By Kelum Bandara and Gihan de Chickera

The UNP-led alliance was sealed in the parliamentary complex yesterday with the participation of 12 political parties.

The new Alliance called the United National Front comprises four main parties including the UNP, the SLMC, SLFP (Mahajana Wing) and the Democratic People’s Front. The other parties in the Alliance are the National Development Front, New Sihala Urumaya, Prajatantrawadi Janatha Peramuna, Ruhunu Janatha Party, Janawimukthi Sahayogitha Peramuna, Ape Jathika Peramuna and Eksath Janatha Sandhanaya.

Besides, a professional body led by Prof. Oliver Abeynayake also joined the alliance.

The new Alliance seeks to build a state-sponsored national economy, which is widely seen as a clear departure from the open market economic policies upheld by the successive UNP governments.

It also seeks to make the country’s economy environmentally sustainable.

The Alliance expects to exploit the positive effects of globalization while taking precautions to protect the private, agriculture service and small and medium scale industrial sectors from its negative trends.

The abolition of the executive presidency is placed as the foremost priority of the Alliance.

Addressing the function to mark the event, UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe said the executive presidency was introduced by his party in the past to create political stability to facilitate economic development.

“I am also a person who supported it. By creating political stability, we were able to complete mega development projects such as the Mahaweli and Free Trade Zones,” he said.

Mr. Wickremesinghe, however, said the Constitution was blatantly violated by the present government suppressing the people’s sovereign rights.

He said he would make an inclusive approach to abolish the executive presidency in the greater interest of the country.

“I want to accommodate everyone concerned in this respect. Even the alliance led by President Mahinda Rajapaksa is welcome join it. We ask the government to implement the proposals forwarded by Minister Prof. Tissa Vitarana to abolish the executive presidency. We support it,” he said.

He said the people should be treated equally irrespective of racial or religious differences.

“If we are to create a true Sri Lankan identity everyone has to be treated equally while law and order must be upheld,” he said.

SLMC Leader Rauff Hakeem said this Alliance could have been formed one month back if not for a mistake on his party.

Quoting the late SLMC leader M.H.M. Ashraff, Mr. Hakeem said the right thing should be done at the right time.

“A right thing done at the wrong time will also amount to doing the wrong thing. This is what my late leader used to tell us then,” he said.

Mr. Hakeem said this Alliance was signed at a time when there was a fear psychosis gripping the political circles about an invisible hand.

“Let’s not talk about this invisible hand. We should be cautious about elements trying to sow discord among us,” he said.

SLFP (Mahajana Wing) Leader Mangala Samaraweera said political alignments were not a new phenomenon in Sri Lankan politics.

Citing examples of various such political fronts Mr. Samaraweera said this Alliance was stronger than any other Alliance formed in the past.

“We have formed this Alliance with the UNP which is the largest single party ever in the country,” he said.

Democratic People’s Front Leader Mano Ganeshan said the war had now been concluded and his party was happy about it.

“Today, the President is trying to get full credit for it. I feel UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe also contributes towards it. The LTTE was unable to wage a guerilla war against the advancing troops because of the peace process initiated by the UNP leader. As a result of the peace process, the LTTE lost its capacity to wage a guerilla war. I think the UNP leader deserves credit for this war victory as a result,” he said.

To join or not to join: JVP undecided yet

By Kassapa Ellepola

The JVP yesterday said the party would make a final decision whether to form an alliance or join hands with the new UNP led alliance only after a date for the Presidential Elections is announced.

Commenting on the new UNP-led alliance comprising 12 other political parties, JVP parliamentarian Vijitha Herath said  his party had not held any discussions with the UNP or any other political party aimed at forming an alliance.

“Creating an alliance is still not an issue for the JVP and we are not that concerned about the UNP initiating an alliance with other parties,” he said.

He said the JVP was now only concerned on abolishing the executive presidency and that it would take any action whether it concerned the policies or implications of the party to accomplish this goal.

“We would force President Mahinda Rajapaksa and his government to abolish the executive presidency as promised by him to the people before he was sworn in as the president when he signed an agreement with the JVP who supported him to achieve power,” he said adding that the JVP would decide on further action if the government failed to address the issue.