Friday Nov 15, 2024
Friday Nov 15, 2024
Friday, 23 January 2015 00:01 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
JVP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake - Pic by Shehan Gunasekara
Q: What decisions were made at the National Advisory Council that met early this week?
A: There were media reports of an attempted coup by the former President Mahinda Rajapaksa to hold on to the presidency by getting the armed forces to annul the election. The Minister of Foreign Affairs made a complaint at the Criminal Investigation Department in this regard. I raised this issue when the Council met on Tuesday. All members unanimously agreed to carry out an investigation headed by a senior Inspector General of Police. The Council decided that the report should be submitted within a week. 
The Council also agreed to carry out further discussions with media organisations and to bring the Right to Information Act as proposed. The National Pharmaceutical Policy Act will also be submitted to Parliament within the 100 days. We also discussed setting up a special unit on bribery and corruption. A Cabinet paper will be submitted in order to seek Cabinet approval in this regard.
The Council agreed to a proposal to have a committee to look into fundamental rights violations that took place during the past years, especially to study many incidents of abductions, assaults, intimidations and killings reported during that time. Members of the Council agreed to carry out an investigation into loss of land, jewellery, vehicles and many other properties of the people in the north during the post-war period.
We also discussed and agreed to prepare a comprehensive report on political detainees and to categorise them, such as those who are already received a verdict, those with ongoing court cases and those in custody with pending legal action, etc. This report will be submitted at the next Council meeting.
These were the key points that were discussed at Tuesday’s National Advisory Council. The Council meets every Tuesday. We will initiate and implement everything we discussed within the 100 days. Certain investigations may not be concluded during this period due to practicality, but our goal is to ensure that all these proposals are initiated during the 100 days.
Q: What are your comments about the first two weeks of the Maithripala Sirisena-Ranil Wickremesinghe administration?
A: The biggest accusation against the Rajapaksa regime was abuse of people’s money, misuse of State property and corruption. The country as a whole agreed that those who were involved in these acts needed to be dealt with. Several complaints have already made to the Bribery Commission, but we are not fully satisfied with the pace of those investigations. We have no time to waste. Immediate action needs to be taken against the wrongdoers so that the same mistaken will not happen with the new Government. In order to do that the authorities who are conducting investigations need to be more efficient and fast.
The JVP has certain concerns about the newly-appointed Cabinet of Ministers. It is no secret that the Cabinet is for an interim period. The Minister of Education barely has one school term to carry out his work. The Minister of Agriculture doesn’t have one farming season. The Maha season has already commenced and before the Yala season Parliament will be dissolved. The Minister of Housing will not be able to lay the foundation to build a house within this 100 day period. This clearly shows how temporary this is. Unfortunately, when we see how greedy they have been and how they have been fighting to grab the best ministries, we are somewhat disgusted.
Certain Ministers of the previous regime came in for heavy criticism and were rejected by the people for their unacceptable behaviour. Within the last 14 days we saw the emergence of such politicians. We don’t want Thewarapperuma to be a carbon copy of Mervyn Silva. We cannot allow politicians to harass and intimidate other politicians for the mere fact that they belong to another political party, especially after an election. This has been in practice for so many years. Just because Mahinda Rajapaksa did it, we cannot allow others to do the same.
It is no secret that in 2010 soon after the election Mahinda Rajapaksa imprisoned his opponents. Many people left the country in fear. Others lived in hiding. That was under Rajapaksa rule. People wanted that to end and that is exactly why we have a new President and a new Government. That political era is over. We cannot let anyone repeat those mistakes once again.
We don’t want to criticise the Ministers appointed. We don’t want to give character certificates to them. But we strongly believe that this type of a Cabinet is not required for an interim period.
Q: Were you offered any ministerial posts?
A: I saw that President Maithripala Sirisena has made an open invitation requesting the JVP to join his Government. We believe that this Government, this system and especially the time period cannot make a big impact. They have limitations. We don’t have high hopes of this Government. Amending the Constitution, initiating groundwork to have good governance and taking action against people involved in corruption are some of the very few things we expect from the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe administration. We don’t want to be part of that Government. We being part of the Government will not provide any additional support.
What we want is much bigger, broader, in-depth change in the system. That cannot be achieved by a mere government change. Our objective and task will be to make that socioeconomic transition happen. We don’t want to be part of a government with conflicting policies. Therefore we decided not to be a part of this Government. But we will support them to carry out the proposed 100-day program.
Q: Will the JVP contest the upcoming general election as an alliance or a separate party?
A: For a long time we have been stressing on the importance of a new force. We still not have been able to achieve this. For nearly 66 years the two main parties have ruled our country. They have done this separately and now they are trying to do it together. We don’t feel that there can be massive socioeconomic transition under such rule. The JVP as a party feels the country needs an alternative force. This is our goal. This is what we want to be; the third force or the alternative force. If we can achieve this before the general election, we will contest as that alternative force. If not we will be contesting as the JVP.
