Tamil Nadu politicians not concerned about Tamils in Sri Lanka

By Jaliya Wijeyekoon

The United National Party (UNP), which had been in the political doldrums during the last few years, has got a new lease of life with its re-organisational activities islandwide. Party stalwarts and electoral organisers are busy with their grassroots level membership while the Executive Committee members and front-runners of the party are busy formulating their political strategy to face any future election with confidence.

The so-called disputes or petty differences among the top brass of the party have been sorted out and everybody is working in unison, aiming at a future election.

The Sunday Observer conducted an exclusive interview with the National Organiser of the party, Eastern Provincial Councillor Daya Gamage.

Excerpts are as follows:

Q: Has your party fortified itself to face an election to defeat this all powerful government?

A: This Government was, no doubt, powerful soon after the eradication of terrorism, especially with the Presidential election of 2010. With the subsequent general election, its vote base had deteriorated to some extent. With Provincial Council elections held in the North Central, Sabaragamuwa and Eastern Provinces, its vote base had further deteriorated. That shows clearly that the Government’s popularity is declining.

There are a lot of problems faced by the masses with regard to the cost of living. Prices of all essential food items have sky-rocketed and corruption mismanagement and lawlessness have become the order of the day.

In the meantime, we are carrying out our reorganisational activities quite effectively, identifying our previous mistakes and people from all corners of the country are rallying round us. We are quite confident that we could defeat this maladministration at any future national election.

Q: Your party has found fault with the Government for not properly managing its foreign policy. Could you elaborate on this?

A: The United National Party had established a very good foreign policy since we won Independence and had good relations with all countries. Sri Lanka had immensely benefited from its relations with most developed countries. However, due to shortsighted policies, we have antagonised some world super powers. The negative impact of these actions will eventually lead to the economic downfall of the country.

Q: The moderate world opinion is that the USA uses double standards on human rights issues. Is not Sri Lanka’s human rights performance blown out of proportion?

A: The USA had been a friendly country for a very long time and it is the only country which had given us over US$ 2.3 billion as grants. However, since we failed to implement the LLRC recommendations as agreed by us at the previous UNHRC session, they have pointed this out and expect us to implement them to strengthen democratic institutions.

Economic development

Q: As a business tycoon, how do you forecast economic development in the country under the policies of the present Government?

A: Almost four years have gone by after the eradication of terrorism. We have lost a grand opportunity to develop the country economically. Now we have missed the bus and there are no other bus-stops in between. We cannot think of proper economic development in the future.

Q: According to Sugar Industry Minister Lakshman Seneviratne, the second highest foreign exchange is spent on sugar. As some one who had been involved in the industry, could you say what the highest percentage that the local produce can go for? Is the existing infrastructure, technical know-how and human resources sufficient for making the country self-sufficient in sugar?

A: People make various utterances with no knowledge of any industry. After taking over my industry, they have messed up everything, no bonus has been paid to any employee who sweated hard. With proper management and planning, we can generate a substantial percentage of the domestic requirement. My plan was to

make the country self-sufficient in sugar within the next 10 years with long-term planning and by expanding cultivation.

Q: Are you satisfied with the Government’s mechanism to purchase paddy?

A: Paddy farmers in the East are in a sorry state. Only three percent of their production is bought by the Paddy Marketing Board and farmers are finding it difficult to sell their produce.

When the UNP protested against this, the Government increased the price to Rs. 35 a kilo, but there aren’t any buyers for paddy at Rs. 35 a kilo. Farmers were compelled to wait for weeks to collect money from the Bank of Ceylon as the PMB had not remitted money to the banks. It’s a mafia that handles the paddy industry in the East. Farmers are fed up and frustrated with paddy cultivation at present and the future of the industry is at stake with the ongoing paddy racket in the country.

Garment industry

Q: How do you look at the withdrawal of GSP+ facility and the garment industry?

