All three communities must put heads together:

Conflict essentially a problem of ours - R. Sampanthan

Q: You have met the high level Indian delegation which came to Colombo last week. What was the outcome of the meeting?

A: We basically exchanged views about the present situation in Sri Lanka.

They emphasized a political solution to the conflict instead of a military one. They said they want to contribute their best efforts to a peaceful resolution of the conflict.

Q: You were advocating an Indian intervention to solve the national problem throughout but at the end of this meeting with them, according to the Tamilnet, you have said that “Tamils believed all these days that they were the natural allies of India but it is not so today”. What do you really mean by this?

A: I do not know whether I was quoted correctly. I did emphasize the fact that the Tamil people in Sri Lanka were natural allies of India. We have strong cultural and linguistic affiliations but the Tamils were somewhat disappointed as to what the India had been able to achieve in the past was done away with. As a representative of my people I had to convey the true feelings of the Tamils to the Indian official representatives. I only performed my duty.

Q: Do you think that India has a vital role to play in resolving the conflict?

A: I think that India is a country which by virtue of its proximity, its status as a regional power and its friendship with all people Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims in Sri Lanka, India it is probably the best equipped to solve the problem. But it also depends on how the three communities are prepared to resolve the problem. Because, this is essentially a problem of ours and not a problem of theirs’.

The role of international players can only be able to do to a certain extent. They cannot do anything and everything. We have to contribute to solve our own problem.

Q: The government is confident that peace can be brought through the 13th Amendment. Those who represented the TULF in early discussions to formulate this Amendment have later strongly opposed it. Do you still hold the same view?

A: When the government came into power they accepted a political solution agreed by all the communities in Sri Lanka which need to be brought to resolve this problem. The government took certain steps by appointing the APRC and the Experts Committee.

They made their own reports and all were far beyond the 13th Amendment, including the report of the APRC’s chairman. So I must tell very frankly the government itself realized the limitations and initiated a process to get the views of all the political parties. However, the government is now trying to implement it as a solution. I think the government is not honest.

I strongly believe that the 13th Amendment is not a solution and never be a solution to the conflict because this was rejected by us in 1988, which is inadequate to address the grievances of the Tamils.

Q: You emphasized the fact that a solution should be found beyond the 13th amendment. So what are the solutions that you are suggesting?

A: Since the Sinhalese are the absolute majority, they constitute over 75 percent of the population. So there is nothing that they have to be feared about.

Ultimately the Sinhalese will rule this country because they are the majority, but there are certain parts of the country, especially the North and East where the Tamils have historically lived. That is why even under the 1972 and 1978 Constitutions Tamils have been given a special place, Tamil language has been given special place in the North and East because the Tamil speaking people have predominantly lived in the North and Eastern parts of this country.

We have been all along demanding from the time of Chelvanayakam that there must be a Tamil linguistic region. And if that is achievable we all want a united country. We do not want the country to be divided.

The Sinhalese and Tamils are not the same though we have a lot in common. But we have our differences. We want to preserve our cultural and linguistic identities within a framework of a united Sri Lanka. And Sinhalese can give this to us, because they are the majority. And, if it is given to Tamils, we will help to develop the whole country.

Q: You were a senior lawyer and politician respected by all the communities. Why do you want to promote a ‘mono ethnic separate state’ for Tamils, which is the dream of the LTTE?

A: No, I will not say that it was the dream of the LTTE. After Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa became the President in November 2005 in his first speech that Prabhakaran made, he said ‘’You are supposed to be a pragmatic person”.

Please come up with a set of proposals that will satisfy the aspirations of the Tamil people’’. Where is that set of proposals? If there is any I can catch Prabhakaran by the ear and tell him that ‘if there are some we can accept, talk about and work on it’. The President Rajapaksa appointed the APRC and started to formulate.

Then he suspended the whole thing and went back to the 13th Amendment which was 20 years old. Why? Because the JHU, MEP and a section of the JVP put pressure on it.

What had happened to P-TOMS? The LTTE was prepared to work on the P-TOMS.

There was the ISGA agreement. Then we could bring the LTTE into the political mainstream. Without coming up with a set of proposals, which even Sampanthan can accept, how can you come to a conclusion that the LTTE is for a mono-ethnic state?

Q: Do you believe that having a separate state for Tamils would solve their problems?