Q: Can you elaborate more on this ‘third force’?
A: We are not talking about leaders of all political parties getting onto a common platform and holding hands. There are many who are disheartened by the calibre of politics that is practiced in Sri Lanka. They no longer want to be in politics simply because they do not agree with that type of beliefs and policies. There are academics, artistes, businessmen and many other social groups who are willing to be a third force for the betterment of the country. It will definitely not be another alliance that we form with the SLFP or the UNP.
This is not an easy task. If we are unable to do this before the general election we will contest as the JVP. The result we gain as a party will enable us to strengthen our goal of a third force.
Drug peddling is known as the highest money-making business. But today politics has become more profitable. Politicians who owned a small car today have fleets of vehicles. Politicians who came from villages today live a luxurious life having houses and properties around the world. How can that be possible? We need to change this.
This business type political culture needs to go. What we need is a political culture that truly serves the people. That actually works for the better of the country. Our economic policies need a change. We need to guide the private sector as to how they should be involved in boosting our economy. In 1978 Sri Lanka’s share in world trade was 0.5%. Today it is 0.045%, which is 10 time less than what we had in 1978.
Most countries in the world had a clear vision about their economies. Countries like Singapore, China, Chile, Brazil and our neighbour India, they had a vision. Unfortunately we never had such strong economic policies.
It is not only the economy; the social system also needs a broad transition. We can’t expect the new Government to make these transitions. This is actually like pouring new wine into an old bottle. What we want is a JVP administration with the support of academics, literates, businessmen, artistes and other social groups. We are dedicated to this and we will do it and it will be for the betterment of the country and the people.
Q: Do you want to be the president of this country?
A: It is not about me wanting to be the president or not. There is very little one single person can do for a country. Therefore, we should not rely on individuals to perform miracles. But we can do miracles if we get together and work as a team. Like I said before, our aim is to have a JVP administration in this country. To achieve that, if I am asked to stay at home I will happily do it. Remember, none of our party members are here for personal benefits.
In politics you have to expect the unexpected. Today people may doubt us but tomorrow they might give us the opportunity to see what we can offer to this country.
Why are the people reluctant to give us power? We love this country and the people unconditionally. We have a sound mechanism to take this country forward. We have a fine foreign policy. We have a disciplined and well-planned political organisation. What are we lacking? It is a crime not to steal people’s money? Is it an offense that we don’t own mansions? Is it a crime that we don’t have motorcades?
A recent study conducted has said that the JVP is the most preferred political party in the country. But when asked what party they would vote for at an election, the JVP was way down the list. Why? Our challenge is to change this situation. People need to vote for us. They need to give us the opportunity to show what we are capable of doing.
Q: Don’t you agree that people gather around you as a politician more than the JVP as a party?
A: I am not a superhero. I am not doing this alone. There is a force behind me that support and back me in what I am doing. If people believe I am honest, that has come from my party.
Q: What are your thoughts about cancelling certain controversial projects initiated by the previous Government?
A: We strongly believe that a fresh and a proper evaluation of such projects should be carried out immediately. If it is proven that these projects are mere white elephants that will only burden the country, then measures need to be taken to cancel them.
The Colombo Outer Circular Highway is one project that cannot be cancelled. But steps can be taken to minimise the expenditure and wastage.
Projects like Colombo Port City need a comprehensive environmental assessment. I personally believe that a country like Sri Lanka lacks expertise to carry out such comprehensive study. We will need to get assistance from other countries. Such international expertise along with locals should do a proper assessment on the environment impact of the project. Until then the project needs to be postponed.
Q: There is heavy criticism against the raid on former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Medamulana house. Your comments?
A: According to the law, the President cannot be taken to Court, but it does not mean his house cannot be raided. If there are wrong things taking place inside that house, if there are criminals in that house, then that house needs to be raided. It is no secret that people wanted on warrant were given shelter at Temple Trees.
If thugs, drug peddlers, ethanol dealers and murderers were given shelter, we should ask why that house was not raided before. However, if the raid was conducted merely to harass and intimidate due to political reasons, then we do not approve of such a move.
Q: Why did you file a petition in court seeking to arrest Kumaran Pathmanathan?
A: There are three important factors that made the LTTE such a powerful terrorist organisation. Funding, weapons and international relations made the once small group in the Wanni become the strongest terrorist organisation; this was due to KP’s funding, his weapons and the international networking he carried out. All these factors were conducted by KP. Sri Lanka has been accused by the international community of war crimes. If KP is tried in an open court, it would reveal the nature of Western countries that accuses us about war crimes.
When KP was arrested the media reported about the bank accounts, the number of ships owned by him, etc. What happened to that money and other possessions? We need answers. We have a right to know these.
