President will usher in new era after massive victory - Minister Achala Jagoda

by Uditha KUMARASINGHE

Tourism Minister Achala Jagoda in an interview with the Sunday Observer said for the first time in our history, President Mahinda Rajapaksa seeks a mandate from the people for his second term as the only President who has successfully fulfilled the most difficult and challenging pledge given to the people within just three and a half years. The Minister says the President will find answers to other key problems in the country too in the next six years.

Q: As a former JVPer, how do you view the JVP’s alignment with the UNP?

A: When we quit the JVP, we realised the tendency of the JVP was towards a political alliance subject to Western forces. It has become a reality today. When we quit the JVP, they said we don’t have a path to go. The JVP said there is no use of forming a new political party called Jathika Nidahas Peramuna (JNP) as it doesn’t have a way to move forward. But today the people can clearly see who has lost their path. The JVP has betrayed its policies and even its great leader Rohana Wijeweera by aligning with the UNP which has killed nearly 60,000 JVP members. This is a very tragic situation.

Q: Why did the JVP decide to extend support to an Opposition Candidate without fielding their own candidate. Will this reduce the JVP’s vote base?

A: I don’t like to interpret this as a decision taken by the JVP. This is a conspiracy launched by four or five members of the JVP leadership. There was a big challenge before us even during the 2005 Presidential Election. Ranil Wickremesinghe contested that election as a representative of Western forces. Mahinda Rajapaksa contested as the common candidate of all patriotic forces. Therefore the competition at the 2005 Presidential Election was not confined only to two individuals. It was entirely between patriotic forces and non-patriotic forces. Nobody thinks a similar division will be made during this Presidential Election.

During this election, Western forces are trying their level best to defeat President Mahinda Rajapaksa. They know President Rajapaksa is not a leader who dances according to their tune. Therefore defeating President Rajapaksa is the prime need of these Western forces during this Presidential Election.

As there is no person in the Opposition who can defeat the President, these foreign forces attempted to get a person who was with the Government and field him as the Opposition Candidate. That is how Sarath Fonseka has become as the candidate of these Western forces. The JVP has also turned into a group which represents the interest of these Western forces today.

Q: Why did a group of JVP MPs including you decide to quit the JVP?

A: If we had to face some difficulties those days in telling the people why we quit the JVP, today people can clearly understand it. Today we are in the JNP as the genuine patriotic force which represented the JVP those days. The JVP has got stranded today by ignoring its political path. Those days the debate within the JVP was whether to join hands with the President elected by the country’s patriotic forces to end terrorism or serve the interests of the Western forces by being restricted to mere slogans.

There was also a huge debate within the JVP on its decision to be taken in relation to the vote on several budgets. Finally this debate further developed. As a result, Wimal Weerawansa was expelled from the party due to attempts made by two or three conspirators of the JVP who joined hands with Western forces. A group of JVP MPs reached a decision that Wimal Weerawansa was being expelled from the party entirely because of the political ideology he represented. Under these circumstances, we decided we cannot keep any confidence in the future political path of the JVP. Therefore we decided to quit the JVP and form a new political party.

Q: Do you think those who support the JVP have joined hands with the JNP now?

A: Those who love this country and largely vote for the JVP have firmly joined hands with the JNP. Except a certain group within the JVP who represent their opportunistic needs and few supporters who don’t like to give up the JVP due to their firm respect to the party, all others have joined hands with the JNP.

Q: How has the JNP planned to extend its support to the Government at the forthcoming Presidential and General polls?

A: The JNP in collaboration with all genuine patriotic forces have fielded President Mahinda Rajapaksa as the Common Candidate. Therefore our prime objective is to go before the people and educate them using our fullest strength for the victory of the President. During the General Election, we hope to submit our candidates and bring them to Parliament. They can give their effective contribution to rebuild the country.

Q: The main slogan of the Opposition is to defeat this Government somehow. How do you view this attempt?

A: This is the theme of the West rather than the theme of the Opposition. Eradicating the LTTE terrorism was one of the key instances which completely defeated Western forces in our recent history. After that, these western forces have got angry with us. They attempt to level various human rights violation charges against the Government and prevent the quota provided to our apparel sector. They tried their level best through the UN to exert the maximum possible pressure on us. The Opposition represents the need of these Western forces. This is not the genuine interest of the Opposition.

Q: Do you think the JVP joining hands with the UNP has led to strengthening of the vote base of the Opposition candidate?

A: Not at all. Patriotic power is the most essential factor in this country. Except in the North, over 5.6 million patriotic voters have voted for the UPFA in all the recently concluded Provincial Council Elections. If we consider the total votes obtained by the UNP, JVP, SLMC and some Tamil political parties, they have been able to obtain only 3.7 million votes. But they say the votes which were not cast are their votes. Even if they get these votes, they won’t be able to reach this 5.6 million target. It is only a dream.

