JVP plays vital role in filling vacuum left by leftist parties

Current debates on national issues are greatly diminished by the absence of sufficient traditional Leftist parties in Parliament. In the past, the Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP) and the Communist Party (CP) lifted the quality of debate to a very high level and helped shape the national discourse on any matter of significance in a positive manner.

Despite the LSSP and the CP advocating a revolution that would replace the capitalist system with a more equitable economic system, leaders such as Dr N.M. Perera, Dr Colvin R. de Silva and Pieter Keuneman used Parliament as a platform to project their ideological stance to good effect.

The Leftist parties took their Parliamentary role as Legislators and their contributions in the august assembly very seriously. When a Budget was presented, one of the most looked forward to analysis of the Budget proposals was the contribution of Bernard Soyza who, in his lucid style, would subject the Finance Minister’s proposal to minute scrutiny.

Not only the general public, but even the Government itself, benefited from Bernard Soyza’s views on the Budget and the Economy. The contributions of the Leftist leaders on diverse matters enhanced the quality of the national discourse, and given the respect they deserved, even by their harshest critics, of which there were many.

Even the dangers of the Executive Presidency, which continues to wreak havoc in the country’s system of governance, was kept in the public eye and rigor- ously critiqued by the farsighted Leftist leaders.

The waning in strength of the traditional Leftist parties has resulted in the general public being deprived of the benefit of informed debate in respect of critical national issues facing the country.

The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) is valiantly trying to fill this vacuum by trying to emulate the examples of their illustrious predecessors, with whom they share a broad heritage of Leftist politics, despite differences in some of their ideological stances.

The JVP currently enjoys the respect of large sections of the people for their principled approach to politics and their refusal to resort to cheap strategies, in order to harness pubic support. This is very evident in the approach they take on issues affecting the minorities, where they refuse to be drawn into hardline positions which might earn them the support of the majority community.

They have taken up stances in support of social justice issues affecting the minorities, but have, at the same time, not hesitated to take on minority leaders and parties where they disagree, in principle, with the approach of such parties.

The most recent example of such a principled approach is the adjournment debate which took place in Parliament last week, on the initiative of JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake, on the plight of the Plantation workers.

The Upcountry Tamils are, undoubtedly, one of the most deprived segments of Sri Lankan society. With the passage of the Citizenship Acts, soon after independence, the Plantation workers lost their political strength and ceased to matter to the Governments of the day.

This resulted in years of neglect, with many of the social indicators relating to the Plantation areas being far below the national figures for such indicators.

They continue to live in sub- standard housing, the health and education levels leave much to be desired, and infant and maternity mortality rates reflect the abject conditions of poverty in which they live. The fact that only a handful of professionals such as doctors, lawyers and engineers have emerged from within the plantation community, is a fair indicator of the derivation of educational facilities in the Plantation sector.

In addition, issues such as the high level of alcohol consumption are a further strain on the social fabric of this beleaguered community. Added to this is the fact that the Plantation workers have yet to free themselves from their slavish and docile mindset, which is ingrained in them from centuries of standing before their Estate bosses with folded arms and resigning themselves to being second class citizens

The absence of political representation too, has contributed greatly to the continued neglect of the community. After their disenfranchisement by the Citizenship Act, they were reduced to depending on the Government of the day for an Appointed Member to represent them in Parliament.

It was only after the signing of the Sirima- Shastri pact which resulted in large number of Plantation workers regaining their citizenship, that they were able to enjoy the dignity of electing their own Members of Parliament.

Unfortunately, those elected in this manner preferred to keep the Plantation worker politically isolated, by working out deals with leaders of National parties, whereby they would deliver such votes to those parties in return for Ministerial posts and other perks.

The National Parties, with the exception of the Leftist parties, were content with this arrangement and made no attempt to access the Plantation worker directly, thus not understanding the needs of these workers, in order to factor them into the National Development Plans.

It is only in more recent times this situation has changed, resulting in better housing and ownership of 7-perch plots of land being offered to the Plantation Tamils.

During the adjournment debate in Parliament last week, JVP speakers Anura Kumara Dissanyake, Sunil Handunetti and Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa highlighted the plight of the estate workers. The JVP Leader referred to the poor wages paid to estate workers and other factors affecting their lives. He referred to the fact that they spent about 50% of their earnings on food leaving very little for their other needs.

Sunil Handunetti speaking during the debate, pointed out the failure on the part of the leaders of the Plantation Tamils to address the issues of their people. He also faulted successive governments on their failure to address these issues and warned they could snowball, if the problems of the estate Tamils were not solved.

Also participating in the debate, Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa pointed out it was unjust to continue to identify the estate workers as Indian Tamils. He said these workers were born, lived and worked in Sri Lanka and therefore, it was unfair to continue to label them as Indian Tamils. He went onto add that the Plantation worker was part of the Sri Lankan nation and should be entitled to equal treatment like any other citizen.

The JVP has also been realistic enough to understand that the current Constitutional process has only a remote chance of success, given the time constraints. It has, therefore, put forward the 20th Amendment, designed to abolish the Executive Presidency. One hopes its effort in focusing on national issues that require the public’s attention will bear fruit.

The JVP may not enjoy governmental power but, if it can continue its role in giving leadership to the efforts to shape the national agenda on vital issues affecting the country, it would have done itself proud.