Political stability vital to develop country - Minister Dr.Rajitha Senaratne

By Uditha Kumarasinghe

Amidst a barrage of criticism he eventually emerged victorious at the debate reducing his rivals into shreds. Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne gave a new lease of life to his Ministry in getting it to play a bigger role in the community life. The Minister in an interview with the Sunday Observer said at present either the UNP or any other party is not in a position to win any future election. The UNP’s leadership crisis is somewhat a political crisis. They don’t have any proper program or alternative candidate to contest President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Therefore, this is a political crisis where the main Opposition UNP has faced the problem of defeating the Government. They are well aware that they are not in a position to defeat this Government.

Commenting on UN Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillai’s decision to visit Sri Lanka Dr. Senaratne said it is the best time to make use of her visit to Sri Lanka to discuss and arrive at some understanding with the UN. There is no purpose in accusing her and UN or staging Sathyagraha in front of the UN office. President Mahinda Rajapaksa has liberated the country from the clutches of terrorism. At the 2010 Presidential election, the President pledged that he would make Sri Lanka the “Wonder of Asia”. To achieve it there should be political stability in the country. No country can be developed without political stability. Political stability is sustained by peace, solidarity and understanding among communities, religions and political parties. However, the need of the hour is to promote reconciliation in the country.

Excerpts of the interview:

Q: If the TNA is sincerely interested in the well being of the Tamil community, the proposed Provincial Council election is a glaring opportunity to develop the North economically, culturally and socially working together with the Central Government. Your comments?

A: Whether the TNA is agreeable or not, they will have to go ahead with the Central Government to develop the North. There will be a new culture dawned on the country. Even if the TNA wins the elections, it needs funds to develop the North for that they will have to negotiate with the Central government. Hence they will have to work together with the Central Government. Such is the new environment to be created in the Northern Province. The TNA will definitely have to work with the Central Government to get their things done.

Q: In a relatively small country such as Sri Lanka, don’t you think that devolving police and land powers will be detrimental to the national security specially because of the deadly LTTE threat to the country?

A: Not at all. Even with regard to Police powers, there will be a Police Commission. According to the new 18th Amendment, it would be the Public Service Commission. Though there is a Chief Minister and a provincial Government, the Governor will be appointed by the President and he is a representative of the President. There will be two Police units such as national Police and provincial Police. Only the provincial Police comes under the Provincial Councils. Even though it comes under the provincial Councils, the DIGs, SSPs, SPs, ASPs and constables will be appointed by the Central Government under the same recruitment criteria. There is a national Police which can also be sent to the province. The three forces also come under the Central Government. According to the Police Act, the provincial Police is just only a civil force and not an armed force. So the Provincial Councils can have a Police force with a baton which can sort out problems such as investigating complaints by villagers.

The National Police will be there to exercise other Police powers. If there is any threat to the national security, the President has the power to deploy the national Police and the three armed forces there. The entire command of the province is with the President. Therefore, this is an unnecessary fear. The land alienation falls under the purview of the President. If any land is to be alienated the President has to approve it. There will also be a National Land Commission (NLC). All decisions by the Provincial Councils are subjected to the approval of the NLC. The NLC will consist of four Ministerial Secretaries and another six nominees appointed by the President. Altogether, 10 nominees of the NLC will be appointed by the President. There are nine provincial delegates. If anything improper is done even with regard to the administration of lands, it could be nullified by the NLC.

This unnecessary fear is there because many people have not properly read the 13th Amendment. There are those who don’t understand it. They are the people who talk against the 13th Amendment. That is why the LTTE was against the 13th Amendment, because the powers are given by one hand and taken back by the other. Any provincial Council which acts against the national security could be dissolved by the President. The provincial administration will also be taken over by the President himself or he would appoint the Governor to run the Council. So all these powers vested with the Provincial Councils could be taken back by the Central Government.

Q: Is the Government confident of winning the Northern Provincial Council Elections in view of the billions worth infrastructure and other utility projects launched to ensure the well-being of the Tamil community?

A: Devolution is a very good process for development. Late Prime Minister S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike was the first politician who understood federal devolution. He advocated federalism to develop this country. Power devolution is the best method of developing a country rather than running the entire country by Central Government. Therefore, we don’t need to worry about anything. Even if the TNA consolidates its power in the Northern Provincial Council, their power is limited and subjected to the supervision by the Central Government. If they want to develop the area, they will have to maintain a cordial relationship with the Central Government.

Q:The UNP has presented a constitutional draft incorporating ground breaking reforms on the legislature, executive and judiciary. As an independent observer how would you look at it?

