Former Tourism and Public Security Minister and SLPP Gampaha District Parliamentarian Prasanna Ranatunga said that we all should join hands irrespective of political differences to overcome the current economic crisis and create a peaceful atmosphere in the country.
The former Minister in an interview with the Sunday Observer said that the new Government to be appointed should be given at least 3 to 4 months to take steps to turn the country back to normalcy. This is a very difficult task and the people will have to be patient and mindful.
He said if there are more sacrifices to be made on behalf of the country, Parliamentarians should do that adding that steps should also be taken to prevent the social instability created due to various false propaganda campaigns carried out via Facebook and other social media.
Q: Do you think the appointment of a new Prime Minister and an Interim Government would provide solutions to the burning issues faced by the country?
A: The economic crisis, political crisis and social problem are the three main issues faced by the country. As we all know, the issues pertaining to the economic crisis is a longstanding problem. Therefore, we have to pay for past sins. The issues created over the past so many years were vested in us while the tourism sector faced a severe setback while foreign reserves dropped drastically owing to the Covid-19 pandemic.
As a result, there have been difficulties such as to import essential food commodities, fuel and medicines. We don’t have dollars due to the huge amount of money spent to control the Covid-19 pandemic and the money paid for the loans.
During the SLPP led Government’s tenure in office, we have not obtained loans and sovereign bonds. However, we had to pay the loans which had to be settled within 5 years. We don’t say this as an excuse.
Once President Gotabaya Rajapaksa assumed office, steps were taken to suspend giving vehicle permits to MPs and public servants and also stop the import of vehicles and non-essential goods.
As we witnessed the emergence of the economic crisis early, decisions were taken to protect our foreign reserves. Unfortunately, the Covid-19 pandemic emerged in 2020 and our foreign reserves were drastically reduced as a result of it.
We believe the new Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe who closely deals with the international community will make some effort to overcome this situation. However, this is not an issue which cannot be resolved completely.
Secondly, the avenues that we can get dollars have been obstructed due to the current crisis situation in the country. During the past few months, nearly 100,000 tourists came to the country. At present this number has been reduced by nearly one third. Nearly 4,000 daily tourist arrivals have come down to less than 1,000. The shortage of fuel, gas and power cuts has adverse effects on reducing the number of tourist arrivals. We could see tourists had to face a lot of inconvenience due to countrywide protests.
It reached its climax when the protesters attempted to attack the President’s private residence at Mirihana. As a result of those incidents, the tourist arrivals completely dropped.
The protesters are well aware that if the country’s economy is rebuilt, it would provide solutions to the burning issues so that they are attempting to create issues through their struggle to destabilise the country.
The Front Line Socialist Party, JVP and the SJB are behind these protests. It can be witnessed in the manner they campaign on Facebook. They joined hands and came to attack our houses. Therefore, we see there is a conspiracy behind the riot incidents that took place on Monday and afterwards.
We all should join hands irrespective of political differences to overcome the current economic crisis and create a peaceful atmosphere in the country. The religious leaders who help protesters should also realise when there were peaceful protests in Colombo, the situation at village level was completely different.
Soon after Monday’s incidents at Galle Face, the houses and properties of a large number of Government politicians were set on fire by a group of people with the help of underworld figures and drug addicts.
They came forward and provoked the people and set them aside while others looted the properties in those houses. The people should rally around against these violent acts.
Thirdly, if the people have any doubt whether the politicians have indulged in corruption, it should be allowed to audit their wealth. I also made a request in Parliament to ask the Auditor General to audit Parliamentarians. I am of the view that if any politician has indulged in fraud and corruption, he should be brought to book.
All 225 Parliamentarians should make sacrifices. We have made more sacrifices compared to the former Yahapalana Government. If there are more sacrifices to be made on behalf of the country, we should do that.
Steps should also be taken to prevent the social instability created due to various false propaganda campaigns carried out via Facebook and other social media. It is the responsibility of the President, Prime Minister and the new Government to provide solutions to these three factors.
Q: The Opposition and various sectors allege that Monday’s attack on peaceful protestors at Galle Face is a complete set up and the Government should be held responsible for it. Your comments?
A: When an incident occurs in the country, the Government in power should be held responsible for it. Similarly, the then Government in power should be held responsible for the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks. Therefore, as a Government we should be responsible for the incidents that took place on Monday. It is completely wrong that a violent mob went and attacked those protesters at Galle Face. We condemn that and what they did was completely wrong. It should not have occurred.
When the Prime Minister was going to resign, a group of party supporters had been brought to Temple Trees to give him some strength. If a certain group attended that meeting attempted to provoke people to attack the Galle Face protesters, which is wrong.
The investigations have already commenced in this regard and complaints have been received. It is also wrong of the attempt made by certain sections with the help of some drug addicts to assault the innocent people by taking the law into their hands. If that is so, over 300 people were killed and large number of people were injured due to 2019 Easter Sunday terror attacks.
