Northern Province in the forefront of development

By Ranil Wijayapala

The recent development activities in the North by the Government has put the Northern Province in the forefront of development while building a bridge of friendship between the South and the North with the recommencement of train services to Jaffna after 24 years.

However, it was evident that the Tamil National Alliance which swept into power in the Northern Provincial Council at last year’s Provincial Council election is ignoring the development in the North by not rendering service to the Northern people but also by not cooperating with the development activities initiated by the Government.

In an interview with the Sunday Observer, EPDP Leader and Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development Minister Douglas Devananda who always stood with the Government in developing the North, said that the TNA is like a ‘dog in the manger’ and they are not allowing others to solve problems of the Tamil people for their survival in politics.

The Minister also said that the EPDP will strengthen the hands of the President at the next presidential election too.

Excerpts of the interview.

Q: The UPFA government launched several development projects in the North and the East after ending terrorism. Recently train services to Jaffna was restarted after 24 years restoring the lost links between the two communities. How do you see this situation?

A: Yes, the UPFA government launched development activities in the North and the East after ending terrorism. People in the North are reaping the benefits of these development activities. The recommencement of the Yaal Devi train only created a link between the North and the South but also built a bridge of friendship between the South and the North which will also contribute towards the reconciliation process and the train service will help bring the two communities much closer in the future.

Q: What impact has the development activity in the North had on the people?

A: When the Yaal Devi train was restarted the Tamil National Alliance told the people in the North to boycott the opening ceremony. But the people arrived in their thousands to witness this historic event and to welcome President Mahinda Rajapaksa despite the decision by the TNA to boycott the event.

It shows that though the Tamil National Alliance refused to accept the development activities undertaken by the Government the people have embraced it as it directly affects their life style whatever political ideologies they may have.

Q: President Mahinda Rajapaksa during his visit to Jaffna also visited Delft island. That was the first visit by a President to the Delft Island. As a Minister representing the Jaffna district how do you see this visit by the President?

A: According to political history, in post independent Sri Lanka, only former Prime Minister Sir John Kotelawala had visited the Delft island in the 1950s. No Prime Minister or President of the country had visited the island after that.

So people were happy about President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s visit to Delft Island. Schoolchildren in particular were happy about his visit as they have never witnessed a Head of State visiting their villages which were considered remote and isolated areas for the rest of the country in the past.

Q: Despite all these development activities undertaken by the Government for the people in the North, it seems the Government has not been able to win the hearts of the Northern people on political terms. Why has such a situation been created and are there any new developments?

A: Though a situation like that prevailed earlier, there is a massive change in the attitude of the people towards the Government. Today, people know that though they have given the mandate to the TNA to run the administration of the Northern Provincial Council the TNA is unable to deliver what they need. Like a ‘dog in the manger’ they are not working for the people nor are allowing others to do so.

Today, people say that the TNA is not capable of conducting development activities and solve the day-to-day issues of the people in the North.

As a ‘bad workman quarrels with his tools’ the TNA is also blaming others and finding fault with the government to cover up their incapacity and incapability to serve the requirement of the people. But they are maintaining duplicity over their engagement with the government.

While telling the people to boycott opening of the train service to Jaffna, the TNA members participated at the tea party hosted by the President after the presentation of the Bbudget. Today, people realise the true picture of the TNA and their incapability to deliver services to the public.

Q: Is the Government preventing the TNA from participating in development activities?

A: President Mahinda Rajapaksa has always invited them to be a part of these development activities. At every meeting the President has invited them to take part in development activities. But they are not participating at these meetings because these activities are aimed at solving the problems of the people.

The TNA does not want to solve any of the issues faced by the people, because they won't survive in politics if these issues are resolved by the Government. Even to have political solution to address the political grievances of the people, the President has invited them to participate at the Parliament Select Committee.

But they are boycotting that opportunity too because what they need is to have problems forever like the coffin makers who always profit when people die. The TNA does this for their survival in politics and make their business of politics a thriving one.

Q: Is their any progress regarding the TNA cooperating with the Government to solve the issues of the Tamil people after their meeting with Indian Prime Minister?

A: The Indian Prime Minister had told them that only through dialogue with the Government they can resolve the issues of the Tamil people. However, they are still avoiding any dialogue with the Government making various excuses as they do not want the Tamil question to be addressed.

Q: The Opposition Leader of the Northern Provincial Council has charged that the NPC has used only 25 percent of the funds allocated to the Council. And that too only to purchase luxury vehicles for the Councillors. As a Minister representing the Northern Province what is your opinion?

