World Leaders will see for themselves the true situation in the country:

Over 1000 businessmen scheduled to participate in the Business Forum:

Hosting CHOGM in Sri Lanka will silence critics

By Uditha Kumarasinghe

Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Minister, Dr.Rajitha Senaratne said a large number of foreign journalists who will come to Sri Lanka to cover CHOGM would be able to gather first hand information about the prevailing situation in the country. They would realise that the situation in Sri Lanka is not the perception they had in mind - the distorted picture projected about Sri Lanka by certain sections of the international media. The Minister in an interview with the Sunday Observer said holding a key international event like CHOGM is the best answer to those who attempt to portray Sri Lanka as a failed state. World Leaders who visit Sri Lanka during CHOGM would see for themselves the exact situation in the country especially in the North. They can get first hand information about the ground situation in Sri Lanka.

Dr.Senaratne commenting on the crisis faced by the UNP said at present the UNP is in turmoil. There are no prominent figures in the UNP. Under the present circumstances, it will not be an easy task to bring it into power once again. There must be some gigantic figures in the UNP to bring back the party into power. If we count the number of committees appointed by UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe during his career to put the UNP on a victorious path, it would go into the Guinness Book of records. He is famous to appoint committees and postpone the core issue within the UNP.

Excerpts of the interview.

Q: A crucial meeting took place last Tuesday between UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, Karu Jayasuriya and Sajith Premadasa on the Supreme Council to be appointed to put the UNP on a victorious path. Would you like to elaborate your views on this?

A: How many committees have been appointed by Ranil Wickremesinghe up to now? During our time also he appointed so many committees to bring victory for the UNP. He is going to appoint another committee now in the same manner. He always appoints new committees with new people again and again. His strategy is to appoint new committees to postpone the issues in the party. If we count the number of committees appointed by Wickremesinghe during his career to put the UNP on a victorious path, it could go into the Guinness Book.

He is famous to appoint committees and postpone the core issue within the UNP. Today the UNP is in turmoil. There are no competent people in the UNP to bring back the UNP’s vote base that they have lost with the people who crossed over to the Government. At present there are no prominent figures in the UNP.

Under the circumstances, it is not an easy task to bring back a party like this to power once again. There must be some gigantic figures in the UNP to bring back the party into power. When the UNP was brought down to eights seats in 1956, there were so many dynamic leaders who brought the UNP back into power once again in 1960. When the UNP was reduced to eight seats in 1970, there were so many vigorous characters in the UNP of the calibre of J.R.Jayewardena, Dudley Senanayake, Gamini Dissanayake and Lalith Athulathmudali. A few prominent figures who remained in the UNP have also crossed over to the Government due to sheer desperation. In politics, nobody is ready to languish in a political party. The main aim in politics is to gain power. When the people feel that a party cannot come into power, its leaders and supporters will leave that party. Though we can live long, there is limited time that we can work. So people don't like to languish in a political party like the UNP.

In the history of sri Lankan politics, there has never been a leader like Ranil Wickremesinghe who has consecutively lost so many elections and still continue to stay in power. It is the UNP stooges who are appointed to its Central Committee. They are people without any character who are not bothered about the party, its supporters or the country. They are only interested about getting a post in the Central Committee.

Q: The UNP alleges that the move to arrest UNP MP, Mangala Samaraweera is a part of a carefully orchestrated plan by the Government and sections of the private media to destroy the party and silence Opposition members. How would you look at this allegation leveled by the UNP?

A: As claimed by Wickremesinghe, if we can arrest Mangala Samaraweera and prevent the UNP's victory, then Mangala should be the UNP Leader. Mangala showed his colours with the power of the Government. He was a nobody in the Opposition. Even before the election, the only thing he did was to organise the Mothers Front. The same Mangala Samaraweera who tried to destroy the UNP has now come back to the UNP. He is the person who first spread the idea that Ranil Wickremesinghe is an incompetent leader who can never win.

Today Mangala is trying to convince party men that Ranil Wickremesinghe can win. Mangala has his agenda which the UNP or its leaders don’t understand. He is working on a different agenda, not the UNP’s agenda.

