Far-reaching plans for EP to foster communal harmony - Eastern Provincial Council CM

Mr. P. Krishnaswamy

Najeeb A. Majeed was sworn in as Chief Minister (CM) of the Eastern Provincial Council (PC) on Tuesday before President Mahinda Rajapaksa at Temple Trees. He is the son of SLFP veteran Abdul Majeed who was Deputy Minister in the UPA Government of Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike. CM Majeed entered politics as SLFP organiser for Muttur electorate in 1987 after the life of his father was snatched away in the cruel hands of LTTE terrorism in November 1987.

He is a soft-spoken, ‘gentle-giant’ admired, accepted and liked by all communities irrespective of party politics and communal differences.

He was a parliamentarian on three terms and held Ministry portfolios in his illustrious political career as an SLFP frontliner.

His appointment as Chief Minister (CM) was consented to by the three Muslim constituent parties of the UPFA. He has far-reaching plans for the development of the Eastern province and for fostering communal amity and brotherhood in the province.

Excerpts of the interview he had with the Sunday Observer:

Q: What are your observations with regard to development activities undertaken by the UPFA Government in the Eastern province after the elimination of LTTE terrorism and establishment of a separate PC four years ago?

A: Some significant aspect of infrastructure and road network development in the province under President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s UPFA government include the construction of many bridges, including Kinniya, Upparu and Iralkuli bridges, which made travelling easier and faster. Prior to that people had to use circuitous and strenuous land and waterway routes spending long hours and experiencing difficulties. Now we are able to reach Batticaloa from Kinniya on land within two hours.

The construction of the highway between Trincomalee and Kanthalai is in progress. Trincomalee, as a port city, will become more popular and significant after the completion of the highway. Local tourists from many parts of the country flock here in large numbers on weekends. This is because of the development of the road network which provides them access to places like Kinniya and Muttur within a short span of time.

The resettlement of displaced people also remained a problem before the rehabilitation and construction of the roads. The problem has now been resolved and they have been resettled. But there are still problems in resettling the Tamil people in places like Sambur and Kurangupaithan due to various reasons. They are now living as refugees in other places. But arrangements are now under way for them to be resettled in their own places.

Q: During the four year term of the former PC, harmony and brotherhood among the different communities have been restored to great extent. With the strong presence of the Tamil National Alliance and other contentious groups in the Council, do you believe you will be able to further develop the province as a peaceful multi-racial, multi-religious and multi-cultural society?

A: Since 1994, when I was elected as Chairman of the town Council, I have established very close rapport and relations with the Tamils and the Sinhalese. My late father Abdul Majeed who was a Member of Parliament from 1970 – 1977 and Deputy Minister was nationalist of the highest caliber and an icon of communal amity.

He was a channel of relations among the different communities. With this background I am very confident that I can further build communal relations and brotherhood. I consider myself as the Chief Minister of all three communities. During my tenure as Development Minister for Trincomalee from the year 2000 I gave first preference to the request of the Hindus. They needed a meditation centre at the Koneswaram Temple.

I got it constructed for them and I also constructed a library at Kanguvely at an expenditure of Rs. 4 Million. Under my Ministry, we also constructed roads in that area.

At a time when terrorism was at its peak, we constructed a hall at the Verugal Hindu temple for the people to take safe refuge. I was in-charge of development activities for Seruwila and I had contributed immensely for the development of that area. There too we constructed a library at an expenditure of Rs. 4 Million. Many activities relating to the provision of infrastructure were performed during that period.

My thinking now is that I should regularly meet and have discussions with heads of the local government bodies in the Seruwala, Padaviya and Gomarankadawala and other such areas to ascertain what the primary needs of their local communities and take every step necessary to fulfill such needs.

Over 10,000 people are living in Muttur and they need many assistance. Steps will be taken to provide their primary requirements. We will also go and meet the Tamil people and their local representatives in an effort to address their problems and grievances.

We strongly believe that under the prevailing atmosphere of democratic governance all three communities of the province would be able to live in peace and harmony and contribute to the provincial and national welfare.

Q: Your late father Abdul Majeed and you have been long time members of the SLFP in the Eastern province. In the light of the results of the September 8 PC polls do you believe that the vote bank of the party has now increased?

A: Yes. In the all the three districts of the Eastern province, the TNA, SLMC and UNP together campaigned on anti-government slogans. But, in spite of it, they could not capture power of the Eastern PC. The UPFA led by the SLFP contested on its own in these districts and polled the highest number of votes.

Q: Of the Tamils who contested the polls on UPFA ticket only former Chief Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias Pillayan has won. Others from the TMVP and Ms Ruthramalar, sister of Deputy Minister Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan alias Karuna Amman, have lost. Your comments on this?

A: The polls campaigns of the TNA were based on anti-Government slogans. They portrayed the UPFA Government as anti-Tamil. The Tamils have been misled by them.

This most probably was the reason why they did not vote for the Tamil political parties that contested as UPFA constituents.

I believe we can change this trend by addressing the problems and grievances of the Tamils and holding regular meetings and discussions with their local representatives. We want to focus more on the Tamil community and their day-to-day problems. I believe that in this manner we can change their hearts and make them understand that the UPFA is not anti-Tamil.

