Transforming estates into villages:

CWC stands for one nation, one country - Muthu Sivalingam

By P. Krishnaswamy

Deputy Minister of Economic Development  - Muthu Sivalingam

The President of the Ceylon Workers' Congress (CWC),a constituent of the UPFA, and Deputy Minister of Economic Development, Muthu Sivalingam is the sole representative of the up-country plantation community in the Government-nominated 19 member Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) mandated to recommend political and constitutional measures to empower Sri Lankans to live as one nation. In an interview with the Sunday Observer he said the CWC being the oldest party that resolutely stood for the political rights and socio-economic welfare of the plantation community will do so in the PSC as well. The CWC has always been opposed to secessionist demands and its leader S. Thondaman quit the three party Tamil alliance just before the Vaddukoddai Resolution in May 1976 because he was against the proposed separation of the country. Sivalingam condemned communal hardliners across the Palk Strait who had based their political campaigns on separatism in Sri Lanka. A political solution is a matter for the people of Sri Lanka to get together and decide, depending on the political trends, development needs and the thought pattern of all communities, he said.

Excerpts of the interview:

Question: The Government has nominated you to the PSC as the sole representative of the plantation community. How do you look at it?

Answer: The Government has nominated me because the CWC, being the oldest political party of the plantation community, has always stood for the unity of the country while campaigning for political rights. There are other trade-union-based political parties in the plantations but we have been successful in winning the political rights of the community. The Government may have decided to nominate us because we are capable of covering the entire issues relating to their political rights, on behalf of the other stakeholders as well.

Q: Some Opposition members have accused the CWC of being mum on the moves to repeal certain clauses of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. What are your comments?

A: Those from the Opposition now accusing me are those who crossed over from the CWC after holding politically responsible positions. They should know the position of the CWC on such issues because they functioned as political advisers to the party leadership. They should also know that the CWC will speak out at the right time in the right manner. We do not have to react to them because we are aware that they make such statements to the media repeatedly, to seek publicity. The CWC is a strong political and trade union organisation. We will take up any matters affecting the political interests of the community at the appropriate forum.

Q: Do you believe that the plantation community that once remained politically isolated and marginalised has now fully merged into the political mainstream?

A: Yes, of course. They have fully merged into the political mainstream. They have their representatives in Parliament, the Provincial Councils, the Pradeshiya Sabhas and other local government bodies. Some local government bodies come under their administration. There is political awareness among them unlike in the past.

Q: You have a Minister and several Councillors in the Central Provincial Council. Have you addressed important political problems and shortcomings of the community through the PC ?

A: The community has been lagging behind in education. Their educational uplift is our main concern. One of the Councillors in the PC holds the Education Ministry. Through the Ministry we have been able to launch programs for educational promotion and address shortcomings. The other Councillors address political issues faced by the community. At Council sittings the question of taking over estate lands often come up for discussion. But our members have been able to argue effectively against such moves.

In the Central Government we have a Ministry held by party General Secretary Arumugam Thondaman and I am Deputy Minister Economic Development. Some areas of estate infrastructure development come under the purview of these ministries. With the consent of the Government we have undertaken several far-reaching programs for the socio-economic and political uplift of the plantation community. The PC system was introduced to resolve the North-East problem at the time. But the system does not function in the North.

Q: Rival trade unions have repeatedly accused the CWC of betraying the workers by signing the last Collective Agreement on wage increase. What is your comment?

A: They only seek publicity. They have repeatedly said they will not tolerate such betrayals. But what have they done? The CWC is a strong organisation. We have always represented the interests of the workers. We got a reasonable wage increase for them in the last Collective Agreement as well as in previous agreements. The workers are happy. Some Unions say such things for their own gains.

Q: There are reports about Government moves to acquire unutilised estate lands for distribution among the local communities. Your comments?

A: We have been informed that non-productive plantation lands are to be acquired for distribution. We have requested the Government that lands so acquired should be distributed among the plantation community on the basis of an ethnic ratio in the respective Grama Niladhari divisions. The Government has agreed to it as a matter of policy. I am sure the plantation community is capable of making productive any unproductive lands if distributed among them.

Q: What is being done to address the unemployment and land problems of the plantation community?

