Loud and clear message to traitors
By Gomin Dayasiri

The message has been transmitted loud and clear –the government cannot be dismantled provided the struggle against the LTTE is properly directed. The credit should go more to Brother Gothabhaya than to the President. It's the war that saved the day for the PA government. Whatever the foreign funded NGO's may say majority of the people support the war as reflected in the vote in Parliament. It is indeed a vote more to show loyalty to the Forces- an obvious patriotic phenomenon during an ongoing war.

The message comes out meaningfully due more to the stand of the JVP. It shows that the patriotic forces which stood together at the presidential election have coalesced again, in crisis time, to defeat the forces disloyal to the nation. In the case of the UNP it is not mere disloyalty; in it is a desire to gain power rapidly, so national interest is thrown to wind and a ready willingness is shown to cohabit with the public enemy No 1. Naturally UNP is a serial loser. To the credit of the JVP they did not succumb; and does not seek any return unlike the rebels from the UNP to whom some carrot has to be offered. Indeed the JVP would have incurred the wrath if the war efforts were thwarted.

The JVP stand kills any further efforts to defeat the government; for 38 members by declining has delivered the message- though opposing the government on other fronts including major differences on political stances- it will not permit the UNP to emerge provided the war effort is relentlessly pursued successfully .Again UNP has always played Santa Claus to the LTTE and become a chimney sweep.

The temptation to defect is diminished in the governing party as the possibility of a near election recedes into the background as 38 votes reflect a bulk. CWC becomes in the circumstances, irrelevant. The UNP failed to read the obvious road signs and suffered another set back in having over identified with forces associated with the LTTE. Ranil is the President best bet for his political longevity. It also means Presidents future is dependent on the successful early completion of the war.The technique of the agents of the LTTE would be to drive a wedge between the government and the JVP to change the equation in Parliament. The losers title at the budget goes to Anura Bandaranaike who probably has cupboard full of such trophies. To Ranil's worth with experience he has learnt to take defeat gracefully and live to fight another day which deserves an honorable mention