PSC, the ideal forum for TNA to find solutions - UPFA Gen Secy

by Uditha Kumarasinghe

The UPFA General Secretary and Environment and Renewable Energy Minister Susil Premajayantha said the expectation of all Sri Lankans and the international community is that the TNA should make use of the mandate gained by them in the North to cooperate with the Government to promote reconciliation and create a new political culture in the North. The Minister in an interview with the Sunday Observer said the TNA at a press briefing held after its victory had expressed willingness to work with the Government to develop the Northern province. The TNA should adhere to it and proceed to achieve their goal.

The Minister said the Government expects that the TNA will participate in the Parliamentary Select Committee ( PSC), because it has now gained power in the Northern Provincial Council. The PSC is the ideal forum for the TNA to express their views to find a lasting solution to the problem. The TNA is the main stakeholder of the forum and their presence at the PSC would be appreciated.

Minister Premajayantha said the Government through the conduct of free and fair elections in the Wayamba, Central and Northern provinces has given a clear message to the Commonwealth countries and the international community that it is not only developing the country but also making a sincere effort to promote reconciliation among communities by holding free and fair elections.

Excerpts of the interview.

Q:How would you analyse the outcome of the election results in the Wayamba, Central and Northern Provinces?

A: If we analyse the outcome of the election results in the three Provincial Councils separately, we can find significant features. If we take the result of the Northern Province, we have to keep in mind that almost all the public servants and the people of the Northern Province were under the clutches of the LTTE for nearly 30 years. After the end of the war against terrorism, over 11,000 ex-LTTE cadres who surrendered or were captured were rehabilitated and integrated into the mainstream society. Apart from that, the Government has spent a large amount of money to develop the Northern Province.

The Government has already reconstructed the Northern railway line up to Kilinochchi. This railway track is set to be extended up to Jaffna by April next year. In addition, the Government has provided many infrastructure facilities to the people in the North. The majority of the people in the North have voted for the TNA or ITAK which is their traditional political party. But the UPFA as a new political front has been able to get seven members to the NPC. They include three Tamils, two Muslims and two Sinhalese. So we are satisfied with that representation. The UPFA for the first time has a seven member representation in the Northern Provincial Council. Unlike in the other provinces, the UPFA didn't have an organised network in the Northern Province due to the situation over the past ten years. I believe, before the next elections, we could organise the party network in every polling division in the Northern Province so that we could successfully face any major elections within the next couple of years.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Government is satisfied with the manner in which the people cast their votes in the North which had a high turnout. The average voter turnout was about 68 percent and more than 70 percent in certain polling divisions. After a lapse of 30 years, it is the first time that the people in Jaffna voted in this manner. As far as democracy is concerned, it's a victory achieved by the country.

Prior to the elections, there were many speculations by the media, various organisations and foreign missions that there will not be a free and fair election in the North. After the election results were released, the entire world realised that the Government didn't interfere with the election and the people were free to cast their vote and elect their representatives. It showed the world the Government's sincere efforts to conduct a free and fair election in the North.

The UPFA has gained 68 percent voter base in the Wayamba province. It shows that the UPFA has maintained its voter base in the Wayamba province over the past four and a half years compared to previous PC elections.

In the Central Province , the percentage of the UPFA's vote base in the Nuwara Elya- Maskeliya electorate alone has risen to around 80 percent. If we also add the votes gained by the Upcountry People's Front and the Ceylon Workers' Congress (CWC) in the Matale and Kandy districts, the UPFA's vote base as an alliance will increase further. If we target any major elections within the next couple of years, I believe we would be able to maintain the same percentage or increase it. Therefore, the UPFA has maintained a strong vote base in the Wayamba and Central provinces.

Q: Holding a free and fair election in the North after a lapse of 25 years is a clear testimony given by the Government to the international community on its firm commitment to restore democracy in the North. Your comments?

A: It is the reason the Northern people were able to freely exercise their franchise and elect their members to the Provincial Council. According to the 13th Amendment to the constitution, there are many subjects that the Provincial Council can directly involve in, such as, education, health, agriculture and road development. All these are devolved subjects. So now it is up to the Northern PC to develop the area with the help of its people's representatives.

Q: Do you think the TNA should make use of the mandate gained by them to cooperate with the Government to promote reconciliation and create a new political culture in the North?

A: It is the expectation of all Sri Lankans and the international community as well. If we look at the TNA's press briefing held after their victory, they clearly stated they are willing to work with the Government to develop the Northern Province.

I think the TNA should adhere to that statement and proceed to achieve their goal. I remember in 1988, the first Provincial Council election was held for the Northern Province and it temporarily amalgamated the Northern and Eastern provinces.

The then Chief Minister Vardharaja Perumal tried to make it a separate unit so that finally it ended up in its dissolution. I believe the TNA at this time will not resort to make the same mistake.

