EROS with Indian Based Federalism

Photo: Reality of "Nagenahira Navodaya". A Tamil women drinking cup of tea out side the refugee camp in Batticaloa.Photo: Nuwan Jayatilleke from Batticaloa.

An exclusive Interview with the media spokesperson and Executive Member of the Eelam Revolutionary Organization (EROS) Nesan Shankar Raji by our special correspondent Abhishek Rao conducted at the University of Liverpool, Merseyside.

Excerpts of the Interview,

1. What is your idea of the concept of devolution in Sri Lanka?

Power sharing in Sri Lanka within an Indian based federalism framework would be the way forward in order to achieve lasting peace and an end to the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka. It is important for the government of Sri Lanka to issue its peace proposals through the APRC first before the forthcoming elections. How power is to be shared between the provincial government and the central government must be decided before elections are called. Let me go into the background now of this issue. The 13th Amendment to the constitution of Sri Lanka was intended to devolve powers to the North-Eastern Provincial Council as part of implementation of the Indo- Sri Lanka Accord. The 13th Amendment has provided for incomplete devolution, and even those incomplete powers have not actually been devolved to the Council so far. The impression one gets is that matters are being delayed eventually to deny everything with the expectation of a possible change in the political situation in the North-East. If we were to assume, that the LTTE and the Government of Sri Lanka were to actually sit down for talks which in my opinion is highly unlikely at present at the end of the day when both sides ultimately finish arguing they would be back to square one - how to implement what they have agreed on?, laughs….

Let me point out to you that it is not for the LTTE to decide the future of the Tamil speaking people it is for the people of the North-East, the Tamil speaking people and other communities to decide through their representatives of all democratic political parties in Sri Lanka, the EROS included and not proxies of the LTTE. This should be done through way of referendum.

2. Does the EROS stand by a "United Sri Lanka"?

Ever since we gave up our arms and joined the democratic mainstream in 1987 under the Indo-Lanka Accord, the EROS has firmly stood by the concept of resolving the ethnic question through power sharing within a unitary Sri Lanka and not a divided one. Our late leader Shankar Raji knew that the concept of a Tamil Eelam for our people would never become a reality, however on the same note he also knew and prophesized that Prabhakaran would never give up his "EELAM GOAL". It is unfortunate that his goal has cost the lives of tens of thousands of Sri Lankan’s (Tamils, Sinhalese and Muslims) and is still on-going. The present military campaign of the Sri Lankan Army in liberating the Tamil speaking community from LTTE controlled areas hasn’t helped but was unavoidable due to the provocations of the LTTE and the declaration of the EELAM (IV) War by Prabhakaran. It is inevitable that deaths will occur during a military campaign just like in Iraq and Afghanistan and so on. However it is important in the case of Sri Lanka that a sustainable and pragmatic political process is instigated as well and not just a sustained military campaign against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) because without a political process there can be no solution. What the government of Sri Lanka must do is come up with a peace proposal and just settlement to the ethnic conflict that meets the aspirations of the Tamil speaking people.

3. What do you have to say about the fears of many Sinhalese people on the term "Federalism"?

Our Sinhalese brethren need not fear or have any misconceptions on Federalism, because a lot of countries throughout the world govern their states and their people on the basis of the concept of federalism i.e. India and the United States of America. This fear amongst a small section of our fellow Sinhalese community must be overcome. The Tamil speaking community of Sri Lanka deserve the right to self-govern ourselves within a united Sri Lanka. We are a distinct national entity all together and it is important that this factor is wholly recognised and the repression that our community suffers from ceases. The problem at the moment is that the idea of devolution or power-sharing, would be stomped to oblivion in the scramble for the Presidential stakes and power. We have always argued that the government of Sri Lanka must implement the 13th Amendment to the Constitution and give more powers to the peripheries under Section 154 G (2). The primary task of the government right now has to be re-implementing this first. The elections come secondary.

4. What are your comments on the few Tamil votes received by President Mahinda Rajapakse during his election campaign?

The few Tamil votes received from the Tamil community was to do with the LTTE threatening the Tamil electorate to boycott the Presidential elections. This was unfortunate. If a majority of the North-Eastern Tamil constituency would have voted in the elections to be the deciding factor of who won the elections to form the government is irrelevant. In any event it is the duty of the President and the government of Sri Lanka to address the genuine grievances of the Tamil speaking people that has being going on and resolve the ethnic crisis. The LTTE on the other hand have not made things easy. Prabhakaran never conceived the fact that a majority of the Tamil speaking people will turn their backs on him. The support of the LTTE is very much less than what it was.

President Mahinda Rajapakse should not use the fact that there were less votes for him from the Tamil community and a majority of the votes from the southern Sinhala constituency as an excuse for not resolving the ethnic conflict based on an Indian federalism formula within a United Sri Lanka. I do not think in my opinion that this is the case. Why some fellow Sinhalese brethren fear the terminology "Federalism" I do not know. Federalism is does not mean seperation and does not constitute a separate Eelam Nation for the Tamil speaking people. This unresolved national question has nothing to do with the LTTE. This is a national ethnic issue that has been unresolved since our country’s independence from the British. We want to remain within a united Sri Lanka, however we the Tamil speaking people of Sri Lanka as a distinct national entity have a fundamental right to self-determination and that should never be denied to us. We will strive to resolve the ethnic question peacefully and amicably. When the government of Sri Lanka comes up with an acceptable solution then the LTTE will have no other option but to agree to the solution or they will be alienated by their supporters and sympathisers of their cause.

