A Brief Colonial History Of Ceylon(SriLanka)
Sri Lanka: One Island Two Nations
A Brief Colonial History Of Ceylon(SriLanka)
Sri Lanka: One Island Two Nations
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Thiranjala Weerasinghe sj.- One Island Two Nations
?????????????????????????????????????????????????Friday, July 6, 2018
‘‘ New Constitution is unimaginable now ’’
Tamils opposed to Gota in general as possible candidate
Northern people won’t vote en bloc to a particular candidate at next Presidential Polls
Yet, there are some Tamils who admire him as a doer
People in the North are not in favour of separatism or another armed struggle
C. V. Wigneswaran is quite popular among people
We don’t get international support and sympathy as it used to be
Jaffna
District Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Parliamentarian Dharmalingam
Siddharthan speaks to Daily Mirror about politics in the North and the
presidential elections. Mr. Siddharthan, who is the leader People’s
Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE), says people in the North
will not vote en bloc to a particular candidate at the next election.
The Excerpt:-
Q As far as the TNA is concerned, how do you assess the political situation of the country?
I do not know what does TNA leader R. Sampanthan feels. From the TNA’s
point of view, I personally feel the party’s main purpose is
Constitutional Reforms. It is not going to happen, though. I don’t
believe it would happen.
Q Why do you think so?
The two main constituent parties of the government - the SLFP and the
UNP - are embroiled in problems and at loggerheads with each other. They
cannot be together and take the constitutional process forward.
Secondly, I never thought that the Constitution-making process would go
on for long. Most southern politicians are basically against the concept
of power devolution. They do not believe in devolution. The
Constitution-making process is too late now. The government should have
done it during its first year in power. Now, the opposition is becoming
much stronger. Southern leaders hinder the Constitution-making process.
Q The TNA played a pivotal role in the installation of this government; particularly at the Presidential Election in 2015. How do you assess present predicament?
Tamils were so anti-Mahinda Rajapaksa at that time. That factor played a
big role in using their franchise en bloc to the current President. The
TNA announced its support to the President only after postal voting
took place at that election. Let alone, the 80% of postal voters had
cast their ballots in favour of the incumbent President. That shows how
Tamil people wanted to see a change even before the TNA took its
official stand. After the elections, these two main parties got
together. Then, we also thought that it might be possible to have a
political solution. In the past, when one party tried to solve the
problem, the other opposed to it. The 19th Amendment was enacted
comfortably in Parliament this time, giving hope for us. In the
immediate aftermath of the elections, Mahinda Rajapaksa was politically
very weak. Now, he is strong. Any southern leader does not want to lose
his vote base among the Sinhala people. Under these circumstances, it is
very difficult to get the new Constitution enacted.
The political solution is a must for our people. At the same time, people see that their day-to-day problems are not solved. These issues can be solved by the government very easily. But, they have done nothing. That is what the people feel
Q At
the last local government elections, the TNA vote base had dropped
drastically. Alongside, the vote base of the parties opposed to the TNA
had increased. How do you look at the trend?
It is a fact that the TNA lost a large proportion of votes. I really do
not know whether it is a temporary phenomenon or not. The vote base of
the party led by former MP Gajendra Kumar Ponnambalam increased. The
people have voted for the governing parties in the centre. The UNP and
the SLFP also gained in the north this time. Also, the EPDP led by MP
Douglas Devananda got a large number of votes. The political solution is
a must for our people. At the same time, people see that their
day-to-day problems are not solved. These issues can be solved by the
government very easily. But, they have done nothing. That is what people
feel. Nevertheless, the government has done something for them actually
in terms of the release of lands etc. There are only 130 political
prisoners remaining now. They include the convicted ones. Only 70 and 80
people are held under the Prevention of Terrorism Act. For people, it
is still below their expectations.
Q How do you look at the provincial council elections due this year?
Some ITAK members say Northern Province Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran
will not be the candidate next time. The TNA has not decided who should
be the candidate. ITAK people feel that MP Mavai Senathirajah should be
the candidate. Mr. Wigneswaran is quite popular among the people. He
still never has said he would be leaving the TNA. The TNA has to decide.
MP Mavai Senathirajah is adamant that he should be the candidate.
Q As the leader of PLOTE aligned with the TNA, what is your view?
I have not decided as such. At the last provincial council election, I
am the one who proposed that Mr. Senathirajah should be the candidate.
Yet, Mr. Sampanthan managed to convince the others that it should be Mr.
Wigneswaran. He contested accordingly.
