how the unp came to adopt maithripala sirisena

7/23/2019 How the UNP Came to Adopt Maithripala Sirisena

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How the UNP came to adopt MaithripalaSirisena

2016-01-09 January is remem!ered "or chan#e$ %irst there was the !rutal &illin# in!road dayli#ht o" Journalist and 'ditor (asantha )ic&ramatun#a who stoodout e*posin# the e*cesses o" the +a,apa&sa re#ime$ (asantha was &illed ina hi#h -security enironment near an armed "orces installation$ He died!rae and un!owed$

.y the /luth /urudda in /pril 201 the authoritarianism o" the M+ re#imehad reached its enith$ /"ter serin# on the 3ommittee o" Pu!lic 'nterprises435P' "or "our years rather naiely 7 went to inspect the pro#ress or lac&thereo" on the Mattala /irport and Ma#ampura Har!our in Ham!antotaalon# with a #roup o" UNP !ac&!enchers$ )e were con"ronted !y a #un-totin# Mayor o" Ham!antota who had assem!led a mo! who reminded one

o" the thin&in# o" the de"eated (88' -- this is our land and you are notwelcome here:$ 8he picture o" the #un-wieldin# Mayor threatenin# the MPs#alanied the country$ 7t stren#thened the resole o" the UNP !ac&!enchthat the re#ime had to #o$

)e went around the country spea&in# to our ran& and ;le and also to manydisillusioned <oatin# oters who wanted a chan#e !ut did not !eliee that itwas really possi!le$ 5ur messa#e was clear and simple$ )e all hae acommon pro!lem = the increasin# authoritarianism accompanied !y its

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colossal corruption the collapse o" the +ule o" (aw a slow- #rowin# realeconomy with lac& o" opportunities particularly "or the youth$ President+a,apa&sa had to #o at the end o" his le#al two terms$ 8he pro!lem had nocolour = it was not !lue #reen or red$ 7t was a common pro!lem$ )e neededa common solution$

8he UNP had !een throu#h much internal turmoil in the precedin# periodwhich led to much soul searchin#$ 8here were many dier#ent iews as tohow the pro!lem should !e addressed$ Some adocated a chan#e o"leadership !ut most !elieed that the pro!lems that had en#ul"ed thecountry were "ar #reater than the issue o" #ettin# the UNP !ac& in power$

8here was a reco#nition that we had to ali#n ourseles with all the socio-political moements to con"ront the re#ime$

8he moement "or Social Justice led !y the hi#hly-respected late >en$Maduluwae So!itha 8hera and the UNP came to#ether in their common

?uest to ma&e a chan#e$ 3iil Society pro"essionals and reli#ious leaderswere increasin#ly drawn into the moement$ +anil )ic&remesin#he theUNP leader s&il"ully held to#ether the UNP while !rin#in# smaller partiesinto the coalition and mer#ed them with the 3iil Society moements$ 7twas )ic&remesin#he:s political e*perience that stood out while he had to"ace di@erin# iews "rom within the UNP$ 8he #round was !ein# preparedcountrywide$

8he Ua Proincial 3ouncil election was announced$ 7t was a decisiemoment "or the Party$ )ic&remesin#he was o" the clear iew that Harin

%ernando must !e coninced to ta&e on the leadership o" the electioncampai#n "or the Ua Proincial 3ouncil$ 8he Party oerwhelmin#lywelcomed the moe$ Harin was ta&in# the !i##est ris& o" his political careerand the UNP !ac&!ench !ac&ed him to the hilt !y relocatin# to Ua durin#this time$

Harin !eat Sashindra +a,apa&se oerwhelmin#ly on the Pre"erence 3ount$ 8here was a mar&ed shi"t o" otes o" #oernment employees and sericepersonnel to the 5pposition and the impre#na!le UP%/ had !e#un to loo&wea& "or the ;rst time$