Photo: Anti LTTE and other political activities who who are involving with the ceremony of death anniversary on late Mr. Kadirgamar and General Kobbekaduwa in London including Nesan Shankar Raji.

5. Do you think the LTTE are weaker now?

There is no doubt at all and it is a fact that the sustained military campaign by the Sri Lankan armed forces has had a dramatic effect on the LTTE and its military capabilities of defending territories under its control. The LTTE is facing immense difficulties in replenishing their weapon stock due to the watchful eyes of the Indian Naval Coast Guard and the Sri Lankan Navy. The forthcoming joint naval military exercises in the Bay of Bengal will not help the LTTE either. Prabhakaran is fully aware that he is losing his EELAM WAR (IV). In any event the LTTE and their covert capabilities in targeting and attacking the Sri Lankan armed forces should not be underestimated because their cadres are well trained in guerrilla warfare.

7. Do you personally have any working experience in a government institution? Would you bring those skills and what you have learnt back to Sri Lanka?

I have worked in many government departments in the UK over the years to gain experience and a practical understanding of how each government department is run. My ultimate goal has always been to serve my people and fellow Sri Lankan brethren. The fact of the matter is that you need to know what you are doing and put the interests of your people first and do your job honestly and with integrity. You cannot be part of a cabinet responsible for a government department and just sit there and do nothing wasting the taxpayers money and at the same time doing nothing to improve the lives of the Sri Lankan people, the country’s economy. The government should also focus on eradicating corruption and bribery. I have pressed the Sri Lankan government to create a Commission for Racial Equality and also an independent body (Police Complaints Commission) that that will over see complaints and grievances from members of the public against serving police officers in Sri Lanka.

8. EROS will be re-opening its offices in the East, isn't that dangerous at this present time?

We are only prepared to do what’s right for our people and fellow Sri Lankan brethren. Our organisation is prepared to face whatever comes. We will not be intimidated by anyone. Just wait and see how the EROS will work with the people and make a difference to the benefit of all Sri Lankan’s. I eagerly await to see the final outcome of the APRC (All Party Representative Committee). At present there are tens of thousands of our people (IDP’s) in camps. Now our people need to be re-settled and rehabilitated quickly. The government should not ignore this and simply must allocate resources

9. Are the TMVP happy about EROS returning to the East?

This is not a matter for the TMVP or any other democratic political party for that matter. We put the interests of our people first and I am sure that they will do the same as well. The government of Sri Lanka have given us their consent and protection assured by the Ministry of Defence and that is sufficient for us. We need to work with the people and address their grievances. The EROS will definitely be contesting in the local government elections under our Eelavar Democratic Front (EDF) banner.

10. Has EROS formed an alliance with the EPDP?

This is news to me. Our late leader Shankar Raji wanted to form an alliance amongst democratic Tamil political parties called the "Tamil Democratic Alliance” (TDA) right from the late '90's. The TULF, EPRLF (P) and the PLOTE have now decided to form this alliance which was the brainchild of our late leader Shankar Raji. All democratic political parties that put the interests of our people at heart work together towards a common goal that meets the aspirations of our people. There is a common understanding amongst us all. It is unfortunate that the LTTE has not transitioned from militancy into the democratic mainstream just like everybody else. This will probably never happen. When they are making approximately $300 million dollars a year according to sources, it would be very hard for them to quit militancy.

11. Some LTTE sympathisers are angry about the re-emergence of EROS? What do you have to say about this?

Our people are fully aware of what EROS has always stood for. We are a people’s organisation and put our community and its interests and heart. People who are against EROS and our re-emergence back in to mainstream politics can think what they think and say what they say with their small narrow minds.

We do not have to prove our organisations integrity to anyone. The Eelam Revolutionary Organisation (EROS) founded by the late Eliyathamby Ratnasabapathy is the “God Father” of the Sri Lankan Tamil speaking peoples struggle for self-determination and sometimes people can feel inferior towards our organisation and its members as a result. The LTTE tried to ban the EROS in 1990 which resulted in K.V Balakumaran joining the LTTE along with E. Pararajasingam and several others because of Prabhakaran’s inferiority and it did not work thanks to the determination of our late leader Shankar Raji and other senior leaders of EROS.

Let me tell you one thing, K.V. Balakumaran did not join the LTTE voluntarily, he was threatened and intimidated into joining Prabhakaran. His house in Jaffna was surrounded by LTTE cadres and his family was used as bait. This is fact and this is what happened. We do not care what the LTTE thinks of EROS it is the LTTE that should be concerned about its reputation throughout the world as a terrorist organisation and renowned recruiter of under-age soldiers, violent and aggressive intimidators of the Tamil speaking Diaspora and mass murderers of our own people and prominent Tamil leaders.