We are running without a proper contender - Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe

by Manjula Fernando

Pic source: ANCL Media Library

Minister of Justice, Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe is not only confident of victory in the August 17 polls, but also believes United National Front (UNF) for Good Governance has already won the election with an ailing contender, haunted by unfulfilled past promises to voters. "It seems we are running an ex-parte campaign. If the United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) manages to get 60 to 65 seats in the election, in my view, it will be a graceful victory for the party," he confides in an interview with the Sunday Observer.

Excerpts

Q: The UPFA and the UNF are both claiming to secure over 100 seats at the August election. What assurances are there to say your party will secure a landslide victory?

A: During the last six months, we were instrumental in bringing in the change people long aspired. Confidence in the judicial system has been enhanced. Everyone believes there is an independent judiciary, independent public service and the police.

You can be convinced by just looking at the election campaign. During the previous elections, the country looked like a battleground. This time around it is quite peaceful and people don't even realise or feel that there is going to be an election in two weeks. That itself is a great achievement for the Government.

Going by the developments so far, it seems that we are running without a proper contender. In my view it will be a graceful victory for the UPFA if they manage to get 60-65 seats.

Q: Will there be a majority government by the UNF?

A: Certainly, I have been to all the 15 electorates in the Colombo District. We have a good understanding of the changes at grassroot lervel. This is also evident by the number of supporters and the UPFA village level leaders joining our camp at election rallies everyday, we are confident of winning over 120 seats at the minimum.

Q: The UPFA seem to have come out with an impressive Manifesto. Will it pose a serious challenge to the UNF campaign ?

A: Not at all, it is full of election promises. They promised to increase the salaries of public sector employees and to remove salary anomalies of pensioners, all of which were fulfilled by us. Mahinda Rajapaksa promised to reduce the prices of essential food after the war but it remained a pipe dream until January this year.

He increased fuel prices, blocked the important National Drugs Bill and Witness and Victims Protection Bill. Irrespective of the fact that we were a minority government, we kept our word. We have a good track record.

Q: The UPFA did not entertain four former MPs in the Nomination List due to their questionable track record. We did not see the UNP weed out their black sheep before nomination ?

A: Why should we do that, we never had any drug dealers in our list. They had 25 drug dealers, out of which 24 were given tickets to contest the election. One person in Colombo was singled out, because his entry could have compromised the entire UPFA campaign.

Those 25 MPs identified by the National Dangerous Drugs Control |Board was from the UPFA. That is why they wanted to eliminate the Chairman of the Board.

Q: The Chairman has been given protection now?

A: It was brought to our notice by a journalist on Sunday and within half an hour we gave him protection.

Q: None of the 25 MPs in from your side ?

A: Not a single one. We specifically checked on that.

Q: Don't you think your government had failed the people. Not a single member of the former regime with allegations of corruption have been brought to justice or proved as culprits as of today ?

A: How can you say so? Bribery charges have been filed against more than 30 people and a lot of investigations are going on. There are about 7000 complaints made to the CID. But we are faced with logistical and staff issues to handle such an overwhelming number of cases. Some of the accused have gone to courts and filed fundamental rights petitions, others are still in remand custody.

It is the correct legal procedure that we are following, if we do it in an ad hoc manner, we could have arrested all of them like Mahinda Rajapaksa did to Sarath Fonseka and Sripathi Sooriyarachchi. For misusing one vehicle, he was kept in remand custody for three months.

Here, more than 700 vehicles of the Presidential Secretariat were misused.

Q: If you were serious about punishing the culprits, a Special Presidential Commission of Inquiry could have expedited the process ?

A: We have already appointed a Special Commission comprising sitting High Court Judges. They are gong ahead with the initial preparations.

Q: Why didn't you think of such a mechanism at the initial stages ?

A: It was appointed soon after we formed the government, but the process takes time. They need to have a proper office and staff.

When we came to power there were 1900 unattended complaints with the Bribery Commission. Members of the Commission were not engaged in any work.

More than half of those complaints are now being investigated. Currently, senior bribery officials are attemting to block certain investigations including that of a senior minister who is unable to explain how some millions came to his account. We have to settle this issue.