A: We got the GSP+ facility over a request made by Ranil Wickremesinghe sometime ago and the industry was flourishing steadily for a considerable period of time. We had generated substantial foreign exchange through the garment industry in the past. Most unfortunately, however, due to the unethical approach, unsystematic methods and arrogant behaviour of some, we lost the GSP+ facility and the industry is gradually fading away. Many factories had already closed, resulting in labour unrest and unemployment.

Under a future UNP Government, we will not only regain the GSP+ facility, but we are sure we could garner foreign investment to revitalise the ailing industry and generate sufficient foreign exchange to enhance the living standard of our countrymen.

Q: The main Opposition - the UNP, the international community and some foreign and local organisations are pressing the Government to implement the LLRC recommendations. What is the reason to drag on this issue?

A: The LLRC recommendations were formulated by an independent group of people appointed by the President himself. They have scrutinised all aspects such as political, social, economic, cultural and legal to suit the prevailing situation in the country. It was lauded by every right thinking person who loves the motherland. We can’t simply understand why the Government is on the backfoot with regard to the implementation of these proposals. Now we are beginning to wonder whether the Government is not interested in the implementations of the LLRC proposals. This is why the international community has passed a resolution against us at the UNHRC sessions in Geneva.

Some of the Government’s constituent partners do not understand the gravity of this situation and make derogatory remarks about the USA, UK and the EU countries for passing this resolution. They do not have an iota of knowledge on the globalisation concept or cordial international relations.

1978 Constitution

Q: Today, all economic, social and racial or ethnic ills are attributed to JR’s 1978 Constitution though it had weathered all storms such as national emergencies, insurgencies and separatist elements while ensuring the stability of the government in power. So, has there been anything wrong with it?

A: Yes, there is no doubt that extensive powers have been vested with the President by the 1978 Constitution. But it is wrong to attribute all ills to the constitution introduced by JR. Chandrika Kumaratunga and Mahinda Rajapaksa also promised to change the Constitution before they became President. It was in their political manifestos. If it was so bad, why didn’t they change it?

President Premadasa was the only man who made some changes to accommodate minority community in Parliament by reducing the district percentage from 12.5 to five percent.

The United National Party and Ven. Maduluwawe Sobitha Thera clearly state that the Executive presidency would be abolished when the party achieves power in future.

Q: South India’s age-old enmity with Sri Lanka has sprung up again. It’s jingoistic bellicosity is totally undiplomatic and uncalled for. Would you like to express your views on this?

A: If we want to march forward as a progressive nation, we shouldn’t indulge in hatred and animosity with any country for what they have done in the past. India has helped us from time immemorial in economic development. We shouldn’t forget the fact that India’s Central Government helped us in the eradication of terrorism too. However, India lost one of its most respected national leaders who helped the then government of J.R. Jayawardene to mitigate terrorism in our country due to LTTE atrocities.

Tamil Nadu politicians have taken a different stand on us, not because they are concerned about the Tamil people in Sri Lanka, but for their political survival as their elections are round the corner.

Rising prices

Q:Is not the price escalation of commodities beyond the control of the Government?

A: I don’t have to explain these things, but the whole country knows that waste exist in several institutions in the country. So, naturally, the prices of essential commodities escalate.

There was no hike in crude oil prices in the world market recently. So why did petrol and diesel go up in price here?

Q: The private sector is believed to be the engine of growth in a mixed economy. What are the prospects for business in the country today? Is the political climate conducive?

A: Yes, the private sector plays a major role in economic development in countries with mixed economies.

It is an accepted norm in business. We can see that this government is building a new set of private sector entrepreneurs heavily sponsored by the state sector and gradually marginalising long-standing private companies. That is not going to help in developing the economy of a country.

Q: Is the United National Party ready to challenge the Government at a future election with the prevailing political situation in the country?

A: We are extremely confident that the UNP would have an easy victory at a next national election once our political strategy is precisely executed at the right time. Government ministers themselves are supplying us ammunition to fire at them at the correct time.