Ethno-politics and Sri Lanka’s future

by Manjula Fernando and Uditha Kumarasinghe

The protest march, Ezhuga Thamizh (Arise Tamils) organised by the Northern Province Chief Minister the previous Saturday has stirred up a hornet’s nest. Even after a week, the widespread condemnation of his actions by the moderates across the divide is yet to cease.

All main political parties took turns to express displeasure and outrage at his actions for rousing Northern Tamils and inciting communal feelings in the minds of communities, at a time the government is engaged in an honest and difficult effort to find common ground over sensitive constitutional reforms for a lasting solution to the ethnic issue.

The Sunday Observer spoke to leaders of main political parties, on their views about the new developments and the evolving new constitution.

The excerpts of the interview:

Dr.Jayampathy Wickremaratne:

I belong to the LSSP, our position is that there should be meaningful and extensive devolution, within a unitary state. The state should be indivisible. Federalism has other connotations, like the division of sovereignty.

We acknowledge there is a political issue to be addressed in Sri Lanka. The different communities do not have an equitable share of political power. That is why we advocate a strong power sharing arrangement by the centre to the provinces. There is no need for a federal state. The devolution is not only to solve the ethnic issue but also to empower under-developed provinces. There is lopsided development even among the provinces in the south, e.g. the Moneragala district in Uva is as bad as Mullaitivu. Under successive governments, powers given to provincial councils have been taken back. We must address that issue, and improve on the constitution.

We are totally against separation and I am happy to note, that the TNA has clearly stated that they are against cessation. We have to work in that spirit. The TNA is speaking in that spirit.

However, there are frustrated politicians in the North trying to disrupt the process by raising the issues of land and Tamil detainees. We have to address them, there are people who have been in remand custody for longer periods than their maximum jail sentence.

But, some politicians, who failed to get elected during the last general election, are trying to gain brownie points through destructive actions by luring the people for demonstrations.

Politicians whip up public sentiments against the ongoing constitutional settlement and in doing so, strengthen the extremists in the south. These two groups of extremists work together, consciously or unconsciously.

Sri Lanka is a unitary state. In 1990, when the 13th amendment was introduced, the Supreme Court held, that the unitary character of the state is intact.

However, a classic unitary state does not exist anywhere in the world anymore. The best example is the United Kingdom, the mother of all unitary states. The centre does not get involved in devolved subjects without the consent of the devolved bodies. There is a memorandum of understanding to this effect between the central government and devolved bodies -Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

JHU

On Saturday (24) the Northern Province Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran organised a protest march, instigating the Tamils to take to the streets over five demands against the government. Their foremost demand was to call for a merger of the North and East provinces and set up a federal state, second, stop the Sinhalese from settling down in the North.

The first proposal, to set up a federal structure in the North and East, is not an original demand. It was first mooted by S.J.V. Chelvanayagam and Appapillai Amirthalingam. It could not be realized because the solution to the issues facing the Tamil community did not rest there. The Tamils in Sri Lanka are not concentrated in one part of the country.

There is a bigger population of Tamils in the south than in the north. We completely reject the Tamil homeland theory. It is not practical to claim that problems facing Tamil communities are unique and the only solution is a Federal state. We must also consider the practicality of merging the East and the North. In the East, the three communities Sinhala, Tamil and Muslims are spread out in equal numbers.

The Sinhala and Muslim populations oppose any merger. Moreover, the Tamils living in the East vastly differ from Northern Tamils - culturally and linguistically. Our stand is, this country should not be divided along national, ethnic, linguistic or geographical lines.

If he says the Government must stop Sinhala people from arriving in Jaffna, Wigneswaran is calling for ethnic cleansing of the Sinhalese.

If the Tamils are free to observe their faith, do business freely, educate their children and own property in the south, why would he obstruct the other communities from living in the North, fishing in northern waters and erecting temples there? His demands breed separatism and communalism.

The war ended seven years ago and the Muslims and Sinhalese who once lived there or even others, must be allowed to live in the North, if they wish. According to the official Census of 1971 there was a 21,000 Sinhala population in Jaffna.

Today this should have increased to 100,000, under ordinary circumstances. His actions will serve no one except him, to further his tarnished political career.