A: We have always been opposed to separation. In the 1970 Parliamentary Elections the Federal Party in its manifesto asked the Tamil people to oppose any one who contested on a separatist platform. Because there was no acceptable political solution. We do not think a separate state is an imperative demand. The question of separate state comes to the fore only in the context that there is no acceptable alternative. This is our position.

Q: A large number of your contemporaries in Tamil politics such as Amirthalingam, Dr. Neelan Tiruchelvam and Yogeswaran were brutally assassinated by the LTTE. For some time you were in the forefront to condemn the LTTE. How come you have changed your mind and remain a so-called proxy of the LTTE?

A: Killing of Amirthalingam, Yogeswaran and Tiruchelvam cannot ever be justified. They were wrong and they should have never been killed. That is my view that day and that is my view even today. That will always be my view. There is no question about it. But I cannot be looking at the past. I have to look at the future. If I live in the past the problem will never be solved.

The past is past. Because of lapses on the part of the successive governments the LTTE has intensified its struggle.

I have not changed and I am still the same and I am only doing what the time demands.

Q: All the senior Tamil politicians, including you, Mr. Anandasangaree and Minister Devananda are in different camps today. How genuine are you in solving the grievances of your own people and do you agree that all these actors are misleading the ordinary masses?

A: Minister Devananda is already in the Government. He has been with the UNF, SLFP Government. As far as we are concerned today out of 23 MPs from the North East 22 are from our Party. Out of the 16 MPs from the North 15 are from the TNA. The only Tamil who represents the EPDP is Minister Devananda. Some people are saying that there was violence at the election and I am not saying that it was totally violence free. It was a much better election compared to the last Eastern PC election.

Tamil people are very sensible people. What they want is their children’s education, to save little money, look after their properties and mainly they want peace. If there is peace in this country it will flourish.

Q: But still you did not answer my question. Are these political actors misleading the Tamils?

A: No. I do not say that. Anandasangaree is totally anti LTTE. But in all other matters he was with us. He got federalism, he got a merged North East. There is no difference. I only tell him that the LTTE may longing for many matters but we need to solve this problem. So we cannot throw them out.

Q: You said you are for non-violence. But by helping the LTTE your are eating your own words.

A: Remember this is not helping the LTTE. This whole struggle is to bring about a peaceful solution to end the sufferings of Tamils.

Q: Though you support non-violence, you will unwillingly represent the views of the LTTE when you approve their ways to win the demands by terror?

A: I do not agree with their violence and I cannot accept their bombing of buses and railways killing innocent people. When the government bombed their areas in Wanni and people were killed and the LTTE will come and do some damage here.

Q: Do you want to justify the LTTE way of taking revenge?

A: No. I am against violence by both sides. But politically if the government want to solve this problem the LTTE must also be on board.

Q: But the interest for negotiation should come from the LTTE. They were given a chance for table their views but they used them tactically to come up.

A: Don’t say that they are not prepared. Their position still is that the government has not come up with anything. The simple position of the LTTE is that the Sri Lankan government had never come up with anything and will never come up with anything. So until then they have to fight.

Q: People claim that the TNA is the mouth piece of the LTTE. Is it correct?

A: No. I don’t say that we are the mouth piece of the LTTE. I am a democratic politician who belongs to the old political era, the Federal Party and the TULF. And I have not changed a bit. I am the same. I totally oppose all forms of violence. I am for a negotiated settlement for the Tamil question.

I want peace in Sri Lanka and I want all the people in Sri Lanka to be happy citizens of this country. The armed struggle would have never started and the LTTE would never come into existence if this problem was settled during Chelvanayakam’s or Amirthalingam’s time. Without implementing the Bandaranaike-Chelvanayakam Pact or the Dudley-Chelva Pact you are saying Sampanthan is the mouth piece of the LTTE.

No point in saying that. The persons who must accept responsibility for situation prevailing in this country today are the persons who have opposed and who are even now opposing an acceptable peaceful resolution to the conflict. They are the persons who should take the responsibility and not anybody else.

That is why I have always been advocating that the two main parties - SLFP and the UNP should come together and work together to find a solution to the national question. We are still for a peaceful solution.

Q: How do you define this conflict - is it an ethnic conflict or a conflict to defeat terrorism?

A: I say this is an ethnic conflict which came up due to ethnic discrimination, ethnic exclusion and ethnic inequality. The Tamil people were excluded from governance, employment opportunities and resources in their own territories. In 1950s, 1960s and 1980s only the Tamil people became the victims of violence. They were denied their rights. They were discriminated.

