Extremist The Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP) has welcomed the TNA’s readiness to work together with the government within the framework of the unitary state and the 13th Amendment of the present Constitution.
Having met on September 27, to discuss the result of the recent provincial council polls in the Central, North-Western and Northern provinces, the LSSP politburo welcomed the TNA stand that it desired to strengthen the provisions of the 13th Amendment through discussion.
The following is the full text of statement issued by Senior Minister Tissa Vitarana on behalf of the LSSP:
“The Politbureau of the Lanka Sama Samaja Party, which met on the 27th of September, congratulated the two candidates from the LSSP, Samanpriya Herath and Jagath Wijenayake, who won, against heavy odds, in the Kurunegala district of the North Western Province (NWP), and the Kandy district of the Central Province (CP) respectively, and the remaining candidate in the UPFA lists, from the Jaffna district of the Northern Province (NP), Nadarajah Thamil Alagan, who faired creditably and came 10th out of the 19 candidates.
After a detailed analysis of the results the following main conclusions were drawn:
* Despite the present unsatisfactory electoral system, together with the Executive Presidential system, that were introduced by the UNP, and the abuses that invariably result, the latest round of Provincial Council elections has helped to strengthen democracy in the country; with a 67% poll in the NP and the CP, and 64% in the NWP.
* The results in the two Southern provinces, with the UPFA receiving 66% in the NWP and 60% in the CP, clearly indicate that the support of the people for the UPFA Government remains intact, despite the rising cost of living and public concerns regarding weaknesses in governance.
*The main Opposition Party, the UNP, and the JVP too, have continued to lose support among the people. The UNP failed to gain a single seat in the NP, and dropped to 12 seats (24% of the votes) in the NWP, and to 16 seats (28% of the votes) in the CP. The JVP votes dropped further and it barely held on to its single seat in NWP (less than 2% of the vote) and failed to win a seat in the CP (barely 1% of the vote).
* The emergence of some limited popular support for the Democratic Party led by Sarath Fonseka, about 4% of the vote each in the NWP (3 seats) and the CP (2 seats) is not a reflection of its emergence as a third force in Sri Lankan politics, but rather a protest vote against the UPFA Government, and a personal expression of sympathy for him.
* The rejection of communalism by the majority Sinhala Buddhist community, as expressed by the defeat of all the JHU, JNP and MEP candidates in the UPFA lists, is a positive development. The victory of three candidates from the Socialist Alliance, which is opposed to communalism, the two LSSP candidates as well a the SLMP candidate, Asanka Navaratne in the Kurunegala district, tends to confirm this fact.
* It is however clear that the minorities continue to support communal parties like the SLMC and CWC, whether separately or as part of the UPFA, and overwhelmingly in the North as in the case of the TNA.
* The massive victory of the TNA in the NP with over 78% of the vote and 30 seats, while the UPFA obtained only 18% of the vote and 7 seats, is a clear indication that the Tamil people in the North are not satisfied with economic development in the absence of devolved power and the ability to direct their future developments through their own elected representatives. This is a vindication of the stand taker’ by the LSSP, and the other parties of the Socialist Alliance (CP, OLF, SLMP and DVJP), soon after the war end d in 2009, emphasizing the need for a political solution for the nationals question acceptable to the Tamil speaking people.
We are glad that the TNA has declared its readiness to work together with the Government within the framework of the unitary state and the 13th Amendment of the present Constitution. That it desires to strengthen the provisions of the 13th Amendment through discussion is also reasonable. The Government should respond positively so as to build mutual trust and confidence which would lay the framework for establishing genuine national unity as one Sri Lankan nation.
ESL
