Will Muster 200,000 Tamil Votes

8/10/2019 Will Muster 200,000 Tamil Votes

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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%



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



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



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%



/ 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



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%



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/%



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



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%



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



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%



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%



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/%

Will Muster 200,000 Tamil Votes

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