Champika and Hela Urumaya, The Real Winners of Budget Vote
by Dr.Wickramabahu Karunaratne
The defeat of the Opposition in the budget debate will strengthen the war mongering section within the government. The real victor of this non-battle is the Hela Urumaya’s ideological leader, Champika Ranawaka. In spite of the wavering position of the JVP, Champika went ahead with the campaign for the continuation of the war. His argument was that economic factors and social reforms are secondary to the struggle against Tamil aggression. The government should get the support of the global powers and Indian rulers to wipe out Tamil aggression. It has conducted the military deployment well and is near victory in the war. Hence unconditional support should be given to the government. He was very critical of the irresponsibility of the JVP. The latter is wrong to raise conditions, or to criticize the war policy of the Mahinda regime. Champika, while countering the arguments of the JVP, did everything to mobilize the support of the Buddhist clergy and the middle class Sinhala chauvinists.
Political reasons
He maintained that all those who are opposing the budget proposals are doing so not for any economic reasons but for political reasons. According to Champika all these people are paid agents of the LTTE. He worked in many fronts and was successful. His victory will undermine the importance of the JVP. In this event, clearly without the support of the JVP, Mahinda has conquered Parliament. This has a far reaching effect on the future of the government and its policy. Champika always opposed the Marxist rhetoric of the JVP. In the late 80s, while he was a student at Moratuwa University, he was a fellow traveller of the Desha Premi Janatha Viyaparaya maintained by the JVP. Even at that stage he opposed Marxism as an alien doctrine created by the white colonialists to dominate the oppressed people.
This domination apparently takes place through the intellectuals converted to Marxism! While harping on western domination and plunder of local resources, Champika on the other hand has no shame to get the help of western powers to wipe out the Tamil national rebellion. It is not very clear how Dravidians, who originally inhabited this part of the world and were the creators of the village tank society of remarkable resistance to decay, could be the most dangerous enemy of the Sinhala people. Are the Sinhala people aliens from Caucasia and unrelated to the South Indian megalithic culture?
Sinhala chauvinist party
The JVP is also a Sinhala chauvinist party. But there is a difference; it has a social conscience. The JVP started as an off shoot of the Ceylon Communist Party. All its Marxist slogan shouting arises out of this genesis. Though it has collected a certain working class base, it is primarily a party of the Sinhala plebian masses. It’s most active base is within University students.
Thus it is constantly under pressure of the Sinhala petty bourgeoisie. It has to voice the pains within Sinhala students and the unemployed. In addition it is sensitive to what is happening within the working class. In this clash too, it displayed these pressures by taking contradictory positions. It cannot be second to the Hela Urumaya and lose the base within professionals and small business men in the Sinhala society. On the other hand, it has to come out with slogans and agitations to satisfy the students and sometimes, the working class. On behalf of the chauvinist middle classes the JVP put forward four conditions: the absolute unitary nature of the state, the end of the peace pact, negation of all discussions for a political solution and no alien human rights investigators. While voicing these ridiculous conditions they continued with the agitations of students and unemployed graduates. In one sense, the JVP is more war mongering than the Hela Urumaya. On the other hand, they will push plebian campaigns to undermine the war effort. But Champika counters that these are only Marxist jargon and proper mobilization is through the sacrifice of the masses for the sake of the ‘Royal Court’. Royalty and the elite should be looked after while the masses sacrifice everything including their lives for identity and heritage. The JVP has got into the contradiction of campaigning for both Sinhala chauvinism and social equity. But the war ruthlessly demands allegiance at the expense of social equity.
The Media Minister has made merry that Ranil has met with his 15th defeat. Of course it is ridicule and not to be taken seriously. But Ranil has to answer why he cannot convince even right wing politicians with his political perspective. There is something wrong somewhere. Obviously, he is not a populist who can cheat the Left or the JVP into a coalition with him. But, surely he must be seen by conservatives as the serious leader who can save them from the present tragedy. They certainly don’t; that is a serious problem for the local Tories!
Devinda Fernando said,
November 25, 2007 @ 7:33 pm
*** His argument was that economic factors and social reforms are secondary to the struggle against Tamil aggression***
Regarldess of his agenda, he is correct about the assesment of those who oppose the Budget, It is all Politics and nothing less than Politics. And while I disagree on his furhter assertion that that those who oppose the Budget are Paid LTTE agents, they are in some way shape or form trying to Undermine the government’s staunch and unwavering goal to rid our country of the LTTE menace. We have had to endure worse Economic taxes and sacrifices during Chandrika’s time so people should not be surprised by this Budget proposed by Mahinda. War means sacrifices and yet those who complain sit pretty at the top of the food chain. Economic suffering will end when the War ends, and hopefully that will be sooner that everyone thinks as long as the GoSL is not hindered further by Flip-Floppers like Ranil and the UNP.
Charith said,
November 25, 2007 @ 8:36 pm
Champilka wants keep his ministry.Monks want benifit from government..
Ajanntha said,
November 25, 2007 @ 8:38 pm
Hela Urumaya- they dont know what they doing.
Anoma said,
November 26, 2007 @ 4:29 am
Champika , has proven without any doubt that they are an effective politcal party . One can see the vast amount of work that his ministry has accomplished so far in a very short space of time . They a e a credible party, and one not to be taken lightly . A truly nationalist party , where they put country before , party politics . hats off to the JHU !
Caeser said,
November 26, 2007 @ 4:48 am
Hello Dr. Karu,
You are yet another parasite of NGO and Western money on which you live and betray your Nation, Ancestry and everything. Your Western Originated Marxiam has proved never materializes in Sri Lanka, that is why you assist Catholic Church to eliminate Sinhala Buddhism from this land.
You are committing Hara Kiri on you, remember
“Mother and Mothaland is Nobler than heaven for we Sinhala Buddhists.”
