Eelam, a nameboard like Peliyagoda in a decade - Kingsley Wickramaratne

'Eelam' in future will only be a nameboard of a township like Peliyagoda. Let us give it for namesake; said Southern Province Governor Kingsley T. Wickramaratne. In an interview with the Sunday Observer staffer Jayantha Sri Nissanka, the Governor cracked "let us give Eelam, in ten years it will be another Peliyagoda".

Q: You have been entrusted by other Governors at the recently concluded Governors conference to fight to win back the powers under the 13th Amendment to find a solution to the North and East problem. How confident are you of that task and how will you find a solution under the framework of the Provincial Council system?

A: The Governors passed a resolution to regain powers devolved from the 13th Amendment. There are lots of advantages of the Provincial Council (PC) system. When the PC system was introduced in 1987, I was in the opposition and the SLFP opposed it. But later I realised that countries are becoming smaller by forming groups like the European Union(EU). These states became more successful. So why are we afraid to devolve power? There is no need to introduce a new solution to the ethnic problem. We can use the PC system as a solution to ethnic problem. If the late President J. R. Jayewardene had given a portion of the country to the LTTE, then it would have divided the country. Instead, he created nine PCs to devolve power. But due to certain `pressure groups' he was scared to grant full powers to the PCs.

Q: How can the 13th Amendment address the issues that have surfaced over the last two decades?

A: I see the 13th Amendment as a base to move from the present deadlock. Another solution will be a failure. This solution is in the Constitution and also there is a Provincial Council Act to implement the 13th Amendment. It is just a matter of giving more powers to end the hostilities in the N and E. We must give greater powers to PCs and merge certain provinces like the Central Province with North Central Province because these two provinces are too small. Some people urge to demerge the N and E but it is not fair after 20 years. Majority of our people have a misnomer on devolving power. We still think that Parliament is supreme and believe that Parliamentary democracy prevails. But after 1977, Sri Lanka is governed by the Presidential rule, and not by the Parliamentary democratic system. The PCs should be given full powers to run its own police force. Southern Province Police force can be called Ruhuna Police force. Let the LTTE call the N and E Police Force, Eelam police or whatever name they want. There is nothing in a name. Why should we worry about names.

Q: What guarantee do you have that we can address the disparities in the Provinces under the PC system?

A: The LTTE is asking for greater devolution. The 13th Amendment is a better devolution than the Indian model. We must improve the facilities in all provinces. Computer literacy is very poor in certain provinces.

We need a digital rich society. We boast about 94% literacy in Sri Lanka, but our digital literacy is just 9 percent. So we need to improve education facilities. We should connect smaller towns with main cities. If we cluster the smaller schools with bigger schools, we can reduce the rush for popular schools. In this exercise, we can improve economic development. Specially in the N and E we can improve tourism by beautifying beaches. The palmyrah industry is another good source of income for the NE people.

They even used to produce strawberry jam sometime ago. Each region can develop industries according to available resources. Tamils are hard working people.

Under the PC system we need to revamp the present administrative system. The Judicial system should improve within the regions with Appeal Courts.

Q: Don't you think that we are too late to implement the PC system because it's now 19 years old and we are still struggling to devolve power?

A: Yes, we are too late but after the ceasefire, the LTTE was asking something and we have to respond. We can give them powers through the PC system. Our 13th Amendment is a better devolution than the Indian model. We developed it with our own experience and our own model. It is not like the American, French or Indian models.

Q: You were a powerful Minister in the People's Alliance Government but you never voiced this at that time. Why is the sudden turn now?

A: Why not, I voiced many a time. If I tell you one day at the Select Committee meeting former President Chandrika Kumaratunga snapped at me as I was silent. Normally, I contribute at every controversial meeting. Then I told, `Madam will you give me permission to say what I have to say even if it is foolish'. She permitted me to express my views. Then I said `Madam, the LTTE is asking Eelam and why can't we give it. We must give the Eelam. Everyone was shocked. Why I said so was that, after ten years, Eelam will be just a name board like Peliyagoda. You just see the political development in the world. The World is breaking into smaller states. European Union is one such example. In Europe the greatest wars took place on ethnicity, boundaries, power, natural resources etc., but today there are no boundaries and a EU citizen can freely move. Likewise, in ten years time, there will not be an Eelam, it will be just a name board. We are killing each other every day for no gain. I propose to grant full powers and autonomy to the N and E province. Let them call it Eelam Province or whatever name they like. I will call the Southern province as Ruhuna Province. Let all these provinces use their currencies, but printed by the Central Bank. This is important to maintain their culture. No country was ever divided on the name be it unitary, federal or union, flag, national anthem or otherwise. But countries were divided only if there were two Central Banks. Irish people use their own currency today but it is printed by the Bank of London. One day the world will move towards one currency.