At the Cabinet meeting we discussed and concluded that we must inquire into the conduct of these officials. That will be done after the election, once the Constitutional Council takes over the Independent Commissions.

Q: You said getting a conviction under the present legal system is near impossible. Will this 'flaw' be rectified if you form the next government ?

A: It's not a question of the difficulty of proving a case, it is a question of time. Mega deals that involve foreign companies, investors and contractors, are complex issues. All evidence must be traced before litigation. It took three years to dig out evidence and prove the case against former Egyptian ruler Hosni Mubarak. His stolen assets amounting to US $ 8-9 billion were stashed overseas.

Within the past six months we have traced a lot of material, we can give the details, including that of the Dubai Marriot Hotel soon.

Q: But the UPFA has denied outright the allegations against Mahinda Rajapaksa and others ?

A: No murderer would confess to a crime. But surprisingly Mahinda Rajapaksa is on record saying that all the culprits in his government were protected by him and it was his fault.

In addition, he gave a very funny interpretation to the word 'Hora'. He said it meant good leader, admitting that he himself and his team mates in the election campaign were 'Horu'.

Q: The Government reportedly has said that the FCID, which is investigating financial frauds of the previous regime, will be given legal status. Does it mean that it has no legal status now ?

A: This whole thing has been misconstrued. The FCID is not a separate police, it is the power vested with the IGP. He can set up even 100 or 200 units to assist investigations.

In the Pettah police station you find a Traffic Poilice Unit and a Minor Complaints Unit, this is because of the power vested in the OIC.

The IGP has greater powers and at his discretion he can start special units of investigation depending on a situation. If the FCID is illegal the entire police service is illegal. You have to close down all the police stations and allow Mahinda Rajapaksa's goons to rule the country.

Q: You were one of the formidable forces behind the Good Goverannce manifesto of President Maithripala Sirisena. Yet you were accused of protecting the Avant Garde suspects ?

A: No, there were no such allegations against me. The allegation was, that I helped the Avant Guard Chairman to get his passport released for three days. I as the Minister of Justice had nothing to do with it. It was a matter between the police and the Magistrate.

The Magistrate has permitted that the passport be released and reasons were also given as to why it was done.

This particular businessman was required to travel abroad to sign an agreement involving US $ 300 million investment in Sri Lanka.

I am ready to resign from my political office if anyone proves that I influenced the case. Had I liked black money I would have remained in the Mahinda Rajapaksa government. The first commission I was offered there was Rs.200 million.

Q: Who backtracked from the 20th Amendment, was it the UNP, UPFA, JHU or minor and minority parties?

A: All the small parties did not agree. The SLFP came out with a proposal that no one can agree to. It was a system of best loser, the winners will be sent home, while the losers will go to Parliament.

We are for electoral reform but our view is that it should be an inclusive process that would not throw minor parties out of the democratic mainstream. We hope to convert the next Parliament into a constituent council for two years and collectively replace the present distorted and tinkered Constitution with a new one.

Q: The TNA has come out with a power devolution package in their election Manifesto, they are proposing a federal structure. What will be your party's stance on this issue ?

A: The federal structure is not a new proposal. Chelvanayagam in the State Assembly was demanding separation of Tamil Nadu from India and the merger of the North and East of Sri Lanka with Tamil Nadu to form a new country for the Tamils.

People use the word federal in a loose manner. They don't know the true meaning. Going by the interpretation and the way the power had been devolved under the 13th Amendment, one can argue that the present Constitution is also federal, despite it being called a unitary state. The term federal is used to create fear among the Sinhalese.

I don't think we have to worry too much about their demands. After all they are also a political party readying itself for a crucial election.

Q: Wijeyedasa Rajapakshe is a household name. Do you really need to embark on an intense poll campaign like the one we see today?

A: Most of my supporters are waiting for my preference number. The only need for a campaign is that. But the Sri Lankan culture is such the people want to feel close to their candidate.

I have to meet and talk to the people I intend to represent. There is no intention to be the first or the second in the district. Even during the last election, Ranil Wickremesinghe offered me the number one slot in the National List. I said I want to check if people want me in Parliament. My career in politics will depend on that. I said I will be the happiest to leave if they reject me. I contested the election and won.