President should decide whether to step back or allow unrest to grow - Dayasiri Jayasekara

• Many countries ready to help a government sans Rajapaksas
• Family rule is no longer valid in the world
• PB Jayasundara is a key villain of economic crisis

Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) MP Dayasiri Jayasekara responds to questions by the Daily Mirror about the ongoing political unrest and economic crisis. He also responds to queries about his party’s position. 
The Excerpts: 

 Q   Your party has decided to act independent of the government. What is the next step?

Basically, 41 of us function in Parliament independent of the government.  We are hopeful of an interim government.  That is to govern the country until fresh elections are conducted.  In this instance, political stability is of paramount importance.  Today, we are grappling with political instability and an economic crisis.  We seek ways and means to find alternatives to resolve these two issues.  There is a public outcry calling for President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to step down.  They want all the Rajapaksas to quit. Only Parliament can resolve this problem.  Parliament cannot be dissolved merely because of rigorous public protests. There is a legal procedure to be followed in this instance. The president should also act in terms of the law of the country. This is an issue to be resolved by Parliament only. Only Parliament can decide whether a government sans the Rajapaksas should be formed or not.  We now remain independent. We look forward to the formation of our own government. It is a government comprising representatives of all parties. Then only we can send a message to the people that we are ready to rebuild this country. This is a huge challenge.  We will come to a decisive conclusion within the next few days. It is not to secure Cabinet posts but to introduce a new programme instilling fresh hopes in the minds of people.  We are ready to compromise for it. 

"It is a matter for the president to decide whether to remain in office or not. He has to decide whether he should allow the problem to take a turn for the worst leading to bloody violence. Even public servants have vowed to take to the streets"

 Q   The main opposition ‘Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) and the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) have spelt out clearly that they won’t join any government under the current president.  The JVP also wants the president to relinquish office.  In that case, would an all-party interim government be realistic?

We have to think in realist terms. The campaign targeting to oust the president has launched to topple government from the top. It is a matter for the president to decide whether to remain in office or not. He has to decide whether he should allow the problem to take a turn for the worst leading to bloody violence. Even public servants have vowed to take to the streets against the government. People have taken to the streets. 

 Q   Now, your party talks about an interim administration. But, one of your MPs Santha Bandara was sworn in as a State Minister. What would happen now?

We started talks for an interim administration with good intentions - that is to douse the tension in the country and evolve solutions to the problems at hand through national consensus with the participation of intellectuals and professionals. We proposed a national executive committee to implement them. But, unfortunately, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has acted to engineer defections in our party by accommodating one of our members. This is unacceptable. We never thought the president would do such a typical thing. Now, the president should take the responsibility. We won’t participate in talks with him.

 Q   Again, there is another aspect which we should look at. If the president resigns in the face of public protests, it would have retrospective effect on future presidents. In case of public protests, the presidents who are going to be elected in the future too have to face the similar dilemma?

Public wrath is unprecedented today. We never went through such a turmoil when we did not have fuel, LP Gas, food, electricity and fertilizer for agriculture. The government’s mandate has never been challenged in this manner. Therefore, the president has to decide whether to suppress the uprising or take a step back. 

Politicians facing charges of frauds and murders are elected. I see the 2020 general election as the best ever election given the unprecedented number of academics and professionals in the fray. Ironically, the present Parliament formed after that election proved to be the worst for me

 Q   When you say taking a step back, what does it mean…?

That is for the president to decide. We cannot say that. The country has fallen into the darkest abyss. We urge all the parties to unite to salvage the country. Unless it happens, we have to see how the public protests will evolve. People are tensed and frustrated. When giving vent to their anger, they don’t think twice. They hold all 225 legislators responsible for the current crisis. The present crisis should not be blamed solely on the MPs. People who elected such politicians should also be held responsible. It is the people who gave a mandate for this government with 6.9 million votes. The MPs were elected by people.  People now accuse these MPs of being crooks and fraudsters. Only the people have voted the crooks and fraudsters. Public conscience is also questionable. In 1910, British colonial governor Sir Thomas Maitland   was opposed to the universal franchise being given to Sri Lankans on the basis that they are unfit to exercise such rights. I feel even today, the people are not fit for it in a way. Politicians facing charges of frauds and murders are elected. I see the 2020 general election as the best ever election given the unprecedented number of academics and professionals in the fray. Ironically, the present Parliament formed after that election proved to be the worst for me. 

 Q   Why do you call it ‘the worst’?

People are disillusioned with the current political system after seeing parliamentary debates. If you watch debates conducted, at times, with obscene words leading to brawls, it will be clear. The opposition does not make any constructive criticism. Likewise, we don’t find constructive speeches from the government side too. The government keeps harping on wrongful actions of the previous rule. The opposition persists with criticism of the government’s every action. No one debated on the way forward of the country. That is at the root of the crisis. People assume Parliament is the place for the redundant!  

