Chief Minister Wigneswaran on Tamil aspirations:

‘Independence and corresponding power within a united country’

Northern Province Chief Minister Canagasabapathy Visuvalingam Wigneswaran PC shot to political prominence when he was plucked from retirement as a Supreme Court Judge by the Tamil National Alliance to be their leader for the war-battered, but staunchly independent, people of the North.

Today, after just 15 months as first Chief Minister of the Northern Province, he is a hugely popular leader in his own right and cuts a political image sharply distinct from the stereo-typical ‘Tamil nationalism’ that previously characterised the Tamil self-determination movement in its long journey through our post-colonial history.

After the enthusiastic Northern voter participation in the historic January 8 Presidential election, which ran counter to exhortations for a boycott by hardline secessionist elements within and without the country, Chief Minister Wigneswaran has emerged as a dynamic if controversial interlocutor between Tamil aspirations and national consensus.

The trilingual judge turned politician was interviewed by Silumina Editor Lakshman Piyasena.

Question: When you were appointed Chief Minister of the Northern Province there was a general impression in the country that a moderate Tamil intellectual who was different from politicians who arouse communalism had entered politics. But the recent Council resolution adopted under your leadership seems to have turned that impression upside down. That resolution said Tamils in Sri Lanka had been subjected to genocide under the government for a long time. Why did you bring in such a resolution as soon as President Maithripala Sirisena who pledged to foster national harmony and reconciliation came to power? What was the need for such a resolution?

Answer: First of all I must say that this was not a spontaneous resolution. For seven months the Provincial Council had discussions about bringing such a resolution. Every member supported it including even the Sinhala members. It was thereafter adopted unanimously.

The essence of the resolution is that continuous injustice had been meted out to Tamils and if we are to build national reconciliation and go forward everyone should have an understanding about what happened in the country and the outside world too should know about it.

We can't move towards reconciliation unless we have a clear understanding about the injustice caused to Tamils. National unity could be achieved easily if the Sinhalese too know about the injustices carried out since Independence.

Q: Shouldn't you have given the new government a time limit to work towards harmony and reconciliation?

A: Two weeks before the adoption of the resolution the Deputy Minister of Defence visited the North and said Army camps would not be withdrawn from the North. This caused immense pain of mind and grief to the Tamil people. Tamils consider these camps as an obstruction to their normal daily routine. This had been a longstanding problem. Just think the pressure the Sinhalese in the South would have suffered if they had to continue living in such a situation. It is the suspicion caused among the ordinary Tamil public by this talk about camps which motivated Provincial Council members to expedite this resolution.

Q: Cannot another group consider the withdrawal of Army camps stationed according to the situation in a province where there had been terrorist activities for a long period as an irresponsible step?

A: As people's representatives we have a responsibility to listen to the grievances of the people. There is yet a 150,000-strong army stationed in the North. Tamil people who voted for President Sirisena expected to be relieved of that pressure first and foremost.

They wanted to get back the land occupied by the army camps. And obtain the release of their relatives held in these camps for no reason. These are problems disrupting ordinary community life in the North.

Moreover, the public witnessed what happened in the recent past. Karuna Amman who was responsible for the massacre of 600 policemen has been offered a post in the SLFP as a Vice President.

A poor man who offered him a meal is being held captive labelled as a terrorist.

Just think whether these issues will not cause a justifiable hatred and pain among the Tamil society. It is to change this situation that the Tamils voted for President Sirisena and elected a new government to power.

The speech made by the Deputy Defence Minister made the Tamils believe that the new government was acting according to the earlier system. The shattering of their hopes expedited this resolution.

Q: Cannot other Provinces also adopt resolutions of this nature arguing that Sinhala people were massacred by Tiger Terrorists?

A: I agree. Tiger terrorism caused untold hardship not only to Sinhalese but also to Tamils. I am fully aware of it. It makes me desist from taking any communal step that would harm the impression about me by the Sinhalese, as you mentioned earlier.

I wish to emphasise that this resolution had no communal undertones. I have no need to break that fair understanding made about me either. But this resolution raises a foundation needed to foster communal harmony to go forward after ending Tiger terrorism.

Tamils suffered injustice much before the advent of Tiger terrorism.

The 'Sinhala Only' Act of 1956, tearing up of the Tamil Special Provisions Act due to pressure exerted by Buddhist monks and introduction of standardisation for minority admissions to universities in 1971 are cross-roads we cannot forget. Let us all go for a genuine discussion about these things and come to an agreement.

It is then that the foundation needed to go forward in unison safeguarding mutual identities can be built. We have brought a resolution to motivate everyone to pay attention to these basic facts.

Q: There is a long history of communal incitement in out politics that suppress the understanding needed for national unity as pointed out by you. In such a situation cannot resolutions of this nature harm hopes for a united nation?

A: Your question has two sections. One is a united country and the other the raising of communalism in politics.

I will never for a moment deviate from the position that Tamil people's problems should be solved within a united Sri Lanka.

I contested the Provincial Council elections as the Chief Ministerial candidate too on the standpoint that our problems should be solved within a united Sri Lanka.

As a former Justice of the Supreme Court, I always speak with the understanding that the unity and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka should be protected. I also work with that understanding. There is no hope or aspiration whatsoever for a separate State.