Q: But can we let a terrorist organisation to rule the N and E?

A: No, there will be elections. North will select their members and the East will select their members. Members of both provinces will work together to develop N and E.

Q: Do you think that LTTE leader Prabhakaran will accept the 19-year-old 13th Amendment as a solution to the ethnic problem because he wants more?

A: You tell me what more can we give him. Nothing beyond that.

Q: So how can you convince him to accept the Provincial Councils system as the only solution?

A: It is my belief that before the end of this year, the terrorist problem will be solved with the intervention of the European Union and other countries. For the first time, India works closely with the USA and conducts naval exercises in the Indian Ocean because of the Al Qaeda problem. It will, in a big way help to settle our problem. India wants to solve the NE problem because India is scared it will spread to Chennai. This is the maximum we can give to the LTTE. It's like their own and they can have any name for the N and E province. They have land, police, etc except for military powers.

Q: You are talking about giving more powers to the PCs. But once misinterpreting a Supreme Court judgment, the Central Government took the Agrarian services under its control. But Justice Shirani Bandaranayake gave a landmark judgment stating that Agrarian Services come under the PCs. Three years lapsed, still the Central Government had not complied with the Supreme Court order. Don't you think that you are dreaming because all the Central Governments in the past were reluctant to devolve powers to the periphery?

A: No, once the powers are given and the administrative structure is in place, it will work. Officials still think that the Central Government is powerful. Central Government Ministers are useless because Parliament is no more supreme. Once full powers are giving Governors of respective provinces will be powerful Heads. Now Government gives me Rs. 6 billion a year. We get very little money for capital expenditure and I have to spend Rs. 6 billion only for recurrent expenses.

Q: The 13th Amendment was introduced as a solution to the N and E problem. But except the N and E today, all the PCs are functioning. Some say PCs are white elephants, because the public has to bear an unnecessary cost to maintain them. What is your view?

A: Even I used to call it a white elephant when I opposed it at that time. But today I have realised the importance of the PC system which can render a yeomen service to the rural masses. A PC member is the closest person to the people, but members can't do anything today. Minister Nimal Siripala sometimes comes to the Southern Province and conducts development projects and hands over those projects to us. But we find it difficult to recruit a watcher to look after that project, because it is not budgeted. We get ambulances but we can't hire a driver because it has not been budgeted. We were given a fire brigade but can't get 14 firemen because there is no cadre. But if he allocates such funds, then we can plan development projects. If powers are given to us, expenditure of the Central Government will reduce tremendously. In Canada, USA, EU Countries municipal councils are very powerful.

Q: I have interviewed some of the previous governors, chief ministers. They were of the same view. They claimed they would fight tooth and nail to get powers. I think you are no different. So how will you prove yourself?

A: I have a great advantage. The President has set up an All Party Representative Committee to work on a new mechanism to find a solution to the NE problem. I will present our views to the President. We will draft a new set of proposals because the President asked everyone to plan out new ideas without copying the exiting models. That is why I was really interested to battle for powers. I will request to set up a permanent committee to study our proposals and use this as a base to improve a final solution to the N and E problem.

Q: Finally the fate of your proposals will be in the hands of the President. Do you think that the Central Government Ministers will let him devolve all powers to the PCs as they may become redundant?

A: The President is genuine to find a solution to the NE problem. He will do everything possible to settle the present conflict. If the UNP supports us to amend the 13th Amendment, then we can pass it. It is the responsibility of the UNP. UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe who always advocates greater autonomy will never oppose a document that grants autonomy to N and E provinces and all other provinces. He should not run away from this as usual and give excuses once it is tabled in Parliament.