Disciplined youth, vital in politics today - Prime Minister

By Uditha Kumarasinghe

The illustrious political journey of Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratne, the most senior member of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) spans over 62 years. He was fortunate to become the 13th member of the SLFP when the late Prime Minister S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike laid the foundation for his new party in Kandy in 1951. Since then he remained a solid figure during the turbulent times of the party. No SLFP member who loves the Party can forget how “Dimu” fought for victory in the Southern Provincial Council election in 1994. Having held a series of ministerial portfolios throughout his 62-year political career, Premier Jayaratne has brought a wealth of experience to his current office.

The Prime Minister in an interview with the Sunday Observer said the people in the North are really happy about the development drive carried out by the Government in their areas. He hopes the majority of them may have realised the ground situation and would extend their support to the Government at the upcoming Northern Provincial Council (NPC) polls. At present a lot of infrastructure development has been made in the North. Whatever developments takes place, certain elements may attempt to promote racial hatred among the people. The TNA and some pro-LTTE elements are doing just that in the North right now.

Premier Jayaratne said it is obvious the TNA is attempting to create racial disharmony and change the mindset of the people in the North and drag them back to the past 30 years of terror. A few segments of the people in the South are also attempting to create religious disharmony by emulating the TNA. However, the majority of the people are intelligent and cannot be misled by such motives. The prime responsibility of the Government is to create an environment conducive for the people to live in harmony without fear. The Government under the leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa is fully committed to fulfil this national obligation.

Excerpts of the interview.

Q: How would you analyse the consequences of the UN Human Rights Commissioner Navi Pillay's recent visit to Sri Lanka and her statement made prior to her departure from the country?

A: I think her statement contains a series of disinformation which may cause harmful effects on the country. Can one particular individual gather information from a country, 62,000 kilometres in extent, with a population of 21 million? Especially, a single individual cannot find historical evidence about incidents that occurred over the past 30 years. We should also look into the people from whom she obtained information. Most of them are anti-government and are not neutral. They are biased towards various sections. Can the UN Human Rights Commissioner make a justifiable statement by seeking information from such a biased section? Therefore, I would like to say Navi Pillay's visit and the statement she made prior to her departure are far from the reality and are based on wrong perceptions.

Q: The TNA manifesto aiming the NPC polls has created a lot of controversy in society. Certain sections claim that when the Government attempts to promote reconciliation, the TNA attempts to further distance the Sinhala and Tamil communities to gain their petty political objectives. Your comments?

A: There is no change between the TNA manifesto and the previous statements made by the LTTE. The former looks like a mouthpiece of the LTTE. The intention of the LTTE was to divide Sri Lanka and create a separate state in the North and the East. What the LTTE wanted was to recruit youth by force and change their mindset. The TNA through its manifesto has attempted to create a similar crisis. World opinion is that a Supreme Court judge is an independent person who gives fair judgments. The manner in which the TNA Chief Ministerial candidate and other TNA members are behaving raises doubts on how the people could place their confidence on some who hold positions in the judicial sector.

As President Mahinda Rajapaksa wished, after the end of terrorism, an environment has been created to build a united Sri Lanka irrespective of any caste or religious differences. In this context, the TNA manifesto can be described as a strategy to realise the personnel gains of its members. I have participated in 18 ceremonies in Jaffna, most of them religious ceremonies. The ordinary people in Jaffna are hospitable and I didn't observe any separatist mentality in them as in TNA members. They welcomed me and treated me with affection. The TNA under the pretext of the grievances of the Tamil people attempts to realise their petty personal objectives.

Q: Some political parties and analysts are of the view that the TNA policies seem to be a threat to national reconciliation and the TNA makes deliberate attempts to promote their separatist agenda and create racial disharmony among the people. Is there any truth in this allegation?

A: It is obvious the TNA attempts to create racial disharmony and change the mindset of the people in the North and drag them back to the past 30 years of terror. A small segment of people in the South also attempt to create religious disharmony by emulating the TNA activities. However, the majority of the people are intelligent and cannot be misled by such motives. The prime responsibility of the Government is to create an environment conducive for the people to live in harmony without fear. The Government under the leadership of President Rajapaksa is committed to fulfil this national obligation.

Q: After the end of terrorism, the Government has evidence to prove the amount of work done on behalf of the people in the North. Do you think the TNA which has not done anything on behalf of the people of the North has a moral right to seek a mandate from them?

A: Even the UN Human Rights Commissioner Navi Pillay has commended the amount of work done by the Government in the North over the past four years. Most of the foreign delegates who visited the Northern and Eastern provinces have appreciated the moves taken by the Government to develop those areas and uplift the living conditions of the people. A massive development can be witnessed in some areas in the North and the East more than that in the South. As a result, the Government could win the Eastern Provincial Council elections and appoint its own Chief Minister. At present the Chief Minister and other ministers of the Eastern Provincial Council are acting under the guidelines of the Government. A similar situation will be created in the North. Therefore, certain elements are attempting to disturb the mindset of the people in the North and infiltrate separatist sentiments. Such attempts are made to realise personnel agendas.

