will muster 200,000 tamil votes
TRANSCRIPT
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Will muster 200,000 Tamil votes
2014-12-15
The Democratic People’s Front had already announced its support or the common
opposition candidate !aithripala "irisena at the #anuary Presidential $lection% &n a 'ide
ran(in( intervie' 'ith the Dailymirror DPF leader !ano )anesan claimed that the
Tamils may not support President !ahinda *a+apasa as he had ailed to chan(e the
mindset o the ma+ority community ollo'in( the end o the 'ar% $cerpts.
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/s the leader o the Democratic People’s Front DPF 'hat is your stance on the
common candidate 3
We are part o the campai(n o the common candidate % &n act 'e are the only
Tamil party 'hich is on sta(e 'ith !aithripala "irisena as at date%
We are discussin( the in the atermath o P )eneral "ecretary Tissa /ttanayae
crossin( over to the PF/%
Tissa is my riend% 6ut & am disappointed% When my o'n 7rother crossed over & 'as
very distressed% /t that time, Tissa discussed o hi(h values and ethics in politics to
console me% & don’t understand 'hy he did this to his party and that too at a crucial hour%
!aithri aced distress in the "8FP% 6ut Tissa did not have any issues in the P% 9is
issues 'ere small% "ome descri7e this as tit-to-tat% 6ut & don’t thin so% 9e is no match
or !aithri% Tissa is more o an administrative oicial cate(ory and !aithri is a political
leader% Thereore he is our common candidate today% 9e 'ill restore democracy% We trust
him%
/s the leader o Democratic People’s Front, my contri7ution to his successul campai(n
is uni:ue% We 'ill directly muster nearly 200,000 Tamil votes in the olom7o,
)ampaha, ;alutara and ;andy districts%
/nd 'e 'ill inluence another lar(e num7er o Tamil votes in the u'ara-$liya,
6adulla, *atnapura and ;e(alle districts% olom7o is my home% 6ut & am not re(ional
7ut national% & am heard in the north and east too%
Do you 7elieve that !aithri 'ill 7e a7le to create a more harmonious and
peaceul environment3
To my understandin( the *oad !ap o campai(n is this% pon elected, 'ill 7e
the President 'ith his Prime !inister and a7inet%
&t is (oin( to 7e plainly an interim administration or 100 days% This administration is
not (oin( to address the national :uestion 7ut 'ill address a7olishin( $ecutive
Presidency, transerrin( eecutive po'er to Parliament, repealin( the 1</ and
reintroducin( the 1=/%
The President 'ill need a 2>? ma+ority in Parliament since these are onstitutional
amendments% & am conident that the political dynamics o the post-election era 'ill pave
'ay or this% Then he has to (o or resh )eneral $lections% The ne' Parliamentary
(overnment elected to po'er ater the net )eneral $lections is epected to address the
national :uestions and other uni:ue issues o minorities in the country%
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This is our road map or harmonious and peaceul environment% &t is not only
harmonious 7ut also the most intelli(ent 'ay out o this ri(id autocracy%
There is also a su((estion to continue 'ith a national (overnment or t'o years% This
'ill happen only i there is consensus and accord% & there is no accord, resh )eneral
$lections 'ill 7e unavoida7le at 'hich the parties ali(ned today as the oppositionalliance may not contest to(ether%
Possi7ilities are there or dierent alliances contestin( separately% &t is (ood or the
restoration o democracy in this country% Tamil voters o this country have accepted this
road map% We see a democratic space no'% We are not (oin( to place 7locades 7y
7rin(in( national :uestion issues here% @ course, 'e 'ill naturally epect the ne'
(overnment ater the )eneral $lections or the national (overnment i it is in place, to
address the national :uestion%
/s a Tamil representative do you thin the Tamil community 7oth in the north and
