Q: Shall we start the discussion by talking about the current political situation in the country?
A: The political climate has become significantly complicated with the Presidential Election. The main candidates are flexing their muscles saying that they will win. In a country where the debt payments have not started, the complicated situation will arise only after the Presidential Election. The battle to win will start after September 21.
Q: All the main candidates are saying that they will win, to give them power, how do you see this situation from a political perspective?
A: The President says that since he restored the country from its ailing situation to give him the power to take the country forward, Sajith Premadasa says that he has the best people, so give him the power to rebuild the country. Anura Kumara Dissanayake says to give him the power to make a change and get rid of the old elitist tendency, so give him the power to give equal opportunities to all.
Q: How do you view the political manifestos of these candidates from an analytical view?
A: Everyone has pledged in one way or another to continue this journey with the International Monetary Fund. However, no one has come up with a clear plan to change the current tax policy in the country. to the politics of India; and that people like Adani and Ambani have no solutions for their efforts to get energy in to this country. The same thing has been interpreted in different ways in all those manifestos.
Therefore, the people have to go on a different journey in order to win.
Q: Can you make that answer clearer?
A: The President has clearly said that he will continue to stand with the policies followed thus far. During the Presidency of Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the economy suddenly stopped like a rolling stone. Even if he managed to secure the wheels of the stone to overcome the difficulties, the pressure on the people has not decreased. That is why essential commodities like the electricity tariff and gas prices have increased. Sajith Premadasa says that they were the first to go to the International Monetary Fund, that means giving concessions to the super rich and burdening the common people. Their plan is the same.
As of today, Anura Kumara Dissanayake is in the same boat. Even if they don’t say it directly, their policy is to oppress the people through the International Monetary Fund. Sajith Premadasa is trying to create fear that the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) has not changed and still adheres to Marxist policies.
But even Anura Kumara Dissanayake is currently telling businessmen that they will privatise free education and healthcare. No political leader is directly saying how they will deliver this country out of this economic crisis. They have no choice but to try to follow the path shown by the International Monetary Fund. The Frontline Socialist Party says that we should get out of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Q: Do you think it is as easy as it is said?
A: Some people think that it is not possible. Some of these debts were forced upon us. Some of these loans were taken based on the needs of politicians. When handing out a loan, even a small bank will consider how the loan could be repaid, however in this regard proper attention has not been given. Questions like what is the loan used for and will there be an income generated from its use have not been clearly analyzed?
Countries like Ecuador left the International Monetary Fund.
Q: But it is because of the IMF that we have been able to breathe a sigh of relief
A: The IMF is not an organisation that helps the development of a country. After the end of the war, we were given a loan of 2.9 billion. At that time, human rights allegations were being made in the North. Journalists have disappeared; there was also the white van culture. Acting without investigating a country that has such a dialogue is not democratic.
Q: The JVP manifesto says that concessions will be given to everyone.
A: The JVP or the National People’s Power (NPP) has presented something like a ‘core policy’. That means a manifesto made to please all concerned parties.
Farmers will be given relief, those who value culture are appeased with policies tailored to strengthen cultural values; policies to gladden public servants ; policies that give relief to businessmen; everyone has been appeased by good policies.
Q: You said that the policies of the JVP or the NPP are hidden. Why do you think JVP hides its policies in this way?
A: Some people in the JVP say that by telling the truth they can’t come into power. Harini Amarasuriya also said that the people need not be told everything. I give them a message; you can’t sow Orid seeds and reap the same seeds. If you sow Orid seeds, you will reap Orid seeds. They have made promises to wealthy businessmen saying they will foster a free trade economy, however later they something completely different to that. They say they will work with the education sector, and the public sector but they have made agendas with businessmen.
There is a large group of rich people around them. These two do not mix. Then the common people will not apply to them.
Q: The JVP is openly clamouring to sell the country’s resources to foreigners and the private sector.
A: I will give a good example for that; it is also written in this policy statement about the shipping oil sector of the port of Colombo. The JVP said earlier that fuel can be provided free of charge from the income generated.
The Colombo Port is the 25th best port in the world. Colombo Port is a very popular place because of its strategic positioning. There is no port like this even in India.
During the Presidency of Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, this ship oil sector was given to a private company in this country. The JVP opposed this with a loud voice. Then it was taken back and again divided into 3 parts. A part of it was given to the first company. The JVP, which protested all of that, is now presenting its economic policies to the same institution. There are deals with them; the economic plan of the National People’s Power is given to them.
Q How do you see the economic vision of the NPP?
A: The JVP does not have a clear vision about handling the economy in a proper way. They say they will analyse the debt restructuring of the country but don’t say how they will do it.
They are addressing their manifesto to the upper middle class. The middle class is waiting to sell their land and educate their children and send them to a foreign university.
The question is not whether it can be done or not. They think they can do that. But according to JVP policies, the last thing that will happen is free health and education, this country will be overtaken by businessmen.
Q It can’t be like that. JVP says they will raise their voice to protect free education and health in the country
A: As I said earlier, the middle class of this country expects to have private channels; and even private universities. Those who have money will try to educate their children through private means. That is why I said, they will sell a land and teach their children.
See the manifesto of National People’s Force. It has private universities; private schools are regulated by the Government.