Today, the situation is different. Mr. Wigneswaran is popular. The TNA vote base dwindled.
Q The
extremist parties such as Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam’s All Ceylon Tamil
Congress (ACTC) gained at this election. Does it mean that the
separatist ideology is gaining ground again?
Nobody is talking about separatism. Even Mr. Ponnambalam does not talk
about it openly. There are some people living abroad, who make such
noise. As far as I am concerned, people living in the North are not in
favour of separatism or another armed struggle. They are not ready to
lose anymore. They feel enough is enough. They need a political solution
and economic development.
At the last provincial council election, I am the one who proposed that Maavai Senathirajah should be the candidate. Yet, Mr. Sampanthan managed to convince the others that it should be C. V. Wigneswaran
Q But the Tamil Diaspora groups think otherwise...
Some of them think so. There are some others who are rational. They feel
that people should not be made a scapegoat any longer to pursue
separatist agenda. War is needed for some people to do their businesses.
Most expatriate people are not supportive of Tamil Eelam. I met a
larger number of expatriate LTTEers. They are now very sober. They could
not achieve Eelam even through the armed struggle waged by the LTTE. I
do not think anybody can build an outfit like the LTTE. There is no way
it can happen.
Q How influential is the Tamil Diaspora in northern politics?
They have a certain degree of influence because of their financial
power. Some of them have their intellectual capacity as well. I do not
deny that. I don’t think their influence is powerful enough to change
the policies of the parties operating here.
Q There
was large participation in the Mullivaikkal remembrance events in the
North this time. Some chanted separatist slogans. It is interpreted in
the South as signs of radicalization. How do you assess this situation?
That is the problem. Everyone has to remember his kith and kin. In the
history of Sri Lanka,Mullivaikkal is the place where a large number of
people had been killed. I also participated in these events because I
feel for people. When one joins a military organization, he/she knows
that he/she is bound to shed his/her life. But, ordinary people are not
like that. They are innocent. That was why I went. Unfortunately, it was
exaggerated in the South.
Everyone has to remember his kith and kin. In the history of Sri Lanka, Mullivaikkal was the place where a large number of people had been killed. I also participated in these events because I feel for people. When one joins a military organization, he/she knows that he/she is bound to shed his/her life
Q Yet,
it is the area where the LTTE was decimated along with its top-rung
leaders including Velupillai Prabhakaran. In the South, it is seen as a
heroic act. How do you see this?
It is natural. In the South, former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya
Rajapaksa and former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the former Army
Commander were seen as heroes. MR and Gotabhaya were seen as heroes who
finished the war, an act considered impossible for 30 years. It was the
other way round in the north. Tamils believe that Prabhakaran fought a
valiant war. It does not mean that people are ready to go for Eelam now.
I spoke to several ex-LTTE combatants. They were not ready for it.
Q There are some names being mentioned about the next Presidential Candidate. How do you see it in the North?
I don’t think people are worried about the Presidential polls. We just
wait to see who would be the candidate next time. First, we have to know
the candidate.
Q Last time, TNA supported President Maithripala Sirisena. It was speculated that Gotabhaya would be the candidate. In your view, what are the reactions of Tamil people?
I think the Tamil people are opposed to him in general. That is because
he was the one who fought war and defeated the LTTE. That is the
feeling. Actually, it is the truth. I do not know who would the next
candidate be. But, some sections of the Tamil people feel that he is
better than others though he fought the war. That feeling is there among
some Tamils because they have seen the city development in Colombo
under him at that time. There is anger against him as well.
Whoever is fielded, the vote base in the North and the East will be
divided. They will not vote en bloc to one candidate. That is what I
see.
Q How do you see the dynamics in the international arena?
The attitudes of the international community have changed towards Sri
Lanka. We do not now have the kind of sympathy and support we had
earlier. As far as we are concerned, India is more important than any
other country.
Nobody is talking about separatism. Even Mr. Ponnambalam does not talk about it openly. There are some people living abroad, who make such noises. As far as I am concerned, people living in the North are not in favour of separatism or another armed struggle
Q If
you refer to India, Jayalalithaa was a towering figure as the CM of
Tamil Nadu. She used to exert a lot of pressure on the central
government of India to prevail upon Sri Lanka. She is no more now. How
do you see the situation as a result?
Tamil Nadu politics is weak. The support for the cause of Sri Lankan
Tamils is on the wane. Earlier, a lot of leaders were there -
M.G.Ramachandran, M. Karunanidhi and Jayalalithaa. If the state
government is not strong enough in Tamil Nadu, the centre does not
listen.