Q: But just now you have said that ‘Past is past’. Can you say that there was no ethnic conflict in that era. Can you point out a single occasion that a Sinhalese went against Tamils or an event that they were discriminated because of their being Tamils today. So how can you claim that still it is the ethnic conflict?

A: Yes, of course it is still the ethnic conflict. As long as the causes of ethnic conflict remains unaddressed and when there is no acceptable solution by political means the conflict continues.

When violence takes place in a another dimension, the ethnic conflict remains basically a conflict.Why am I in politics? Not because I want to support the violence of the LTTE but the grievances of the Tamils have not yet been solved. The LTTE tells me “that your method wont bring anything to Tamils. You have been trying it for the past so many years but you have failed. The Sri lankan government will never solve it. So we must follow our methods”.

Q: But the Tamil militancy have failed to addresse the grievances of the Tamils so far and even the international community has rejected it.

Therefore how do you alien with the views of the LTTE, which hardly shown any interest in a negotiated settlement?

A: It is not a question of agreeing with the LTTE. It’s a question of working out for something honour and reasonable basis which is an acceptable solution to all the people in this country and to the international community. And also a solution that bring the LTTE into the peace process.

The LTTE thinks that such a process would never emerge.

When they read this interview they will say that Sampanthan is mad. I am scolding them telling that if the government tabled something reasonable that they should give up arms. They asked me “ Sir do you think that we like to remain in jungles. No. we like to live like others in town. But do you think that the government will do so, Sir?”.

Q: All along the LTTE claimed that they are the sole representatives of the Tamils. But this has become a myth as Pillaiyan taking the Eastern power. How do you see the newly established provincial Council administration?

A: I do not recognize a separate Eastern province. Separate eastern province is a violation of the Indo-Lanka agreement. It is a violation of the international treaties. It is the duty of the incumbent government to rectify the merger and bring about a proper merger.

So I do not recognize a separate Eastern province. Eventually the representatives who have chosen by the people.

Q: So you do not believe that the LTTE is the sole representative of the Tamils?

A: Anybody can say anything. When there is a final acceptable solution, the people have to chose their representatives.

Q: Is that true that some of the TNA MPs are to join the TMVP?

A: No, not that to my knowledge. I do not think TNA MPs will move to the TMVP.

What you can do by becoming Provincial Councillors. Even Chandrika Kumaratunga said when she was the Chief Minister of the Western Province, that she does not have power more than a peon.

Q: You are constantly in touch with Wanni. How do you see the present situation, where people are suffering under the clutches of the LTTE?

A: I won’t say I am constantly in touch with Wanni. People are suffering, especially due to bombing. People do not have employment. Basically you have to ask them whether they are happy. But people are carrying on. Their only hope is that the war will come to an end and they will get a peaceful solution to this question. They do not believe in war.

Q: The Military is attacking Wanni successfully and do you think that the LTTE can hold ground in future?

A: I am not a military person to comment on this. So I do not know whether army or the LTTE will win. But what I can say is ultimately in a war nobody will win. All sides are losers.

Q: The military is accused for carrying out offensives and don’t you think that the continuous violence of the LTTE has led the government to adopt a military approach to defeat terrorism?

A: As I said before the LTTE’s manifestation is for an acceptable political solution and if such evolved I think there will be no justification for the existence of the LTTE. Without such on table trying to marginalise the LTTE through military means in my view is not helpful at all. That will only cause immense sufferings to Tamil civilians.

Q: But as long as the LTTE continue their terror, the military offensives will continue and people from both sides will compel to suffer.

A: As along as the government delay a political solution and resort to a military action on the account of its failure to adopt to a properly acceptable political solution people will suffer.

Q: There is a general impression that the TNA is only listening to Prabhakaran and not in a position to make him to listen to them. So do you believe that there is no democracy in the political approach of the LTTE.

A: I do not accept this statement that the TNA only listens to Prabhakaran. We are prepared to think independently and we think independently. But if the government or any one else expects us to influence the LTTE, first there must be an acceptable political solution on the table. It should be reasonable to the government. Until then expecting us to influence the LTTE is absurd.

Q: Do you think that we need foreign mediation like Norwegians in the peace process?

A: On one hand they are welcome but first of all we should have the feel the need and we should be genuine. We are the people of this country and we should be together. There is no necessity for Norwegians to tell us how to solve the problem. Why they had to intervene because we failed to solve our own problem. If we could handle there is no need for Norwegian intervention.