A: I didn’t have time to go through the contents of UNP’s draft Constitution. Its main emphasis is on the Presidential system, the merits and demerits of the presidential system. We have the fundamental rights incorporated in the 1978 Constitution. My stand is that there should be a presidential system which is responsible to the Parliament. If the President is responsible to parliament, there is no problem of having an Executive Presidency in the country. I am totally against the present electoral system. This system is good for me, because I can win any election as I have earned a name and the people will vote for me. This system should however, be abolished and an electoral system a mixed system, such as the German system or what we have introduced to the Local Government elections ought to be promulgated. We should have a mixed system where the majority forms a Government. This is the good side of the PR system. There should be a Member of Parliament who should be responsible to his electorate. At present there is no such member. It is high time that all political parties should get together for the purpose.

Q: What is UNP’s prospects of winning an election in 2014 when dissension and in-fighting are still simmering under its present leadership?

A: There is no way for the UNP or any other party to win any future election in the present scenario. The UNP’s leadership crisis is a political crisis. This is because they don’t have any proper program. Who could contest President Mahinda Rajapaksa? Does the UNP have any proper program? This is a political crisis where the Opposition has faced the problem of defeating this Government. They are well aware that they are not in a position to defeat this Government. This is not a mere leadership crisis, but a political crisis. Therefore, they have no chance of winning any election.

Q: UN Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillai is due to visit Sri Lanka shortly. Cannot this visit be made a forum for compromise and consensus on the human rights issue?

A: Definitely. All countries have to maintain cordial relations with the international community. The United Nations is a world organisation. Sri Lanka is a member of the UN so that she has to work in conjunction with it. We must understand how to go ahead with the UN. In the 21st century ideology, human rights and media freedom have been assigned a prominent place. So we have to formulate our programs in accordance with these norms. If Navi Pillai will visit our country, there is no purpose of accusing her and UN or staging Sathyagraha in front of the UN office.

The best thing is to make use of Navi Pillai’s visit to Sri Lanka to discuss and come to some understanding with the UN. President Rajapaksa has liberated the country from the clutches of terrorism. In the 2010 Presidential Election, President Rajapaksa pledged that he would make Sri Lanka the ‘Wonder of Asia’. To do so there should be political stability in the country. No country can be developed without political stability for which peace, solidarity and understanding among the communities, religions and political parties are indispensable. There should be reconciliation and that is what we should achieve. Those who talk against holding the Northern Provincial Council Elections and religious susceptibilities, are acting against the President’s program to make this country, the Wonder of Asia.

Q: Cattle slaughter has become a controversial issue due to the recent self-immolation incident. What will be the implications of the Government intervening in such issues? Could legislation alone be effective without self-restraint on the part of the people?

A: There are some people who are more concerned about cattle slaughter rather than the human slaughter. They talk waging war against other communities and religions. When the Buddha was at Jethavanarama, there was a piggery in the neighbouring land. Every night, when the king came to worship the Buddha, He never called upon the king to ban the slaughter of pigs. If the Maha Sangha wants the cattle slaughter to be banned, they must preach Buddhism to those who are involved in such activities. They should preach the ill-effects of eating beef and slaughtering cattle. The mindset of the people cannot be changed by the force of laws. It is the Dhamma which moulds the character of human beings

Q: The incident where a Bhikkhu had been assaulted was widely reported in the media. What measures do you propose to check similar incidents? Is it not the time to enforce a strict code of discipline for private bus drivers and conductors?

A: This kind of incidents took place even during Buddha’s time. Even at that time, there had been assaults on the Maha Sangha. There were many conspiracies hatched against the Buddha. Attempts were also made to destroy His life on several occasions. But the Buddha did overcome all those acts through Dhamma. If private bus drivers and conductors misbehave, there is the law to deal with them. Even a new code of discipline can also be introduced.

Q: How do you look at the recent token strike called by the joint Opposition and the present wave of demonstrations staged by them?

A: According to my assessment there is no wave of strike or demonstrations at all. Its just a big hue and cry by the Opposition. The recent strike called by the main Opposition UNP and the JVP was an absolute flop. The State sector recorded a better attendance compared to the other days. It’s better to have these things so that people will be more active in their work places. On that particular day Lal Kantha and his men energised the public service with more employees attending office. They are so bankrupt, that they tend to use even the electricity tariff hike or any such issues to realise their narrow political objectives. People have understood that the Government has no other alternative, but to increase the electricity tariff. Hence people didn’t take part in the strike called by the joint Opposition.