Work hard to develop motherland - Minister Siripala de Silva

By Shanika Sriyananda

"If there is a cake it should be shared and everyone should to be satisfied with what he got. President Mahinda Rajapaksa has cut the cake in a manner to satisfy one and all. Be happy and work hard to achieve a successful outcome in the given tasks to develop a new Sri Lanka", Leader of the House and Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources Management, Nimal Siripala de Silva said.

The Minister told the Sunday Observer, it was a joke that some government parliamentarians including a group of senior ministers had held discussions with the Opposition.

"This will be the joke of the year. The Opposition is well-known for cracking jokes. That these Parliamentarians held discussions with the Opposition is nothing but hilarious. Don't be surprised if some of the UNPers crossover to this side in the New Year", he said.

The Minister who recently visited Australia, called upon the international media such as CNN, BBC and Al-Jazeera to highlight success stories also in the post conflict Sri Lanka instead of reports that tarnish the image of the country to fulfil the ulterior motives of the pro-LTTE elements still cry out for Eelam.

Here are excerpts from the interview:

Q: The government has started talking to Tamil political parties and they had their first meeting with the President recently. Is there any such meaningful effort to get the support of the Tamil Diaspora too?

A: The government held the first round of discussions with all the Tamil parties in Sri Lanka. President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the discussion had given solutions to several immediate questions which the Tamil parties raised.

Lots of ideas were exchanged and I see this is a historic meeting where all the political parties representing Tamils were brought into one venue. Those who represent the Tamils in North and the East have come together for the first time.

The President will appoint a panel to discuss the issues with the Tamil alliance soon and the government will proceed from this point and through fruitful dialogues and compromise we will be able to provide the final solution.

We are having a continuous dialogue with the Tamil Diaspora and we shall make them aware of the government's stance and also the development taking place to uplift the lives of Tamils in the North and the East. The efforts, I would say, now bear fruits and they are convinced. Many have pledged their support to the government.

Q: The recent incidents including the issue of President's visit to London show that the pro-LTTE Tamil Diaspora is still active?

A: As far as the pro-LTTE Tamil Diaspora is concerned, I am convinced that they are still under the clutches of the LTTE. But there are a few turning points which I have noticed when I travelled with the President to the UN and in my recent visit to Australia. They have been convinced that this government is looking after the welfare of Tamils well but there is a section of the Tamil Diaspora which is still being manipulated by the remnants of the LTTE, who are trying to enter into a war path with the government and also trying to show the LTTE is still alive. These segments propagate false allegations against the government and highlight them internationally. These allegations are exaggerated and made to disrupt the peaceful situation in the country.

What I have noticed is that they are in support of the LTTE due to various reasons. One is that still they are under the threat and the influence of the LTTE. The pro-LTTE Tamil Diaspora was well organized and has formed several forums to carry their separatist ideology forward. But with the defeat of the LTTE these forums got divided but they still influence the Tamils abroad to go against the government. They are the ones who organize Tamils to seek asylum creating false issues.

The government is quite aware of this trend. When you look at these incidents it is obvious that these people, who are already convinced about the peaceful situation in the country, still try to create trouble purely for their survival in those countries.

If those countries are convinced that there is no discrimination against Tamils and Sri Lanka is a peaceful country now, most of the Tamils have to return to Sri Lanka. Their children are having good lives there and they don't want to disrupt their future so they need to show that the situation in Sri Lanka is still not conducive to Tamils to live in. With this ulterior motive, they carry false propaganda.

But, if they genuinely love the Tamil community, who had suffered due to decades long war, they should support the government. They should enter into a dialogue without criticizing the government and tarnishing its image. They should help their own people to stand with their own feet.

Q: However, despite all efforts they are still active and in a position to make an impact internationally?

A: I don't think there is any lapse on the part of anybody. We have to understand the international ground situation. When we were trying to eradicate terrorism in Sri Lanka, the international players wanted us to go through the hectic process of negotiation all the time. Being the former Chief negotiator of the peace talks, I know how we tried our best to bring peace through negotiations but the LTTE rejected that. They went on the war path and then the President Rajapaksa and the government had no other option than eradicating terrorism by military means while having a humanitarian operation to rescue the people under the clutches of the LTTE.

Even during the last phases of the humanitarian operation some Western countries and the key players were trying to exert lots of pressure on the President to stop the military operation and enter into negotiations. We did not listen to them as we knew it was not fruitful to talk to terrorists who know only fighting. And if the government danced to the tune of these international players the war would never have ended. The government firmly believed it and we proved it!

Therefore, these international players were very angry with the government because the government did not leave a chance for them to do what they desired. President Rajapaksa who believed defeating LTTE is possible, performed the great task of eradicating terrorism. Here we are enjoying peace now because of this dedication.

These international players are not happy with the outcome and they are still helping the pro-LTTE groups.

At the same time we have to understand though the LTTE is militarily defeated it is in existence through some forums and their cry for a separate state is still alive outside Sri Lanka.

They have not yet given up their hopes for Eelam and when even a few people get together, they can create an issue against Sri Lanka to achieve their motives.

Q: Don't you think there are some lapses on the part of those who handle the international affairs and the government needs a strong mechanism to dismantle the LTTE's propaganda machinery?

A: This mechanism is already there and the Embassies and officials are educating those concerned about the developments taking place in Sri Lanka while counteracting the false propaganda.

What I found in Australia is, that in every electorate, the Tamil Diaspora is holding meetings with parliamentarians and other responsible authorities and conveys false information. They brainwash them by creating false issues.

Now some Sri Lanka Associations in Australia have commenced counteracting these issues but they are doing it in a small way.