Q: The TNA which has a strong presence in the Eastern PC has not dropped its demand for the re-merger of the Northern and Eastern provinces. On the other hand SLMC is insisting on an independent unit of devolution for the Muslims annexing all non-contiguous areas of their residence in the North and East. What is your stance on this?

A: The North and East which remained separate independent provinces were annexed by former President J.R.Jayewardene under the Indo-Lanka Peace Accord. The annexation was supposed to be temporary. Nevertheless in the post-annexation period everything was done as if it was a permanent merger.

This was a great injustice done to our Eastern people. Their consent was not obtained and it was forced on them. Any annexation or merger should have been done with the mandate of the people of the two provinces. JR was unfair by the Eastern people.

The other important factor is that the provincial system was formulated exclusively for the North-East by way of a solution to their problems or grievances. But the PC system was later implemented in all the provinces.

Our view is that Sri Lanka is a small country and PCs for all the nine provinces is superficial and unwanted. For a vast country like India such a regionally-based power devolution system is necessary. The Tamil Nadu state itself is many times bigger than Sri Lanka. The people of the North and East had some problems or grievances and the PC system was felt necessary for addressing such grievances.

But former President JR had the system implemented in all provinces but the North and East. At present much is being said about the full implementation the 13th Amendment, including police and land powers. It was the UNP that introduced the 13th Amendment and why was it that they never devolved these powers?

Q: The TNA is insisting on land and police powers to the PC.

A: Our President is a strong-willed powerful President. I believe consensus can be reached on all such contentious issues through discussions with him.

Q: Are you also focusing on improving higher education facilities in the province for all three communities?

A: A university has been established in Trincomalee. Arrangements have been made to have a Faculty of Medicine in it. With regard to the Oluvil University too arrangements have been made to have more faculties, including the Faculties of Engineering, Medicine and Agriculture.

In 1994 the then Minister Marhoom M.H.M. Ashraff in coordination with the then Minister of Education Richard Pathirana took steps for establishing the university. The then President also extended all assistance and cooperation.

I was an MP at that time and all Muslim MPs united pursued initiatives for the establishment of the university. It was a great boon to higher education in the province. The Eastern University in Batticaloa is already functioning as a full-fledged university. One wing of this university is functioning in Trincomalee.

Q: Trincomalee harbour is one of the best natural harbours in the world. Do you have any plans for developing it in collaboration with the line Ministry of the Central Government?

A: Trincomalee harbour is the second best natural harbour in the world. It became very popular during the Second World War. The Japanese Air Force made desperate efforts to destroy it during that period. We are lucky to have such a harbour in the Eastern province. When I was returned to Parliament in 1994,

I repeatedly requested the then Minister of Ports and Shipping Marhoom M.H.M. Ashraff to initiate steps for the development of that harbour.

After my repeated requests over a period of nearly three years, he allocated a sum of Rs. 10 billion for starting the development work. The Sri Lankan Ports Authority named the new jetty as ‘Ashraff Jetty’. I am planning to invite foreign investors for investments on mutual beneficial terms.

Q: The Eastern province has many natural resources. Would you initiate steps for generating your own funds?

A: We want to undertake visits to foreign countries, especially the Muslim countries, to invite investors for industrial development.

We would also be undertaking visits to European countries for the same purpose. We would get foreign experts to conduct studies to determine the sectors in which such investments can be encouraged on a mutually beneficial and workable manner. We also want to improve the fisheries sector. Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Dr. Rajitha Senaratne assured us during his last visit to Trincomalee that there is potential for developing the fisheries industry in both Trincomalee and Batticaloa coastal areas and that he would initiating steps on that.

Q: What is the present state with regard to construction of houses for terrorism affected families and also some of the families affected in the December 2004 tsunami?

A: There are also parliamentarians who are looking into this matter. Very soon we would hold discussions among the Ministerial Board of the PC on this matter and, thereafter, we would meet the President to brief him on the situation. We would also be holding meetings with the line Ministers, especially Minister Basil Rajapaksa. In Muttur we have already constructed houses for a large number of families . Some 89 more houses have to be constructed and this work is in progress. During the tenure of Ms Ferial Ashraff as Minister of Housing, housing complex projects were started in Ampara and Batticaloa districts with assistance from the Government of Saudi Arabia. We will also look into this and ensure that the houses are handed over to the affected people after completion.

Q: Will there be a Tamil Minister in the Eastern PC Ministerial Board?

A: A Minister in the last PC, representing the TMVP, Dr Navaratnarajah is likely to be appointed to bonus slot and made a Minister. The appointment of a Tamil Minister is absolutely necessary to represent the problems, grievances and the needs of the Tamil people.

Q: Will you be working in coordination with the TNA?

A: A TNA delegation led by its leader R. Sampanthan has met President Rajapaksa and has expressed their desire to take part in the development activities of the Council. The President, in turn, has informed them that all necessary steps will be taken in that respect. If the TNA participates in development activities, we will extend them our fullest cooperation and assistance.