National security, our priority - State Defence Minister Ruwan Wijewardene

By Uditha Kumarasinghe

State Defence Minister , Ruwan Wijewardene in his first print media interview dismissed the UPFA's baseless allegations that the security of the country will be compromised by withdrawing security camps and reducing the number of troops in the North, the Minister said that the Government was committed to safeguard the territorial integrity of the country giving priority to national security. The UPFA is so obsessed with this issue that it is slinging mud at the new Government and were capitalising on it.

Minister Wijewardene told the Sunday Observer that he visited the North and East with the present Commanders of the Tri forces and met the SF Command of the North and East in Trincomalee, Mullaitivu, Vavuniya and Kilinochchi as well. "We also reassured troops that the Government is one hundred percent committed to keep national security as our priority. We also reassured them that we were not withdrawing military camps in the North".

Q: In the context of national security, do you consider re-organising priorities or filling any gaps in the overall security interest?

A: Right now, what we need is to strengthen our security arm, Tri forces as well as the Police. There need to be a bit of re-organisation as well. But that should be done on the instructions of President Maithripala Sirisena, as he is the Defence Minister and I am waiting for directions.

Once he gives the guidelines, we can restructure and re-organise. Right now as a Government, we give priority to national security and that is obviously number one in our agenda. We will do whatever we can to protect the national security of this country.

Q: What are your observations on the security arrangements during your recent official inspections in the North and the East?

A: I visited the North and East with the present Commanders of the Tri forces. I met the SF Command of the North as well as the East in Trincomalee. Of course, I met SF Command in Mullativu, Vavuniya and Kilinochchi.

While we inspected and spoke to the troops, we reassured them that the Government was one hundred percent committed to national security and that was our top priority. We also reassured them that we were not going to take away the camps in the North, because soon after the election, there were rumours floating around saying that the new Government would dismantle camps in the North and reduce the troops stationed there.

I reassured them that we were not dismantling the camps and were not reducing the number of troops. I spoke to the Commanders about the issues affecting the Tamils especially in the North.

We were finding a solution to the land problem that the Tamils were facing in that area. I think we can definitely come into a solution where the people will be happy and the SF Commander said that they could allocate land.

We are looking up to about 1000 acres of lands to be released so that land could be given to the people in the North and that it will sort the land issue in the North.

In Mullaitivu and Vavuniya, the Forces have done a tremendous service to the people in that area clearing landmines. I think about 98 to 99 percent of land has been cleared. It has given safety to the people who live there.

There are private companies that have helped the Armed Forces. I didn't have much time to spend there. But I hope to return in about a week and spend a few more days there.

I want to find out what the troops have and what they lack. I hope to interact with the troops in that area.

Q: UPFA politicians entertained misgivings about the new Government's change of attitude towards the security of the North and East such as dismantling Army camps, relaxing the security apparatus and so on. Your comments?

A: I think though they keep accusing us of trying to do this, the President who is also the Defence Minister categorically said that we were not dismantling camps from the North.

I went to the North and the East and reassured troops and Commanders that we were not dismantling camps there. I told them national security was a priority and there was no way to compromise the national security of the country.

I think the UPFA uses this issue to sling mud at the new Government and they are using it for their political benefit.

So far this Government has not taken any step to remove camps in the North. We are not willing in anyway to compromise national security.

Q: Politicians expressed mixed feelings towards the deployment of Security Forces for development work. Perhaps its merits outweighed the demerits. What are the future plans in this regard?

A: Now the Tri forces have been taken out of maintaining parks and other recreational areas. We still have a few people from the Civil Defence Force who maintain these parks and other recreational areas.

With regard to the Tri forces, we will have to look into it. I spoke to the President and Prime Minister on this issue.

The Army, Navy and Air Force have done a tremendous job when it comes to construction and everything else.

We will have to see what to do in the future. Right now, troops engaged in the maintenance of places such as the Vihara Maha Devi Park, Independence Arcade and related areas have been taken out . The Civil Defence Force will handle maintenance. I think the maintenance of Independence Arcade is still done by the Defence Ministry though it belongs to the UDA.

