Janaka Perera killed by the government; no military solution for ethnic conflict; had good relations with the LTTE; UNP will win the forthcoming provincial elections; I will regain my rights.by Nilantha Illangamuwa
(December 16, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) The tumultuous S B Dissanayake Episode reflects the chaotic nature of Sri Lankan politics ever since S W R D Bandaranaike compromised with the country’s racial and religious bigots and the Federal Party of the Tamils that talked about a Tamil Kingdom –Ilankai Thamil Arasu Katchi – did not help either and flowed into the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) and gave birth to the world’s most brutal terrorist force, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (TULF).
In the development of such a state of affairs the masses, both of the Sinhalese and Tamils, were separated as helpless onlookers and victims of a small minority of extreme ethnic elements and religious fundamentalists. This state has not abated at all and the country is now on the verge of anarchy and bankruptcy with the people of Sri Lanka cast in the strait jackets of racist and corrupt politicians.
It was in this context of the current Dissanayake Episode and the need to get the views and reactions of the former Member of Parliament of Nuwara Eliya District and the national organizer of the United National Party (UNP) that the Sri Lanka Guardian met Mr S.B. Dissanayake. At the outset itself he told us with utmost conviction that no country in the world has achieved a permanent solution for ethnic conflict through a militaristic approach because what is fundamental to a solution is the upholding of honour and dignity and not humiliation. Military might will not provide that and furthermore it amounts to the majority bullying the minority.
“Only way for a permanent solution is through a negotiation approach between the two parties." We have seen and read about more than seventy ethnic conflicts in the world and those that met with success are where devolutionary powers were fostered and wherever they have failed were when militaristic solution was pursued and still those conflicts remain unresolved,” observed Mr. Dissanayake.
Reacting to President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Mr Dissanayake said: “Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa would not have become the president had I remained with the SLFP. He was a late joiner and the SLFP regarded my role as key to its future and that of the country. He added: “We will certainly win the forthcoming provincial elections but a key to it will be the court decision scheduled for today, 16 December.
Mr. S. B. Dissanayake warmly welcomed us at his residence in Colombo and leisurely spent time with us discussing the present situation in the Country as well as the political history of the various parties and other related matters.
Our interview with him ensued as follows:
We would be happy if you could begin by commenting on the new appointments in the UNP following Mr Karu Jayasooriya re-joining it and appointed as the as deputy leader by Mr. Ranil Wickremasinghe. Are you happy about this development within the UNP?
It was our leader's decision; even I think those appointments are good. Mr Jayasooriya rejoining the UNP is good for the party’s future. However I see some problems myself but they do not matter because in time there will be solutions for them. I should not speed them up at this time.
Are you happy about Mr Ranil Wickremasinghe being the UNP leader?
As the National Organizer of the Party that I am, I must accept his leadership.
But his leadership destroyed the UNP vote base and what do you say to that?
I cannot openly criticize the leadership. We have some problems but we must try finding a solution within the party. I believe the solution is with us not outside. Why should I therefore speak loudly and openly over our internal misunderstandings?
I believe all what you do or say must reflect the will of the people because you are the voice of the people.
That's true but no way will I share everything with the people. We have to lead the people and responsible logical thinking demands that the leadership should be carefully executed. I firmly believe it is the right of the people to select or elect their leaders.
The President has decided to hold elections to two Provincial Councils following his big wins three months ago. This time you will be the chief UNP candidate for the Central Province. If the court accepted your rights to participate how will you lead the party?
This is good opportunity for me and I am happy the party leadership decided I should lead in the Central Province. But everything depends on how the court will decide about my rights. My lawyers are confident of a favourable judicial decision because I have never been found guilty of any crime.
Do you believe you can win the forthcoming elections if the court decision is favourable?
Of course; I am the party’s man for the Central Province and people of the province are largely for the UNP and we can easily win the elections.
But the recent elections marked heavy losses for the UNP and even historically strong UNP bastions have fallen to the SLFP. In the light of this, how can you say you can easily win the elections? It appears the people have become happier with blue and the betel and are forgetting the green and the elephant.
