Govt will not brook racism - Minister Wimal Weerawansa

By Uditha Kumarsinghe

Construction, Engineering Services, Housing and Common Amenities Minister Wimal Weerawansa said the majority of the people accept the fact that the country has moved forward rapidly after President Mahinda Rajapaksa assumed office in 2005.

The Minister in an interview with the Sunday Observer said there may be shortcomings and various requirements to be fulfilled, but the country has entered the path of progress. The people are confident despite any international pressure, that the President or the Government will not take any decision detrimental to the country. Therefore, the majority of the people believe they should safeguard the country's leadership who rescued the nation from the clutches of terrorism. Whatever hardships faced, the people have given a resounding mandate to the Government at all recently concluded elections.

The Minister said the intention of the TNA leaders is to drag the next generation of the Tamil youth to take up arms once again. However, an opposite trend against the TNA ideology has been created within the Tamil community. It will emerge in the near future. At this Provincial Council election, the UPFA will gain a massive mandate in the North. The election results will show the national harmony created among the Northern people against the racist and separatist ideology of the TNA. Therefore, we categorically state the country's future belongs to the generation that represents the trend of national harmony, not those who represent racism or separatism.

Excerpts of the interview:

Q. Some political parties and sections of society allege that the TNA election manifesto has violated the constitution as its has proclaimed self-rule. Could you explain this?

A: The TNA is the only political party which has introduced a manifesto for the Northern Provincial Council election. The UPFA, UNP or JVP have not presented any special manifestos targeting the election. The TNA manifesto has also interpreted the structure of self-governing and obtaining land and police powers for their self-rule. It has stressed the need to get a series of powers under the control of the TNA and gone far beyond the Vaddukodai Resolution introduced in Sri Lanka in the 1970s.

A series of political and civic organisations such as the Patriotic National Movement have sought legal assistance on the TNA's controversial election manifesto which has blatantly violated the country's constitution. At present the matter is under sub-judice. The people are now awaiting the court decision on the controversial issue. Therefore, nobody has a right to exercise the vote for such an uncertain document now under subjudice, as the true mandate of the people in the North.

Q. The recent statement made by Attorney-at-Law Kandiah Neelakandan is alleged to be a reflection on the sinister attempts by certain quarters to ignite racism in Sri Lanka at a time when the Government is engaged in the process of strengthening cordial relationships among communities after the end of the three-decade terrorism. How would you look at this scenario?

A: There are certain people within the Tamil community who act according to the agendas of some foreign embassies. Such people are found in the Sinhala and Muslim communities as well. The main responsibility entrusted upon these elements in the Tamil community is to further distance the Sinhala and Tami people and create racial disharmony. At present the Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim communities are living in harmony.

It shows that the true nature of the ordinary Tamil people is completely different n to the distorted picture depicted by the so called elite Tamil leaders.

They want to divide the country and cater to the interests of some external forces. Neelakandan was also actively involved in the case of the former Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake. Now it is clear who influenced the former Chief Justice to give some rulings in favour of separatism. It was due to the interference by persons such as Neelakandan and some foreign embassies. Neelakandan expects the intervention of Tamil Nadu, India and UN in the internal affairs of Sri Lanka.

The TNA also wants international intervention in Sri Lanka. This group has undertaken a historic contract to destabilise Sri Lanka and turn it into a country full of conflicts based on the agenda of the external forces. The challenge is to move forward without being trapped in the political strategies of these separatist elements.

Q. In a scenario where the Government has launched a massive development drive in the North, what is the mindset of the Tamil people in the North and their political preferences?

A: After the end of the three-decade terrorism, this is the first time in recent history that the Northern people are able to exercise their franchise freely. Holding this election will help to create a certain ideology within the Tamil community in the North. But the TNA attempts to drag them into the past destructive and separatist path. That is why the TNA Chief Ministerial candidate Vigneshwaran has warned that if powers are not given to the North, they will have to take up arms.

It is not Vigneswaran's or Sampanthan's sons who will take up arms. Their children are enjoying luxury lives in foreign lands.

The intention of the TNA leaders is to drag the next generation of Tamil youth to take up arms once again. However, an opposite trend against this ideology has been created within the Tamil community. It will emerge in the near future. At this Provincial Council election, the UPFA will gain a massive mandate in the North. The election results will show the national harmony created among the people in the North against the racist and separatist ideology of the TNA.

Therefore we categorically say the country's future belongs to the generation who represent the trend of national harmony, not those who represent racism or separatism.

Q. The Government has categorically stated that if the TNA attempts to go beyond the constitution, it is equipped to meet the situation. Could you elaborate on this?

A: Every citizen of the country is bound to act according to the constitution. The TNA or anybody else has no right whatsoever to act outside the constitution. If any change is to be made to the constitution, it should be done through Parliament.

