By

Udaya Gammanpila

According to the government, Sri Lanka is now governed by a national government. However, there is a crisis with regard to who should be appointed as the Leader of the Opposition. There is no such office in a national government. Hence, it is obvious that there is no national government in Sri Lanka. This situation forces us to explore the nature of the present government.

A national government would be a government formed by all parties represented in Parliament for the purpose of dealing with a grave challenge faced by the nation. A classic example of a national government is the unification of all political parties in the United Kingdom under the premiership of Winston Churchill’s national government in order to face the German invasion.

Sri Lanka faced three massive challenges in the post-independent era which warranted forming a national government. First was the Indian invasion in May 1987. The second was the Tsunami disaster of December 2004 and the third was the commencement of the decisive war against the LTTE to wipe out terrorism from Sri Lanka in August 2006. Soon after commencing the war, President Rajapakse invited all political parties to form a national government to wage the war against terrorism.

The UNP not only rejected the invitation but also sarcastically criticized the war efforts.Although we failed to form national governments when situations demanded it, two major parties now claim that they are in a national government. Is it true? In fact, present government is not a national government but is just another coalition government.

The SLFP, UNP, SLMC, ACMC and the JHU are directly in the government forming the largest coalition in the history. Although the TNA and JVP are not in the cabinet, they sit in the National Executive Council which is the apex body of the present government. However, MEP, NFF, LSSP, CPSL, DLF, EPDP, NC and CWC have not joined the government. Hence, this is not a national government. If it is, there can’t be a competition for the office of the LOP as there would be nobody in the opposition.

The present Leader of the Opposition, Nimal Siripala de Silva’s appointment is of course controversial. When he was appointed as the Opposition leader his party chairman, President Sirisena, was the Head of the Cabinet. Additionally, three SLFPers, namely Rajitha, Duminda and Gunawardena were cabinet ministers. Another three SLFPers were State and Deputy Ministers. Against this backdrop, Siripala de Silva should never have been appointed as the LOP. However, all these SLFPers including the Chairman left the party and campaigned for the defeat of the SLFP. When they were elected or appointed to their respective posts, they were not SLFP members. Hence, nobody questioned Siripala de Silva’s moral right to hold that position.

On 22 March, 26 SLFPers were appointed as ministers, state ministers and deputy ministers of the government. They accepted these posts honouring a decision taken by the party. Hence, the SLFP has now officially joined the present government but has decided to retain the post of the Leader of the Opposition, despite the fact that its party members hold the Opposition Leader and 30 different ministerial portfolios. This is of course unprecedented and historic.

When President Jayewardene had 142 parliamentarians in 1983, the opposition had only 12 parliamentarians. If he arranged 13 UNPers to sit in the opposition, the UNP would have secured the office of the Leader of the Opposition as well. Although President Jayewardene was tagged as a dictator, he never attempted anything as un-democratic as this. Hence, Anura Bandaranaike, leading a miniscule opposition, was able to function as the Leader of the Opposition.

Although UNP parliamentarians joined President Rajapakse’s government by accepting ministerial portfolios, Ranil Wickremesinghe, being the UNP leader, was the Leader of the Opposition. Quoting this scenario, some argue that Nimal Siripala can stick to his position despite there being SLFP ministers. This comparison is out of context. UNPers obtained ministerial portfolios in an opposing government against the wishes of the party. Presently, the SLFPers have obtained ministerial portfolios in a government led by their party chairman.

Moreover, they accepted these portfolios following a decision taken by the party. Since the SLFP has officially joined the government, Nimal Siripala should have immediately resigned from the post. The SLFP cannot be present in both the government and the opposition at the same time like amphibians in water and on land. The SLFP should choose one.

In the light of the above, two names have been nominated for the post of the Opposition Leader to replace Siripala de Silva. The first is R. Sampanthan of the TNA. Three JVP and 13 TNA parliamentarians will support his candidature. However, if he becomes the Opposition Leader Tamil separatism will be further strengthened. Sri Lanka has faced three international challenges in respect of Tamil separatism.

The first is the Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam of which R. Rudrakumaran functions as the Prime Minister. The second was the United Nations inquiry into alleged war crimes. The third challenge is the genocide resolution passed by the Northern Provincial Council demanding an international inquiry. Campaigns launched by Tamil separatists for success of the above three will be boosted if the Opposition Leader of Sri Lankan parliament supports them.

The Opposition Leader of any country is considered as the Prime Minister in waiting. It is in fact a true statement. Dudley Senanayake, S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike, Sirimavo Bandaranaike, J. R. Jayewardene, Mahinda Rajapakse, Rathnasiri Wickremanayake and Ranil Wickremesinghe became Prime Ministers after first being Leader of the Opposition. Hence, R. Sampanthan will be able to knock at the doors which have never been opened to the TNA.

Usually, in terms of protocols, a Prime Minister would receive only visiting Prime Ministers, Foreign Ministers and the Opposition Leader. Hence, R. Sampanthan will get an opportunity to meet Prime Ministers of other countries although so far he has met only the Indian Prime Minister.

When a proposal for a coalition government of the UNP and SLFP was announced in President Sirisena’s election manifesto, we warned about the danger of the TNA grabbing the Opposition Leader. Despite our warnings, the SLFP went ahead with this proposal endangering national security. As a solution, we have proposed to appoint Dinesh Gunawardena as the Opposition Leader.

The TNA cannot claim this office as it has joined the government by being a member of the National Executive Council. They might resign from the council to get the more lucrative post of the Opposition Leader.

However, where Sampanthan has the support of 16 parliamentarians, 15 parliamentarians support Gunawardena in the opposition. If two SLFPers support Gunawardena independent of the SLFP, Gunawaredena can become the Opposition Leader. I am confident that there will be more than two patriotic SLFP parliamentarians who are willing to sacrifice the party membership in defence of the nation.

Courtesy:Ceylon Today