by Nalin de Silva
The formal announcement of the SLFP - JVP alliance is taking more time than that was expected at the time discussions between the two parties began several months ago. It would reflect very badly on both parties if the talks between them collapse as a result of a tussle for the posts of president and the secretary of the new alliance. It is not only the non national forces that do not wish to see the emergence of a SLFP - JVP alliance. Even some individuals and organisations in the national movement oppose such an alliance.

There are various arguments against a possible alliance between the JVP and the SLFP. There are those who think that the JVP is not a democratic party. It is true that the JVP has not given up Marxism and still talks of revolution. However, this revolution has been round the corner for more than seventy years and with the collapse of the Soviet block it is more likely that the revolution has taken a U turn before reaching the corner. If the JVP wants it can decide to go on for ever talking of a revolution to its detriment, without becoming a nationalist party. The revolution of the JVP, after 1990, is no better or worse than that of the older left parties and one could easily ignore the rhetoric of the bearded comrades in their red caps.

It is ridiculous to see some who want the "government" to negotiate with the LTTE that is still killing people, abducting children and preparing for a "war" with the "government" if it becomes necessary, do not like to see an alliance between the SLFP and the JVP coming into existence. These are, of course, the individuals and the organisations that could be included among the non national forces, and they just follow the westerners, mainly the state department in the USA and the Whitehall in Britain. The west does not like the JVP and they oppose an alliance between the SLFP and the former.

As far as the west is concerned it is not the Marxism of the JVP that distances the party from them. The Marxism of the LSSP, the NSSP, the Communist Party of Sri Lanka or even the EPRLF and the PLOTE, has not led the USA government to decide against those parties. In fact these parties have already become "friends" of the US as far as "Tamil racism" is concerned. On matters relevant to the Tamil problem, the USA state department takes a very much pro LTTE attitude and they are not bothered about the views of the public, especially of the Sinhala Buddhists of the country.

The State Department does not like the face of the JVP, because of the nationalist leanings of that party, and not because of its Marxist rhetoric. Though the JVP was defeated militarily by the existing governments on two occasions, with the help of the westerners and the others, the LTTE still roams about the country eliminating its opponents and getting ready for a "war" with the "government", if the west fails to give them the northern and the eastern provinces through the so called peace talks.

The LTTE wants its smugglers of arms, especially the sea tigers, to be recognised by the "government" and is applying pressure on both the "government" and its patrons in the west to recognise the sea tigers as another "navy". The west as shown by the steps that have been taken by the SLMM is all out to recognise the sea tigers as another navy. The "government" is still trying to deceive the people by various statements that the sea tigers would not be recognised as a navy. On such matters, there is no need to discuss with the LTTE, nor with the western powers. According to a newspaper item, the Defense Ministry has said that the LTTE should obey the "international laws" in the sea. Now statements like these are not in the interest of the country. The LTTE, though it may oppose the "government" would not be unhappy with these statements. The statement in a way accepts the authority of the sea tigers. All that the government wants is to impose the "international law" on the sea tigers.

This means that the sea tigers are recognised by the "government", and what the "government" wants from the sea tigers is to obey the "international law". The LTTE could even agree to this proposal as then the west and the "government" would have recognised a "second navy" for the country. Instead of requesting the notorious SLMM or some other party to make sure that the LTTE obeys the "international law" in the sea the "government" should direct the Sri Lankan navy to destroy the sea tigers.

It is in this background that the opposition of the non national forces to the JVP in general and the SLFP - JVP alliance in particular, has to be considered. At present the UNF though with a certain amount of delay does what the westerners want the "government" to do. The west and the other non national forces know that an SLFP - JVP alliance would not tolerate the sea tigers and would take steps to defeat the LTTE militarily and politically. Though a PA government led by the SLFP would try to please Tamil racism and make concessions to the LTTE an SLFP-JVP alliance would be more tough with the LTTE. The non national forces , including the NGOs and others are burning midnight oil to prevent such an alliance being formed.

An alliance between the SLFP and the JVP is not the panacea for all our problems. However, it is the best that could happen to Sri Lanka for the time being. Both parties, in spite of the ideologies of the leaderships are based on national sentiments.

The present members of both the SLFP and the JVP could be identified as "children of fifty six" and they have a duty by the country. The leaders are being forced by the circumstances to come together to form an alliance. However, there are Trojan horses among the leadership of the SLFP and the people should take notice of this fact. These Trojan horses have been planted by the western powers and they are associated with infamous international organisations that are financed by the West.

They have gone on "peace tours" to various countries and have no national sentiments. They have no mass base but the structure of the SLFP is such that by being close to the leader, they have become so called leaders of the party. They cannot be identified as children of fifty six by any stretch of imagination and they should be exposed early to prevent any damage that they could do in the future.

An SLFP-JVP alliance is not tolerated by the west and even if they form a Government they will find it difficult to carry on with the existing economic structure. The Sri Lankan economy is not self generated and depends on the so called aid given by the western countries. (Japan is also considered as a western country. It has now become the eastern Britain of the USA hegemony and could be expected to speak on behalf of the State Department very often in the future. Already it is involved with the Sri Lankan politics and has come against the Myanmar government. Now the USA wants Japan to take action against North Korea.) We depend on the money sent by the poor housemaids employed in the western Asian countries and may be on exports from the garment industry. Other than that the economy is based on the loans given by the westerners. There is not much production in the country and what we have is a "loan economy". We know only to obtain loans and spend them the way the so called donors would dictate us to.

The westerners are in a position to manoeuvre the politics through loans given to countries such as Sri Lanka. Mr. Bandula Gunawardane may say that loans are given to this government but were not given to the PA government due to good financial management of the UNF. However, it is not the case, and loans are given only if the westerners are in a position to get implemented what they want through the government in power. If the so called donors are not happy with a government then they could always stop the "aid" and weaken and topple the government.

The countries with ‘"loan economies" have to take this into account, especially with a middle class maintained by the "loan economy". We have an inflated middle class that depends on the loans given by the "donors" . The loans are used by the middle class as commissions, salaries etc., and it would become a problem to satisfy this new middle class, if the so called aid is stopped by the western powers. An SLFP-JVP alliance will have to take this factor into account and they would not be able to carry out policies that are not in the interests of the westerners unless they find a solution to this problem. The future of an SLFP-JVP alliance will be determined by the way the leaders decide to handle this middle class.