In 1959 an eminent Indian diplomat and statesman Krishna Menon who made a statement in UK said if India is concerned about its security, the Trincomalee harbour should be safeguarded. When the late President J.R. Jayewardene attempted to give oil tanks to America, the late Indian Prime Minister Rajivu Gandhi forcibly signed the Indo- Lanka agreement with him which finally led to the introduction of the 13th Amendment to the constitution. They introduced the 13th Amendment taking into consideration the statement made by Krishna Menon in 1959. I have told this to all Indian leaders who met me during their visits to Sri Lanka. I see this as an attempt by certain separatist elements to destabilise India. In recent history, we witnessed how the Soviet Union collapsed and some countries were divided. Therefore this is a strategy to take India also in that direction.

Q: After 30 years of LTTE terrorism, the Government has provided the opportunity to the Northern people to freely exercise their franchise. Do you think the majority of the people would extend their support to the Government at the upcoming NPC polls?

A: At present the people in the North are happy about the development drive carried out by the Government in their areas. I hope they have realised the ground situation and would extend their support to the Government. The Government has also given a lot of assistance to develop religious places in the North and the East. The people are concerned more about their nationality and religion than food and lodging. Therefore, it is easy to promote racism among the people. Some Tamil politicians are attempting to drag the innocent Tamils in that direction.

Q: Why do you think some Western countries and international organisations attempt to interfere in the internal affairs of Sri Lanka? Why don't they acknowledge the significant developments taking place after the end of terrorism?

A: The world's powerful countries don't bother about developments in small countries. They always attempt to keep these countries under their control and exploit the resources. It is a common phenomenon which can be witnessed all over the world, even before the days of World War 11. History shows how world super powers with their military strength took certain countries under their control and spent a luxurious life exploiting the resources in such countries. After the end of World War 11 they could not carry out their strategy. Therefore, the powerful countries started to provide loans to developing countries and exploit their labour. Some Western countries now attempt to elect leaders subservient to them so that they could exploit the resources of these countries in a different manner, as they have done in the East Asian countries.

Q: How do you view the importance of holding CHOGM in Sri Lanka and its major benefits to the country?

A: Holding CHOGM in Sri Lanka is an ideal opportunity to project the country's image globally. Even some Commonwealth countries attempted to prevent the event being held in Sri Lanka. However, the President during his state visits to various countries could convince them and create the necessary environment conducive to hold CHOGM in Sri Lanka. The Commonwealth delegates will be able to tour the North and other parts of the country and see for themselves how Sri Lanka treats all communities equally, irrespective of any caste or religious differences. They could witness the significant transformation made within the country after the end of terrorism. We have not only invited the Commonwealth countries but also other countries to visit Sri Lanka and make their investments. I held discussions with some Chinese leaders recently and requested them to send investors to commence business ventures in Sri Lanka. CHOGM will benefit Sri Lanka under two main aspects.

One aspect is that it would pave the way to show the world that Sri Lanka treats all communities without discrimination. Second, CHOGM will be an ideal opportunity to develop the country’s economy. It would also facilitate to increase tourist arrivals to the country and promote the tourism industry. Therefore CHOGM would bring a series of socio-economic benefits to Sri Lanka.

Q: The SLFP has set a record as the political party which has continued the longest term of office. How do you differentiate the SLFP's 20 years of rule and the UNP's 17 years ?

A: The SLFP celebrated its 62nd anniversary recently. I have also completed 62 years in my political career. I joined the SLFP as its 13th member. I am the only founding member of the SLFP still living and the only party member in Sri Lanka who has served the longest term of office in a single political party over the past 62 years. Therefore, I am proud of my political career. The founder of the party, the late Prime Minister S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike had a vision to eliminate western ideology and introduced a new vision in collaboration with five key segments of society popularly known as “Panchamaha balavegaya”. The late Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike and former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga also followed the same path. At present President Mahinda Rajapaksa has implemented the Bandaranaike vision in the socio, economic and cultural spheres in a successful manner. We can be happy that the original vision of the SLFP is being successfully implemented today under the distinguished leadership of President Rajapaksa.

At present there is no vibrant opposition in the country. A vibrant opposition is an essential component for a democratic country. It is the duty of a responsible opposition to make constructive criticism and point the Government’s mistakes so that it would help to rectify the errors.

Q: The media had reported that the JHU has withdrawn from the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) in view of the separatist ideology of the TNA and its manifesto aiming the NPC polls. Your comments?

A: Merely because one political party has said something, it is not appropriate for other political parties to be weakened or withdraw. Those involved in politics should be encouraged. If there is a mistake, that particular politician and his party should rectify the error. If the TNA manifesto has posed a threat to the country, political parties should try to defeat such attempts.

Q: Is the Government confident of winning elections at the Wayamba, Central and Northern provinces?

A: The Government would achieve a resounding victory in the Central and Wayamba Provinces. I hope we would also be able to achieve a victory in the Northern province, because the people in the North can see for themselves the massive development drive launched by the Government in the North.

Q: A large number of youths have come forward to contest the upcoming PC polls including your son. As a veteran politician what is your advice to the youth who are willing to enter the mainstream politics?

A: A situation has been created in Sri Lanka where the majority of the youth who enter politics attempt to misuse the power of their parents, relatives or friends. We can't put the entire blame on the youth, their parents too should be responsible for this situation. The prime responsibility entrusted upon parents is to guide their children in the correct path. We need to have disciplined youth in politics who are people friendly and have a broad vision. If we bring in misfits the entire political process will collapse. We should select a group of dignified youth who respect humanity and moral values. I hope my son Anuradha Jayaratne would move in the proper direction in politics and act in a responsible manner with love and affection for the people.