south 'ould vote or the common candidate 3
Aes% Tamils live in our re(ions in siBa7le num7ers in this country% They are the orth,
$ast, entral and Western re(ions%
Tamils o the orth and $ast are led 7y the Tamil ational /lliance T/% We, the DPF
lead the West% The entral plantation vote is shared amon( W, PF, W o Deputy
!inister Thi(am7aram and DPF, as 'e too have provincial councilors and 8) mem7ers
in the ;andy and u'ara-$liya districts% The T/ has not arrived at any oicial stance%
6ut & am a7le to read the mindset o the Tamil community in the orth and the $ast%
They re or chan(e, so are my voters in the Western Province% Despite the plantation
7ased parties 7ein( in the (overnment, this too may chan(e, & am conident that the
Tamil voters in the central hills are 'ith us in this election%
&t is 7ecause this is not the election or the Parliament or Provincial ouncils% This is a
national election% People in the central re(ion, especially the plantation 'orers are
accustomed to vote to elect their re(ional representatives and their national
representative, unconnectedly%
o matter that the W is supportin( the PF/ candidate, & am conident that 'e 'ill
'in the district o u'ara-$liya and most o the plantation vote else'here in ;andy,
!atale, 6adulla, *atnapura, ;e(alle, ;alutara and )alle or the % hec 'ith me this
on #anuary C%
/s a leader representin( Tamil community in the country 'hat 'ould you say
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could 7e the reason that this (ovt% ailed to 'in votes in predominant Tamil areas lie
orth unlie other areas3
& have told this 7eore% & am tellin( it a(ain here% Durin( the 'ar times, the (overnment
politically created a 'ar psyche in the country, 7rou(ht to(ether the (roups those
7elieved in a military solution to the national :uestion and assem7led a 'ar team to 'inthe 'ar% @ course it helped the (overnment to 'in the 'ar%
6ut it ailed to deuse the 'ar psyche or eep those 'ar mon(erin( (roups at a distance
and disassem7le the 'ar team durin( this current era o reconciliation%
Aou can’t use the same team and attitude or 7oth 'ar and peace%
Aou have to deuse the arro(ance o a victor% Aou did not conduct the 'ar 'ith an alien
enemy country% Tamils, particularly the civilians o the orthern and the $astern
Provinces are not aliens% There can’t 7e victors and losers here% & am not underminin(the national security here% &t is important% Aou have the security orces% & am a patriot% &
love our security orces% /s the (overnment, you can support and provide them 7etter
acilities and the 7est e:uipment% 6ut they are meant or 'ar% Aou should not deploy and
use them or civilian matters% Aou even ailed to transer or discontinue the tenure o the
orthern )overnor 'ho is a ormer military oicer%
"o it is in the $astern Province% 9ad the (overnment listened to recommendations to
appoint "inhala civil servants as (overnors o the orthern and $astern Provinces, the
situation today 'ould have 7een dierent%
&nstead the President continued the services o the ormer military oicer !a+% )en%
*td )%/% handrasiri and he is runnin( a parallel administration in the orthern
Province a(ainst hie !inister %% Wi(nes'aran’s administration, 'hich came into
oice throu(h a democratic election, conducted 7y the $lections ommissioner o this
country%
/nd also you are preparin( the so called development plans in olom7o and tain( them
to the orthern Province 7ypassin(, the same elected council o Wi(nes'aran%
These are a e' simple reasons 'hy the people may not vote or the President in
thepredominantTamil orth%
Aou al'ays spoe or the implementin( o the 88* recommendations% Do you
thin i the common candidate (ots elected, he 'ould implement those3
Aes, & call or the implementation o recommendations o the (overnment appointed
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88* commission% 6ut the 'ill not have time to 'or on this% 9is mandate 'ill 7e
