JHU ‘ totally disatisfied with anti- corruption campaign - Champika
by Manjula Fernando
 |
Megapolis and Western
Development Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka |
Megapolis and Western Development Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka
explains how the JHU contributed to change the course of successive
governments and why it should be considered a leading political force in
the country, in an interview with the Sunday Observer, on the eve of the
JHU’s 13th annual convention.
The excerpts:
Q: The JHU seems to have lost its identity within the United
National Front. The JVP faced a similar crisis when they fell in line
with the Common Candidate but have managed to regain their status within
Parliament, but not the JHU. What have you to say?
A: That is not a correct presumption. During the last four
decades it was the JHU which set the country’s political course, when
all others had doubts, it was the JHU which thought the LTTE should and
can be militarily defeated.
In 2005, even Mahinda Rajapaksa proposed direct negotiations with the
terrorist leaders. After winning the election, they held talks in
Geneva. All the leaders before him thought the LTTE could not be
defeated militarily. They proposed various political solutions.
We were of the opinion the LTTE could not be tamed or transformed
into embracing mainstream politics because of their fascist Neo-Nazi
ideologies, and the only solution is through military means.
The next important factor is the stability of the country. We entered
into agreements with the SLFP in 2012 and the UNP in 2015 to preserve
the unitary character of the country. We will ensure that the unitary
character of the country will be preserved in the proposed new
Constitution.
This was in the election manifestos of both candidates in 2015.
Parties such as the JVP could not achieve it. That was our second
revolution.
The third revolution is social justice, to democratize the country
further. We campaigned for the anti-tobacco and anti-alcohol Bill. There
was another campaign against harmful pesticides and weedicides, and we
were at the forefront in the campaign against corruption. Walking the
talk, I set examples at the Power and Energy Ministry and later the
Environment Ministry. We showed ow to turn loss making state entities
into financially viable entities.
Q: In other words, you say that the JHU was instrumental in
leading the governments on the correct course ?
A: In 2010 no one believed that the CEB can be turned into a
profit making enterprise. We had to face a lot of mudslinging and it is
still happening.
Most people criticized the Executive Presidency and it was our
proposal to prune the excessive powers. We did not support the total
abolition of the executive presidency. If we abolished the executive
presidency, what would have happened to Parliament today. The Executive
Presidency brought in much needed stability to the country which in turn
helped defeat terrorism.
We accept that some extreme powers vested with the executive should
be pruned but it should not be abolished without having proper electoral
reforms.
Q: But, under the new Constitution the Executive Presidency
will be done away with?
A: Nothing of the sort will happen, the executive powers have
been pruned. The President cannot appoint persons at his will to the
Supreme Court or the Appeal Court, or independent commissions, etc.
Most importantly, the President is now answerable to the Judiciary,
Parliament cannot be dissolved at his will. The abolition of executive
presidency has not been proposed at the Constitutional Reforms
committee. So far there are no concrete proposals to that effect.
Some are trying to drag this government into holding a referendum, it
will be the ‘Brexit’ of this government and will cause its downfall. We
will not allow it to happen.
Q: Are you against the merger of the North and the East also ?
A: Definitely. It is a false idea that these areas were
together historically. These provinces were demarcated by the British
colonials, to liquidate the Sinhalaya kingdoms that were fighting them.
Their policy was divide and rule, so they gave privilege status to
Tamil elites, they did that in Scotland as well as in India. They
promoted Muslim elites to handle Hindu nationalists. They promoted even
promoted Wahhabism at one point, they are reaping the repercussions of
that in their own land today.
Q: Is the JHU’s view shared by the other parties in the
Constitution Assembly?
A: We are taking part in the Steering Committee deliberations,
we are not alone. We will express our views at the right moment before
things are finalized.
Q: Will the JHU contest the upcoming election alone or under
the UNF banner ?
A: We have not decided yet. At present we are with the UNF
government.
The JHU was the third political force in the country.
Q: But lately we saw the party assuming a back seat after
January 2015?
