UNP REACHING OUT TO THE JVP He would allow those in the UNP who are dissatisfied with his leadership to leave the party; accommodating them in the SLFP would in a sense weaken that party as there would be infighting between the old SLFPers and former UNPers. With the SLFP being likened to the practitioners of the oldest trade in the world and the counter slander that the sister of the accuser is making a living from the oldest trade in the world, the stage is set for an ugly divorce.  By K Godage  At a time when some members of the two principal political parties are seeking to promote long overdue cooperation by moving towards establishing a framework for cooperation on the basis of a ?Common National Agenda?, it appears that another group in the UNP are seeking to perpetuate confrontation by bringing forward a concept which should have been introduced by the UNP in 1978 with the new Constitution which they introduced that year.  The idea which is being packaged to wreck the cooperation process is to introduce ?Oversight Committees? in Parliament as in the US. I presume the reason for such Committees not being introduced at that time was that it would have served as a check on arbitrary government which prevailed with a 4/5th majority in Parliament and they would not have wanted anyone overseeing their actions. We should not forget how these ?five star democrats? extended the life of the Parliament elected in 1977 through an undemocratic Referendum, depriving the people of their right to choose the government.  The concept itself is indeed a good one and it would help to transform this cartoon democracy into a real democracy by introducing necessary checks on power. In the US where there is a clear separation of powers between the Executive and Legislative arms of government the Oversight Committees have served a most useful purpose and this would have served us well too but why is this being mooted now at a time when we are seeking to promote inter-party cooperation and not confrontation? Obviously those pursuing the idea are interested in sabotaging the present inter-party talks though they are directed at achieving a common national agenda. This group no doubt wishes to see the country go down the drain - even get separated - for them to be returned to power. This must not be allowed to happen and all those involved must be exposed for what they are. Meanwhile in another development, the UNP has decided to hold talks with the JVP, this is all so confusing for one wonders what the game plan is of the UNP. If the intention is to obtain support for the ongoing SLFP-UNP talks that would indeed be commendable but such an initiative should have also involved the SLFP.  The UNP team named for the talks does not include any one of those holding discussions with the SLFP on the ?Common National Agenda? so what could be the objective of these talks and how would the President view them particularly at a time when there is bad blood between the government and the JVP? Does this mean that the UNP is seeking to defeat the government on the Budget in November and precipitate in a general election? That would of course put an end to any Common National Agenda which would mean that the President?s effort to reach a consensus on devolution on an Electoral Reform would be at an end.  It is more than interesting to see what the President?s chief political strategist Basil Rajapaksa would do to meet this challenge. Would the UNP give Somawansa Amerasinghe an undertaking that if they come into power he would not be arrested? That is an important consideration for the JVP. Would they also agree not to introduce electoral reform (it is accepted that the present system favours the JVP) and also compromise on the matter of taking their 2003 peace process forward? Such an agreement and a split between the JVP and the SLFP would certainly help the UNP.  On every occasion that the UNP was defeated the left parties were in some form of a coalition with the SLFP dating back to 1956; even the Dudley Senanayake government that did more than any other for the rural masses of this country lost the election in 1970 because the left coalesced with the SLFP. So this could very well be the game plan of the UNP leader. He would allow those in the UNP who are dissatisfied with his leadership to leave the party, accommodating them in the SLFP would in a sense weaken that party as there would be infighting between the old SLFPers and the former UNPers. This would be to the advantage of the UNP which would then nominate new faces to contest.  With the SLFP being likened to the practitioners of the oldest trade in the world and the counter slander that the sister of the accuser is making a living from the oldest trade in the world, the stage is set for an ugly divorce. This is perhaps what the UNP wishes to see happen in order to win the next elections if they can force one. Hence it is that they seek to reach out to the JVP, their bete noir for what do they have in common with the JVP?  Who would be the ultimate winner in this despicable game of intrigue and counter intrigue? Who but Prabhakaran!  The man and the LTTE have enjoyed amazing luck; just when the Vadamaarachchi operation was about to succeed the Indians bullied and intimidated us and threatened to invade and stopped the operation and saved the LTTE. (As a result of the Indian intervention which followed over one thousand Indian soldiers lost their lives and a further thousand were maimed by the LTTE. When all we had to do was to amend the ?Concurrent List? and make a reality of the devolution as was envisaged in the Indo-Lanka Agreement and the 13th Amendment, which Rajiv Gandhi had repeatedly drawn the attention of President JRJ. I am confident that the Indians would have put an end to the insurgency if that was done). The next time that the LTTE was let off the hook was when Premadasa chose to send away the IPKF with disastrous consequences for this country. The third time was when the LTTE were reeling under successful operations of the Long Rangers who had successfully killed off five of their top men, the last being Prabhakaran?s close associate Shanker, the UNP won the general election and let the LTTE off the hook once again with the CFA, which was a sell out of our interests.  The CFA of course not only helped to end the pressure on the LTTE but also enabled them to infiltrate areas under government control and entrench themselves; it is our unfortunate soldiers that have paid with their lives, dying in claymore mine attacks in government controlled areas. It should also not be forgotten that the UNP administration did nothing to stop the wiping out of the military?s intelligence agents, over 40 of whom were assassinated by the LTTE with impunity. Yes it is only the LTTE that would win if the political parties continue to play at stupid selfish games to acquire power.  For 50 years have the politicians in the South played with the lives of the people of this country; seeking power for its own sake to enrich themselves with little regard for the interest of the country. Every one of our politicians would be dead within the next twenty five years at the most, unless they are deservedly lynched by the people before that. They shall no doubt be cursed as some of those living today are being cursed for what they have done and not done when in power. They need to change. Cooperation among our political parties is the only answer if we are to head off total disaster. For no single party can solve the problems we face today. I echo the thoughts of millions in this country when I ask our politicians to stop this game of one-upmanship and callous, crude, selfish, gutter politics and for once think of the country and not of themselves.  (The writer is a former High Commissioner to India and a former Additional Secretary Foreign Affairs) TN, 2.10.2006