It may be a joke for you
nilame said,
November 26, 2007 @ 6:53 am
Dear Wkkramabahu;
I have to say that we have heard your jargon time and again. Do you know that the terms such as chauvinism, bourgeoisie etc are gone out of use in Europe from where they originated. You Sri Lankans still hang on to them while being the laughing stock of the world. Have you realised that not many ordinary Sri Lankans identify themselves with you despite your so called socialistic ideologies and decades of clamouring because of your failure to understand that you do not speak the language they understand or your failure to understand their mentality or needs. It is time for you to wear a sarong and start living in a rural setting talking to peasants for a while to learn from them. You seem to be developing a new theory that the Singhalese is a Tamilian race. Good luck!
SHANE said,
November 26, 2007 @ 6:55 am
SO THESE PEOPLE WASTING OUR PRECIOUS TIME.THIS GUY IS RESPONSIBLE TO GRANT A FRAUD VISA TO A TERORIST LEADER.SO WHAT THESE GUYS ARE TALKING ABOUT?
kumar said,
November 26, 2007 @ 7:03 am
its not a victory for JHU or Champika,but every citizen in SL also to wipe out terrorism
2ndClassTamil said,
November 26, 2007 @ 11:24 am
I have no qualms with JHU. I think one good thing they are doing is to proclaim their policies loudly and clearly, in unequivocal terms, so that people who support them or not, clearly know why they are doing so. JHU serves as a good barometer of Sinhala chauvinism.
The JVP on the other hand is an enigmatic entity. It likes to be wrapped around with high sounding social values, but has got entangled in a web of contradictions. How they will ever be able to justify their opposition, in principle, to the freedom struggle of the Tamils is beyond my comprehension. After the triumph of the Capitalist, some socialist lost their bearings. JVP, which they say has a good following in the universities, is in my opinion one of them, reflecting no doubt the confusion amongst its young members.
Dr.Wickramabahu’s incisive analysis is in sharp contarst as usual.
dingiri said,
November 26, 2007 @ 11:49 am
Devinda,
And what happens if after all this expenditure and loss of life we still havent defeated the LTTE? If the Americans couldnt win in Vietnam, are not winning in either Iraq or Afghanistan how likely is the SLA to win against a much better organised and supplied LTTE?
Do you have no cap on the number of lives you are prepared to sacrifice to achieve this unitary state? What if another 100,000 people have to die? Would it still be worth it? I’m sure the JHU and the JVP would be quite comfortable with it as long as the lives arnt their own.
Why not offer the Tamils a fair deal which ensures equal rights and self determination for both Tamils and Sinhalese? Tamils ruling Tamils and Sinhalese ruling Sinhalese in states proportional to their populations. If LTTE dont accept and still insist on their super-state then we mobilise everyone and go for all out war and only then will it be justified. Until then, making a reasonable concession in the spirit of equality is no threat to Sinhalese survival.
suren said,
November 28, 2007 @ 8:20 am
I think the biggest parasite (All GO Not NGO) is government of sri lanka which playing with the money they recieve from donor Countries. With these bunch of joker s where are we supposed go.
Dan said,
November 30, 2007 @ 12:42 am
Congratulations to the JHU. More so for the JVP which has pushed the government to take a harder line against the LTTE. The forces of Tamil extremism only understand violence.
ilaya seran senguttuvan said,
December 1, 2007 @ 2:54 am
Men like Bahu are preach wisdom similar to what Dr Colvin R de Silva warned in the mid-50s about what will happen to Ceylon/Sri Lanka if we chose
one language. Bahu fearlessly espouses devolution of power
to the Tamils in their areas. At a time when even mentioning the name “LTTE” is considered heresy Bahu says they should be given a hearing too. Here’s a man who gave up a bright professional career from a Mathematics degree from Cambridge university, to serve the working class. Our governance system is all the poorer by men like Dr Karunaratne being kept away from positions of political power. The imbecile, the thief, the arch communalist, the fake priests and the rest of the rotters have taken over Sri Lanka in the last few years. Are you really surprised at the hotpotch we have today in this failed society where half of a coconut and a spoonful of milk-powder are sold in the market? So much for the much heralded Mahinda Chintanaya and the rule of the Gang of Four.
Devinda Fernando said,
December 4, 2007 @ 1:13 pm
*** And what happens if after all this expenditure and loss of life we still havent defeated the LTTE? ***
Sri Lanka is not the USA, we;re not going to other countries to try conquer and keep land. We are fighting a Terrorist group on our own land who have a grip on our own people.
How many lives? I dont know the fewer the better, what more can I answer a stupid question like that? Our country was attacked in 2006. LTTE broke the CFA, we fight as a country when we are attacked, how many lives it will take to defend our country I dont know. I could ask you the same question/How many more Tamil lives must be sacrified for the injustuces of events like Black July? Its not better we fix that problem rather than continue to fight for some Lofty Idea of a Lunatic Megolamaniac who has risen to power on the suffering of his people?
And Tamils have equal rights, if you could kindly point out any Sri Lankan law that excludes Tamils or prevents Tamils from doing anything Sinhala and Muslims can do?
Gayan said,
December 10, 2007 @ 3:39 am
knock knock…Who’s there? … Wickramabahu Karunaratne…. Wickramabahu Karunaratne who?….Wickramabahu Karunaratne who cannot win 100 votes after 50 years in politics !!!
ilaya seran senguttuvan said,
December 12, 2007 @ 12:19 pm
Gayan #15 …Bahu gets several thousands of votes when he contests the CMC Elections….He is around 50 and has been
in politics for nearly 20 years only…..Take my word, the country has lost by men like Dr Karunaratne being kept outside the ruling
process….He is one of the few genuinely non-communal men in our political landscape….