Q: Although the TNA has won the Northern Provincial Council, the UPFA has also obtained nearly 83,000 votes in the North and could elect seven members to the council. How do you look at this emerging political development in the North?

A: If we compare the UPFA with the other major political parties such as the UNP and the JVP, the UNP has obtained only 895 votes in the Jaffna district and 3,000 votes in the entire Northern Province. At the last General Election, the UNP had a Parliamentarian representing the Jaffna district.

So it is a pathetic situation faced by the UNP in Jaffna. As a national political party, it is only the UPFA which could obtain 83,000 votes in the Northern Province. I am sure the UPFA will secure more votes in the North at the next election.

Q: Do you think the people in the North were able to freely exercise their franchise and select their representatives due to the moves taken by the Government to restore democracy in the North?

A: Definitely. It was the general observation made by the local and international election observers as well. After the lapse of nearly 25 years, the Government could create an environment conducive to conduct a free and fair election in the North.

Q: What led the majority of the Northerners to fall in line with the TNA agenda at the Provincial Council election, despite the fact that the Government has developed infrastructure facilities in the North?

A: Unlike the other areas in Sri Lanka, as I said earlier the people and public servants in the North were under the clutches of the LTTE for over 30 years. We can't change the mindset of the people in just four years. The developments in the North is one aspect, but their expectations is a different issue. I believe their voting pattern will change at a major election.

Q: The international election observers have endorsed that the Provincial Council polls were conducted in a free and fair manner without any election related incident at polling or counting centres. How do you see this significant development?

A: It is a good political development. It is a victory gained by the Government as it extended the fullest support to the Election Commissioner to conduct a free and fair election in the Northern, Wayamba and Central Provinces.

Q: If the TNA attempts to use the mandate gained by them to promote their separatist sentiments and go beyond the constitution, it would result in serious consequences in the country's democratic process. Do you see any such imminent threat?

A: No, it will not happen, because the North is only a province and its voter base is about 700,000. Sri Lanka's total population is about 22 million and the total voter base is somewhere around 14 million.

Therefore, 700,000 people cannot decide the constitutional provisions. The mandate gained by the TNA is limited to the Northern Province. The TNA or anybody else cannot violate the articles of the constitution. The constitution is the supreme law of the country. It will not affect the constitution or the unitary status of the country.

Q: The PC election results have shown the severe setback faced by the UNP and the JVP and the emergence of a new opposition front. How do you look at this scenario?

A: This new party has emerged with votes from the UNP and JVP vote bank. It has not affected the UPFA's vote bank. It has made an adverse impact on the UNP and the JVP mainly due to their weaknesses and internal conflicts. The election results have clearly shown that the majority of the people in the three provinces have rejected the UNP and the JVP.

Q: As witnessed at the provincial election campaign, competition and confrontations were created among the UPFA candidates themselves. What led to such a situation?

A: It is because the UPFA had no confrontations with the other Opposition political parties. Therefore issues arose among the UPFA candidates within the same camp and led to competition among the ruling party candidates.

Q: Has the Government taken a final decision on the appointment of Chief Ministers to the Wayamba and Central Provinces? Will it be based on the criteria of the highest preferential votes obtained?

A: The UPFA has a certain idea to appoint Chief Ministers to the two Provincial Councils. The swearing-in of the Chief Ministers will take place in Colombo after President Rajapaksa returns to the country. In addition to the highest number of preferential votes obtained by the candidates, the UPFA will also consider the political maturity of the candidates when Chief Ministers are appointed to the two PCs.

Q: How would the outcome of this election pave the way to create an impact on the country at the forthcoming CHOGM to be held in November?

A: Holding a free and fair election has laid a solid foundation for CHOGM. The Leaders of 53 Commonwealth countries are participating in this key international event to be held in Sri Lanka.

The Government has given a clear message to the Commonwealth countries and the international community that Sri Lanka is a peaceful country and is fully committed to its reconciliation efforts. The election result is a clear indication that the Government is not only taking measures to develop the country but also makes sincere efforts to promote reconciliation among the communities by holding free and fair elections.

Q: In a situation where free and fair elections were held in the Wayamba, Central and Northern provinces, how do you look at the address made by President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the 68th sessions of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA)?

A: When the President addressed the 68th sessions of the UNGA, he had a lot of information to convey to the international community and convince them that all communities in Sri Lanka are ready to live together in peace and harmony.

Q: What is the present position regarding the PSC? How do you view the intransigent behaviour maintained by the TNA, UNP and the JVP to boycott the PSC?

A: The PSC will continue. I saw some news item that TNA Parliamentary Group Leader R. Sampanthan had also made some comment on it. We expect the TNA will participate in the PSC as they have now gained power in the NPC. The PSC is the ideal forum for the TNA to express its views to find a lasting solution to the problem. The TNA is the main stakeholder of this forum. If they attend the PSC, we would welcome them.