On Referendum to be held on 22 December 1982 Lionel Bopage’s Appeal on behalf of the JVP Broadcast on Rūpavāhinī on 15 December 1982

 

On Referendum to be held on 22 December 1982 Lionel Bopage’s Appeal on behalf of the JVP Broadcast on Rūpavāhinī on 15 December 1982

Good evening, Friends!

In 1980, the Government or Sri Lanka signed an international convention on Civil and Political Rights that enshrined the right of each and every citizen to freely elect his or her representative to Parliament. To this end, the State has pledged to hold genuine and periodic elections.

Today, by attempting to substitute a Referendum for the General Elections, the UNP Government is deliberately going against the letter and the spirit of this Agreement. In addition to this, the present Constitution devalues the democratic rights of our people by giving the President, executive as well as legislative powers which enable him to personally appoint Members of Parliament, a function which hitherto, has the sole right of the people.

We are being asked today to extend the life of a Parliament, in which the majority of the members have submitted their resignations to their leader. Given the President's right to hire and fire Members of Parliament as he so desires, we therefore have very little to say as to who will be chosen to govern us.

The UNP justifies such Presidential powers and its decision to hold a Referendum by saying that this will ensure that Parliament will be free of corrupt politicians and undemocratic elements; but in reality, this would amount to governing the country according to the whims and fancies of a bunch of individuals who are not accountable to the people, and it is precisely this unaccountability that will breed corruption. On the other hand, by having a Referendum, the Government will deny the inalienable rights of representative political parties like the JVP which are not represented in Parliament, from entering Parliament.

Before he became President, Mr J. R. Jayawardena used to say that Proportional Representation was the most democratic system since it would encompass many diverse views within Parliament and will ensure fair representation based as the number of votes received. There will now be no such thing since it is clear that Mr Jayawardena has no desire to have dissenting voices in Parliament that may just expose his government for what it really is.

The reality behind the UNP’s call for a Referendum is to perpetuate its five sixth majority in Parliament for, at least, another six years. The reason for this lies in its inability to solve the ever- deepening economic crisis brought about by its policies. We have seen that the Government’s solution to this crisis has been to mortgage the country’s economic and strategic assets to foreign interests. Now that it has been re-elected, we can be sure that such policies which put a tremendous burden on the people’s shoulders, will continue unabated. This in turn will require further repressive legislation, hence the five sixth majority. There is today a very real danger that even the present limited freedom enjoyed by our people, will be lost. History has shown us time and again that dictatorships have been institutionalised through Referendums. The signs of a dictatorship in Sri Lanka are increasingly becoming ominous.

The questions posed to you at the Referendum are clear. Do you want to safeguard your hard-won democratic rights obtained since 1931 or would you rather perpetuate a system whereby those who do not represent you will continue to lead you?

We appeal to all democrats, whether you are a UNP supporter, a CWC supporter or a supporter of any other political party to resist the intimidating attacks on your rights, by joining forces and voting in strength against the Referendum by placing a cross against the symbol of the pot.

Thank you! Good Night!!