Until a proper mechanism is put in place, we will go ahead as usual with the Civil Defence Force.

Q: The Government has undertaken to institute a domestic inquiry into alleged “war crimes” for which the previous Government was totally against. Does this mean that the UNHRC investigation will be called off and pressure on the country eased?

A: I don't see why we need an international inquiry. I think this Government is committed to a domestic inquiry specially the LLRC recommendations that have been given.

The President and the Prime Minister have made a decision to follow these recommendations and to bring reconciliation to the Northern people.

I believe if we do a domestic investigation without having an international probe into this, I think pressure from the UNHRC will ease March.

Q: General Sarath Fonseka expressed his displeasure on certain appointments made in the security apparatus. Would you like to comment on it?

A: He has asked that the Commanders of the Tri forces to be dismissed. But as we know, the President is the Defence Minister . So it is up to the President who should be dismissed and who should be kept. President came to office to ensure good governance. So the President and the Prime Minister have not gone on a witch hunt against the people who have voted against them. Right now, they don't have any intention of doing that either. As the Defence Minister, it is up to the President to decide whether the commanders should be changed or not. I think General Fonseka has all the right to raise his opinion.

Q: There is dissatisfaction specially among the middle class that the Government is dragging its feet on large scale corruption charges against the UPFA Parliamentarians. Could you enlighten us on this?

A: The President has set up a special Presidential Committee to look into those charges and speed up the investigation process. Right now, the CID is conducting their investigations into some of the issues that have come with some of these UPFA Parliamentarians. So we are hoping that with that Presidential Committee, the investigations will get fast tracked and we will see the results quickly.

Q: The current political culture in which a SLFP President and the UNP Prime Minister and the Cabinet are working in unison , is a new political experience. Will they be able to deliver the goods as pledged?

A: Definitely. I think we have already reached some of the targets that we have promised the people. Its a new political culture that we have brought in. We have President from the SLFP and a Prime Minister from the UNP and we have a national Government consisting of UNPers, SLFPers and SLMC etc. So it is a national Government and right now it is going ahead very well.

We are committed to the Hundred Day Program. I am confident that we will be able to deliver the promises that we have given the people. I think Hundred Day Program will be a success.

Q: The UPFA's majority in Parliament is a sword of Damocles over the Government as was evidenced in the recent No Confidence Motion. What is Government's strategy to overcome this situation in executing its future programs successfully?

A: No Confidence Motion against Minister John Amaratunga was brought by the main Opposition UPFA because of the post election violence. But if you look at the preceding years, I think this election has seen the lowest amount of post violent acts. I think it is a record number this time and it is so low.

I think it is 42 or something like that. But this No Confidence Motion was specially brought in because of what happened in Wattala Pradeshiya Sabha . But we as a Government has acted accordingly. You could see Kalutara District UNP Parliamentarian Palitha Thewarapperuma was arrested because he assaulted a UPFA Local Government member. So those steps have been taken and I mean it is not like we are protecting our guys and asking them to go and assault the people or whatever. So we are keeping to the right path. We don't want to be seen as same as what the past Governments. I think we can avert the No Confidence Motion brought in by the UPFA and go ahead with all our concepts that the Government has pledged.

Q: Clipping the wings of the Executive Presidency is a priority. When do you expect to move the necessary constitutional amendments in Parliament and what is its general scope?

A: That will be done in the 100-Day program. Executive powers will be shared between the President, Prime Minister and the Cabinet. It is not that we will be taking away all the executive powers from the President.

He will exert a certain amount of power, while the Prime Minister and Cabinet will also have a certain amount of power. Executive powers will be held by a group rather than an individual. So that will happen before the end of the 100-Day Program. I think it maybe somewhere next month or in April and we would see that it happens.

Q: You have a rich family tradition of politics and social service. What is the future role you expect to play in national politics?

A: I have come into politics to serve my country and that is basically what my intentions are. My family has been involved in politics for generations. We have never gained anything out of politics. What we have got, we always gave to the country. That is why I am here. I am here to serve my country and its people and where it will take me, I will go.