TNA, the mouthpiece of international forces - Minister Dullas Alahapperuma

By Uditha Kumarasinghe

Journalist turned politician Youth Affairs and Skills Development Minister Dullas Alahapperuma is a workaholic. Eloquent in his mother tongue his deft use of the Sinhala idiom could hold his audience spellbound. The Minister in an interview with the Sunday Observer said that we should not get bogged down on the 13th Amendment because it is not an object of worship. If there is a better Amendment whether it is 18,19,20 or 21, we should go for it. The media should also conduct an indepth study on this issue.

This should not be used as a strategy to retain or grab power. Soon after defeating the LTTE, President Mahinda Rajapaksa in his address to the nation in Parliament said that Sri Lankans are one nation and there is no majority or minority community in Sri Lanka. We should look at this issue from this particular aspect and accordingly the criticisms levelled against the 13th Amendment and Provincial Councils should be analysed.

Minister Alahapperuma said three years had elapsed since the end of military operations against terrorists. The obligation on the part of the politicians at this juncture should be to find ways and means of ensuring a better future for the country in collaboration with all sections of the society. If anybody shirks this responsibility and attempts to create racial disharmony among the communities based on caste, creed or religion and becomes the mouthpiece of the international forces, it is the most treacherous act against the motherland.

Even if the strength of a political party is numerically smaller, it is not fair to reject its ideology. Democracy means freedom to thrash out political ideologies and providing the public platform for all. Eventually the best political ideology will emerge after debating various ideologies. The people should select the best. That is how the political mindset of the people should be developed.

Excerpts of the interview:

Q: Political parties are divided on the grant of Police and land powers to Provincial Councils. What is your stand on this controversial issue?

A: The stance maintained by the SLFP is also my stand. As a SLFP MP even if I have my personal views on this issue, I should abide by my party policy. The SLFP has clearly outlined its views on this issue. The SLFP has also unanimously decided that Police powers should not be given to Provincial Councils. We should also understand the composition of the UPFA Government. It is coalition formed with several political parties. So long as the constituent partners of the UPFA Government, have not obtained SLFP membership, they could have different views on this issue.

I think we should not restrict this dialogue to mere Police and land powers. At present different views have been expressed for and against the 13th Amendment. When the military operations were launched against LTTE terrorists, there were bizarre arguments among certain sections of the society whether there should be a political solution or a military solution to this issue.

At that time I had said that there are no two solutions. The military process is also an integral part of the political solution. We should examine as to how the 13th Amendment became a part of the Constitution. This is not a home grown concept. It was forcibly imposed on us over 25 years ago. We didn’t have adequate time to consider whether it was suitable or not for our country. This 13th Amendment was created due to pressure exerted upon us and the fear for the LTTE. Therefore, the ongoing discussions should be conducted on the belief that there would be more avenues for the Tamil speaking people to take part in the political process.

How do we create this atmosphere? We should not get bogged down on the 13th Amendment because it is not an object of worship. If there is a better Amendment whether it is 18,19,20 or 21, we should go for it. The Media should also conduct an indepth study on this issue which should not be used as a strategy to retain power or grab power. Soon after defeating the LTTE, President Mahinda Rajapaksa in his address to the nation said that the Sri Lankans are one nation and there is no majority or minority community in Sri Lanka. We should examine this issue from this particular angle. Criticisms levelled against the 13th Amendment and Provincial Councils should be analyzed.

Q: The UNP with its pro-western sentiments and the old leftist parties with its obsolete political ideologies are peripheral to the aspirations of the ordinary people in the country. Your comments?

A: Actually this is the main reason which has been attributed for the UNP to be continuously rejected by the people at every election during the last two decades. The UNP has not properly identified the national agenda. The UNP always attempts to create some issue and use it to grab power. If they get a chance to grab power, they are even ready to join hands with any anti-Sri Lankan force.

The UNP openly stood for neo-liberal capitalist economic concepts. Now they don’t talk about it. Instead of coming to power, the UNP has to resolve its internal crisis. Anywhere in the world, there could be small political parties such as the old leftist parties. Even if the strength of a political party is numerically smaller, it is not fair to reject its ideology. Democracy means freedom to thrash out different political ideologies and providing public platform for all.

Eventually the best political ideology will emerge after thrashing out different ideologies. The people should have the ability to select the best out of all such ideologies. That is how the political mindset of the people could be developed.

Q: Some politicians vehemently argue about the efficacy of the constitutional safeguards against arbitrary use of power. Had not a band of riff-raff youth become the most ruthless terrorist outfit in the world and held Sri Lanka in suspense for decades despite such safeguards?

A: We have to admit the fact that the LTTE was strengthened internationally. Avenues for Tamil speaking people to take part in the political process were denied due to the wrong political decisions taken by successive Governments and Leaders.

The people who were culturally hurt also supported the LTTE to spread their ideology. Certain sections of the society too attempted to portray the common grievances faced by the youth as those of the northern youth. In early 1970s the university entrance examination was based on language.

A certain percentage of university admissions was reserved for the Tamil-speaking students. The educated segment of the Tamil youth was also attracted to the LTTE. Likewise there was no one particular cause attributable to the emergence of the LTTE. Therefore, we should understand these root causes without pointing an accusing finger at India.

As politicians we should learn our past mistakes. Mistakes on our past also led the Tamil people towards the separatist terrorist movements such as the LTTE. Former US President Thomas Jefferson said “I like the dreams of the future more than the history of the past”. As he said there is no use of talking about the history. We should look for a better future. Three years have elapsed since the military operations against terrorists were launched.

