Police and land powers should remain with Central Government

By Uditha Kumarasinghe

Agriculture Minister Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena said it is premature to comment on the consequences of the US sponsored resolution against Sri Lanka which was passed at the UNHRC on Thursday. The Minister in an interview with the Sunday Observer said we will have to wait and see its implications. The Minister said there was nothing in the resolution that would help the Tamil community to fulfil their aspirations. This resolution is a result of political pressure mounted on Sri Lanka. This is not going to serve any purpose for the Tamils. However, it is regrettable that India didn’t realise this.

The Minister said the US resolution is the result of a long-drawnout plan and has been going on for sometime. Our President had the courage to meet the challenges and control the unfortunate situation that prevailed in the country. All former Presidents succumbed to pressure mounted by international forces. However, President Mahinda Rajapaksa did not succumb to that and he did what the country wanted of him. Some of these Western countries are opposing the people’s mandate given to the President.

The Minister said powers in the Provincial Councils are more than enough to develop their areas, being the Chief Minister for seven years, he said he was aware of the situation. The Minister said that Police and land powers should not be given to anybody and should remain with the Central Government. These powers are necessary if there is a political motive.

Q: What drove Sri Lanka to the current crisis situation on the alleged human rights resolution?

A: I believe this is a result of a long-drawn out plan and this had been going on for sometime. Our President had the courage to meet the challenges and control the unfortunate situation. President Mahinda Rajapaksa successfully met that challenge.

The reason why former Presidents could not handle it was because they succumbed to pressure mounted by international forces. However, President Mahinda Rajapaksa did not succumb to these pressure. The President implemented the mandate given by the people. Some Western countries are opposing the people’s mandate.

Q: The UN resolution against Sri Lanka was passed on Thursday. How do you view the forthcoming circumstances in relation to our ties mainly with the US and other countries supporting the resolution?

A: We have to wait and see what the consequences will be. Because this is the first time that Sri Lanka faced such a situation. Some Western countries attempt to interfere with the international affairs of our country. But we have to be patient and see how they are going to react. It is obvious that European countries voted against Sri Lanka. But it’s regrettable that India voted against us. I think India has forgotten that their Leader Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated by the LTTE.

I believe some people may try to forget the Gandhi family. But we would never forget the Gandhi family and the close ties they maintained with Sri Lanka. In these circumstances it is unfortunate that India voted in favour of the US resolution. Most of the Asian countries voted in favour of Sri Lanka. I don’t see anything in this resolution that would help the Tamil community to fulfil their aspirations.

Q: How do you look at the Channel-4 video footage in which one could find former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga’s voice cut as well?

A: It is unfortunate that the former President’s voice cut is also there. I don’t know whether she addressed Channel-4 or any other forum. She is referring to some remarks her son made about the first Channel-4 video footage.

The war was going on during her regime and she lost the sight in one of her eyes as well. She had a narrow escape. She could not do anything for them.

Thousands of innocent people were brutally killed by the LTTE at that time with the use of landmines and bombs. The massacre of Bhikkus at Aranthalawa by LTTE terrorists is unforgettable. But the former President has forgotten these ruthless terrorist activities committed by the LTTE.

The last time when the first Channel-4 video was released, we refuted it. It was a malicious compilation. Some of these scenes in the second Channel-4 video were there in the original one as well. Shooting somebody on the head is clearly shown as being done by a terrorist in LTTE uniform.

I don’t say there were no incidents at all where Tamils may have lost their lives.

When terrorists attacked the Armed Forces and when they retaliate there maybe unfortunate situations. But I can tell you that not a single incident involving soldiers has been reported in Sri Lanka like the one in Afghanistan. We are proud of our soldiers. They are not mentally imbalanced like those soldiers in Afghanistan.

Q: The anti-Sri Lankan crusade by the West is because Sri Lanka pursues a pragmatic path to development under the guidance of a pragmatic leader. Would you like to elaborate on this?

