Minorities enjoy equal rights as majority Sinhalese - Army Chief

While reiterating that the minorities enjoy equal rights as majority Sinhalese, the Army Chief Lt. Gen. Sarath Fonseka said that no minority can divide Sri Lanka like how the LTTE leader Vellupillai Prabhakaran is dreaming of. The outspoken Army Chief said that he was not a communalist, but a military man who had undertaken the task of eliminating LTTE terrorism to liberate the people and the country from the decades long war.

"Our fight is not against Tamils or Muslims living in this country, but against the LTTE terrorism. The genuine grievances of Tamils should be met politically. But they cannot make undue demands", he said adding that some politicians in the Opposition are trying to take a political mileage over the statement he had made in an interview with a Canadian newspaper.

Lt. Gen. Fonseka, said that politics is not his forte as he could not do many things that politicians do.He said that if Prabhakaran has a wee bit of brains left in him, he should give up the battle now without constructing more graveyards for his cadres.

Following are excerpts of the interview:

Q: A statement by you that the majority of Sinhalese should rule the country has raised criticism among minorities. What is your opinion about your own statement?

A: The truth is that this country is ruled by Sinhalese for centuries and centuries. China is ruled by Chinese, England by the Englishmen and Germany by Germans. This is because these countries are ruled by the majorities.

That is the truth. This will prevail today and even tomorrow. It is sad that some people have given a wrong interpretation to my statement. What is wrong by saying that this country, which is historically ruled by Sinhalese will ruled by the Sinhalese.

Some people say that when I say this it was an insult to the minorities.

Then what about Sinhalese who are the majority? They will also be hurt when the others say that this country does not belong to them. Isn't it an insult to the majority of a country?

Q: Do you agree that you have made a political statement?

A: No. It is not politics. What I said was the view of an ordinary citizen of this country. I think it is my right as a citizen of this country. I did not say that the minorities are making undue demands. What I said was that if they make undue demands that is wrong. On the other hand, no one can deny that one segment of the minorities are making undue demands. That is a separate land. Isn't what Prabhakaran is demanding an undue demand. Is it wrong to say that they are asking undue demands? They are demanding a federal solution and sometimes more than that. Prabhakaran killed thousands of people and formed an army and also a separate territory in view of dividing this country. Who can deny this? Aren't those undue demands?

Q: You said that the minorities should not make undue demands. Can you elaborate about what you meant by undue demands?

A: What I am saying is that if they ask more rights which the other minorities do not have, then it is an undue demand. The best example is what Prabhakaran wants. He wants a separate state for Tamils. That is an undue demand. If one group of people ask more than what other people enjoy it is an undue demand. I never opposed their language rights. I do not think that telling the truth will hurt anyone. I always want the minorities to enjoy their rights. I respect their rights, but they should meet their rights within an united Sri Lanka.

Q: Don't you believe that the minorities have political rights and your statement has created an unwanted fear among other ethnic groups in the country?

A: As minorities of this country they have all the rights to enjoy the rights that the majority enjoys. They have equal rights as Sinhalese. I am not a historian, but according to what I have learnt, this country is ruled by the Sinhalese and the minorities are also part and parcel of this country. We lived and continue to live like members of one family.

That is the truth. But at the same time, no minority can have separate countries within this country. Can every minority have a President? Is this the equal rights. Equal rights means allowing all the citizens to enjoy the rights what all the communities enjoy. Sri Lanka is a united country under one Head of State for centuries and what I mean here is it should continue in the future too.

Q: Some critics attribute the main cause for the national problem to the denial of equal rights of the Tamils. What is your comment?

A: There is no argument that grievances of Tamils should be politically addressed and they should be given their language rights. They should be allowed to enjoy all the rights that others enjoy. The government policy is clear. That is while the military is destroying terrorism, the government will take all the steps to look into the grievances of the minorities. Their genuine grievances will be addressed, but not the undue demands. Take the East as an example. The military liberated the East and now the Tamils enjoy their freedom under the administration that they have elected. What we are trying is to bring the same democracy to people in the Wanni to exercise their democratic rights instead of the military rule under Prabhakaran.