At present the TNA has entered into a fray and come out with a series of proposals that contravene the constitution. Their intention is to grab power in the Northern Provincial Council and show the international community that they have gained a mandate to implement self-rule in the North. Finally, they would submit a resolution at the UNHRC to demerge the North and the East. It is obvious that the TNA is part of some international political onslaught against the Government. The TNA will internationally market the mandate gained by them at the PC election. They will attempt to insert the same racial germ into the Eastern Province as well. A conspiracy has been hatched to distance the Sinhala and Muslim communities.

The TNA and other separatist elements believe the Muslim community will also move towards the anti-government direction. They think, an unstable situation will be created in Parliament and they will make use of it to force the Government to dance according to their whims and fancies. The TNA has entered into this road map to realise their petty political objectives. Therefore, we have introduced it as the second Tamil Eelam operation. We have to realise that the TNA has engaged in an exercise to give life to the ruthless terrorist leader Velupillai Prabhakaran.

Q.When grave human rights violations are taking place in some countries, why is Sri Lanka targeted by some Western countries at every UNHRC sessions? Do you think certain Western powers are attempting to destabilise the Government?

A: Most of the power in the UNHRC is shared by the US and other Western imperialist countries. History shows that the UNHRC has acted to cater to the interests of the US and other Western countries. Therefore, the UNHRC has turned into a forum to punish the countries which go against the US agenda. They bring these resolutions and raise various human rights issues on Sri Lanka at the UNHRC due to attempts made by the Government to defeat the world's most ruthless terrorist outfit.

That is why the UN Human Rights Commissioner Navi Pillay during her recent visit to Sri Lanka attempted to offer floral tribute to Prabhakaran at the Nandikadal lagoon. She wanted to project Prabhakaran as a hero to the Tamil community and stress the need to commemorate his death. The message she wished to communicate to the separatist elements is to continue their struggle and that she will stand by them.

Some international organisations have been hurt due to moves taken by the Government to eradicate LTTE terrorism from the Lankan soil. They believed Sri Lanka will also divide like Sudan. Under the leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the Government was able to militarily defeat the LTTE.

So some Western forces are nursing a grudge as they don't like to create a stable situation in Sri Lanka. When the West launch their vicious agendas to destabilize the Asian region, Sri Lanka's strategical location is important for them. Whatever external forces exert pressure on us, President Rajapaksa does not bow down to imperialism. The human rights attack on Sri Lanka by Western forces is part of their global imperialistic operation launched in the region. They want to create a Sinhala-Tamil clash and take the country towards separatism.

Q. Do you think at this juncture, the people should rally round the President and the Government to defeat the international conspiracies hatched against Sri Lanka?

A: The majority of the people have an understanding about the situation. A massive transformation has been made within the country since the day the President assumed office in 2005 up to 2013. Unlike the past, today we are not a helpless country full of IDPs. We have ended the war against the terrorists and successfully moved forward overcoming economic challenges. The people acknowledge that the country has moved forward rapidly after 2005. There may be shortcomings and various requirements to be fulfilled. But the country has entered the path of progress.

The people have confidence that the President or the Government will not take any decision detrimental to the country. Therefore ,the majority of the people are of the view that they should safeguard the country's leadership who rescued them form the clutches of terrorism. That is why the people gave a resounding mandate to the Government at all recently concluded elections.

Q. Do you think the outcome of the election results in Wayamba, Central and Northern Provinces would give a strong message to the world that the majority of the people are with the Government?

A: Definitely. The TNA attempts to win the Northern PC and claim that they got a mandate for self-rule. I think the UPFA will gain two-thirds majority in the Wayamba and Central Provincial Councils and the UNP would face a severe setback in the two provinces. The JVP would even be deprived of its position as the country's third political force.

The UPFA will create an election result which would pose a serious political challenge to the racist and separatist elements in the North. Whatever attempts are made by Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe to cater to the interests of Tamil separatism, he will face a humiliating defeat in the North. Amid the various challenges, the three PC elections will create a massive mandate for the Government to take the country forward.

Q. Why did the TNA which has continuously rejected a Southern administration in the North select a person from the South as its Chief Ministerial candidate?

A: This is a candidate especially selected by two foreign embassies. The TNA Chief Ministerial candidate Vigneshwaran is born and bred in Colombo. He was educated in a popular school in Colombo and associates only with the elite.

As a Supreme Court judge, he has had very limited social interactions with the people. Vigneshwaran was nominated by two foreign embassies. The TNA MP Mavai Senathirajah wanted to become the TNA Chief Ministerial candidate. However, the foreign embassies wished to field candidates such as Vigneshwaran. It is clear that there is a clash between the genuine aspirations of the Tamil community and the aspirations imposed on them by various outside forces. Vigneshwaran is a clear reflection of that clash.

Q. After 23 years, the Yal Devi resumed operation to Kilinochchi. The people see this as a bridge to connect the people in the North with the South. Your comments?

A: At present the Government has renovated the Northern railway line up to Kilinochchi. It has paved the way to the northern and the southern people to interact and identify themselves on their own without third party involvement.

This is how we should promote national harmony among the communities. But it will take time to build the mindset of the people who were distanced from the South for the past few decades.