dierent% /s & eplained a7ove, the net Parliamentary (overnment 'ill have much to
do 'ith the implementations o the 88* recommendations%
@nce you stated as a Tamil you cannot 7e the President in the ountry% Why is
that3
&t is 7ecause o the deep rooted communalist tendencies% 8oo at &ndia% They too have
ethnic and reli(ious issues% Aet, &ndia thins in national terms% / mem7er o !uslim or a
"ih minority could 7ecome the President, Prime !inister, Forei(n !inister and even
the 7oss o the &ntelli(ence "ervice%
&n &ndian cinema, most 7i( names are ;hans% Do 'e come across such a sense o
accommodation in our country3 Aou ailed to nominate even !r% 8ashman ;adir(amar
'hom the "inhalese loved, as the Prime !inister 'hen he 'anted%
& am conident that & have all credentials to 7e the President% 6ut & cannot 7ecause & am
an ethnic Tamil% This is the reality% & am proud that & am a "ri 8anan o recent &ndian
ori(ins% 9ad & 7een livin( in &ndia & 'ould have 7een in a top position 'ith the &ndian
entral )overnment%
Don’t you thin that +ust lie minority mem7ers 'innin( elections and comin( to
po'er in ma+ority "inhala areas, "inhalese also should 7e a7le to contest in
minority areas3
Why is it an issue3 /ny7ody and any party can contest any'here in the country%
ontestants 'ill 'in and come to po'er only i they receive suicient votes under the
election la'% "inhalese are 'elcome in Tamil areas to do politics% They are 'elcome into
my party too% @ur party already has a "inhalese mem7er in the olom7o municipality%
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/ lon( standin( 8etist leader and no' !inister or
ational 8an(ua(es and &nte(ration asudeva
anyaara speas to the Dailymirror o the
orthcomin( Presidential $lection, the +ourney 'ith
the (overnment and the demands o the Democratic
8etist Front% Follo'in( are some o the ecerpts%
Aou 'ere someone, 'ho 'ent 'ith !ahinda
*a+apasa to )eneva to complain a(ainst the violation o human ri(hts to the
9uman *i(hts ouncil 9*% This (overnment is one that has a lot oalle(ations o violatin( human ri(hts and minority ri(hts% What has made you to stay on
'ith the (overnment3 &sn’t it contradictory to your actions 7eore3
& 'ill eplain% & am a(ainst violence% 6ut & cannot help 'hen there is le(itimate violence%
What do you mean 7y le(itimate violence3
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iolence that has to 7e inlicted in order to prevent a 'ron(, to prevent treason, to
prevent the 7reain( up o the country, the settin( up o ille(al (overnments, any
violence that has to 7e inlicted to prevent them, is le(itimate violence%
& have to accept le(itimate violence, 'hen it arises and 'hen the conditions necessitateit% 6ut the issues that have 7een raised are, that to'ards the end o the 'ar there had
7een deli7erate illin(s o innocent civilians and this must 7e investi(ated% & am ully
'ith it and tain( appropriate action%
Do you a(ree 'ith it 7ein( investi(ated 7y the international community3
o% What does the international community have to do 'ith it3 &nternational
community has nothin( to do 'ith our country% @ur country’s investi(ations have to 7e
done 7y us% & some7ody says this commission 'hich is investi(atin(, is alle(edviolations is not credi7le, let them come out 'ith it and say this is not credi7le or the
ollo'in( reasons%
9o' 'as the 88* not credi7le3 9o' 'as the 88* hailed as somethin( very 'ise
and (reat and it 'as commended 7y every7ody% 6ut 'hy is this distrust in the
(overnment in the matter o the other commissions3
6ecause it 'as the (overnment thatEEEEEEE
ot the (overnment 7ut some sections o the armed orces 'ho too the la' into
their o'n hands%
Why should & 7ecome responsi7le or that3 & should tae action a(ainst them% & & didn’t
tae action a(ainst them then & am responsi7le%
