Introduction

JVP leader Somawansa Amarasinghe denies that he is a dictator and says the doors are still open to Wimal Weerawansa to answer charges before the politburo and central committee.

Q: What is the reason for disciplinary action against Wimal Weerawansa?
A: He did not tow the party line.

Q: Throughout?
A: After the Presidential election, we discussed with the SLFP to join the government. We decided that we would have nothing to do with the government. Wimal Weerawansa was bound to abide by that decision but he did not tow the party line. He was towing the government’s line. I have mentioned just some of the instances when we could not get him to talk about problems that arose. One instance was when Tamil people were forcefully evicted from the lodges and from Colombo. There were so many other instances. Read his press interviews, other articles and statements made in parliament. You can see the difference between our statements and his. We brought this to his notice that we wanted him to carry the party line.

Q: What did he say?
A: There were so many explanations that we couldn’t accept. One was that the government was trying to defeat terrorism and that we must not disturb them by taking other issues into consideration. He tried to convince us that he is correct.

Q: Is it not permissible for politicians in the JVP to decide according to their conscience?
A: We have all agreed to abide by the party constitution. It cannot be violated. It says very clearly that the minority must abide by the decisions of the majority. The individual is subordinate to the collective leadership.

Q: Aren’t you being a dictator?
A: I’m not the person running the show... it’s the politburo and central committee. I’m just one of the members.

Q: Why did the other ten MPs go if everyone else in the JVP is happy?
A: We have to investigate that. We did not know they were to go. Some of our comrades in parliament informed me that some people were going to announce they will no longer be with our party. I was at Pelawatte when I heard this. I told comrade Lalkantha and other members of the politburo to tell them that they can discuss any problems they have... that the doors are open to talk with me and the other MPs. But some of them were taken in vehicles (from parliament) saying they were going to Pelawatte.

Q: What happened afterwards?
A: They were taken to the house where the PNM (Patriotic National Movement) is located. There, somebody who had been expelled from the party gave a lecture. Comrade Ranaweera Pathirana noticed then that there was a conspiracy behind all these actions. He called me from there and told me what was happening. He said they were at a house in Rajagiriya and that he had mistakenly come with these people. I told him to stay with them. Anyhow, he couldn’t leave. Wimal Weerawansa was not there. Someone else was teaching them. They were virtually under house arrest. He stayed with them, went to Nippon Hotel and took part in the press conference but he wanted all the MPs to go to Pelawatte. He told them that I was waiting for them. ‘Let’s go and discuss the problem. It’s our party and we must know what has been happening. There’s an allegation that Wimal was expelled from the party. Let’s go and see if it’s true or not,’ he said. There was pandemonium. He called me again and said he didn’t have a vehicle to come back. We sent one. He came to Pelawatte and divulged everything.

Q: What of the others?
A: Let’s see if the others will return. Only now do they understand what has happened during the last few days. They were just victims of a conspiracy. They can come to the party office and discuss their position with the politburo. The politburo will take a decision. I can’t say what that will be. The doors are open even for Wimal Weerawansa. He should come because we have charges against him.

Q: How is it that both you and Wimal are alleging conspiracies?
A: I brought the charges before the central committee in front him. That’s not a conspiracy. I didn’t discuss with anybody in the central committee or politburo beforehand that I’m going to make charges against him. How can there be a conspiracy then? The conspiracy is this. It’s to take the MPs in their vehicles saying that they are going to Pelawatte. There’s a conspiracy, of course. We are still investigating it. Afterwards, we will explain to the people of this country what the conspiracy is and in favour of whom. Let me add this - there’s no room in the constitution for any member of the JVP to discuss a problem that should have been discussed within the party in parliament and to ask the speaker’s help in finding a solution.

Q: Has Wimal been expelled?
A: No, the doors are still open. He can attend the central committee, the politburo and our general secretary Tilvin Silva is informing him of what’s happening. You can check our general secretary’s phone bill to see whether or not he has contacted him.

Q: The root cause of this problem is that you’re worried when somebody becomes more prominent than you, isn’t it?
A: How can that be? We win over people from the general public and we keep them. We do everything for that person to become a leader. Leaders are being fostered in this party. This is the only party that helps everybody, every member, to become a leader.

Q: Why are the more high profile members being targeted in recent times? Look what happened to Nandana Gunetilleke and now Wimal Weerawansa?
A: Did you notice that Wimal was not at the Aprel Viru Samaruwa? Do you know that he was invited? At the last moment he refused to attend. That’s not our fault. Nandana left the party and was expelled. The JVP is not like other political parties in Sri Lanka. This is the only party that abides by the constitution and takes disciplinary action against anybody, including me. Although I’m supposed to be the leader, I’m not a dictator. There are no dictators in the JVP. Nobody can become a dictator in the JVP.

Q: Nevertheless, why are people like Tilvin, Bimal and Handunetti given less importance than before?
A: I just can’t understand why you ask me that. Comrade Bimal was at the Aprel Viru Samuruwa. Sunil was in another district that day and he was attending meetings. I think he had press interviews and went before television. There’s no problem. If there’s a problem, we’ll tell the people. Tilvin Silva was in Italy. Now, he’s in office. If you think it’s important to interview him, no problem. I can notify him.

Q: Is this mess going to affect the outcome of the eastern election for the JVP?
A: There’s no mess at all. There will be a very small effect. It would not be true to say there would be no effect at all. When we come out of it, we will be stronger than before. This is not a new thing for the JVP. Something worse happened in the 1970s when Dharmasekera organised a faction to work against the party. Our constitution says very clearly that nobody can build factions inside the party. No factions are tolerated because it’s a cancer. Anyone is free to leave the party if he or she does not agree with the activities, constitution or political line.

Q: Would you agree that Wimal Weerawansa did a lot for the party?
A:Everybody did a lot for the party. Why only Weerawansa?

Q: Aren’t you ashamed that the JVP has now fallen to the levels of the SLFP and UNP, washing dirty linen in public?
A: If we did not take action, we would have fallen into a worse situation. The SLFP and UNP never take action against those who violate their constitution. They are unable to take action. We could not keep silent because Wimal, for the first time since 1994, took this matter to parliament, to the general public. When he utters lies, we will have to respond.

Q: What else is new?
A: It’s the beginning of the end of the faction.