Online edition of Sunday Observer

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse Founder President of the Sri Lanka Committee for Solidarity with Palestine was interviewed by Dr. T. Jayasinghe, Correspondent in Sri Lanka for Palestine News Agency. As a consistent supporter of the Palestinian struggle PM Rajapakse is quite at home recapitulating, discussing and planning out strategies to liberate the shackled from want as he makes a bid for the highest position in our land.

Question: As the Founder President of the Sri Lanka Committee for Solidarity with Palestine since 1976 can you comment briefly on the origin and achievements of your organisation?

Answer: Traditionally Sri Lankans had very close contacts with the Arab world. Arabs had been trading with Sri Lanka for centuries. Sri Lankan kings helped the Muslim traders to settle down in Sri Lanka. Today Muslims are a very influential community in Sri Lanka.

Solidarity: Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse Founder President of the Sri Lanka Committee for Solidarity with Palestine in a convivial mood when President Yasser Arafat visited Sri Lanka

Due to these factors and the very close and cordial contacts that some Arab leaders like Gamal Abdul Nasser had with Sri Lanka we are very sensitive to the developments in the Arab world. The pioneer in the organisation of solidarity activities with the Arab world was late Mr. T. B. Ilangaratne who kept Sri Lankans well informed of the developments in the Arab world.

In 1964 two Palestinians arrived in Sri Lanka and discussed the Palestinian problem with the left leaders. From that time onwards the Palestine issue became a widely discussed matter and ultimately it even came into the manifesto of the United Front led by Sirimavo Bandaranaike. By this time the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) had been established and had gained worldwide recognition.

In 1970 the United Front formed the Government and action was taken to close the Israel Embassy and a request was made to PLO to open a Mission in Sri Lanka.

However we were made to understand that officials of the Foreign Ministry delayed the papers regarding the establishment of the PLO mission and it became necessary to agitate through an organised body. Our organisation came into being to meet the challenge of the pro-Zionist lobby.

Finally a PLO mission was opened only in 1976 just prior to the Non-aligned conference held in Sri Lanka. I as President of the Solidarity, Committee and as a Member of Parliament intervened to expedite the opening of this mission.

With the opening of the mission and the arrival of a permanent representative we are able to educate the Sri Lankan public about the just struggle of the Palestinians. We were also able to meet the allegations of the Zionist lobby that tried to picture PLO as a terrorist organisation.

Thanks to the active support given by the media we were able to give a correct picture of the Palestinian struggle to the people of Sri Lanka.

Q:I am aware that you met late President Yasser Arafat here and abroad. What is your impression of him as a leader who guided his people to create the State of Palestine.

A: I am happy to say that he was one of the greatest leaders in the world. The consistency of the struggle he waged, the risks he underwent, the active life he led and the diplomatic victories to his credit were well appreciated even by his enemies.

He won over his worst enemies and even a fair percentage of the Jewish people of Israel supported him. The world accepted him as the Head of the State of Palestine. I think that every political leader should emulate the rare qualities of late President Yasser Arafat.

A: President Yasser Arafat had a very high regard for Madam Sirimavo Bandaranaike and the people of Sri Lanka. He wanted to visit Sri Lanka in 1976 but due to unsettled conditions in the Middle East he could not make it. Later too maybe due to the presence of the Israel Interest Section in Sri Lanka he did not visit Sri Lanka. We have to understand that it is not easy for a leader like him to be away for a few days. However he suddenly decided to visit us and it was a great event.

Q: Apart from the support given by your Solidarity Committee can you tell as Prime Minister of the Government of Sri Lanka what the government had done to help the cause of Palestinians?

A: The government under Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga continued support and stood behind the Palestinian cause at every international fore. The visit of Yasser Arafat to Sri Lanka clearly demonstrated the confidence he had placed on the present leadership.

It is not a secret that the new State of Palestine is having financial problems and a few years back they decided to close down the Embassy of Palestine in Sri Lanka. But when I mentioned this to President Kumaratunga she decided to allocate a government building to house the Embassy.

As a result the Embassy of the State of Palestine stays in Sri Lanka. I understand that newspapers in Arab countries gave wide publicity to this gesture. This has brought Sri Lanka and the Arab countries closer than ever.

Q: During the visit of President Yasser Arafat to Sri Lanka he openly stated that he was prepared to act as a third party in the on going conflict with the LTTE. Can you comment?

A: Even in the Palestine - Israel conflict, Norway intervened as a third party and arranged the signing of the Peace Accord. With that experience in mind Yasser Arafat may have come forward to help us. His expression of support is itself an encouragement to all of us. This also demonstrated that he considered himself as a genuine friend of Sri Lanka. When I attended his funeral I saw that he was very much loved by the people of Palestine and the rest of the world.

Q: What is your assessment of the present situation in Palestine and what will be the future role of the Sri Lanka Committee for Solidarity with Palestine?

A: The Peace Accord and the establishment of the State of Palestine are great achievements. All super powers are committed to implement the clauses of the Peace Accord. We understand that the present President is satisfied if the clauses of the Peace Accord are implemented fully as agreed. I see some progress being made.

What further action will you take when you are elected the president of Sri Lanka at the forthcoming Presidential election?

A: We will continue to support the just struggle of the Palestinians to get back to their homeland and establish the State of Palestine with Jerusalem as the capital.

That is their final goal. As soon as the state of Palestine is established with its capital Jerusalem we will take action to open an Embassy in Palestine.

This will promote trade as in the past and most of all Muslims in Sri Lanka will be able to visit the holy shrines in Jerusalem freely without being harassed by the Israeli Government.

I take this opportunity to thank various political organizations and the general public that supported our activities. Sri Lankan media played a vital role in giving publicity to our solidarity work and I wish to thank them on behalf of our committee.