7t was now clear that the momentum had to !e maintained$ 8he UNP wentthrou#h many discussions as to who should !e its Presidential 3andidate$ /consensus was emer#in# that the dissident oices "rom the UP%/ should !eaccommodated in the moement "or chan#e$ 8his was the !i##est mentaland emotional !arrier the party had to cross$ Many S(%P "ront -!enchershad !een in discussion with UNP "unctionaries$ 7t was clear that M+ and hisclose #roup containin# "amily and &ey oAcials were resented !y the lon#-



standin# S(%P politician$ 8he space "or discussion dissent and politicalascension had !een shut on these S(%P stalwarts$

%ormer President 3handri&a .andaranai&e Bumaranatun#a !ecame arallyin# point "or these "orces$ She also !ecame the !rid#e !etween themand the UNP$ 8he UNP leader was con;dent o" her ,ud#ement$ Most MPs in

the UNP had now come to terms with the "act that chan#e was needed thatthe country had to !e prioritied oer party and there"ore a commoncandidate should !e inducted$ +anil )ic&remesin#he was willin# !ut wasalso ri#htly concerned that the Party should !e &ept united$

Maithripala Sirisena:s name was proposed !y 3.B$ 8o most in the UNP itwas Maithri whoC: or )hy MaithriC: /s has !een said !e"ore +anil)ic&remesin#he and Maithripala Sirisena !oth Mem!ers o" Parliament "oroer three decades had neer preiously interacted with each other in ameanin#"ul sense$ So there were many dou!ts and ?uestions$

7t was 3.B who underwrote the acceptance o" Maithripala Sirisena to theUNP$ 5nce when 7 ?uestioned her a!out the suita!ility o" MaithripalaSirisena she said 7 am surprised at his resole to come out and stand "orchan#e:$ /"ter a couple o" days o" dilly dallyin# and internal consultationamon#st UNP MPs the decision was ta&en !y )ic&remesin#he that this isthe way to #o$ Maitripala Sirisena was proposed !y )ic&remesin#he and theUNP:s )or&in# 3ommittee resoled to !ac& his candidacy$ He pu!liclyannounced his decision to contest the ery same day$

8he Party was up!eat$ / 3ampai#n 3ommittee was appointed$ 8he oerallstrate#y was co-ordinated !y the 3ampai#n 3ommittee while each partyand 3iil Society 5r#aniation too& responsi!ility "or their constituencies$Naturally the ma,or responsi!ility "ell on the UNP$ 8issa /ttanaya&e whowas inoled at the !e#innin# !e#an to pull in a di@erent direction andsuddenly announced that he was supportin# the M+ candidacy$ /t theoutset it came as a shoc& to those who did not "ollow the campai#n closely$Howeer to others it came as relie"$

Maithripala Sirisena and +anil )ic&remesin#he were due to address a Press

3on"erence a "ew hours a"ter 8issa made his decision pu!lic$ / "ew minutesprior to that +anil )ic&remesin#he wal&ed into a room in the oAce o" the(eader o" the 5pposition$ Mali& Samarawic&reme Ba!ir Hashim who wasthe 3hairman and mysel" as the 8reasurer o" the party were in discussion onminimiin# the impact o" 8issa:s departure$ )ic&remesin#he was on his wayto address the re#ular campai#n press con"erence when he as&ed D)hatshall we doCE .oth Mali& and 7 were o" the iew that a new FeneralSecretary !e appointed immediately so that the campai#n could proceed



uninterrupted$ )e su##ested that Ba!ir should !e the new FeneralSecretary een thou#h Ba!ir appeared initially reluctant$

+anil sent a word "rom the Press 3on"erence that he wanted us to ,oin him$/ short while later he announced the departure o" 8issa and that Ba!irHashim was the new Feneral Secretary o" the UNP$ 8his was the "astest

decision on a wei#hty matter that 7 had seen the UNP leader too& and itproed to !e the !est decision too$ Ba!ir with his mana#ement !ac&#round#ae leadership to or#aniin# and ener#iin# the party with the Jana Jaya:pro#ramme$ 8he party was #alanied !ottom up$

8he UNP:s countrywide !ranch networ& was delierin# lea<ets canassin#door-to-door and conductin# tens o" thousands o" small propa#andameetin#s$ 7t was the UNP:s !ranch and pollin# !ooth or#aniation thatprotected the ote a#ainst malpractices$ )e owe it to the UNP:s die hardsupporters$ .ut most o" all it is Maithripala Sirisena who owes it to the