 Q   You said the president should decide on taking a step back. In case he resigns, what is the alternative in your mind?

People sought all the Rajapaksas to step down. I listened to what JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake was saying. He said the next step could be discussed once the president has stepped down. It means the JVP is ready to fight it to the end. People have resorted to a ceaseless struggle. They should either relent or carry on with a ‘do or die’ battle.  Or else, the president should take a step back. Otherwise, he has to suppress the struggle. The JVP, one group that spearheads the civil unrest movement, insists that the president should step down. Afterwards, it is ready for an observatory role. No party can absolve itself from any responsibility. All these parties should sit together and discuss.  We can find common space then. 

"President has acted to engineer defections in our party by accommodating one of our members. This is unacceptable. We never thought the president would do such a typical thing. We won’t participate in talks with him"

 Q   You are a lawyer. If the president resigns prematurely, then Parliament should elect someone as the president. Who do you have in mind to take over?

We have not discussed it as yet. We can think of someone for it.  We should evolve a programme to address the grievous issues affecting the country at the moment. For the past one year, the government was varying in its position whether to go to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) or not. The government acted so irresponsibly despite the impending crisis. The president, the then finance minister and others did so. What has happened as a result now?  The government is now trying to strike a deal with the IMF after the economy collapsed. The Central Bank’s monetary board, its governor and the finance ministry secretary did not present the true picture of the economy to people.  

The Monetary Board gave a warning on this crisis to then Secretary to the President P.B. Jayasundara six months ago. He never communicated it to the president. Dr. Jayasundara is also responsible for the crisis.  He is the key villain of the present economic downfall. The president made a mistake by appointing someone handling the economy as the Secretary to him. An economist shouldn’t be given such a post.   An official from the public administrative service should have been appointed for it.  Dr. Jayasundara, instead of working as the Secretary to the President, implemented his own economic policy.  Since 1997/98, he has handled economy of this country. He ruined the economy, the president and the government.

"Only Parliament can decide whether a government sans the Rajapaksas should be formed or not.  We now remain independent. We look forward to the formation of our own government. It is a government comprising representatives of all parties. Then only we can send a message to the people"

 Q   Who is in your mind to be the next leader of the country?

We will be able to tell you in a few days’ time. 

 Q   Is that the leader of your party Maithripala Sirisena?

There are many in this instance.  We have to think of someone who can initiate the next step in the greater interest of the country. We have to move ahead in collaboration with all. 

 Q   Whoever comes, it is not easy to find short-term solutions to the current economic woes such as the shortage of foreign exchange. But, we cannot delay solutions to some of the issues such as spiraling prices of foodstuff, scarcity of LP Gas and so on. Can anyone practically evolve a solution to the current predicament?

Yes. There are many people, who are ready to help the government that is without any member of the Rajapaksa family.  

"P.B. Jayasundara, instead of working as the Secretary to the President, implemented his own economic policy.  Since 1997/98, he has handled economy of this country. He ruined the economy, the president and the government"

 Q    Any indication about who those people are…?

 Expatriate Sri Lankans will help. Many countries in the world are against the family rule. The family rule concept is unacceptable today. After Libyan leader Muammar Muhammad Abu Minyar al-Gaddafi and Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, there is no more room for fanfold rule in the world. Once we end family rule in Sri Lanka, the rest of the world will assist us. Expatriate Lankans are not ready to send remittances. We can get their assistance. Besides, there are countries ready to extend financial assistance for us. If the IMF gives us a breathing space, we can initiate talks with other countries. If we find another two or three billion US dollars, we can get over this crisis. 
We used to get US$ 7 billion from Sri Lankans abroad. It dropped drastically. Today, the Sri Lankans doing business abroad do not repatriate their foreign exchange proceeds to Sri Lanka. Exporters held back their proceeds. Once we ensure stability, we can revive tourism. 

 Q   From your perspective, how long would it take to address the present issues? 

It can be done as soon as possible.  

 Q   In international affairs, there is pursuit of self-interests. In such a world context, would other countries come out with unconditional help merely after the change of a particular ruler?

Europe and the United States are our largest export destinations. We have got the GSP + trade facility at that time. They did away with restrictions on our seafood exports to Europe. Again, the world will have a fresh look at Sri Lanka.  We should have a neutral foreign policy.  We should tell India that we won’t allow anyone to use our country against its security interests. But, we should cooperate with China. We should assure India that Sri Lanka won’t be a place for anyone to pose security threats to it. We should be open-mined to all the countries. Our region should be a peace zone. 
Today, Sri Lanka has leased out the Western Container Terminal to India’s Adani Group. Our energy security is now in the hands of the Americans. We have given strategic projects such as the Hambantota Port to China. We have alienated and antagonized Japan. Japan is a main source of investments for us.