People will show gratitude to President, Government:

Healthy atmosphere for PC elections - Minister Alahapperuma

By Uditha KUMARASINGHE

Although the media was his forte, on the threshold before him lay politics as his chosen career. Youth Affairs and Skills Development Minister Dullas Alahapperuma, an outstanding orator could hold his political audience spellbound with his eloquence always blended with Sinhala idiom.

The Minister in an interview with the Sunday Observer said instead of achieving a victory based on mere statistics, the Government, after a lapse of 30 years, has ushered in peace and restored democracy in the Northern and Eastern Provinces. The people in the North and the East over the past three decades voted or abstained from voting due to their fear for the gun. At present the gun culture has been eradicated from the two provinces. This is the most significant victory achieved by the UPFA Government in the North and the East.

Minister Alahapperuma said that he believes that the people in the East would express their gratitude to the Government. Under the leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the amount of money invested by the UPFA Government from 2010 to date to develop the East is much bigger than what the former governments expended over the past 60 years from 1948 to 2008.

He said that anybody could go to the East to witness this massive development. The Government hopes that the people in the East would show their gratitude to President Rajapaksa and his Government at the forthcoming Provincial Council polls.

Excerpts of the interview:

Q: The UPFA has cancelled the party membership of a few local body chiefs and members of local bodies in the South on account of criminal charges. Had a stricter code of discipline been enforced on members of local bodies, this situation would not have arisen?

A: I admit it. This was the decision by the Party. In the event of any local body chief or a member being found guilty of an alleged criminal charge, the SLFP Central Committee has all the powers to remove him from his post and party membership with immediate effect.

However, President Rajapaksa has proposed to the SLFP Central Committee to take immediate steps to suspend temporarily the party membership of any local body chief or a member who has become a suspect of child abuse, murder or rape, without waiting until the final judgement is given by a Court of Law. Therefore, the SLFP has cancelled the party membership and removed a few local body chiefs from their posts in keeping with the decision of the SLFP Central Committee.

Of the six members who are suspects of alleged crimes, the party membership of one member has been cancelled as he had violated the Party code of discipline. However, there are also precious instances where the SLFP had removed some Local Government members and Pradeshiya Sabha chairmen from their posts when they were found guilty of crimes by Courts.

Opposition criticism

Q: What is your strategy to counter Opposition criticism of the rising cost of living, crime wave and political patronage at the Provincial Council election platform?

A: I think the society has not been given a proper definition of political interference. The politician is a leader elected by the people and the interference by such a leader elected by the people is not wrong. That is democracy.

Even in Western countries the public representative is recognised as a law maker as well as a policy maker, since he is elected by the people. After being elected, he formulates rules and regulations for the people and intervenes in their welfare activities. That is the responsibility of the people’s representative. Except that, he has no other responsibility.

The manner by which the words ‘political interference’ is used is not accurate. What is important is whether such interference is unjustifiable or not. Sometimes politicians interfere with the duties of the Police. If such interference is made in an unjustifiable or arbitrary manner, it should be condemned or completely eradicated.

In the history of our country, such undue political interference had been attempted. I still remember the person who was aiming at the premiership during the 1977 general election said in the political stage that if he came to power he would give one week’s holiday to the Police.

This was his election pledge. As he said, his party won the election and it was the era which recorded an unprecedented number of post-election violence in the country. Since then there was this undue political interference with the Police and law enforcement authorities.

In the present context, even a minor incident could be big news as the media communication has reached a very advanced stage. The role which was played by the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation those days is done by 38 FM radio channels now.

At present, there is huge competition among the radio channels for news broadcasting. Such competition for news cannot be witnessed for other goods or services in the market. Even trivial matters are bloated and shown as incidents which had never happened in the country. Except that, I don’t admit there is increased political interference.

This country had been accustomed to a war culture over the past 30 years. A number of socio-economic changes had been made in the country over the past three decades. A similar situation can be observed in any country engaged in a war to combat terrorism.

Two weeks ago, a US report had revealed the suicide rate among the US soldiers who had joined the Iraq and Afghanistan wars in 2011 was 462. It was 468 in 2010. This is a sub-culture of the war. It is obvious that in a war atmosphere, violence becomes a part of the day-to-day life of the people. In such a scenario, media tends to report war-related incidents.