State Minister of Rehabilitation and Resettlement and UPFA MP M.L.A.M.Hizbullah:

Muslim parties do not support a merger of the North and East. We are not concerned about special terms such as federal, unitary, etc, we call for maximum devolution of power to the provinces under the 13th amendment. East is the only province where all three communities live in equal numbers.

 Muslims account for 34% in the Eastern province but if we merge with the Northern province, our population share would drop to 16%. East is also the only province where the prospects of a Muslim Chief Minister is realistic. All Muslim parties including the SLMC share these sentiments.

As far as the electoral reforms are concerned we will support any system that will ensure the current 10% Muslim representation in Parliament. Under the current system, we are ensured 21 – 22 seats in Parliament. That has to continue. Our stand is that any electoral system must protect the rights of the minority communities, especially the Estate Tamils and Muslims.

Opposition Leader and ITAK MP R.Sampanthan:

The constitutional assembly has evolved mechanisms for the preparation of the new constitution. The TNA as a constituent unit is also actively engaged in the process. Our effort is to bring about a consensus between the different political parties at the constitutional assembly to work out a draft that will reap the support of the majority of people at a referendum.

State Minister of International Trade and UNP MP Sujeewa Senasinghe:

Northern Province Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran is playing petty politics. He is trying to gain popularity by disseminating ideas like these. He didn’t entertained these ideas when he was a Supreme Court judge..

Actually, we don’t need a federal system. At present,the Provincial Council system works well and we have to see that all are treated equally.

The problems are created by extremist politicians like Wigneswaran and similar persons in the south. We have introduced certain fundamental changes through 13th Amendment and where necessary it can be further improved. However, now, Provincial Councils are functioning well. What we need is a bilingual country.

The problem is the language. Most people in the North can’t speak Sinhala while the people in the South can’t speak Tamil. We should have more integrated communities in the North, East and South as well.

We are trying to uplift the living conditions of the people in the North and the East and bring industries into these areas. What we should really do is open international trade and market in these areas. Wigneswaran’s attractive slogans are going against this ultimate goal.

Western Province Chief Minister Isura Devapriya:

Wigneswaran is making controversial statements. The Joint Opposition is also making communal statements in the South. MP Vasudeva Nanayakkara is a leader who fought against racism. Now he has joined the racist bandwagon in the South. But the reality is Wigeswaran and Vasudeva Nanayakkara are closely related. Driven by political ambitions they are breeding hatred. A doubt has arisen whether it is a deliberate move to disrupt the democratic governance initiated by the present Government.

No room should be left to create another war in the country. If the Chief Ministers in other provinces resort to such irresponsible

behaviour, one could only imagine what the state of affairs would be. When the TNA has agreed to devolve power within a unitary state, we don’t know what the NP Chief Minister is going to do.

Wigneswaran’s acts violate fundamental political rights in the country.

We have restored confidence of the international community and they have accepted President Maithripala Sirisena as a leader committed to democratic norms. Even the UNHRC has commended the moves by the Government to restore democracy in the country. Under these circumstances, NP Chief Minister should act in a more responsible manner.

Pivithuru Hela Urumaya Leader MP Udaya Gammanpila:

The entire world accepted the fact that Tamil Nadu is the birth place or homeland of Tamil civilisation. That is why it is called Tamil Nadu, the country of Tamils. They have the right to self determination and self rule only in Tamil Nadu. Tamils scattered all over the world have migrated from Tamil Nadu.

They are not a nation in those countries, but a minority ethnic community. In 1992, the United Nations adopted the declaration on Rights of National, Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities.

UN Rapporteur on Minority Rights visited Sri Lanka in 2002 and declared, Sri Lanka has fully complied with the rights in the UN Declaration. Therefore, Wigneswaran has no legitimate right to demand federal powers or any power devolution.

JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva:

NP Chief Minister’s comments could instigate ethnic tensions. We should condemn his statement that the Sinhalese should not be settled in the North. Wigneswaran by saying so is opening the doors for people in the South to say that Tamils cannot be settled in the South. Wigneswaran is not only making damaging statements on a particular community but also on religion. The comments made by him has not only been rejected by the Government and the Opposition but also by the TNA.

Wigneswaran is making such comments as he is now politically bankrupt.

We call upon the Tamils in the North to reject Wigneswaran’s statements and extend their support to restore peace in the country.