By
Ananth Palakidnar
Minister of Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development, Douglas Devananda, in an extensive interview with Ceylon Today, welcomed the South African peace initiative and said sharing the South African experience would definitely help Sri Lanka deal with its problem in a constructive manner. However, he said for any attempt to find a political solution, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) must come forward to participate in the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSE) and added that he had even requested South Africa’s special envoy, Cyril Ramaphosa, to bring the TNA to the PSC. Devananda also welcomed the reappointment of Maj. Gen. G.A. Chandrasiri as Governor of the Northern Province.
Greeting the Deputy President of South Africa-Jul 10, 2014-pic courtesy of NPC
Excerpts of the interview:
Q: South Africa has come forward to assist in the Lankan peace process. South Africa’s Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa who is SA’s special envoy on the Lankan issue was in Jaffna and even met you. What do you think about the new initiative?
A: Well, as a member of the Lankan Government delegation, I met Cyril Ramaphosa early this year in South Africa, soon after he was announced as a special envoy to deal with the Lankan peace process, by SA President Jacob Zuma.
I welcome whatever the move taken to solve the Tamil question. However, I wonder whether the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) will give its support to the new initiative. When I met Cyril Ramaphosa in Jaffna last week, I explained to him clearly that the government is willing to continue with the peace process through the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC).Whereas, the TNA with lame excuses is keeping itself away from taking part in the PSC.
So I told Cyril Ramaphosa, first of all he should make the TNA to attend the PSC for talks. Even in South Africa it was with the participation of all parties the country was able to get rid of apartheid. Therefore, instead of claiming they are the sole representatives of the Tamil people, the TNA must come forward to cooperate with the government and then only the South African initiative can produce a fruitful outcome.
Q: The government says it will only share the experience gained by South Africa in ending apartheid. So what is SA’s peace initiative all about?
A: There are plenty of things to learn from the South African experience. The manner South Africa engaged in the talks, the flexibility and the determination displayed by the two sides, and more than everything, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission set up to pave the way for greater reconciliation between the parties in conflict. Therefore, even though the South African experience is unique we should share it. Even the South African’s have said they would share their experience with the Lankans and they would not emphasize on what to do and what not to do. So their role looks like taking a horse to a lake, but it is up to the horse to drink the water or not.
Q: What is your view on the previous efforts by India and Norway?
A: India betted on wrong people and paid a heavy price for what it had done. The Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) at that time and the Eelam People’s Revolutionary Front (EPRLF) had failed badly in playing a supportive role when India came forward to support the Tamil cause. If India had trusted our party we could have done a better job than what other parties did. The EPDP played a significant role in establishing democracy in the North challenging the LTTE. If it was not for the EPDP the people in Jaffna would have even suffered like the people in Wanni in the hands of the LTTE.
pic courtesy: Northern Provincial Council, Jun 4, 2014-Event in Vasavilan
Apart from the political activities we stood by all humanitarian activities to ensure the people in the Jaffna Peninsula were not starving and heading towards the brink of famine. It was due to the support rendered by the EPDP that the government succeeded in establishing democracy in the North and even setting up the Northern Provincial Council. Therefore, India strived hard to make peace in the North and the East but it had approached the wrong people. However, we still believe India could contribute significantly in finding a political solution to the Lankan Tamil issue.
As far as Norway’s peace initiatives are concerned, the LTTE had taken them for a ride. Norway’s genuine attempts in bringing the LTTE to the political mainstream and settling the Lankan issue had hardly earned any success. So Norway was nowhere in dealing with the Lankan issue.
Q: What do you say about the reappointment of Major General G.A. Chandrasiri as the Governor Northern Province?
A: I welcome it. He is very concerned about the people in the North. He has been serving the people in the North from the time the war came to an end in 2009 and even before the Northern Provincial Council was established. Whereas the TNA is grumbling about Chandrasiri’s previous military background. He is now retired from the military and is actively involved in stabilizing the civil administration in the North.
The funds allocated for the Northern Provincial Council were not properly utilized for development activities. However, Governor Chandrasiri utilized the funds towards constructive development programmes and prevented them from being withdrawn by the government. The TNA is like a dog in the manger. They will not do anything constructive and will not allow others to do anything meaningful. Governor Chandrasiri has been supportive of all development activities in the North. He extends his support for the Northern Provincial Council. So I don’t see anything wrong in his being reappointed as Governor Northern Province.
Q: What do you think about the functions of the Northern Provincial Council?
A: The TNA came into power in the Northern Provincial Council by giving false promises to the people. The Alliance’s motive is to remain in power and claim they are the sole representatives of the Tamils. In the parliamentary polls the TNA would have gained more seats but as a single candidate I gained the most number of preferential votes. As they did in parliamentary politics, they are trying to use the Northern Provincial Council for their political gains. They are like an ‘undertaker’ who always pray for the sale of his coffins. Likewise, the TNA also wants the problems to continue for their survival. However, they cannot keep on deceiving the people. The people want peace and they want their areas to be developed. So even during the turbulent days the TNA hardly did anything to the people and now even with the dawn of peace they hardly do anything for the people.
Q: What do you say about the land acquisition carried out by the Security Forces in the North. A large number of people still remain as internally displaced persons in the North. They claim their lands have been forcibly taken by the Security Forces in the North?
A: I am very much aware about the land issue. Of course the civilians were forced to leave their houses and lands due to the intensity of the war. Several areas were demarcated as High Security Zones for security reasons. As a responsible minister I stand by my people in resettling them in their original places. We should not adopt a confrontational attitude towards sensitive issues. I have succeeded in handing back hundreds of acres of paddy and other agricultural lands to the original owners. Houses, schools and places of worship which were in the possession of the Security Forces have also been handed over to the legitimate owners. Therefore, I do not want to jump the gun and create an issue out of the land problem. I will not let down my people and I believe this issue could be settled without playing to the emotions of the people.
Q: What is your comment on the encroachment of the Indian fishermen into the Northern waters?
A: The encroachment of the Indian fishermen into the Northern waters remains a big problem to our fishermen who are gradually building themselves up with the end of war. However, the Indian fishermen are not only fishing in our waters they are also using their hi-tech fishing vessels and destroying all our marine resources. I personally took several initiatives to address the issue by talking even to the Indian fisher folk in Kachchativu. But the Indians continue to infiltrate into our waters.
I appreciate the stance taken by President Mahinda Rajapaksa over the issue when he attended the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi. When Prime Minister Modi discussed the fishing issue with President Rajapaksa he firmly said that he would not allow the Indians to infiltrate into Lankan waters. President Rajapaksa has expressed his solidarity with the Northern fisher folk by not agreeing with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on fishing in the Lankan waters.
Q: What is your observation on the proposed UN investigation into alleged war crimes in the island?
A: Well, when we talk about war crimes, what about the untold crimes committed by the LTTE?. From the time it started annihilating its own people, leaders, intellectuals and fellow militant cadres. I have lost my own brother and several of my relatives due to the atrocities of the LTTE. I escaped death more than ten times when the LTTE targeted me. Hundreds of my cadres have been brutally killed by the LTTE. Therefore, whatever the investigation, it should be unbiased and it should not spoil the hard earned peace in the country.
Courtesy: Ceylon Today