This kind of phenomenon becomes sub-cultures within a war-affected society. However, compared to world trends, our soldiers are well disciplined and they are not suffering from any ‘war fatigue’ like most of those in other countries. This is a very favourable situation when compared to other countries. We could compare the number of ruthless killings committed by the LTTE in 2008 and 2009 and as such we should comparatively look at the prevailing situation against the past.

Q: Do you think what the UPFA Government has done to develop the East in terms of the billions spent is more than enough for a grateful people to vote the UPFA to power in the East and the North Central Provinces?

A: We believe that the people in the East would express their gratitude to the Government. Under the leadership of President Rajapaksa, the amount of money invested by the UPFA Government to develop the East, from 2010 to date, is very much bigger than what the previous governments expended over the past 60 years, from 1948 to 2008.

The amount of funds invested by the Government in the East on highways, electricity, irrigation, education and health during the past three years is very much higher than the total expended by all former governments over the past 60 years. If it is not so, I would challenge anybody to say so. I am ready to prove this with statistics.

One could say this is just boasting by a politician. I call upon everybody to go to the East and witness the massive development. We hope the people in the East would show their gratitude to President Rajapaksa and his Government at the forthcoming Provincial Council polls.

The Government is not concerned with any victory achieved through mere statistics in the Northern and Eastern Provinces. It’s a secondary factor to the Government. When the election campaign was launched in the East in 2008, President Rajapaksa said that victory through statistics will not be important.

After a lapse of 30 years, the people in the East have gained the opportunity to exercise their franchise freely. Democracy has been restored in the East.

The people in the North and the East during the past 30 years voted or abstained from voting due to their fear for the gun. At present that gun culture has been completely eradicated from these two provinces.

Even at the 2008 Provincial Council election in the East, some restrictions such as Army camps, checkpoints and roadblocks were there. Now such restrictions have also been removed. Instead of achieving a victory based on mere statistics, the Government, after a lapse of 30 years, has ushered in peace and restored democracy in the Eastern Province. This is the most significant victory achieved by the Government in the East.

Coalition partners

Q: Being in the UPFA fold what made the SLMC go it alone?

A: Although you asked what made the SLMC to contest alone in the Eastern Province, you didn’t ask me, as to why the CWC contests separately in the Eastern Province, the NFF separately contests the Trincomalee district or why the LSSP is going to contest the Ampara district separately.

The media highlights the SLMC’s decision to contest alone for the Eastern Province. The SLMC jointly contests with the UPFA in Anuradhapura district. Actually this is the nature of coalition politics.

When the war against terrorism had reached a crucial stage, the Indian Central Government and the Congress Party extended their fullest support by even giving us military aid. The Indian Government gave us every possible assistance to defeat LTTE terrorism. However, Tamil Nadu politicians did damage to the Sri Lankan Government.

The Indian media or politicians never questioned this, because the Indian people and their politicians have a very good understanding about the true nature of coalition politics.

If we consider the situation in Sri Lanka, actually this is the nature of coalition politics. According to the present preferential system, each political party has to produce a list of candidates. Therefore, each party has to face some statistical barriers.

For example, the political party of Minister Wimal Weerawansa jointly contests with the UPFA in six districts while contesting alone in the Trincomalee district as the UPFA was not able to apportion the total number of 13 candidates among its constituent parties. In the list of these 13 candidates, there are five constituent parties of the UPFA. The same situation arose when accommodating the number of candidates from the UPFA list for the Eastern Province specially the Ampara district.

As a result, being within the UPFA, the SLMC decided to contest the Eastern Province alone. The UPFA experienced this with the CWC at the previous Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council elections too and with some Leftist parties at the last Pradeshiya Sabha elections. Therefore this is not an obstacle for the unity or forward march of the UPFA. We should not forget that the SLMC and all other constituent parties of the UPFA have accepted the Mahinda Chinthana as their policy document and President Mahinda Rajapaksa as their Leader.

Various changes may be made on positions within the boundaries of the alliance. But we all are well aware of our boundaries.

Q: Most of the old incumbents still run the Provincial Council administration. Do you feel that the change of the status quo by substituting energetic youth will change the direction?