At this juncture the responsibility on the part of the politicians should be how to ensure a better future for the country. If anybody shirks this responsibility and attempts to create racial disharmony among the communities based on caste, creed and religion or become the mouthpiece of the international forces, it’s the most treacherous act against the motherland.

Q: Don’t you think the TNA despite its liberal perspectives does not want to participate in the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) apparently due to their inability to divorce themselves from secessionist sentiments or do they expect India or any other foreign power to intervene on their behalf?

A: I see TNA’s rejection of the PSC as the biggest political mistake committed during their political career. This Select Committee is a Parliamentary process. They are also MPs elected by the people. Therefore, it is not ethical on their part, to reject a Parliamentary process. Participating in the Parliamentary process and pointing out its shortcomings are two different issues. They have also the right to point out mistakes and quit the PSC. That the TNA does not enter into this Parliamentary process means that it has a hidden agenda.

The majority of the TNA MPs are looked upon as the mouthpiece of the LTTE. This intransigent behaviour by the TNA would further endorse it. If the TNA wishes to represent the hopes and aspirations of the Tamil speaking people in the North and the East, this is not what they should do. In the past the two main political parties too have made this same mistake now and again. In the past when the SLFP was in power the UNP refused to participate in the discussions to seek a solution to the national problem and when the UNP was in power, the SLFP also did the same.

At present the TNA is adopting the same method. The TNA is also held responsible for promoting the LTTE. The LTTE destroyed the Tamil democratic political culture. Even at this moment, we call upon the TNA to participate in the PSC on behalf of the people who voted for them. Instead of doing so, if they become the cat’s paw of any extremist groups, that implies that they do not want to find a home-grown solution to this problem.

Q: Is not self-regulation more practical and productive for the media than enforcing a code of ethics which is more important today for politicians due to their irresponsible conduct at times?

A: It was a UNP MP who recently proposed in Parliament to reintroduce the Criminal Defamation Law. Likewise there are different views expressed on this issue. Some politicians talk about ensuring the right to information in Sri Lanka. If we take Edward Snowden’s incident, all those who speak for the right to information in Sri Lanka will remain silent.

This double standard is reflected in our policies as well. The double standard maintained by the politicians in Sri Lanka is deplorable. President Mahinda Rajapaksa said that if the journalists want a code of ethics, they should themselves formulate it. At present there is this character assassination in the social media while some media channels have begun to distort the truth. Even the basic ethics on news reporting are flouted by certain media. Today there is no special group called ‘journalists’. Anybody who has a camera or a mobile phone’ can be called himself a journalist. This has become a tragedy in the social media. As a result, many good and bad things have infiltrated into the society. There is a difference between journalists and professional journalists. Therefore, it would be prudent to create some understanding among professional journalists and their media institutions without drafting draconian laws or reintroducing the criminal defamation law.

Politicians have also some code of ethics in our country and other countries as well. But after every four or five years the people have a very good opportunity to punish politicians but not public servants or social workers in this manner. After every four or five years a politician has to go before the voters. There is no problem of introducing a code of ethics for politicians.

Unfortunately there are some politicians in our country who are not bothered about any ethics. Some politicians think they can be in power forever and power is a tool given for them. The most unfortunate thing is that the people even re-elect such errant politicians due to various promises given by them during election campaigns.

Q: Despite the Government’s efforts to improve university and vocational education, there is still youth unrest in the country. Do the students have their genuine grievances or are there unpatriotic and reactionary political forces operating behind them?

A: As Youth Affairs Minister neither I nor the Government tolerates the word ‘youth unrest’. This is one of the biggest mistakes made in the past. It is completely wrong to say that Sri Lankan youth is suffering from unrest. The problem is unemployment, not unrest. If somebody remains unemployed, it is referred to as youth unrest. The moment he gets a job, his problem is no longer there. In any country, there could be extremist groups who attempt to grab power under the pretext of youth problems. So this is a common phenomenon in every country. This can be witnessed in our country as well.

The successive Governments looked at the youth with suspicion. This rift or suspicion between the Government and the youth was interpreted as youth unrest. President Rajapaksa and the Government believe that there is no youth unrest in the country. Opportunities should however be provided for the youth by widening educational opportunities. Technical subjects have been introduced for this purpose at present.

Q: What are the objectives of the National Youth Policy and its impact on the national economy?

A: Of the country’s total population, the percentage of youths has exceeded 26 percent. This is a rare achievement for a country. We have an intelligent younger generation who has a higher literacy rate. Therefore, emphasis should be laid on the importance of mobilising their energy for the production process. Sri Lanka has faced three youth uprisings within a period of 30 years.

As politicians, we should devise ways and means of utilising the talents of the youth in a productive manner. As I said earlier, the youths were disregarded and the society looked down on them with suspicion. There ought to be a common criteria for political parties, non-governmental organisations and religious institutions to deal with the youth and this is called the National Youth Policy (NYP). We have already drafted the NYP which is now open for public discussion. I believe this document would be a good guideline in the future. The time given for public views on the NYP expired on July 5. We hope to present the final draft to the Cabinet and to political parties by the end of this month.

Q: What made you to turn to politics from journalism and are you really satisfied with your political career?

A: Certainly. I decided to quit journalism and enter politics to fulfill a national obligation at a particular point of time.

Political institutions and the majority of politicians did not fulfill their duty properly at that time. As journalists, we had to take this responsibility. Earlier it was the media that played the role of the Opposition. I didn’t have a longterm goal to enter politics. According to my conscience, I am satisfied with my political career as I have fulfilled my obligations to the country and its people.