Q: However, your statement has hurt some minority groups. Did you make this statement as Commander of the Army or as an ordinary citizen of this country?

A: The government has different people to represent the government policy.

My appointment is to fight the war. But if somebody asked my personal views I should be able to tell the truth. That Canadian journalist of the National Post had asked a question and I replied.

Q: But if somebody says that you do not have a right to say so because you are the Commander of the Army?

A: This is not a statement related to a policy of this country and I as a citizen, who knows the history, have a right to say so. As he asked I have answered. But I know some politicians are trying to take undue advantages from this statement. But these politicians cannot deny the fact that Sinhalese are living in this country for over 2,500 years and that is why this country was called 'Thunsinhalaya, Heladiva and Sinhale. There is nothing for any politician or a particular community to raise their voices against this statement as I never said that Tamils and Muslims do not have rights as Sinhalese.

Then, what about the so-called politicians who run to Tamilnadu for each and every issue here. Especially I am talking about the politicians who are calling themselves the representatives of Tamils. If they represent Sri Lankan Tamils they should talk to the politicians here and not to Viko or Nadumaran. It clearly shows that their leaders are not here, but in India.

They are the people who say that minorities are hurt by my statement.

Q: The security forces are steadily entering the Tiger heartland. But how do you think that the military can assist the civilians trapped under the clutches of the LTTE?

A: From the day that the LTTE was born the people in Wanni are trapped. That is why they suffer and need to save their lives from the iron rule of the LTTE. As a responsible government we have launched a humanitarian operation to liberate their lives spent at gun point. We want them to come to the government controlled areas as they can enjoy freedom.

Don't people in the East and Jaffna enjoy freedom? They have freedom more than in Colombo. There are check points and how many check points are in Colombo. These checkings are unavoidable as Prabhakaran has taken all the lives for granted. Everyone has lost freedom because of him.

So, we request people in Wanni to break all the barricades and flee to our areas. If people in large numbers started crossing to government controlled areas can Prabhakaran kill, over 200,000 people? I ask these people why do they want to remain in Kilinochchi and Mullaithiv until Prabhakaran abducts all children to fight the war?

Q: Weeks ago the government announced the safe corridors. Have these corridors for the civilians to flee to government controlled areas already been identified?

A: If they are willing to come, they can come from anywhere. Even from the front lines they can cross to our areas. We are ready to welcome them at any point but there are mines and traps put by the LTTE.

Q: Last week, you had talked of a grand entry into Kilinochchi.How will it be ?

A: It is progressing well and the LTTE cannot resist as the troops are attacking them from several fronts. There are only 3 and half kms to Kilinochchi town. The troops can see the buildings and other Tiger administrative units from here. We are at a mortar range to Kilinochchi. The infantry troops have already entered Kilinochchi.

Q: Are we ready to face a chemical attack by the LTTE ?

A: They have launched gas attacks. The necessary protective gears have been issued for those in the front lines. We are now ready to face any powerful chemical attack and we are well aware of the kinds of chemicals they have.

The morale of the soldiers are high and we will not move an inch from where we are heading.

Q: How would the Army expect to face the LTTE once the troops enter Kilinochchi and do you see any difference in the Tiger tactics now compared to their past operations?

A: Before we enter Kilinochchi they will run further into Mullaithiv and they have already started their journey. The LTTE tried to show that we would have a tough time with them in Kilinochchi by using their best carders wearing helmets and camourflouge uniforms and shoes. But now, we do not see much of a difference. Now the troops are heading while damaging their huge bund.