The Sinhalese should understand that even in a united country we have differences endemic to us. We have a separate language and religion. We have a land with climatic differences. Everyone should understand that Tamil people should have an independence and a corresponding power suited for such differences within a united country.

The other factor is arousing communalism in politics. Actually this is happening not only in the North but also the South. I admit that there is a type of politics inciting people on both sides by talking of a bogus patriotism.

What we ought to do is to make a sincere attempt to resolve justifiable grievances and problems without pushing people towards communal politics. The Government should take the initiative towards it. The Provincial Council could also take the initiative for it.

Q: Someone can say that you brought a resolution of this nature to arouse communal feelings among Tamils for popularity's sake?

A: I wish to re-emphasise that this resolution was brought to draw the attention of the Sinhala people and the outside world towards the people of the North.

Q: Whenever the word Northern Provincial Council is mentioned, the South gets a feeling as if it is a path for a separate State. Don't you think that impression is further compounded when you speak of independence for Tamils?

A: The actual problem here is suspicion. Tiger terrorists wanted separatism. Therefore, it is justifiable for Sinhalese to entertain a fear about territorial integrity when looking at the North.

But just because of that is it fair to consider the Tamil people as terrorists. We have not infused the basis of Tiger terrorism to our type of politics we talk of the independence of Tamil civilian life within a united Sri Lanka.

The South must understand this. They should not look at the North with suspicion.

It is then that the people of the North will have confidence in the South. If not, how are we to move forward from here? But I want to emphasise one thing. There is no mutual suspicion among the Tamil and Sihhala ordinary public. It is the opportunistic politicians on both sides who create this suspicion.

Q: Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa had claimed that President Sirisena won the election with the help of Eelam votes and that he would have won if he, Mahinda had not granted voting rights to the North. What do the people in the North feel about that statement?

A: I consider it as a very grave statement harming the country's opportunity to mend fences among communities and take a united journey as one nation.

Earlier there were claims that the people of the North were with the Tigers. By doing so a wedge was created between the South and the North.

Today, they are trying to separate the people of the North saying they voted to bring a Sinhala leader to power. Isn't this real madness? When we put forward proposals for the rights of the Tamil people I call upon the Sinhala people concerned about it to think of this attempt to create divisions.

Please think according to your conscience and decide whether the country's unity is harnessed when one calls upon to look at Tamil problems in a fair manner or when this type of mean talk is made to arouse communal patriotism in the South.

Q: I wish to briefly deviate from this discussion. Vasudeva Nanayakkara is your relative. But he is one of the main characters supporting the activities taken by Mahinda Rakapaksa in arousing communalism in the South. Social websites had said while your relative is arousing communalism in the south you are arousing communalism in the north . . .

A: I wish to categorically state it will not arouse Tamil Communalism in any way. Vasu is a longstanding friend. That turned into a relationship when my son married his daughter.

That friendship and relationship is still steadfast but unless for a family need we hardly meet and talk to each other. We never discuss politics. All meetings and discussions are all about this friendship and relationship only.

Q: Grave political and social problems have occurred between various communities and religions in this world on the basis of cultural differences. How did the Sinhalese and Tamils who have many cultural affinities more towards such divisions? Do they need to go for such a division?

A: These two communities have been divided continuously to satisfy political needs. I think that should not be so any more. That is how I engage in politics.

Both sides should understand past incidents. My stand is that this division should not be carried forward. It is difficult to correct the future unless you are aware of the past incidents.

I am now 75 years old. I spent most of life from childhood among the Sinhala people. What I understood was then there was no such division among the Sinhala populace which cannot be rectified. This is the same with Tamils.

The Sinhalese were avid listeners of Tamil songs. They viewed Tamil films, Northern people viewed Sinhala films and considered Gamini Fonseka and Vijaya Kumaratunga as idols.

There were people crazy for Sinhala films in the north this proves that we had no divisions in cultural context. The present generation is unaware of these matters. They witnessed war throughout life and formed a mentality that Sinhalese were causing an injustice to them.

The new generation in the south too is unaware of these things. They are wondering about any injustice caused to Tamils. Our responsibility today is to bring them together by mending this division.

Q: As much as opportunist politics disrupt communal harmony does not India's political role influence it too - specially the South Indian influence?

A: One country influencing another country is a common feature in world politics and is not a new thing. As a country what we ought to do is not to provide ammunition to it. During this war nearly 200,000 people escaped to India.

Those who went there started relating the ordeals their brethren faced during the War.

This helped to kindle feelings among south Indian people to the effect that Sinhalese did not give any room to the Tamils. Then a human problem occurred which could not be oppressed by anyone. The story does not end there.

The message spread throughout India and the whole world thereafter. It even went to Geneva. When a country's problems go to the outside world there are always countries or political forces trying to intervene and turn it to their advantage.

Just look at the postponement of the UNHCR resolution due in March to September. This is the type of behaviour of international politics.

But the people of the north do not like it. They think that the discussions about the injustice caused to them had been postponed.

This postponement may not do any good to the northern people. But another country may see this as a political advantage to it. This is the way with the world.

What the government must do is to prevent the problem caused to the country by it and do some justice without allowing the problem to go out to the world.

What I say is that the government should take the initiative to create natural harmony and reconciliation.

Translated by D.P. Wickremasinghe