Q: The LTTE was asked to lay down arms and come for peace talks. What is your comment?

A: If you ask them to lay down arms before offering anything for them they won’t do that. Even in Northern Ireland they started laying down arms only after the Good Friday Agreement. Even in Ache they laid down arms after the agreement.

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA), which had a meeting with the high profile Indian delegation in Colombo, last week, said the Tamils were disappointed with India as it had done away with all what they had done for Sri Lankan Tamils in the past.

While tagging India as just a spectator, the TNA Leader R. Sampanthan told the ‘Sunday Observer’ that the Indian bureaucrats whom he met had shown their willingness to continue with their best efforts to find a peaceful solution to the conflict.

Sampanthan, declining to say whether the LTTE is the sole representative of the Tamils or not, said that it should be decided by the Tamil people themselves. “Anybody can say anything but people have to decide”, he said.

The TNA leader who strongly believes in more on a locally-drawn solution but has no faith in Norwegian facilitation, says that the two main political players - the SLFP and UNP - can resolve the national problem better if they fall in line.

“That is why I always advocate the fact that they should work together”, reiterating that government should table some proposals beyond the 13th Amendment to put an end to the sufferings of Tamils.

Who is Rajavarothayam Sampanthan

When S.J.V. Chelvanayakam had decided to nominate him to contest elections without giving a chance for the most sought-after and popular civil and criminal legal practitioner to say “NO”, the latter did not have any other option but to ‘nod’ his head in agreement.

Politics, he always thought was not his game and his heart was in the court house. The politician whom he respected most, Chelva changed the entire life of lawyer Sampanthan in 1976 when he entered Parliament in 1977.

Thanks to his father’s job as a government servant he had several alma maters. Having his primary education in Jaffna, young Sampanthan later studied at St. Patrick’s College, Jaffna, St. Anne’s College, Kurunegala and St. Joseph’s College, Trincomalee. He entered the Law College from St. Sebastian’s College, Moratuwa.

He became a lawyer at the age of 21 and did not take long to become one of the most popular lawyers in Trincomalee. “I was very studious and worked hard in all my cases. Mr. Chelvanayakam offered me nomination in 1963, and then again in 1970 but refused, as I did not have much time to devote myself to politics. But I could not escape in 1976”, he chuckles saying that he gave up his much-loved legal profession completely as he could not do both.

Though he never wanted to become a politician, he can boast himself that he hails from a family of ‘politicos’. The first MP for Trincomalee, Sivapalan was his uncle and then again N. R. Rajavarothayam who also became an MP for Trincomalee, was his cousin.

Having roots in Trincomalee for centuries, today being the TNA leader he wants to become a politician serving not only for Tamils but Sinhalese and Muslims as well.

A strong follower of Chelvanayakam and a non-violence activist, Sampanthan says he has never handled a firearm in his life. “In fact I do not know how to operate a gun. So I always depended on the power of word!” he says.Urging the authorities to grant the legitimate rights of the Tamils within a united country, Sampanthan says he is fond of the Sinhalese and have great affection for them.

“You may not believe me when I say I have appeared for Sinhalese people and after winning the cases they used to come to see me”, the TNA Leader, who is very fluent in the three languages, says recalling the gifts that he had received from them. Mostly the gifts contain Kekulu hal (red rice), pathola, gotukola and some other green vegetables.

“ They are very good people and I have lived throughout my life in areas where the majority are the Sinhalese. I think if there is peace there is no other place like Sri Lanka in the entire world”, he says bearing with patience the bitter experience he had in 1983 when his house was burnt and he was compelled to flee to India for life.

Reading, walking, watching news around the world and listening to religious hymns is his past time when relieved from politics. The only desire of this seasoned politician in his mid 70s is to see a peaceful Sri Lanka. “I think my desire and objective is to bring peace and prosperity to this country. This is my only wish”, he says.

* India is only a spectator.

* The role of international players to resolve the national problem is limited.

*The 13th Amendment is not a solution and never be a solution to the conflict - Ultimately Sinhalese will rule this country because they are the majority.

* Under the 1972 and 1978 Constitutions Tamils have been given a special place, - We do not want the country to be divided - I do not agree with the LTTE’s violence and their bombings at buses and trains targeting innocent people.

*I am in politics not to support the violence of the LTTE but to find a solution for the grievances of the Tamils.

*The TNA will not listen to Prabhakaran but act independently.

*No need of Norwegian mediation if the three communities can solve the problem..