"o 'hat you are sayin( is that it is the /rmy that needs to 7e investi(ated into3
@ course, the /rmy oicials 'ho are responsi7le and 'ho are alle(ed to havedone those violations and 'ho are alle(ed to have committed those atrocities%
&nvesti(ate them, certainly, ind them out and then deal 'ith them%
"o you are sayin( the (overnment didn’t have any hand in a(reein( to this3
/7solutely not% ot the (overnment% When & say the (overnment, not the
President and the ministers o the a7inet%
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6ut the Deence !inistry comes under the President3 "o ho' can somethin( lie
this happen 'ithout him no'in( a7out it3
9e has ased them to prosecute a 'ar, not to annihilate people% 9e ased them to deeat
the 8TT$ and then retae the areas 'hich had 7een occupied 7y them% That 'as themandate% ot to ill civilians and not to inlict in+uries on surrendees%
"o you are sayin( the "ri 8anan military 'ent 7eyond their mandate3
@ course yes% This is not the irst time the military 'ent into ecesses%
When the military is ever ased to (o and 7rin( a7out cro'd control, a perect eample
'ould 7e *athhupas'ala, the ecesses are inherent in a military deployment%
Aou did spea a7out the a7olishment o the eecutive presidency% 6ut you votedor the 1<th amendment, 'as it in a(reement 'ith your conscience3
& did% 9avin( said that, & am opposed to it in principle% /nd & said in Parliament, i you
read the hansard that & thin it is contrary to democracy%
"o then 'hy vote or it3
Then, & said in Parliament that this 'as an epansion o the Presidential po'ers
and a violation o the very commitments that 'e have (iven%
6ut, & cannot 7rea rans 'ith my people on this side and 7ecome the eonerated one% &
don’t mind 'hat they call me 7ut & voted to(ether 7ecause & didn’t 'ant to 7rea rans%
/nd then 7rin( a7out a situation 'hich can supply ammunition to our opposition%
That 'as the only reason% & eplained all that in my statement in Parliament%
"o do you thin that i the President 'as elected or a third term, he 'ould eep
his promises a7out the a7olishin( o the $ecutive Presidency3
9e 'ould have to%
& he doesn’t3
& say he 'ill have to% 9e has no choice% ot that it is his 'illin( a(reement, 7ut he
has no choice% 6ecause the pu7lic opinion is so stron(, not only in the country 7ut even
in the PF/%
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They 'ant to a7olish the $ecutive Presidency properly3
Finish it%
/ ma+or part o your political career has 7een as a voice in the opposition% Aou
have 7een someone 'ho spoe a7out corruption% Aou did say that some o the
corruption has 7een 7rou(ht to +ustice 7ut most o it that people tal a7out is
corruption 'ithin the (overnment a7out 'hich nothin( is done% Why have you not raised
your voice a(ainst this3
First 'e need to mae the ommissioner 'ho loos into 6ri7ery independent%
The commissioner is not independent3
9e is not independent, thou(h he is called independent% 9e must 7e elected 7y theParliament, 7y a consortium o respective leaders o the political parties% & 7elieve in
that% "o should the /uditor )eneral 7e, so should the #ud(es o the "upreme ourt 7e
appointed%
They should 7e elected 7y a collective o the leaders in Parliament, 7y a consensus 'ith
the "peaer as the ar7iter% Aou can, sometimes, never reach unanimity, then consensus%
Then there must 7e someone to determine 'hat consensus is and that should 7e the
"peaer%
The (overnment has 7een increasin( the orei(n loans% &nrastructure pro+ects are
all on 7orro'ed monies% /s a 8etist leader 'hat is your opinion on this3
/s lon( as 'e have suicient assets to 7ac the loansEE%
Do 'e have suicient assets to 7ac the loans3
Aes% /ll that has 7een created, 7uilt and constructed are the assets, 'hich 7aced
it%
6ut most o these assets, or eample the 9am7antotat 9a7our EEEE
9am7antota har7our on a (oin( maret today is 'orth thrice 'hat it 'as 7ecause