UNP:s ran& and ;le$ He always #rate"ully ac&nowled#es the "act$ 8he new President and the Prime Minister set priorities "or the ;rst 100days most o" which were achieed$ /mon#st them were the reduction inpresidential power throu#h the 19th /mendment$ 8his was somethin# thathad !een unthin&a!le a "ew months !e"ore$ 7n "act M+ had made himsel"all power"ul throu#h a!olishin# the presidential term limit$ 8he 19/ went"urther !y de-politiciin# the elections process the Police Gepartment thepu!lic sector and other spheres$ 8his was achieed throu#h theappointment o" a 3onstitutional 3ouncil which included mem!ers o" the3iil Society and it was essentially a re"orm a#enda$

)e had a new President !ut a minority #oernment led !y +anil)ic&remesin#he with a!out 60 MP:s in a Parliament o" 22$ 8heachieements in the ;rst 100 days were si#ni;cant #ien this conte*t$ Sri(an&a moed "rom international isolation to ta&in# its due place on theworld sta#e throu#h s&il"ul handlin# o" its "orei#n policies !y Sirisena)ic&remesin#he and Man#ala Samaraweera$

8he Parliamentary 'lection on /u#ust 1I #ae the United National %ront led!y the UNP 10I seats$ 8he UN% and the S(%P coalition #ae the #oernment

an oerwhelmin# ma,ority$ 8he reason "or the two ma,or parties comin#to#ether in #oernment "or a period o" time could only !e ,usti;ed on the!asis o" a +e"orm /#enda$ Gemocracy is !est de"ended !y a multi-partysystem$ So the e*periment o" the present coalition #oernment will !e

,usti;ed on the !asis o" a resolution o" the national ?uestion a macroeconomic sta!iliation pro#ramme re"orm o" the educational system wherean increasin# percenta#e o" FGP is inested in this sector while welcomin#the participation o" non-#oernmental players and ;nally economic re"orm



includin# la!our mar&ets competition and land ownership$ )ith aconsensus on the resolution o" the national ?uestion and the adoption o"economic re"orms the inestment that would !e unleashed will no dou!tmultiply$ 8he present %G7 which is a!out US 1 !illion per annum will #row Kor "old within a "ew years$

President Mahinda +a,apa&se will !e remem!ered "or the leadership he#ae in eradicatin# terrorism$ His place in history is assured !ut that le#acycould !e diminished !y meddlin# in the on-#oin# political !attles$ SimilarlyPresident Sirisena will !e remem!ered as the person who restoreddemocracy and reconciled a nation$ 8he un;nished wor& must !ecompleted durin# his term$ 8he challen#e !e"ore the country now is "oreconomic #rowth and inclusie deelopment$ Premier +anil )ic&remesin#heis layin# the "oundation "or that "uture$ 7t is eeryone:s responsi!ility to&eep "aith as it is the !e#innin# o" a lon# ,ourney$

8he Party was up!eat$ / 3ampai#n 3ommittee was appointed$ 8he oerallstrate#y was co-ordinated !y the 3ampai#n 3ommittee while each partyand 3iil Society 5r#aniation too& responsi!ility "or their constituencies$Naturally the ma,or responsi!ility "ell on the UNP$ 8issa /ttanaya&e whowas inoled at the !e#innin# !e#an to pull in a di@erent direction andsuddenly announced that he was supportin# the M+ candidacy$

/t the outset it came as a shoc& to those who did not "ollow the campai#nclosely$ Howeer to others it came as relie"$ Maithripala Sirisena and +anil)ic&remesin#he were due to address a Press 3on"erence a "ew hours a"ter

8issa made his decision pu!lic$

/ "ew minutes prior to that +anil )ic&remesin#he wal&ed into a room in theoAce o" the (eader o" the 5pposition$ Mali& Samarawic&reme Ba!ir Hashimwho was the 3hairman and mysel" as the 8reasurer o" the party were indiscussion on minimiin# the impact o" 8issa:s departure$ )ic&remesin#hewas on his way to address the re#ular campai#n press con"erence when heas&ed D)hat shall we doCE .oth Mali& and 7 were o" the iew that a newFeneral Secretary !e appointed immediately so that the campai#n couldproceed uninterrupted$ )e su##ested that Ba!ir should !e the new Feneral