A: Well you know this is causing all the dissension. Because we suffered for the last 30 years and there was no development in our country. Whatever Government that came to power had to struggle with this issue and had no time to think of development except of day-to-day activities. No future development plans were taken at that time. Since the LTTE was eradicated in 2009, there has been a system of development in our country. There were about 300000 IDPs.

Now they have been resettled in their villages. Their lands which were under terrorists for the past 30 years have been cleared.

They have been given financial assistance and seeds for cultivation, but they have no permanent houses. India has pledged to construct 50,000 houses. Whatever funds that are available, the Government distributes it among them.

They have started cultivation with the assistance provided to them by the Government. Two seasons have been completed and they have made their money. They are better off than what they were, I admit there is a lot to be done. Main roads have been re-constructed. The main road from Anuradhapura to Jaffna is being done.

Even interior roads and bridges in the Eastern Province have been re-constructed, this is a huge investment by the Government. The road from Colombo to Batticaloa is complete. The Government has given whatever possible assistance to develop these areas.

Q: Patriotic people question the propriety of a few NGO lackeys who betrayed the country in Geneva, for the sake of survival. How would you look at this scenario?

A: It is very unfortunate. In any country you get, people with that mentality. They are the people who are prepared to do anything for money. You won’t believe, one person who claimed to be a journalist is among these NGO lackeys in Geneva at the moment, he wrote to the President during the election campaign that he is prepared to support the President if he is paid Rs.50 million.

That letter is still there. I personally know this person, the President had no money to give. If a person like that can ask the President of his own country to help him and do a campaign if he is given money then getting dollars is nothing or if he is given refugee status in those countries, then he will betray anybody. That is what is happening right now.

Q: Some of the Marxist-oriented firebrands who lambasted “western imperialism”, ”capitalism”, “proletariat revolution” and so on are silent on the current anti-Sri Lankan campaign in Geneva. What is your comment?

A: The reason is that most of these leftist politicians made use of anything that came their way. You would have seen at one stage, they were anti-Indian, at another they were anti-American and at one stage they were against everybody. They tried to rob the wealth of the people in their own country. We have witnessed all this. I don’t see any difference.

Q: There is a campaign to inform the world that media freedom is restricted in Sri Lanka. Is there any truth in this?

A:As a media person you should know better than me whether you are subjected to any threat. I know some journalists write against the Government. Have they been threatened or killed? If they have been threatened or killed, then not a single newspaper would be able to write against the Government.

If you go through the Sunday newspapers, how many people have criticised the Government and the President? In that case, they should have been eliminated a long time ago. That is how I look at it.

Q: Food security is a powerful tool to maintain a country’s image internationally. What is Sri Lanka’s strength in this regard from the agriculture point of view?

A: You know the Government’s point of view on this issue is very clear. What the President said is that whatever that could be cultivated in our country should cultivated locally.

That is the policy of the Government. To ensure that, the President has given the fertiliser subsidy. The President has instructed us to provide better seeds. The President has allocated enough money to the Agriculture Ministry to assist farmers to cultivate whatever they like.

Q: Developing high-yielding rice varieties, conservation of water, provision of fertiliser and maintaining buffer stocks are the attributes of a rich economy. How far has Sri Lanka progressed in these areas?

A: Well, our staple food is rice. The country’s rice production is about 120 percent now. As for vegetables, we are hundred percent self-sufficient.

We are also self-suficient in maize. Five years ago, we produced only 30 percent of our maize requirement locally.

Now it has reached hundred percent. You would recall, some time back maybe about another ten years ago, at a certain stage, even vegetables were imported. Today there is a glut in the market. So we need not import vegetables.

Q: During the Yala and Maha seasons, paddy farmers face the issue of profitably selling their produce. Why can’t your Ministry devise a formula to put an end to this problem?

A: That depends on the quality. As far as our Ministry is concerned, the cost of production of paddy is Rs.16.50 per Kilo. Whatever the parameters that we use, ultimately it boils down to Rs. 16.50 per kKilo.

That is the cost of production. The standard price that has been given by the Government is Rs.30 per Kilo of Samba varieties and Rs.28 per Kilo of other Nadu varieties which is almost double the price.

That is the Government’s standard price. But the Government must purchase the best quality paddy.