o the num7er o ships that are callin( no'% 6ecause it is so strate(ic, that you
can’t 7uy it or money% &t is strate(ic 7ecause it is close to the international sea lanes%
@% !attala /irport3
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solution to this3 What ind o solution do 'e need3
They should% The solution is devolution o po'er% Proper devolution o po'er%
"o the 1?th /mendment hasn’t 7een properly implemented3
The 1?th amendment and more%
What do you mean more3
!ore mean anythin( that 'e need to ne(otiate 7et'een the orthern Provincial
ouncil and the (overnment%
Aour statement says that the orthern Provincial ouncil needs to 7e (iven
proper po'ers lie the other Provincial ouncils% What did you mean 7y it3To 7e(in 'ith, the )overnor rules the orthern Provincial ouncil% Whereas, in
the other Provincial ouncils, 7arrin( the $ast, the a7inet o !inisters 'ith the hie
!inister decide on the administration% &t is other'ise, 'hen it comes to the orth or the
$ast% That is 'hat 'e mean 'hen 'e say let it 7e lie in the other Provincial ouncils in
the country, that are ruled 7y the a7inet o !inisters and the hie !inister% ot over
po'ered or dominated 7y the (overnor% That is the 7e(innin(% We should (o urther%
"peain( a7out the 1?th /mendment and the orthern Provincial ouncil% The
T/ constantly ass or Police and land po'ers, that are there in the 1?th/mendment3
&t is there in the 1?th /mendment% &t has not 7een (iven to any other Provincial ouncil
either% "o thereore they 'ould 7e on par 'ith the other councils even i they didn’t have
those t'o po'ers% 6ut, 'e need to thin o 'ays and means o ho' 'e can 7rin( them
in to sharin( po'er re(ardin( land and Police%
"o 'hen you tal a7out the land, they are al'ays talin( a7out the land (ra7 that
is tain( place in the orthern Province% 9ave you spoen to the (overnment
a7out this3
Aes & have% & have raised the issue 'ith the (overnment that all lands o the people must
7e returned to the people%
6ut they are not 7ein( returned3
o, they are not%
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When it comes to the orthern Province there is a massive plot o land that is 7ein(
taen over3
@ yes, ,000 acres% &n a very thicly populated area, denyin( the people their ri(ht to
their land%
"o 'hen it comes to the ac:uisition 7y the (overnment3
Which is also 'ron(% Whenever it is necessary and important or a pu7lic
purpose, then only you can ac:uire land%
6ut they ac:uire land sayin( that it is or development3
& no'% 6ut & don’t see any development% & don’t a(ree 'ith the (overnment or the
ac:uisitions either% ot all ac:uisitions 7ut some%
What is the ac:uisition that you don’t a(ree 'ith3
Those ,000 acres%
/nd "ampur3
"ampur no% "ampur 'e need the po'er plant%
What a7out the ac:uisitions that are happenin( in olom7o3 The lo' income
slum areas3They are 7ein( (iven alternative housin(%
"o you are o 'ith the procedure3
o% it should have 7een done 'ith more inesse and 7etter procedural order% &t
'as handled in a militaristic 'ay%
Do you thin the country is (oin( in a militaristic 'ay3
o% immediately ater a 'ar 'e 'ill have the echo o the armed culture in the
country, 7ut that doesn’t mean 'e are (oin( in the direction o a military po'er%We are deployin( our armed orces in construction and development% That doesn’t mean
'e are (oin( to militarise%
When you tal a7out the military, 'hat a7out the army camps that are there in the
orthern Province3
There are too many and too many soldiers da77lin( 'ith civil administration% Too
much o military involvement in a civil administration% There is too much occupation o
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pu7lic space 7y the personnel o the armed orces% 6ut they are (ettin( on 'ell% Aou can
trust me% When you (o up there you 'ill ind sections o the armed orces and sections
o people are (ettin( on 'ell%
