Daily News Editorial

No love lost

12 December 2016

That, some UNP MPs have taken umbrage over the current trend by certain SLFP colleagues to blame the Greens at their convenience is only to be expected. Three UNP backbenchers on Friday went public to expose what they termed the duplicity of certain SLFP MPs. An irate Colombo District UNP MP Mujibur Rahuman said certain SLFP MPs, while taking credit for the positive deeds of the government, was quick to heap blame on the UNP when things went wrong.

He went onto assert that what they in fact have was a UNP government, by virtue of the party obtaining the largest number of seats at the general election, and instead of joining with the SLFP to form a unity government they could have easily formed a government of their own by inducing a few MPs to cross over to the UNP. He was particularly critical of SLFP MP Dilan Perera who has taken to bad mouthing the UNP and its leader Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe quite frequently in recent times. He also made the point that certain SLFP MPs were playing a ‘double game’ with one foot in the Rajapaksa camp while clinging onto their portfolios in the government. Rahuman said they of the UNP had no problem in continuing their journey with the President and those SLFPers given to playing footsie with the Rajapaksas were welcome to leave the government without passing the buck over to the UNP whenever it suits them.

The MP’s grouse is understandable. It was the UNP which shouldered the heaviest burden in getting President Sirisena elected on January 8 while those such as Dilan Perera and S.B. Dissananayake were waxing eloquent on the virtues of Mahinda Rajapaka. Another SLFPer, who in fact was a UNP crossover, went to the extent of throwing personal insults at the Common Candidate. That worthy is today holding an important Cabinet portfolio. Hence it is natural for the UNPers to feel sore about whole development. There is also the fact that some of the SLFP MPs appear to show a reluctance to be critical of the Rajapaksas. On the contrary, most of them still speak in glowing terms of the former President while firmly planted in the government.

All the flak is directed at the UNP which made a tremendous sacrifice in not only forfeiting the opportunity of making its leader the President of the country but also conducting the entire campaign on behalf of the Common Candidate. At least two UNP supporters were killed during the campaign with many others injured, some critically, by violence unleashed by Rajapaksa juggernaut. This, while the entire SLFP bandwagon now in the government were assiduously campaigning to make Rajapaksa President for a third term.

The pique of the UNP MPs may also be grounded in the fact that some of the plum portfolios are held by the SLFP in the Cabinet while prominent UNPers have to play second fiddle to these personages who worked towards the defeat of the Common Candidate at the polls. If that is not enough, adding insult to injury, some of the UNPers who were in the forefront leading the campaign of the CC are today made to serve as State Ministers under those who held ministerial office under Rajapaksa. Allay this to the fact that some of these UNPers were in the Opposition for as long as twenty years, it is no surprise that the boiling resentment was bound to come to the surface, sooner rather than later.

It is time that the SLFP faction in the unity government appreciate the sacrifices made by the UNP in getting one of their own elected President, even if they were hell bent on seeing the return of Rajapaksa on January 8. They should cease criticising the Greens in public, and moreover, still demonstrating their loyalties to the Rajapaksas, while remaining in the government. They can't have the best of both worlds. True, there are bound to be policy differences between the UNP and SLFP, with the worldview of both parties still showing a marked difference. But these could be ironed out by discussion and understanding, possibly with the intervention of the President and the Prime Minister. Individual views should not be aired freely, critical of one party, if the government is to continue as a cohesive unit. All members in the Unity government should work with one objective. There should be no bad blood between the once arch political foes. That would do no good to the health of the government.

The right move

The decisive action taken by the government to free the two merchant vessels laid siege on by a group of workers at the Hambantota port, through the deployment of the Navy, is a move in the right direction. Whatever the grievances of these workers, their action cannot be condoned and borders on piracy. Whatever claims to the contrary, there is certainly a political hand behind this derring-do by the port workers to cripple the country's economy. Those behind the strike are well aware that taking two ships hostage could do irreparable damage to country's maritime trade, and what is more, investor confidence.