Secretary een thou#h Ba!ir appeared initially reluctant$ +anil sent a word"rom the Press 3on"erence that he wanted us to ,oin him$

/ short while later he announced the departure o" 8issa and that Ba!irHashim was the new Feneral Secretary o" the UNP$ 8his was the "astestdecision on a wei#hty matter that 7 had seen the UNP leader too& and itproed to !e the !est decision too$ Ba!ir with his mana#ement !ac&#round#ae leadership to or#aniin# and ener#iin# the party with the Jana Jaya:



pro#ramme$ 8he party was #alanied !ottom up$

8he UNP:s countrywide !ranch networ& was delierin# lea<ets canassin#door-to-door and conductin# tens o" thousands o" small propa#andameetin#s$ 7t was the UNP:s !ranch and pollin# !ooth or#aniation thatprotected the ote a#ainst malpractices$ )e owe it to the UNP:s die hard

supporters$ .ut most o" all it is Maithripala Sirisena who owes it to theUNP:s ran& and ;le$ He always #rate"ully ac&nowled#es the "act$

8he new President and the Prime Minister set priorities "or the ;rst 100days most o" which were achieed$ /mon#st them were the reduction inpresidential power throu#h the 19th /mendment$ 8his was somethin# thathad !een unthin&a!le a "ew months !e"ore$ 7n "act M+ had made himsel" allpower"ul throu#h a!olishin# the presidential term limit$

8he 19/ went "urther !y de-politiciin# the elections process the Police

Gepartment the pu!lic sector and other spheres$ 8his was achieedthrou#h the appointment o" a 3onstitutional 3ouncil which includedmem!ers o" the 3iil Society and it was essentially a re"orm a#enda$ )ehad a new President !ut a minority #oernment led !y +anil)ic&remesin#he with a!out 60 MP:s in a Parliament o" 22$ 8heachieements in the ;rst 100 days were si#ni;cant #ien this conte*t$ Sri(an&a moed "rom international isolation to ta&in# its due place on theworld sta#e throu#h s&il"ul handlin# o" its "orei#n policies !y Sirisena)ic&remesin#he and Man#ala Samaraweera$

8he Parliamentary 'lection on /u#ust 1I #ae the United National %ront led!y the UNP 10I seats$ 8he UN% and the S(%P coalition #ae the #oernmentan oerwhelmin# ma,ority$ 8he reason "or the two ma,or parties comin#to#ether in #oernment "or a period o" time could only !e ,usti;ed on the!asis o" a +e"orm /#enda$ Gemocracy is !est de"ended !y a multi-partysystem$

So the e*periment o" the present coalition #oernment will !e ,usti;ed onthe !asis o" a resolution o" the national ?uestion a macro economicsta!iliation pro#ramme re"orm o" the educational system where an

increasin# percenta#e o" FGP is inested in this sector while welcomin# theparticipation o" non-#oernmental players and ;nally economic re"ormincludin# la!our mar&ets competition and land ownership$ )ith aconsensus on the resolution o" the national ?uestion and the adoption o"economic re"orms the inestment that would !e unleashed will no dou!tmultiply$ 8he present %G7 which is a!out US 1 !illion per annum will #row Kor "old within a "ew years$



President Mahinda +a,apa&se will !e remem!ered "or the leadership he#ae in eradicatin# terrorism$ His place in history is assured !ut that le#acycould !e diminished !y meddlin# in the on-#oin# political !attles$ SimilarlyPresident Sirisena will !e remem!ered as the person who restoreddemocracy and reconciled a nation$ 8he un;nished wor& must !ecompleted durin# his term$ 8he challen#e !e"ore the country now is "or

economic #rowth and inclusie deelopment$ Premier +anil )ic&remesin#heis layin# the "oundation "or that "uture$ 7t is eeryone:s responsi!ility to&eep "aith as it is the !e#innin# o" a lon# ,ourney$

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how the unp came to adopt maithripala sirisena

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