A: At this point, I agree with you. I personally believe the party should focus its attention on this when the next Provincial Council elections are held. This decision taken would be a very good factor for the healthy existence of democracy.

White elephant

Q: Provincial Councils are regarded by some as a white elephant. The work they do are not proportionate to the volume of budgeted funds and also the development projects implemented by the Government. Would you like to explain this?

A: It is wrong to say that no development is there under the Provincial Councils. For example, I can see the massive development carried out by the Southern Provincial Council. My personal point of view is that the establishment of Provincial Councils is an unnecessary move under the 13th Amendment.

Q: Gruesome murders, rape, extortion, child abuse and alleged abductions are very much marked in the current wave of violence. A scheme to establish a close rapport between the Police and community organisations would check these developments. Your views?

A: We should not just treat this as the responsibility of the Government. Sometimes people are scared to openly discuss these issues. These issues are there in every section of society.

However, sometimes, these incidents are bloated due to huge competition created within the media. There are over 140 FM radio channels, television, print media and websites in Sri Lanka.

You can imagine, before 40 years, news was shared only by four print media institutions and one radio station. Today, it is shared by more than hundred media institutions. This has led to huge competition among the media for gathering news. As a media personality, I can see this phenomenon very well.

When we talk about the issues of crimes or abductions, we should speak with statistics. Attention should be focused on sense, not on emotions. The entire State mechanism has a responsibility to address this issue.

As a politician and a father, I also have a responsibility. I fulfil my responsibility as a father. At present, this issue has been advanced as an argument on the political stage to cover up political bankruptcy.

At most times, the people drag their political servility into the scene. Actually this is a pathetic situation we have faced right now.

PC election in North

Q: Is the Government on track to hold the Northern Provincial Council polls in September next year as revealed by the President? Do you think the result in the East could be an indicator of things to come in the North, although the population make-up is different?

A: A decision has been taken to hold PC elections in the North later without solely considering the impact of the Eastern PC polls. That factor is not relevant to us. We don’t treat it as an index.

As the Treasurer of the SLFP and a Cabinet Minister, I would like to tell you with responsibility that the Government would definitely hold the PC elections in the North before September next year. Most probably, the elections will be held in June next year. We would like to call upon the UNP which is the founder of the 13th Amendment to contest the Northern PC polls by celebrating the silver jubilee of the 13th Amendment.

Democracy in the Northern Province had been paralysed over the past three decades. Only the fascist LTTE views existed there. Still a new political party has not dawned in the North. It paved the way to create a new political culture to some extent at the last Pradeshiya Sabha election.

Therefore, an opportunity should be provided to produce a new political culture and new political figures in the North either from the TNA, SLMC or any other political party. If only the LTTE mouthpieces still exist there, then it may be an attempt to promote LTTE separatism. A group which disowns the LTTE ideology and respects the ideals of democracy should be created in the North. Our idea of winning the election will not be an important factor.

Q:There is speculation that the Government is testing the waters for an early General Election through this PC polls. What is your comment?

A: I deny that. This is like an opinion poll and not a litmus test. In a situation where a lot of international pressure has been exerted on Sri Lanka and various issues such as drought and power cuts have come up, the Government decided to conduct an opinion poll.

Q: What are the steps being taken to ensure a free and fair election and avoid incidents like those in Katuwana and Mulleriyawa?

A: Nobody can give an assurance that similar incidents such as Mulleriyawa or Katuwana will not happen again.

We have to be honest and there is no use of talking to the gallery.

Similar incidents happen even in the US, considered as the country which follows the best election practices. Sometimes gunmen enter US schools and kill students. However, US President Obama cannot give an assurance that such incidents will not reoccur. These are incidents that take place in society.

I can give you an assurance that poll rigging had not happened under the leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa from 2005 to date. Poll rigging is a practice introduced to the country by the UNP. At present the National Identity Card has been made mandatory to cast the vote.

As a result, there is no need for any political party to appoint polling agents. Although I am a Minister, I can’t cast my vote without my National Identity Card. Therefore, a healthy atmosphere for an election has been ensured. Sometimes post-election violence may occur. We should caution the people not to resort to violence. I can assure you that the culture of polls rigging will not happen at this election.