The country sustained a massive damage due to the Easter Sunday attacks rather than Monday’s riot incidents. Then Christians should have assaulted and killed Muslims but that didn’t happen. Then steps were taken by the Cardinal and other religious leaders to restore peace in the country. I don’t say this to create any racial sentiments among people.
Soon after Monday’s incident, we could see certain elements asking the people not to allow those buses which brought people to the Temple Trees to go back by creating hatred among them.
If some Christian Priests and Bhikkhus asked the people to counter attack those who assaulted protesters at Galle Face, they should have also allowed to attack those who planned and assisted to carry out the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks.
However, they maintain two different stances on these two incidents. We have a doubt that there is something behind those riot incidents that took place on Monday and afterwards.
We categorically say the incidents that occurred on Monday were completely wrong and those who resorted to such violent acts should not have done that. I would like to say with responsibility that underworld people, drug and illicit liquor dealers were behind those incidents. Therefore, as I said earlier, we all should join hands to overcome this crisis in society. Actually, I didn’t attend that meeting at Temple Trees or went to the Galle Face to attack those protesters. As a person who had no connection whatsoever to those incidents, then how was my house was set on fire. Before they set fire to my house, it was robbed.
Q: Nine people were killed and over 300 people were injured while the houses and properties of a large number of Government politicians were completely destroyed due to the riot incidents that took place on Monday. Do you think there is any invisible hand behind these incidents?
A: This struggle has come forward nominally but there is politics behind it. Those who attacked our houses along with some drug dealers were powerful supporters of the SJB and the JVP. Both some Opposition politicians and thieves were behind those attacks. I would regret to say that the attack on my house was planned by a bhikkhu of a nearby temple.
It is the responsibility of the Government and the Police to investigate these incidents.
Q: In a situation where the then Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and the entire Cabinet of Ministers have resigned, the protesters at Galle Face say they would not give up their struggle until the President steps down. Would you like to comment?
A: When the UNP National List MP Ranil Wickremesinghe was appointed as the new Prime Minister, a group including the Cardinal and Ven. Omalpe Sobitha Thera criticised it. Actually, it was a Prime Minister of a Government which had a two thirds majority tendered his resignation.
In addition, certain sections demand to remove the President who has secured 6.9 million votes at the last Presidential Election. Then that is also wrong. This clearly shows their double standards. It is a known fact with whom Ven. Sobitha Thera has links. The Media Secretary of that politician resides in a church. This is an attempt made to realise their objectives through the church. However, the ordinary people in the country are not aware of this. That is why this should be reported by the media.
I didn’t mention their names but I say this with responsibility. Then the people will try to find out who was behind those acts. The people think a peaceful struggle is being conducted there. Those who go to those places know what is really happening there. Have the people in the villages organized such protests?
Their intention is to create a crisis situation in the country. If the country turns to anarchy, political parties which cannot come to power by people’s votes will be able to consolidate power by creating a revolutionary political crisis.
When the JVP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake went to meet Galle Face protesters, he was welcomed and not attacked. However, if the Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa or we should go there, we will be assaulted. So, we should find out as to why that happens.
Q: The current political instability has adversely affected the country’s economy and tourism industry. What remedial measures should be taken to overcome the situation?
A: I think our people should be peaceful. The new Government to be appointed should be given at least 3 to 4 months to take steps to turn the country back to normalcy. This is a very difficult task and the people will have to be patient and mindful.
All these 225 Parliamentarians are not crooks. If that is so, all those who indulged in corruption in the past should also be caught. However, only the houses of Government politicians were set on fire. Not a single house of the SJB, UNP or JVP MPs was set on fire.
The people should understand who was behind those acts. Those who are given ministerial portfolios should be provided with the opportunity to rebuild the country without paving the way to create yet another crisis situation.
Q: Does the SLPP still command a majority in Parliament or will it go to the Opposition?
A: Earlier, we had over 150 MPs. Later it was divided into several groups. Depending on the number of MPs in the SLPP camp, I think we still have the majority in Parliament. We are in a position to take the country forward with that majority. Among the SLPP group, competent people should be selected by giving them responsibilities and educating the people on what is happening in the country and how to face the situation. Then the people will listen to us.
This Government conducted a big operation against drugs and a lot of drug dealers were arrested. The drug dealers should not be allowed to govern the country. At present there is no neutral struggle in the country. They talk about religions and ethnicities. It is a complete falsehood. We saw some people even insulted Buddhism. That is not what the country really wants at this juncture. It only creates hatred among people. What we need to rebuild the country. If we all are united, we can fulfill this task.
Q: If an Interim Government is formed, is the SLPP ready to accept ministerial portfolios?
A: That decision has to be taken by the President. If we are going to form an Interim Government, responsibility should be given to its all stakeholders so that it would ensure the collective responsibility of the Government.
Otherwise, if we or any other party quit within a few months, it would be difficult to continue the Government. The JVP will never support any Government. They want to bring the country towards destruction. They want the people to beg and walk on roads. This is an unfortunate situation in our country. We should try to bring the person in the lower level to an upper level and not to drag the people from top to bottom. If we do away with this mentality, it won’t be difficult for us to rebuild this country.