If the Government wanted it could have remanded Mangala Samaraweera and taken him to courts. If the UNP says that they cannot win merely because a particular individual of the party is having a court case pending, how many court cases did we had at the time we contested? But we brought the party into power.

Q: Is there any way out to resolve the UNP’s internal crisis? Do you think Ranil Wickremesinghe should step down as demanded by the reformist group of the UNP?

A: Yes. That was our slogan at that time as well. When I was asked by a journalist at that time whom I thought the next leadership should go to in the UNP, I categorically said anybody other than Ranil. Now the UNP is bankrupt. I don’t know even if they change the incumbent leadership, whether they can bring the party into power. UNPers are desperate now and are looking for a new leader in a new party. That is how Sarath Fonseka emerged victorious during the recently concluded Provincial Council Elections at the Wayamba and Central Provinces. UNPers sense that they should back Fonseka as Ranil is not giving up the leadership. Fonseka will have a better chance at the Western Provincial Council Election.

He would get more opposition votes as desperate UNPers can see that there is no alternate leader in the UNP. Under the incumbent leadership, the UNP will go down further. When we said this at the beginning, those who safeguarded Ranil are the same people who are now revolting against him. What I have tell them now is that it is far too late .

Q: Do you think the change of UNP leadership would pose a challenge to the Government?

A: Not at the present moment. Because there is no dynamic leader who can regenerate and rejuvenate the UNP to come to power. I don't see any such capable leader within the UNP today.

Q: How do you look at the rift created within the TNA after the swearing in of its Chief Minister?

A: That is a good development. This is what we said from the beginning. We said right from the inception to give the power to them and they will begin squabbling with one another. This is politics and this will happen to any political party.

This has spread to the TNA as well. When they are in power in the North, there will be more and more resistance. It has started now. In the future one party from the North will join the UNP while the other party will join hands with the UPFA. That is what has happened in Tamil Nadu as well. The Tamil Nadu politicians who shouted various slogans earlier, once they were given devolution of power, they began fighting with each other and joined the two main parties in the centre. This is what will happen in politics. Therefore what we said earlier has become a reality today.

The Northern Province Chief Minister, C.V.Vigneswaran and the majority of elected members of the TNA decided to swear in before President Mahinda Rajapaksa. It is obvious after that there is a rift within the TNA. We must understand that there are pro LTTE elements and anti LTTE elements in the TNA. It is likely that anti LTTE elements have consolidated the majority of power in the TNA. So we must support them now. They may be against the Government. But the fact remains that they are against separatism and terrorist elements as well. We must appreciate that. That is why I say that Northern Province Chief Minister Vigneswaran is a good selection. He is a person who has worked with us. He doesn't have extremist ideas. He is a democratic leader and wants power to be devolved within a united Sri Lanka.

Q:NP Chief Minister, C..V.Vigneswaran who took oaths before President Mahinda Rajapaksa expressed his willingness to cooperate with the Government. How would the he fulfill the aspirations of the Northern people?

A: He has to work with the centre. Because power is devolved under a unitary system, not under a united system. If power is devolved under a united system, he would become the leader for that region. Under a unitary system, the President is the leader for the devolved unit. Under a unitary Constitution, the Chief Minister and the Governor are only the agents of the President. The agent can't take over the ownership of the centre.

If the NP Chief Minister genuinely wants to fulfill the aspirations of his people, he has to cooperate and work with the President. That is the reality.That is why Vigneswaran has told the TNA members to do their politics and he will run the Northern Provincial Council. To develop the North, he should cooperate with the President. Otherwise the Northern people at the next election will ask the TNA and its Chief Minister what have they done by forming a Provincial Council?

Q: What will be the benefits of CHOGM which will accrue to Sri Lanka?

A: There are various benefits to be gained through CHOGM. Hosting CHOGM in our country would showcase to the world that we are an internationally recognised country. Being a venue for CHOGM, the Commonwealth was recognised Sri Lanka as a successful member of the Commonwealth. Holding a key international event like CHOGM is the best answer to those who portray Sri Lanka as a failed state. World Leaders who visit Sri Lanka during the CHOGM can see for themselves the exact situation in the country especially in the North. They can get first hand information about the ground situation in Sri Lanka. A large number of foreign journalists will also come to Sri Lanka to cover the CHOGM. They will see first hand the prevailing situation in the country.