A: There is no unemployment problem among the plantation community. There are vacancies in the estates and anybody seeking employment can register. It is the same in the case of the educated youth. Vacancies in the State sector are advertised or gazetted and those eligible can apply through the normal procedure. We have not received information of any unemployment problem in the estates. Everything is done through gazette notifications with regard to State sector employment. There is no discrimination whatsoever between urban candidates and estate candidates in selections. But the housing problem still remains to be resolved. Housing projects are undertaken according to the strength of the workforce in the estates. The Government allocates funds at every budget. But the allocations are not enough to fulfil the total requirement of houses. The Government of India gave 4,000 houses. It is being carried out by the Plantation Human Development Trust (PHDT). We also held discussions with India in this regard and explained the matter to the President. We expect to visit New Delhi on July 30 for the second time to hold discussions on getting India's help to resolve the housing problem of the plantation workers.

Q: The plantation community under colonial rulers were denied their political and social rights and, consequently, were far behind the other communities. Do you believe that the programs implemented by the UPFA Government will bring them on par with the other communities?

A: With the programs under implementation by the UPFA Government, , the community is catching up fast with the others. They have won their political rights and are no longer illiterate or economically feeble. They face only common problems faced by the other communities. The UPFA Government launched the much sought-after program of transforming estates into villages. The journey has been successful so far. In the course of time the plantation sector will benefit under the programs initiated to introduce small scale enterprises and industries in the villages .

After the country gained independence in 1948 and people won their franchise, people's representatives were elected to Parliament. But the estate workers were under the colonial rulers and were denied the franchise. They got their franchise only in 2003. It is only a short period since then, and in that period a lot of development works have been undertaken. They are no longer lagging behind. They have the opportunity and should take advantage of it.

Q: Political leaders across the Palk Strait are continuing their agitations demanding independent political status or 'Eelam' for the Northern Tamils. What are your views on that?

A: In my view, they have no right to talk about 'Eelam' or propagate separatism. The people of the country, the different communities , should get together for dialogues to resolve the problem taking into account the political trends, aspirations and outlooks of the different communities and the development needs. Political leaders across the Palk Strait should understand these matters. The CWC has always been opposed to separatist demands and its former leader S. Thondaman quit the three party Tamil alliance just before the Vaddukoddai Resolution in May 1976 because he was against such demands.

Q: Some of the plantation management companies say they are running at a loss. What are your views on the long term sustainability of the industry ?

A: I have my doubts whether the industry will sustain for long. There are many reasons. The Government is bent on encouraging the small holders and extending them assistance including allocation of funds for re-planting . The management companies are not getting such assistance and so they say they are running at a loss. They are only concerned about productivity and not thinking in terms of long term sustainability of the industry. The educated youth in the plantations are going away from the estates seeking greener pastures. When the present workers retire, there will be an acute shortage of labour. There is no doubt about it. Many countries such as Kenya, India, China and Russia are starting tea plantations. The natives of the countries are employed in the plantations. We have line room and other types of quarters in the estates. We hope to add more living quarters and make them villages. We are striving to achieve that and are hopeful it will be successful in the long run. The plantation workers are humans, not herds of cattle. We cannot decide on their future. They are literate and have merged into the democratic mainstream. They have to decide on their own.

Q: What is being done to educate the younger generation in the community on IT and other technological aspects ?

A: The CWC's Prajasakthi organisation has done much towards that. They never knew about computers some years ago. Even students of leading schools in the plantation areas were not computer literate. Now it is altogether different. The Prajasakthi centres in the plantation towns and in some estates are imparting computer training and have distributed computers to children. Even small children in the plantations know the computer. It is an achievement.

Q: What has been achieved under the Mahinda Chintana programs launched for the benefit of the plantation community?

A: All estate schools have been taken over by the Government and brought on par with other urban schools. Incentives have been provided for small businesses and trades. Vocational training is being imparted under special programs.

The concept of home garden has been promoted. Transport services have been improved and road network widened with the construction of many new roads and renovations of others. Much more is envisaged to be achieved in the coming years. Every year funds are allocated for improving infrastructure. President Mahinda Rajapaksa is doing everything needed to improve the socio-economic conditions of the plantation community. Plantation areas are being developed parallel with other urban areas.

Q: Some 3,000 teachers exclusively from among the plantation community were appointed under the UPFA Government and other state sector employments, such as Grama Niladharis and Postmen were offered. Are there any more offers in the pipeline ?

A: Already 200 postmen were appointed. The Government and the line ministry have agreed to appoint 100 more on our request. We will be taking up such matters with the Government whenever the need arises.

Q: Do you believe the PSC talks this time will be successful in achieving its objective ?

A: I believe it will. But the important thing is that all political parties should take part in it. The Opposition parties have more problems to place before the committee. So they should make use of the opportunity. The President has kept the doors of the forum open to all parties, especially, the UNP and the TNA should join the talks.