The troops in Weli Oya have seen the LTTE is still using heavy machinery belonging to a particular INGO. We know that the heavy machinery used by the LTTE to form these huge earth bunds belong to the INGOs. We have information that some INGOs have given these heavy machinery and equipment to the LTTE, but later when they were asked to quit Kilinochchi they have declared that the LTTE has looted these machinery. The Ministry of Defence has a list of such machinery and equipment taken by the INGO to Kilinochchi and Mullaithiv.

Q: You used to give time frames to liberate Wanni. Is there a time frame set to destroy the LTTE in these two districts?

A: I do not want to declare time frames but what I can do is I can compare it with what has happened. Nearly 11,000 LTTE cadres died in two years and the Army moved 60 km into Wanni since March 2007. I do not want to do the calculations and it is open to those who are interested. The LTTE is now left with 4,000 cadres and they can conscript more, but how long can they do that?

Q: What are your predictions after capturing Kilinochchi?

A: If Prabhakaran has a wee bit of brains left in him he should give up the battle now. He will soon realise that fighting with us is useless. Otherwise he has to remain in fighting, sacrificing over 20 to 30 LTTE cadres daily while constructing more graves to honour the dead cadres.

On the other hand, he cannot enter the democratic political mainstream like Karuna Amman or Pilliyan because he is a murderer. Therefore, he should release his cadres and also the civilians that he is keeping forcibly now.

Q: Will Prabhakaran remain until the troops kill the last LTTE cadre in Kilinochchi?

A: The LTTE has only 4,000 carders now and I do not know how long they can fight with us while holding the ground. They lose their fighting capabilities, mainly the man power, daily. Sri Lanka Army will be further strengthened with man power and fire power in future. This is a decisive period of the LTTE and Prabhakaran needs to decide not only his fate, but also the fate of his cadres soon.

Q: There is a talk that Prabhakaran is packing his bags to flee to Erithria.

A: Yes, he can escape. But I do not know whether he can just escape leaving his cadres and people at this stage. But as a person who loves his life more than anything he is not going to sit and die. He will disguise and flee to somewhere. The LTTE might have various connections with all terrorist groups in the world and some would lend a helping hand for him.

If the security forces capture Kilinochchi, Prabhakaran has to live like just another refugee. The hide outs for Prabhakaran are shrinking now as the Air Force is successfully destroying his bases. The military wants Wanni people to abandon him and the LTTE. When the troops start advancing from Nachchikuda, the falling of Kilinochchi and Paranthan is unavoidable. Then, he and his cadres will be pushed more into Mullaithivu, their very last resort.

The Air Force has the capacity of destroying bunkers over 40 metres down. So I do not think Prabhakaran can survive any of the underground hide outs. The LTTE now cannot keep their artillery and mortar positions in Kilinochchi.

If Prabhakaran feels for his life abandoning his people it will show what his motive is. If he is the so-called saviour of the Tamils he must remain with his people and face the situation or let innocent Tamils find their freedom.

Q: Are you under estimating the capabilities of the LTTE which started with 30 people and later developed to one of the powerful terrorist groups?

A: No. They were powerful some years back, but now they cannot reach to that position again. In those days the Sri Lanka Army was a conventional Army with 14,000 soldiers. That is the reason the LTTE became powerful. But today, we are a powerful Army and the LTTE or any other terrorist groups cannot raise their heads again. The Sri Lanka Army will be further strengthened in future.

Q: What would be the fate of NGO and INGO workers who do not quit Kilinochchi before September 29 ?

A: The Government has given them deadlines, and if they remain there they have to take their own risk. The security forces advancing into Kilinochchi will not want to find out whether they are here or there. That is their responsibility to heed the Government orders.

Q: But if they are being forcibly retained by the LTTE, can you guarantee their safety?

A: None of these NGOs or INGOs have declared that their employees are missing. If the LTTE is keeping them by force, they should release an announcement giving their names. So we cannot take any responsibility of any such employee. The troops are advancing in search of terrorists and all with the LTTE after September 29 will be treated as terrorists.