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by Ananth Palakidnar

Veerasingham Anandasangari

The new leader of the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF), Veerasingham Anandasangari, MP is a veteran in Tamil politics who started his political career in the late fifties with the Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP). Anandasangari was elected leader of the TULF following the recent demise of M. Sivasithamparam.

Anandasangari shares his views on the present stance of the TULF and the current political situation in the North and East with the Sunday Observer.

(Q) - How do you see your new position as the leader of the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF)?

(A) - Well, I do not see any big difference. I have been acting as the TULF leader for the past three or four years, when late M. Sivasithamparam was in India. And now after his demise the party has made me the new leader. We are now going through a very important period with regard to the peace process and I will do my best towards finding a meaningful settlement to the North-East crisis.

(Q) - Being one of the founder members of the TULF, how do you assess the progress of the party during the past two decades?

(A) - It was a big struggle. The challenges which the TULF faced were enormous. We had to overcome several obstacles. Several of our party leaders sacrificed their lives to maintain the dignity and integrity of our party. From mid seventies onwards, the situation in the North and the East was terrible.

There were arrests, disappearances and various types of human rights violations. I was arrested in 1976 in Jaffna and brought to Colombo in an air force aircraft and later was detained at the Welikada prison for two weeks. In the eighties the situation worsened. But our past leaders were determined to find a political solution to the conflict and now under my leadership I assure that all the resources of the party will be mobilised to find a meaning settlement to the ethnic crisis.

(Q) - Could you give a brief background of your political career?

(A) - I started my career as a teacher and later I became a lawyer. I have been in politics for the past four decades. My entry into politics was initially with the Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP). I contested from Kilinochchi and was defeated twice in 1960 and 1965. Later I joined the All Ceylon Tamil Congress (ACTC) and entered Parliament after the 1970 General Elections. In 1976, when the TULF was formed following the Vaddukodai convention I joined the party under the leadership of late S. J. V. Selvanayagam and entered Parliament in 1977. Since then the TULF had seen the ups and downs in the Tamil politics and we were away from the Parliamentary politics for several years. Contesting from the Jaffna district, I re-entered Parliament after the General Elections in October 2000. And in the December 2001 polls, I contested as the prime candidate of both the TULF and the four Tamil party alliance (TNA) and was elected as the first member obtaining the highest number of preferential votes. Political trend

(Q) - How does the TULF co-ordinate with the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) which was formed just prior to the General Elections in 2001?

(A) - The TNA was formed to bring the pressure on the Government to recognise the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and to start the peace process. There are four parties aligned in the TNA - TULF, ACTC, TELO, and the EPRLF (Suresh Wing). The TNA functions as a backup force to the peace process when its assistance is needed.

(Q) - The TULF has accepted that the LTTE should negotiate with the United National Government. What have you got to say about this new political trend?

(A) - The LTTE has entered the political mainstream and come forward to bear the burden of entering into negotiations with the government. We had failed to achieve our goals in the past. Therefore when the LTTE came forward to relieve us of the burden of engaging in talks, we decided to give our fullest co-operation and to stand by the organisation on this issue.

(Q) - What is the role on the TNA in the peace process, now that there is a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed by LTTE leader V. Prabhakaran and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe?

(A) - We have been in touch with both the Government and the LTTE and are helping both sides ensure the successful implementation of the MOU.Despite certain provocations, the ceasefire is being implemented satisfactorily. The TNA is also in touch with the ceasefire monitors. On the other hand we have also been talking to the representatives of the International community and various political parties and individuals to build up overall support for the peace process.

(Q) - Since the signing of the MOU, the LTTE has engaged itself in political activities by opening offices in the North and the East. How do you see the existence of other political parties? Do they face any threats?

(A) - The LTTE is carrying out its political activities elaborately. It is very encouraging to see them concentrating more on the political side. By stabilising themselves, they will be in a better position to enter the negotiation once it starts. Since the LTTE has launched its political activities they have been co-ordinating satisfactorily with the Government officials and other political parties. Therefore I do not see any threat to other political parties from the LTTE in the North and the East. Faith

(Q) - What is the actual reason for the delay in starting the negotiations?

(A) - Well there is nothing negative. Both sides are determined to engage in talks and I can assure that the LTTE is looking forward to participating in the talks. We have faith in the Government of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and believe that everything will fall in line when the right time comes. The process may be slow. But its steady.

(Q) - What is your impression on the current political climate in the south with regard to the peace process?

(A) - Its very encouraging. The people in the south indicated their desire for peace at the General elections in December last year and they endorsed their stance at the recent local Government polls.

Unlike during previous occasions, this time the entire country, including the Buddhist clergy have rallied round the UNF Government to support the peace process. Now its upto Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and the LTTE supremo V. Prabhakaran to do the rest.

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