Diferences of opinion among the opposition ranks was evident even before the protests began when the JVP withdrew support. They said that the protest was only a political stunt aimed at raising the profile of the parties involved and nothing more. In the end, it didn’t amount to even that.
That disputes arose among the participants during the protest is deplorable. That led to Opposition Leader Premadasa being heckled by a section of the protest’s participants. It conveyed two messages: firstly, that the opposition was so hopelessly divided that they cannot even reach agreement on a simple matter as to what course of action to follow, when the protest was being stalled by Police.
Secondly, the events led to a negative portrayal of Premadasa, that he was incapable of leading from the front in a high-pressure situation, a desirable attribute in a potential contender for the highest office in the land. Whether that is justified or not, it doesn’t help the opposition’s cause.
To say that last week’s protest by opposition parties against the government was a non-event is to be charitable. More ominously, it may be a forerunner of events to come if the collective opposition doesn’t reflect carefully on what happened and initiate remedial action.
In the days leading up to the protest, the government’s mouthpieces such as Vajira Abeywardena for instance, made it clear that the authorities will go to any length to stop any unrest. That was no secret. The opposition too maintained a defiant note saying the protest would go ahead anyway.
If the public took the opposition seriously, they cannot be blamed. For the purposes of this protest, they consisted of the major opposition party in Parliament, the Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB), the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and the more radical Frontline Socialist Party (FSP). The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna, usually at the forefront of such protests gave their excuses and kept away.
If the public expected an ‘aragalaya’ type showdown between the opposition and the law enforcement authorities, that simply did not happen. Instead, the opposition parties were faced with a human wall of Policemen blocking their route from the Elphinstone theatre in Maradana to the Fort Railway Station.
Faced with the prospect of countering the heavily armed Police and risking the consequences- injury, assault, arrest and detention, the opposition took the path of least resistance, but not without some dissension in their own ranks. The FSP members were keen to challenge the Police personnel and press ahead. The SJB and the SLFP were reluctant.
SJB and Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa made a short speech to say that their aim was not to create a breach of peace and that the protest should be legal at all times. Hence a ‘strategic retreat’ was being resorted to, Premadasa said, but he was jeered and heckled and made a hasty retreat. In the end, the protest petered out.
These events raise very important questions regarding the conduct of the opposition. It appears to be the thinking of most parties in the opposition that, simply because the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) is not at the height of its popularity due to the prevailing economic and political circumstances in the country, the SLPP would inevitably be defeated at the next elections and they would be in power by default.
The opposition must realise that, although President Ranil Wickremesinghe can call general elections next year, he wouldn’t do so if it is disadvantageous to him. If the current Parliament continues for longer that would provide ample time for the SLPP to regroup- and they have already started the process.
While it is readily conceded that the majority of the public is disgruntled and disgusted with the SLPP, they are not particularly keen on the opposition either. Last week’s events wouldn’t have enhanced their confidence in the major opposition parties. In fact, if anything, what little confidence they would have had would have diminished to some extent after the protest ended as a flop.
Some pertinent questions are worth raising. If everyone was aware from days prior that the government was all out to stifle the protest march, why didn’t the opposition explore alternatives? Why wasn’t a fall-back plan formulated in advance, knowing that Wickremesinghe is the type of leader who has displayed dictatorial arrogance and zero tolerance towards dissent since the day he assumed duties as Acting President?
Weeks of organising went in to last Wednesday’s protest. Surely, all that effort was not merely to gather at the Elphinstone theatre and, when confronted by a posse of policemen, disperse with nothing to show in terms of arousing public interest?
Differences of opinion among the opposition ranks was evident even before the protests began when the JVP withdrew support. They said that the protest was only a political stunt aimed at raising the profile of the parties involved and nothing more. In the end, it didn’t amount to even that.
That disputes arose among the participants during the protest is deplorable. That led to Opposition Leader Premadasa being heckled by a section of the protest’s participants. It conveyed two messages: firstly, that the opposition was so hopelessly divided that they cannot even reach agreement on a simple matter as to what course of action to follow, when the protest was being stalled by Police.
Secondly, the events led to a negative portrayal of Premadasa, that he was incapable of leading from the front in a high-pressure situation, a desirable attribute in a potential contender for the highest office in the land. Whether that is justified or not, it doesn’t help the opposition’s cause.
We do not expect all parties in the opposition to march to the beat of a single drum. However, if they are all in a mad scramble to steal each other’s thunder and outdo each other, the only beneficiaries will be the SLPP and the UNP. That is what happened last week.
The SJB and the FSP, for instance are ideologically poles apart. However, if they had decided to come together on a common platform even for a day, they should have worked out the details and reached an understanding on the parameters of that agreement, so that they don’t end up embarrassing each other which is also what happened last week.
What the failed protest at Maradana demonstrated was that, while the SLPP might be in dire straits owing to the events of the past three years, the opposition fares no better in the eyes of the general public. An answer that is frequently received when citizens are questioned about the ability of President Ranil Wickremesinghe to solve the nation’s problems is ‘who else is there?’.
That is a spectacular indictment on the state of the opposition and its lack of a credible alternative who has the key leadership qualities of competency, integrity and charisma. We can only hope that last week’s events served at least one purpose- that of giving the collective opposition a rude wake up call.
