Anura Kumara’s Recent Interview With Sudaththa: Key Points

By Siri Gamage –JANUARY 8, 2022

Dr. Siri Gamage

I have listened to various interviews given by Anura Kumara Dissanayake in the past. However, the interview given to Sudaththa recently provides better insights about the JVP and NPP thinking. It displays the wisdom, experiential knowledge that leaders like him have gathered through decades of political engagement and practice with the people on the ground, political class and the machinery of government plus the insights gained about the political process and where the country is heading? Instead of quoting selectively, a full transcript like this can give the reader a comprehensive picture about the issues that matter to a leader like Anura Kumara and the path his party has mapped out to solve the changes facing the country. This is not an authorised transcript. Translation is purely my own.

 

Key Points made:

The crisis is not due to natural causes. It is brought about by the political class. Foreign debt is not due to Corona. While the country became poor, rulers have become rich. If the crisis is created by politics, it can be solved by politics too. It can be solved collectively. How strong are we economically? Our resources are given to Multinational corporations. Rule of law is broken down.   People’s hopes have been dashed. Look at Singapore-the size of our Western province. How they have developed? They don’t lease their ports and airports to others. We have to change the economic policy. A revolutionary transformation is necessary in the political, economic and social fields. People learn through living experiences. They know how governments failed them. They know that they need a new path. This new path requires two things: 1) Strategy for acquiring power 2) program to develop the country.

Changing the people in the parliament (Olu Gedi Maruwa) is not going to work. There are examples from around the world where corrupt regimes have been expelled by people. If people are ready to come to the road, we are ready to lead. Ours is not a plan with violence or conflict. If people are oppressed, they have a right to come to the road. E.g. the farmers, trade unions, common people. Our plan is to go for an election. An early election is possible. People shouldn’t wait anymore. At present we can’t send dollars for students learning abroad. Can’t even send dollars for an urgent operation in India. Cost of living and consumer goods high. Yet those in power travel in private jets. Ministers are holidaying abroad to spend time with their children and entertain.

Chaura Walalla (circle of thieves): Rulers earned money and let their friends also do the same. This circle includes some politicians, bureaucrats or public servants, some policemen, and dealers who are not industrialists or businessmen but those who are there to earn commissions. When governments change, this corrupt circle unsettles but it continues. We have to break this circle. An incorrupt circle has to be bro8ght in.

What will Anura’s party do to these thieves and stolen wealth?

We will not take revenge. The wealth should be there for building hospitals, providing nutrition etc. We will get it back. Already there are three strong Acts: money laundering act, Bribery and corruption Act, Crimes Act. Then we have various institutions to monitor and find those who are corrupt such as attorney generals department, judiciary. But those who are corrupt jump through such institutions. Independence of the judiciary in the case of politically significant cases is questionable. We have to remove politics out of these institutions. Janatha Varama (people’s mandate) is more powerful than any of these institutions. We can meter out punishments to corrupt people only if we are not corrupt. There has to be an incorrupt movement. We will strengthen the institutions. I am not corrupt (Mama dushithayek Nove). Crime takes place when the ruler becomes corrupt. At present, parties give nominations, minister posts to corrupt politicians. We have not stolen a cent. Examine is. We are there not to earn. We are people from remote areas. We know the problems of people and their aspirations. We will punish whoever engage in corruption including our party members. WE WILL SEEK A PEOPLE’S MANDATE TO PUNISH THOSE WHO ARE CORRUPT.

Majority has been denied a good life to live as a citizen. We have seen the destruction brought about to the country. We will provide basic needs such as a house, income, health, education, transport network, and mental freedom to the people. Rulers have houses in developed countries like USA, UK. At the same time common people (Podu Janaya) have been subjected to a calamity (vyasanaya).

Citizens earn wealth through their initiative, knowledge etc.   We are not against it. We like to see the citizens live happy life. We are not against parents sending money for their children to learn abroad. However, we are against when people’s wealth/property is stolen. Look at the privileges given to former presidents? Look at the guards given to politicians? Anura gives examples.   A minister is given 8 back up vehicles with guards. An MP is given 2 policemen for security? The politicians protect each other. This reflects not a problem of security. It shows a problem of the mind/mental problem. Our aim is to bring about a development (Pragatiya) better than this sorry state. I don’t want aropana(impositions). We will take away all the privileges of former Presidents (If we come to power). The house given free to DB Wijetunge was used by his daughter until her death. Now it is used by the wife of another former President. Current PM has Temple trees as the PM and another house as former president. The president has several palaces (mandira) throughout the country. Anura lists them. Each one has 100-200 guards. Under the JVP government, we will jeep the one in Colombo as it is necessary to meet and greet foreign leaders. All others will be given either to the Tourist Board or turn into libraries. This is not an empty promise. If we fail to do this, send us home next time.

Q. How will you utilise the skills of those in other countries? We will rule the country under socialist principles. Re-building the country is not the responsibility of one party. All sections of society have to get together. For this we will need new knowledge, wisdom, capital. There are entrepreneurs who live abroad. Those who work in companies, researchers, education experts. They expect our country’s development. We invite those who are in the Tamil diaspora that do not support armed struggles like what the LTTE did.

Socialist Principles:

We will introduce an economic system tied to people’s lives.

1. People’s participation in production. At present 36% are from the Western province. Only 6% from the north central province.

2. Distribution of income has to be fair (Sadharana). There can’t be disparities. If the economy is good for the citizens it will be good for the entrepreneurs.

3. Fair tax system. At present it is all over?

Investment have to generate an income. Waste is not good. E.g. Suriyaweva road with several lanes each way.

Q. How will you take Hambantota port back?

It is only when we strengthen the economy we will be able to take them back. Oil tanks, Keravalpitiya etc. In about 3-4 years we will be able to take them back. However, to build a strong economy it will take 7-8 years. While we are seeking help from India to import Dhal (Parippu) we can’t ask them help in other fields (e.g. fund our economic enterprises or help to meet foreign exchange reserves). We have strong resources such as natural reserves, resources, international relations. Mrs. Bandaranaike paid 2.5 million pounds and got back our oil tanks. What we need is a transformative policy.

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