They would realise that the situation in Sri Lanka is not the perception they have of it but rather the opposite and not as projected by certain sections of the international media. There may be certain shortcomings, but they can see for themselves the development taking place in the North. According to Government statistics, over 1000 businessmen are scheduled to participate in the Business Forum of CHOGM. If 10 percent of them express willingness to invest in our country, that would be a big achievement for us.

Q: Canada has decided to boycott CHOGM alleging that the Sri Lankan Government has failed to uphold core values of the Commonwealth. Your comments?

A: Canada cannot decide on core values of the Commonwealth. That has to be decided by the Commonwealth per se. In that case, the Commonwealth has already decided to hold the CHOGM in Sri Lanka. This means the Canada or anybody can comment . Anybody can say anything but the Commonwealth has accepted Sri Lanka as a core member of the Commonwealth.

Q:The main Opposition UNP is attempting to boycott CHOGM alleging that the Government under the pretext of the Matara incident was attempting to create Opposition Parliamentarians and activists into political prisoners. Do you perceive any truth in this?

A: Where are these political prisoners? When some UNP members are involved in a criminal action, it cannot be ignored as they are in the Opposition. Mangala Samaraweera should understand how he and former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga tried to arrest and imprison me during that period? How many cases they filed against me? Because I was one of the leading characters against that Government. But I was not involved in any criminal activity for me to be arrested or taken to the CID. How many times, I was arrested and taken to the CID? But this Government has never resorted to such actions. The Matara incident is just another incident which took place. There was a shooting incident and so many people were assaulted and injured due to this . Police were deployed there to take action. The Police through the television visuals will identify the suspects and take legal action against them. These are hilarious accusations made by the UNP to cover up their defeat.

Q:The Indian fishermen poaching in Sri Lanka's territorial waters has become a controversial issue. Has the Government decided to reach an early solution with the Indian Government on this issue?

A: If we want, we can take the matter to the European Union. According to the bilateral agreement signed between India and Sri Lanka, both countries have agreed to sort out all these issues based on mutual understanding of the two parties. India is a true friend.

A small island like Sri Lanka cannot exist having fisticuffs with India. Certain stupid people who professed those things in the past are also quiet now. With regard to the fisheries question whether the country is big or small, there are international conventions that we have agreed upon. Accordingly Indian fishermen cannot cross into our territorial waters and our fishermen cannot also cross into Indian waters.

If the Indian fishermen cross into our waters, we can take legal action against them under the UN Conventionon on the Law of the Sea. So the bilateral convention comes under the UN Convention. If we can take action that doesn't mean that we have to complain to another third party. We can take legal action and that is what we have done right now. It has become effective now.

Q:What is the reason for the majority of the people to rally round the Government despite wild propaganda by the UNP and other parties with vested interests?

A: Because there is no action from the Opposition. The UNP just makes statements and resort to absurd action. When there is an incident of a criminal act and those who are responsible are arrested, if the UNP says it is an anti-Government action, this shows the bankruptcy of the Opposition.

However much they shout, the people are not so foolish to listen to absurd comments made by a bankrupt political party like the UNP. That is why the people are rallying round the President and the Government.

Q: Though the Government couldn't win the Northern Provincial Council Election, nearly 87,000 people in the North voted for the Government. What steps should be taken by the Government to further woo the Northern people?

A: Historically the Government has done the most amount of development in the North. Relief measures have also been afforded to them. However, whatever we have done has not been properly channeled to the people.

Because there are lands issues concerning them. They cannot come and live in their own places due to these land problems. These are what affect the people individually. They feel that their lands have been occupied by some other elements. Development has been taken place in the North where the people are not involved so the message of development has not seeped into the fabric of the North.

The action of the church at the last moment appealing to voters to vote for the TNA also caused a lot of damage to the Government at the election. Otherwise we had a good campaign during the final stages. Even 95 percent of Northern fishermen are Catholics or Christians. So they listened to the church rather than to us. Even on election day, a Catholic priest who canvassed for the TNA was arrested. Anyway getting 87,000 votes in favour of the government is a good headstart and now we should really understand how to develop this 87,000 votes further.