They are currently under the Companies Act. Regulation by the Government means that they bring a standard to those schools and universities. That means it is supervised by the Government itself. The pockets of the wealthy will be fattened by it. Finally, after fixing the price of one or two crores for that university degree, the parents will somehow work to obtain that degree.
That means the degree is sold for money. Not only that, but what will happen when educated professors in Government universities who work for a salary of 75,000 to 80,000 rupees, are asked to join private universities for a salary of 10 lakhs. The State university system itself will collapse.
The same is true for the health sector. What has happened to the bus traffic in our country? Private buses run solely for profit. The bus coming from Galle stops at Kalutara; saying there are no people and that they are running at a loss; they hand out the change and say find another way to reach your destination. The same thing will happen if schools and hospitals are given to the owners of the insurance companies, who make their own money, or to the super rich. The JVP is hiding their vision and their truth.
Q: Saying the JVP has hidden the truth is baseless, isn’t it?
A: The JVP knows that they cannot tell the truth to get power. I said that Amarasuriya was right. The JVP formed a coalition with President Chandrika Bandaranaike then, and has formed a coalition even today. Today it is not a party but a coalition with the system.
Q: How does one collude with the system?
A: In 2022, the Constitution of this country went above people’s sovereignty. The people that rejected theft sided with the National People’s Force who formed a coalition with this system.
Q: Does that mean JVP has changed its policies?
A: They have switched from old policies to capitalist policies without any hesitation. But the JVP’ ‘brand’ is being used. We once self-criticised our shortcomings. We talked about the 71 rebellion as well as the 88/89 defeats. Even if it’s a defeat, it’s a great defeat.
The JVP is banking on the brand they had won at that instance today as well. They are trying to show the people that they do not steal, they love their country and the people and will work with sincere dedication to uplift the country.
That brand came from history, what the JVP is doing today is using that brand to create a new pathway.
But they are creating a gap between the privileged and the unprivileged.
Q: Does that mean that socialism will not be formed through the JVP or NPP?
A: They publicly say that they have given up socialism. They have given up that fight; but somehow the aim has been to gain power. Is it Marxism? Socialism is also irrelevant. At the same time, Sajith Premadasa is creating fear by narrating past events.
Q: But the JVP does not answer in that regard.
A: Yes, why is that? JVP does not want to enter into that topic. Because if we talk about that topic, we have to keep talking.
Q: Does that mean the JVP has forgotten the past? Or have they forgotten past heroes?
A: There really is no JVP today but a national force of people coming together. The former JVP members loved that history. But there are people who don’t know anything and there are various doctors and professors involved. Everyone has different goals.
But the JVP has dropped the red flag; if it is used, it will be used only to protect the brand I mentioned earlier.
Q: Does that mean the ideology built by Rohana Wijeweera is dead?
A: Rohana Wijeweera was a man who had many unique experiences and presented Marx-Leninism to suit Sri Lanka, and his wish was that people will continue it. But today, the JVP’s activities have become a big challenge for the left movements. The fact that a political structure like the JVP is right wing today is a big problem for the left political parties.
Q: Why did you build this party?
A: This party was built with more than half of the JVP. We identified flaws in the party; we improved the positive areas. Also, we thought anew about how to deal with national issues.
On July 31, we clearly presented our objectives, our brother Nuwan Bopage was presented for the future. No one knows our motives.
Q: How do you see this journey?
A: We need to look into the needs of the people. We need to look into the future of the people. Now the National People’s Force is with the capitalist class. We are the only path to victory for the common people; we have systematically come up with a plan and have proposed short-term reforms. Abolition of the Executive, amendment of the electoral system, change of the tax system, as well as the change of the system in which people’s representatives cannot be changed until 5 years have passed, and we have proposed a system that can involve the people in politics on a daily basis.
Q: Do you think it is possible to give relief to the people and not to fall from the country’s economy by removing these taxes?
A: There should be a gradual system of taxation according to the amount earned. But these people are trying to make the rich people richer while harassing the small man with a high tax policy.
Just like fuel, the electricity tariff also needs a policy. A super luxury car and a three wheeler that earns a day to day’s living pays the same amount when it comes to fuel.
Small vehicles like motorcycles and public transport should be given fuel at a concessionary price and supercars have to be given fuel at a higher price.
In the same way, the first 30 units should be given free to low-income earners and those who use up to 60 units have to be charged a subsidised price. While high consumers should be charged a significant price.
Q: Leftist political parties were often economically inferior, they had to collect money by shaking tills, what has happened today?
A: We know that some candidates spend billions on the Presidential Election. This kind of money cannot be found by shaking tills. Some candidates donate buses to schools; where does the money come from to build classrooms?
Also, even if others show that they are left-wing today, they have become the ones who protect the super-rich, and they need to find out who is spending their money on the elections.
Where does money come from to post advertisements all over social media networks? They cannot do politics without the business class that provides that wealth.
In the form of left-wing progressives, a journey to protect the bourgeoisie is taking place.
Q: What program do you offer?
A: We present a socialist program. It is not a socialist program like in the Soviet Union or China. One that fits the 21st century.
We do not present outdated socialist policies.
A new beginning should be given a new economic vision. We present a program that protects the rights of all, rich and poor.
Q: What is your message to the people at this time?
A: We warn the people that the people will not win on September 21.
Translated by Hashani Boange
