For anything, we turn to India - Mahinda Rajapaksa
Mahinda Rajapaksa, Sri Lanka's president, makes no bones about
his government's desire for greater Indian involvement in resolving the
ethnic crisis affecting his country. Speaking to a nine-member Indian
Women's Press Corps team, which visited Sri Lanka last week, including
rediff.com Managing Editor (National Affairs) Sheela Bhatt, the Sri
Lankan president explains the difficulties he faces negotiating with
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam leader Velupillai Prabhakaran, a man
who he says, "will not understand democracy." A conversation with
President Rajapaksa:
What are your expectations from India?
(Raises his eyebrows) Oh my God! Huge! (Laughs heartily) India is a
very good friend of ours. For anything, we turn to India, in history and
today. I was there (in New Delhi for a State visit) recently.
Earlier, I have visited India as a minister. Since 1996 I visit Dehra
Dun every year. In Dehra Dun there is a human rights organisation (the
Rural Litigation and Entitlement Kendra, an NGO that 'aims to spread and
inculcate human rights culture' in South Asia and is affiliated to Visva
Bharati university.) I used to interact with many leaders, friends,
lawyers and former Chief Justices (of India) over there.
As an actor, were you interested in Indian films?
I am not an actor. I have acted only in one film and two tele-dramas.
Do you watch Indian films?
Do you know Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baje? (A V Shantaram dance
extravaganza, made in 1955, the first film in India to be produced in
technicolour.) (Laughs.) Here most television channels are full of
Indian films. South Indian films are very popular.
What are the challenges of your presidency?
When I took over, the peace process was in a crucial stage. The
initial period was most difficult and I would say the most dangerous
period. What all the LTTE has done! It is a terrorist organisation. They
have killed your prime minister. There is a ban on it in your country. I
want to have peace with them.
I have invited them for peace talks. In fact, I am trying my best. I
would like your (India's) support, world support for peace in Sri Lanka.
Many people in Colombo feel India would be more appropriate as an
intermediary than Norway. I don't think the Indian army would get
directly involved because of the history of the IPKF (Indian Peace
Keeping Force). Every possible way you must help us. I don't want to
give you a list (but), I have nothing to hide.
What kind of help can India provide?
India is our neighbour. India has the capability to persuade this man
Prabhakaran, (to bring him) to the table. I am not for war. I am not one
to want war but see what is happening in Lebanon. No one is talking
about it. The world is silent when innocent people are dying.
The West is silent but if I started a war a lot of people will come
out and say... (does not conclude his sentence) When Indian Foreign
Secretary Shyam Saran was here he came with some very specific proposals
centering around greater autonomy for the north and eastern regions.
Are you considering these proposals?
We have already appointed a committee of specialists. I have told
them to study all these models, especially the Indian model. But I want
the Sri Lankan model because this is Sri Lanka. We are a small country.
So you think federalism will not work in Sri Lanka? Whatever the
solution, everybody must be able to accept it - whether the south, the
west or the north. The Sinhalese, the Muslims or Tamils - everybody
should accept it. We may have the Sri Lankan model. I have invited all
the political parties, experts and the army for a round table
conference. A meeting is going on.
They will give me one or two proposals that I can put up to the LTTE
because I also want their views on it. Some observers are puzzled over
the sudden breakdown of the talks, which seemed to be going well...
Because this man (Prabhakaran) is a man who will not understand
democracy. It is very difficult to persuade a man like this! He doesn't
understand things while living in the jungle, surrounded by his people.
He is not moving out, no one can meet him except very few.
Can you negotiate with such a man?
He claims to be championing the Tamil cause. Does he have the support
of the Tamils? No. This is the whole trouble. There are other political
parties.
How many Tamil political leaders have been killed?
From (Tamil Union Liberation Front leader A) Amritalingam onwards,
how many have been killed? A man who came to help them, Rajiv Gandhi,
was killed by them. He was not even a Sri Lankan. In India, there is a
DMK government in Tamil Nadu, which has an alliance with the Congress
party in the state.
The Congress is running a government at the Centre with DMK support.
(Rajiv Gandhi's widow) Sonia Gandhi is the most important person in
Indian politics. In this context, how hopeful are you? We may not
comment on this issue. They (the Tamil parties in India) can pressurise
that group (the LTTE).
All Tamils are not LTTE. Most Tamils live here in Colombo. In Colombo
39 per cent of the population is Tamil. In the Colombo municipality our
deputy mayor is a Tamil.
Is this because the Tamils don't feel safe in the northern areas?
People are complaining. Some of them are sent to India. The LTTE is
sending them to India. The LTTE wants Tamil people to go to India. They
are organising it. We have our refugee camps. We have informed them (the
refugees who are going to India) that they can come and stay here.
Are you trying to control the flow of refugees to India?
Yes, I am trying to do that, but in those (LTTE controlled) areas,
the LTTE is very powerful. In the night they will come and shoot them!
We have to be practical. The LTTE is not ready to accept other political
parties. Recently an Indian journalist went there (north-east Sri
Lanka). I wanted to hear from him how things are (inside LTTE controlled
areas). He said it is all slogans.
We must open talks with other Tamil groups. The LTTE has tried to
kill the Tamil leader of the EPRLF (Eelam People's Revolutionary
Liberation Front) Douglas Devananda 15 to 18 times. He can't even
remember how many times he has been attacked. Recently the LTTE tried to
kill him by sending a suicide bomber.
Sir, do you fear a risk to your life?
Why should I? When you come into politics you have to accept
anything. Are the peace talks still on? I have enough faith I can do it
(resolve the conflict). I am ready to discuss. We are ready to talk to
the LTTE, ready to work with them. Prabhakaran is a Sri Lankan, not an
outsider. I am ready to talk, but he is not ready.
After Rajiv Gandhi's assassination India does not have the leverage
to bring him to the table. He is wanted in India for the assassination.
India wants to try him. We must do that. We must do that (try
Prabhakaran for Rajiv Gandhi's assassination).
Courtesy: rediff.com
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