Today people can also witness the political stance of the opposition candidate. The role he played to betray the country can be clearly seen through his statements. More voters are joining hands with the Government.

Q: How do you view the former Army Commander’s entry to the Presidential Election?

A: I think he didn’t have any interest to contest the Presidential Election. It was the need of the Western forces to create a presidential candidate who has not even a remote chance of defeating President Rajapaksa. They knew it cannot be done through Ranil Wickremesinghe or the JVP. Therefore the Western forces selected a person who was in our camp to use against the President.

This is not the genuine interest of Sarath Fonseka. This is just only a part of the conspiracy launched by the Western forces to divide the country’s patriotic powers and upset their mentality. As the opposition candidate is not in a position to give a challenge to the President on their own, the western forces have fulfilled their objective by fielding Sarath Fonseka as the presidential candidate.

These western forces wanted to get evidence from the Sri Lankan soil on war crimes. As Former Army Commander he has given this evidence with a lot of responsibility. The Western forces wanted to break the national thinking in our country. Even though we gained independence in 1948, there was no environment conducive to create a national thinking in our country. The independence we gained was restricted only to administration and the country’s economy was not guided properly under a genuine freedom.

We could see how India was developed after independence. But we didn’t have an idea like that. After terrorism was defeated, a national and patriotic mind was created in the minds of our people that we are very dignified nation who can succeed any challenge. The President’s image also helped to create this mentality. The Western forces attempt to break this national thinking by fielding Sarath Fonseka as the opposition presidential candidate.

Q: Some statements made by the opposition candidate has led to various controversies locally and internationally. Your comments?

A: This clearly shows his double standard. Those days the former Army Commander represented the interests of the country’s patriotic people. Today he represents the needs of the Western forces. When he represents Western interests, he has to stand against the image built by himself.

The true image built by him has been completely destroyed today. The recent controversial statement also made by him caters to the interests of the international community. He has made this statement to create necessary legal environment to bring the Defence Secretary and senior military leaders to the International Human Rights Commission. Otherwise he has not made this statement due to lack of his knowledge on international laws. He has intentionally done it to turn his own colleagues into culprits to cater to the interests of the Western forces.

Q: How do you view the support extended by a large number of artistes to the President ? The opposition complains the artistes have committed such things to gain money. Your comments?

A: This is a very absurd statement made by the Opposition. These artistes did not rally round the President few weeks ago. They are the same artistes who were with the President in 2005 as well. The artistes have placed their fullest confidence in the President. Therefore this is not a new trend. Those who cannot tolerate this make various false statements to gain their narrow political objectives.

Q: According to the tasks accomplished by the Government over the past few years, do you think the President and his Government have a clear vision to take the country forward?

A: Definitely. The Government had to spend a huge amount of money to eradicate terrorism in the Northern and Eastern provinces. The Government while spending money to end the war also tried its best to develop the infrastructure facilities in the country. This is a difficult task. But this Government has successfully done it.

Earlier the construction of the Hambantota harbour was a dream. It has become a reality today.

After the establishment of the Hambantota Port, there is a possibility of developing the entire country through it. The Government has also developed the road network while a large number of abandoned lands in the East had been re-cultivated. In addition a series of programs have been implemented to promote the tourism sector as well.

Even amidst the war, all these development activities were carried out by the Government. It is not a difficult task for a Leader like President Rajapaksa who could settle the country’s biggest problem to sort out other problems.

Q: Will the President receive another massive endorsement?

A: Definitely. According to our country’s elections, most of the Presidents in power told the voters “ During my first term I tried my level best to fulfil the promises pledged to you but I was unable to fulfil them due to various obstacles faced by me. But during my second term I will do it, please vote for me.”

For the first time in our history, President Mahinda Rajapaksa is contesting the Presidential Election a second time by fulfilling the key pledge he gave to the people within three and half years, not in six years. Therefore the President doesn’t have any doubt on his victory. He is facing this election and seeking a mandate from the people for his second term as the only Leader who has successfully fulfilled the most difficult and challenging promise given to the people. Therefore I am fully confident of the President’s victory.

Q: Why should the people re-elect the President?

A: Defeating terrorism was the most challenging task faced by our country. Even all patriotic forces who voted for the President had a doubt whether the President would be able to succeed. But the President proved to the people that he has successfully completed that task due to great assistance provided to him by all the country’s patriotic forces.

The President has very well answered the most difficult question in a more complicated question paper. This clearly indicates, the President who successfully answered the most difficult question will answer the other questions within the next six years.