6ut that doesn’t +ustiy the (eneral pattern o intererence in the civil administration%
"o you thin the army camps in the orth should 7e reduced3
The army camps and personnel can 7e in proportion to the population, lie in
other areas o the country 'ith some special intelli(ence units to 'atch out or
any anti-social or 8TT$-related activities%
Aou are ormin( a coalition 'ith the (overnmentEE%
We ormed this (overnment% We ormed the PF/%
Aes, you ormin( the coalition 'ith the (overnment literally crippled the 8etist
parties% 9as your +ourney so ar 7een 'orth it3
& the #P 'ill also +oin 'hat 'e are doin( 'e 'ill have a solid say in the
(overnment and tae the (overnment eactly 'here 'e 'ant it to (o%
Where is that3
That is reachin( the end o the Presidential po'er, :uicer than later% Then (ivin(
seven perches o land to the plantation 'orers, then removin( some ecessivenum7ers o soldiers stayin( in the orth, (ivin( 7ac all the lands to the people in the
north% /ll these 'ould have 7een achieved i only the #P instead o politicin( 'ould
have come to su7stantive 'or 'ithin the PF/% /nd 'e could have 'on a7out 50
seats in the Parliamentary elections and 'ould have decided everythin(% There could
have 7een no PF/ 'ithout the let, 7ut no' they can%
The demands that you have made-i the (overnment doesn’t eep to the promises
then 'hat 'ould you do3
We 'ould stru((le 'ith the people 'ho are 7ehind the PF/%
When you say you 'ill stru((le or this, do you mean you 'ould 7rin( it to the
streets3
Aes, the streets too% )eneral stries, strie action, demonstrations and even
a(itations%
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Aou said you 'ere supportin( the President to (ain the ri(hts that 'e have, the
ri(hts o the people3 What maes you thin that you can achieve this3 Aou said
that he 'as the only leader that could achieve this3
!ahinda is only the pivot o our orces% 9e is not the orces, he 'ill 'ell remem7er that%9e is only the representative pivot% The day he parts 'ays 'ith these orces, there 'ill
7e no !ahinda and !ahinda 'ill not 7e important%
&t seems lie the entire country, so 'hat maes you say that he is the pivot o the
orces3
The PF/ is made up o social, political orces and those orces had chosen him,
not that he 'as orced on us% We have chosen him% "o he is there only as lon( as 'e
choose him%
Do most o the people inside the PF/ a(ree 'ith him puttin( his amily there3
o
Then 'hy haven’t they raised their voice a(ainst it3
9is amily is all elected, ecept )ota7aya% /nd )ota7haya is 'ell :ualiied to 7e
the "ecretary o Deence or his eperience% What is 7ad is, say & have ive
7rothers 'ho are elected3
6ut & 'ould lie to distri7ute po'er more evenly 'ithin the a7inet and the
)overnment, not lettin( the concentration o po'er amon( my amily mem7ers% That is
'hat & 'ould say% The people in the movement, in the PF/ are more involved, are not
very concerned a7out these cultural matters, such as nepotism%
The important thin( is that 'e are achievin( more o social democratic reorms,
demoractic reorms in the (overnance% 6ut the 7etter discretion should 7e as & said, to
not let po'er 7e concentrated even i they 'ere elected%
The people o the PF/ are more involved in the totality o the perspective and thetotality o the pro(ramme, rather than on one or the other% @n one they mi(ht disa(ree
7ut they yet remain on the totality o the pro(ramme%
/re there internal discussions in the PF/ a7out reducin( the num7er o
!inistries3
&n an alliance you have to (ive a portolio to every party%
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6ut don’t you thin 'e have a massive num7er o portolios3
Aes, may 7e a7le to reduce to some de(ree and it is healthy to reduce it to some
de(ree%
What a7out handria 6andaranaie ;umaratun(a3
"he 7etrayed our cause to neo-li7eral politics and (lo7alisation and she 'ill never
7e or(iven 7y the orces o our PF/%