. We don’t know what happened to the rest. No action was taken to give lands to people who lost their lands. There are no solutions for the issues of the fisher folk. These governments have not given solutions for any issues. The present government too has failed to solve issues of the people in both the South as well as in the North. As such, surfacing communalism has become an advantage for this government as well. This government too likes surfacing of communalism so that the real issues are submerged. The likes of Vigneswaran, like certain politicians in the South, sow communalism to avoid people’s indignation.
Vigneswaran and his TNA team that came to power in the North could not give anything to the people. They failed to give solutions for economic issues and the issues tormenting fisher folk in the North. As a result the people in the North have lost faith in the TNA. Finally, fisher folk in the North had to come in search of the JVP to find solutions for their issues. The people in the North have an acute issue regarding drinking water. However, Northern Provincial Council failed to bring a proposal for a water project despite money allocated by the government was available. Several Members of the Provincial Council have been charged with financial fraud. People in the North are now ready to unite with people in the South to struggle for their rights. Vigneswaran and his group don’t like this new development. For, it is an obstacle for their political agendas. As such, the TNA and Vigneswaran bring communalism on stage again to avoid people’s opposition. A wrong dialogue is created in the society.
At present the government has also proved that it is unable to solve issues of the people. The government is burdening the people with taxes so that prices of goods go up. For the first time in history VAT has been increased to 15%. The prices of goods went up even before the VAT was implemented. Communal issues have become a boon to the government to conceal its failure to solve issues of the state employees, education and other issues. The likes of Vigneswaran directly or indirectly fulfill this need of the capitalist politicians in the South.
On the other hand the likes of Mahinda Rajapaksa who have been defeated rouse communalism in a bid to come back to power. The SLFP is divided and the two factions are holding two May rallies. Mahinda Rajapaksa faction is in a crisis as it can never come back to power. They have no ability to address common people’s issues. They never agitated to get the prices of fuel and essential goods reduced. They went round the country and dashed coconuts to get investigations against their crimes stopped; to get the FCID abolished. They are looking for short cuts to come back to power. This is why Rajapaksa and the clan attempt to spread communalism. Sinhalese, Tamil and Muslim masses would never get solutions for their issues from communalism.
Hence, the people in our country should be attentive. The attempts to divide the country and the people should be stopped. The JVP would never support any proposal that would help divide the country, disunite people and rouse communalism. The attempt to instigate the South against all people in the North using proposals that are brought in by the likes of Vigneswaran should be stopped. The issue of the people in the North and the East is not ‘federal’. What they need is to fulfill their basic needs. Hence, we call upon the people in this country not to become prey to the capitalist rulers who rouse communalism from both ends but to stand for national unity.
May Day is a day that unites working masses in the whole world. On this day when all downtrodden people come together for a common struggle capitalist rulers attempt to divide people by rousing Sinhalese, Tamil and Muslim communalisms to get advantage for the rulers. This attempt should be defeated. Capitalist rulers who ruled the country for 68 years have not given anything to the people other than suffering. The SLFP and the UNP ruled the country separately but they have proved that they are not able to solve issues of the people. Now they have got together to form a coalition and are proving they still are not able to find solutions for people’s issues. Hence, people in our country should throw aside the economic policy of debt, tax and fines and rally to build a new economy and a new society. All groups that represent all sectors should unite without any difference of race, creed or language.
Communalism is a proof of the impotency of capitalist politicians. Political leaders who have no sense of the common issues of the masses spread communalism to divide people. This attempt should be defeated. We emphasize to the government that solutions should be found for the issues of the people in the North to defeat communalism in the North. Communalism in the South could be defeated only by defeating communalism in the North. Communalism of any kind is harmful to the country. The communalist issue is a very sensitive one. It is an issue that could rouse up people immediately. Hence, people should unite to defeat this menace.