A: As I said earlier the TNA is like a ‘Dog in the manger'. They are not doing any thing and not allowing others to do also. October 25 was the last date for them to make use of the government allocations for the Council. By that date they have spent only 25 percent of their allocations from the Government.

The other Provincial Councils are complaining that the funds allocated to them are not enough. Here, even after Government making the highest allocation for the Northern Provincial Council they are not making use of the allocations to serve the people. There are no benefits for the people by having the TNA to run the administration of the Northern Provincial Council.

Even those who have supported them at the election are now saying that it better if they gave the mandate of the Northern Provincial Council to Douglas Devananda. People are now having that type of idea because they are happy with the development activities undertaken by the Government for their benefit.

Though the TNA said they do not want a railway line to Jaffna, the people really want the service and now they want a change in the Northern Provincial Council.

Q: What solution do you have in mind if the Northern Provincial Council is not working for the benefit of the people?

A: If the Northern Provincial Council is not performing well the people will protest against it. Even now people are defying the TNA call. That is why they participated in the railway opening in Jaffna despite the TNA call to boycott it. The people will say no to them one day.

Q: Are you willing to take over the Northern Provincial Council as Chief Minister if there a call from the people?

A: Yes. I am willing to undertake that task on behalf of the Northern people and already there are requests from the people.

Q: The LTTE is trying hard to obtain a legitimate status at international level. The recent lifting of the ban on the LTTE is one such step by the LTTE. What impact could they make on Sri Lanka?

A: They cannot do anything for Sri Lanka. They don't have any roots in Sri Lanka now. What they are doing today is for their survival and for fund-raising activities. If they don't have any issue here they can't raise funds from the Tamil Diaspora. They want to do something at international level to show that they are doing something to raise more funds from the Tamil diaspora. Earlier the Tamil Diaspora was supporting the LTTE as they were scared of the LTTE. Today, there is nothing like that and people won't help them as five years has elapsed since its defeat.

They are ready to help the development activities in spite of funding the LTTE for no use. One diaspora person from Velvetithurai called me recently and told me that they are ready to help us. I asked why?

He said that they have observed what is happening in the North despite the false propaganda carried out by various organisations saying that Jaffna peninsula is occupied by the Security Forces. After visiting Jaffna they realised that what they have heard is completely wrong and they are ready to see a prosperous North. They will not help the LTTE to put the Tamil people back to the fire.

Some NGO's operating here also want to create issues in the North as they also not in a position to raise funds.

But the Tamil people living abroad is now aware what is happening there in the North as they can visit the North and see what is happening there. We should not worry about the LTTE activities at international level as they will not affect the people in the North.

Q: The Government has restricted foreigners travelling to the North. On what ground has the Government has made these restrictions?

A: I don't have any clear idea about it. But I have made request from the President to give permission for the foreign passport holders to travel freely to the North if their country of birth is Sri Lanka. We raised this issue with the President when we met him on Thursday. He told us that he will bring this matter up at the Security Council meeting and take a decision on it without making any impact on the security situation.

Q: The Government and political parties are now talking about a Presidential election, early next year. Some political parties within the Government have expressed their stance on supporting President Mahinda Rajapaksa for a third term. What is the stance of the EPDP?

A: We have not changed our stance on this issue. We will support President Mahinda Rajapaksa in future presidential elections. We expressed our views to the President when we met him on October 30.

Q: Did the EPDP make any demands to extend support to President Mahinda Rajapaksa at a future Presidential election?

A: We did not make any demands or conditions but we made some requests from the President regarding some issues in the North. We want to restart the Kankasanthurai cement factory, Paranthan chemical factory and Oddusudan tile factory again. President Mahinda Rajapaksa agreed on the restarting of Paranthan chemical factory and the Oddusudan tile factory under the Ministry of Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development. The President said the Government will consider the restarting of Kankasanthurai cement factory too in future since it needs a big investment.

The President also agreed to address the issue of renovating the Iranamadu tank which has not been renovated for decades and to address the issue of drinking water problem of the people living in Jaffna islands by providing them desalination plants to purify sea water for their drinking purposes.

At the same time President also agreed to have Deyata Kirula exhibition in Jaffna in 2016 considering our call to have it in the North. We wanted to have this exhibition in the North because the North was discriminated during the period of terrorism and it was directly affected by it. When the North was affected by terrorism, the South had big investments. We need to have more development activities in the North to match with the development in the South. The President agreed with our position.

Q: Will you be supporting President Rajapaksa to contest a third term and what is your view regarding the Executive Presidency?

A: As I said earlier there is no change in our stance to support the President. We also support the executive presidency system since it is the only way the minority parties and communities can bargain with the major political parties to win their rights.