A: We are the first political force, and will be the decisive
force setting the next agenda of the country. We proposed that the LTTE
should be dealt with military might, and it was achieved. That was the
top agenda of the government from 2005 to 2009. We proposed that the
unitary character of the country should be preserved, it was the top
agenda of the government from 2005 to 2010 and again in 2015
presidential election.
We proposed the pruning down of presidential powers and it was
fulfilled. We have now proposed a knowledge based economy as a new
strategy towards a prosperous country.
Q: The UN Secretary General was recently in the country and in
an off the cuff remark he compared Sri Lanka with Rwanda and Srebrenica,
two countries where the world community accepted that genocide took
place. Your comments ?
A: Later on, the UN tried to explain things. We are not in a
position to accept Ban Ki Moon’s comments. The war in Sri Lanka was
nothing like what happened in Rwanda. If so, how can 33% of Tamil people
live in Colombo? It can’t be compared to Srebrenica either. After
Slobodan Milosevic died, he has been absolved from all the charges
against him in the Srebrenica massacre. All those charges were framed to
invade Yugoslavia. It is a fact now.
Q: How do you view the role of the international community
over the war crimes allegations and accountability issues in Sri Lanka?
A: Anyone is free to have their own opinion, but as a
sovereign country, Sri Lanka’s judicial system is capable of handling
these issues. The West is talking about disappearances, in the North and
the East. When the Udalagama Commission was formed they found that most
of the allegations over disappearances were against the LTTE, due to
abductions. And also during the 1989 JVP insurgency some 60,000 people
disappeared. We don’t call it an ethnic cleansing against the Sinhalese.
Q: There is a concern that the OMP will probe only the cases
during the last phase of the LTTE war. What is your view ?
A: The OMP should be viewed objectively. The LTTE was a
terrorist entity, and cannot be given equal status with a democratic
government. We assure we will not allow anyone to hide the crimes
committed by the LTTE in this process.
Q: The JHU was in the forefront of the campaign calling for
action against corruption by leaders of the former regime. After nearly
three years, there has been no concrete action against anyone. MP Wimal
Weerawansa claimed the government was twisting their arm to gain
support, if they resist, their relatives will be dragged before courts
over cooked up charges. Your comments?
A: We are totally dissatisfied with the way the government
handles these cases.
Wimal Weerawansa’s passport case is pending for one year. Officials
have asked another year to probe the case. All the evidence is
available.
He should be behind bars today. It is a clear cut example how
political influence is salvaging the corrupt and unpatriotic
politicians.
Recently a bribery case was filed against (former Defence Secretary)
Gotabaya Rajapaksa over the Avant Garde issue, but actually the case
should have been filed under the Penal Code for illegal possession of
weapons.
The leaders of the government should realise that those who voted for
them are completely dissatisfied and disillusioned over their conduct.
One day, the individuals who orchestrate these things with the idea of
using them as political tools, will pay the price.
[JHU Convention]
The Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) will hold its 13th Convention, under
the theme ‘A country where all will be winners’ (Savoma Dinana Maha
Ratak) on September 24 at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium.
We are the only party which holds annual conventions annually, so far
we have held 13 conventions. For a party of our scale we have achieved a
lot and this convention will be a vision into the future.
Our vision is to have a just society with equal opportunities for all
without discrimination. JHU will be a new front for all those who
believe in patriotism, social justice and knowledge based economy.
We invite professionals, all politically affiliated institutions and
other agencies who aspire for a just society to join us. JHU is aspiring
to become an umbrella for all those who were fighting against nepotism,
corruption and despotism during the Rajapaksa regime and also demanded
social justice, including environmental justice. All the parties within
the government and individuals organisations who backed the rainbow
revolution will be invited. Some may have different ideologies but they
too will be invited to join us to set the future course for the National
Unity government.
Vested interests castigated us as an extremist nationalist party. But
we showed them by action that we are not. Who is Theresa May, she has
the same ideology as the JHU, so has the upcoming leader in France Marie
Le Pen, and even Donald Trump.
JHU is not in isolation. We have no hatred against Muslims or Tamils.
We invite the Tamils and the Muslims who believe in patriotism, social
justice and economic prosperity to join us.
The General Secretaries of the UPFA and the UNP have been invited to
the 13th convention along with representatives from the coalition
parties in the government. |