That is why there is a need for all expatriates to get together to take the message forward and have a continuous dialogue with the authorities in those countries.

Q: It shows that all these efforts have a slow move while the pro-LTTE propaganda machine is still strong. How do you think that the government can respond effectively to these allegations?

A: The best approach is the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission appointed by the President. It is open to any person and the transparency procedures adopted in the LLRC will reveal the truth to the world and will provide answers for many of the issues.

I called upon the international media such as CNN, BBC, and Al Jazeera to report the positive stories of Sri Lanka too. They never highlighted the good work done by Sri Lanka.

They always blow up the small issues out of proportion. They always hunt for sensitive stories in Sri Lanka but never make stories based on Sri Lanka's developing economy, booming tourism and helping Tamils in the North and the East to improve their livelihoods.

The government has not violated any human rights while fighting the terrorists and never treated the ethnic minorities in a bad way.

This can be justified with the amount of money pumped to develop the North and the East.

Over 25 percent of the budget allocation is being given to these two provinces where only the 13 percent of the country's total population live. None of these media has highlighted the manner how the government treats the Tamils. Instead they always give publicity for the stories highlighting that the Tamils are discriminated and harassed.

I think in this new era free of terror the media, including local media needs to be very responsible and ethical and unbiased as well.

Q: You visited Australia last week. What was the purpose of your trip?

A: I visited Australia on an invitation by the Parliament of Australia in order to familiarize myself as the Leader of the House. I met Bernard Wright, Secretary General of the Australian Parliament who briefed me on the Parliamentary system in Australia.

As the Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources Management I was able to study about the water management system in Australia, which has more than 80 percent of barren land facing water-related issues.

The main source of agriculture is confined only to certain areas and for them management of water is very important.

There had been many of misunderstandings between the central government and the provinces. They are presently discussing the issue of sharing water with several states.

Those experiences are very important for us. There is a special area in Australia, like in Mahaweli project. Over 14 percent of land belongs to the Marlin Dam Basin areas, which produce over 40 percent of the agricultural products. I had a meeting with the CEO of the authority on how the water resources are managed in Australia. I was able to get several bills that were enacted to preserve water and also protect environment in the country. I shall make use of the knowledge I gained during my tour to implement a proper water management policy for Sri Lanka.

Q: Implementation of a water management policy for Sri Lanka was a hot topic some years ago and the environmentalists were up in arms claiming that the government was trying to privatize water resources. Will there be again a move to privatise water?

A: No. There is no such intention whatsoever to price water resources. The government intends to minimise the wastage of water. There is a need to ensure that water resources - ground and rain water- are preserved. It should be ensured that water resources are not polluted and no discharge of toxic substances to water.

Those areas need to be looked into and take necessary action soon. The ministry is studying the existing legislation and will introduce new legislations to preserve water resources in the country.

Our main intention is to have a proper water management system of water to ensure that all water falls in the country are properly managed and fully utilized for the national benefit. A committee will be formed including all agencies dealing with water to study the existing legislation and to propose new provision to be embodied.

Q: Did you meet Sinhala Diaspora in Australia?

A: Yes. They will continue their propaganda on Sri Lanka's development drive. The Tamil Diaspora is being convinced of the actual situation and they are building confidence in the government and President Rajapaksa. I met Senator Steve Hutchins, the Chair of the Australia- Sri Lanka Parliamentary Friendship Group and discussed the need of seeking ban on the LTTE. He pledged their support to Sri Lanka.

I also met the Chief Government Whip Minister Joel Fitzgibbon and briefed him about the process of national reconciliation, resettlement of

IDPs and development projects in the country including the North and the East.

It was a very fruitful visit and the government hopes to continue to have such visits to deal directly with the top government authorities in those countries.

Q: Australia is a popular destination among asylum seekers, mainly those fleeing the country. Were you able to educate the Australian authorities on the ground realities?

A: Yes. I discussed the issue of asylum seekers and the negative security assessment given to them with Senator Hutchins on board the Oceanic Viking.

I appraised him about the important efforts taken by the government to prevent illegal immigration.

During the meeting with Minister Fitzgibbon this issue was raised and I briefed him on the efforts made by the Sri Lanka Navy to prevent illegal immigration. Consequently the number of illegal immigrants reaching Australia has been reduced to greater extent.

I explained to the Australian authorities that they seek asylum not because that they are being discriminated in Sri Lanka, but they prefer to be economic refugees.

Q: Some government Ministers have opposed issuing visas to the Un Secretary General's panel to meet the LLRC. What is the government's stance?

A: The government's stance is very clear and it has been clearly stated that the panel will be permitted only to meet the LLRC. "They cannot carry out any investigation. Our government consists of several political parties and they have their own views. In our democratic government they are free to express their independent views. But their views will not reflect the government's stance.

Q: It is said that some senior Ministers, including the former Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramenayake, have expressed displeasure at the way they were given Ministerial portfolios in the Cabinet. Are you one of them?

A: Human beings will never satisfy with what they get. They want more to fulfill their desires.

This is a natural phenomenon among the politicians too. They will never be satisfied with what they get. Human aspirations are always high and that is nature.

But, I personally feel we should be satisfied with what we get. We may try to get more but when you get little less than what you have expected you should strive to be happy and also do your best!

When you have a cake, you have to share it with others too. This is what happened to the government. The President had cut the cake and we have to be happy with the share we got.

Q: It is said that some Parliamentarians including senior ministers who are disappointed, had talks with the Opposition. Will this affect the stability of the government?

A: I must tell you, that this has become the joke of the year! The Opposition is well-known for cracking jokes! This too is such a hilarious one. Don't be surprised if some of the UNPers crossover to this side in the New Year.