Because the Government’s intention is to keep it as a buffer stock for some time. If a farmer brings paddy with humidity or if it is not cleaned properly, then he can’t keep it and it will perish. Then the Government will incur heavy losses. What the private sector does is they buy the lot at once at a cheaper price. But they clean it and dry it at their own stations.

They get Rs.3 or Rs.4 per kilo profit by doing that operation. A farmer believes immediately after harvesting that he should get rid of the stock. He is not prepared to dry, clean and all that. So it is cheaper for him to give it in bulk to somebody. They buy and they do whatever they like. Whatever the system we introduce, this system will never change. Because there are some farmers who want to get rid of their produce even if the quality is bad. We have no solution.

Q: Post harvest losses of agricultural produce have to be minimized in the interest of the producer as well as the consumer. What action has been taken by your Ministry in this regard?

A: Estimated post harvest losses in our country is 30 to 40 percent which is very high. We admit it. These post harvest losses are very high in the vegetable sector. I believe we will have to introduce new systems and educate farmers how to make use of their production profitably for the benefit of the consumer and the farmer.

The Government has introduced plastic crates for farmers so that they can transport their vegetables with less damage.

The freshness is also guaranteed till it reaches the consumer. But some farmers don’t like to use these plastic crates, because if the lorry can carry only two tons, they can put only two tonnes into that lorry, not six tons. We want to bring legislation to make plastic crates compulsory. Research has been done by the Post Harvest Technology Institute how to make use of some of those perishables in the farm yard itself. .

Q: Could you recount the principal stand you took in leaving the UNP when JRJ signed the peace accord with India in 1987?

A: If I tell you frankly, I had a problem with JRJ and at a group meeting held before the peace accord was signed, I asked him whether he could put an end to the LTTE problem with this agreement. I told him if he can bring a permanent solution, then we have no objection and we will support it.

But if you have the slightest doubt about it, let us know. In that case we should not go ahead with this.

Because in the future, there may be a leader who couldn’t find a permanent solution for this problem as this problem cannot go for long. We will have to divide the country or have a final solution. Otherwise no future leader can govern this country. If you you can give us a guarantee that you are going to settle it, please let us know. But JRJ never answered my question.

He told me as President of the country , he has the right to take decisions about the country. I categorically told him that I have no challenge about that. But I have a right to ask you a humble question as we are also representing some group of people in the country. So we will have to answer them. But JRJ didn’t answer it and that was the problem. Otherwise we need not go against India.

I would like to say with my experience, the power given constitutionally in Provincial Councils at the moment are more than enough if you really wish to develop your area. I was a Chief Minister for seven years. I worked it out. Only thing is you will have to negotiate with the Government to get funds and with some other donor agencies to get funds for your area. That was the only problem that I encountered during my tenure. Even the President can’t stop what the Provincial Councils are doing. Then what more do they need?

Now they talking about police powers. Police powers are motivated with political aspirations. Why do they want to have Police powers? Can we be satisfied with the manner in which the Police is behaving in these Sinhalese or Government dominated areas? The Central Government should have Police powers.

As a Minister I am not happy with the way the Police is behaving. People are complaining about indiscipline in the police. Don’t you think this is a headache? Then let somebody handle it.

If the Chief Minister or somebody is entrusted to look into Police affairs, then he can’t do any other work as it is so complicated. Land powers are already there and more than enough for Provincial Councils. In any country you can’t permit all the land to be cleaned. Can the Government allow all the jungles to be cleaned and grow potatoes?

There are some environmental issues. This is the practice followed by any country in the world. Every inch of cultivable land in the Eastern and Northern Province is being used for cultivation. So what more do they want? Wanting police and land powers are politically motivated.

I would like to say these powers should not be given to anybody and it should be vested with the Central Government where the Central Government is responsible for the environment and natural hazards. Political motives have no end. The US sponsored resolution is a political requirement.

The people who manoeuvered this resolution are leaders of the world in the political field. But still they want to hit the small man for political objectives. This shows that even if you go to the top of the world, your ambitions will not be satisfied politically.