I think in the last Provincial Council elections where when we could have won, President Rajapaksa misled by announcing that he could bring the Wanni war to an end and along with it the end of Prabhakaran too. There were SLFP meetings that were cancelled because of the lack of supporters. And with that kind of announcement, the people voted for the SLFP desperate to end the terror war. I don’t think he can use the same tactics again.
This is not the only government that is selling the war. It was the same with all the previous governments and it was on the war psychosis political parties such as the UNP and SLFP won the elections. Such is the rotten state of how the governments have exploited our minority community of their just rights.
I don't think the previous governments have sold the war like this government. This is the only government that has used the war as a constant feature. There is also the unacceptable feature of the jumbo cabinet. The previous governments have done some good for the people but not this government which is only occupied with the war along with this incredible cabinet to serve corrupt ends.
According to recent polls, people are giving popular backing for the war. This means President Rajapaksa has support of the people in his war efforts...
Yes that's true. People are supporting the war but they never support the corrupt government and its cunning policies while selling the war for political game. The war is going on a separate path. We of the UNP also strongly support this war but without any condition. We are always with our heroes, the soldiers who face the war with so much at risk for them, their families and the nation.
In the Central Province Mr. Thondaman has been supporting the President. He has a large vote base in the province.
True he has a good vote base. But I think now a large number of Tamil people are against him. I was quite proud of his father who transformed a slave community into a people with dignity. But I don't think junior Thondaman is doing people's politics like his father. He has ridden on his father’s fame all these days but is fast losing that inherited prestige.
There are serious questions about who was behind the assassination of Mr. Janaka Perera. What do you think of such doubts?
No doubt for me it was done by the government. All investigations regarding this tragedy have gone underground. So one can conclude that somebody wants to hide the truth.
Do you have evidence in that direction?
I am a politician in the country for more than half a century. I am sure to know which one the government did and which was done by the LTTE or any other groups. Clearly the assassination of Mr. Janaka Perera was done by the government. There are two good reasons. One, the government wanted to stem the rise of Janaka Perera among the people and second it also wanted Dr. John Pulle killed. The local chief minister, his son and some goons were involved in the attack of Dr. John Pulle which was revealed by the media.
When the tragedy happened I went there and made my own observations even the bodies of the victims. According to eyewitnesses, the killer was a mentally disabled person. I think the government used for this type of person for such a mission because nobody would suspect him.
But pro–LTTE media was justified the assassination. If the LTTE wasn’t involved why did they justify it without blaming the government?
May be they plan to create internal conflict within the government. Even we all knew Mr. Janaka Perera was a top level enemy of the LTTE too.
What about other recent killings in the country Minister Fernandupulle and Messrs Raviraj and Maheshwaran?
Yeah; the killing of Minister Jeyaraj Fernandupulle was done by the LTTE but the other two were killed by the government. That is why those investigations are not in successful.
Some key politicians in the ruling party say if you were still with the SLFP you would be the Prime Minister.
I don't think I will be appointed as Prime Minister but I'm sure if I was with the SLFP I would be the president because Rajapaksa has strong internal conflicts within the party.
Are you unhappy over your cross over?
No. I think I quit at the correct time and it was a good decision for my political career. Even I believe the UNP is the party which can find a permanent solution for all problems the country is facing now even the economic and the ethnic.
But more than 15 members of the UNP crossed over and joined with President Mahinda Rjapaksa. They say only he can deliver the goods and not Mr Ranil Wickremasinghe or the present UNP.
We must focus all things to reality not for the some slight incidents. All of those cross over people are now unhappy. Mr Karu Jayasooriya has now re-joined the party. But I don't know how many more members will come back to their home again. I am sure all of them are unhappy about their decision.
I would like to change our focus to your views on the country's ethnic issue. Please make a summarized observation on it.
We Sinhalese have been done some wrong things while governance under majority power even some leaders from the Tamil community also done some wrong things. We were faced a basically false understanding that transformed into a violent struggle. Because our leaders used racism as a gimmick to get votes.
However the time bomb was blast in 1956 with Mr. Bandaranaike's Sinhala only Act and that cry was to fire up the people and get votes. After that many things done by the regimes elected by the people in the last few decades that harmed the harmony and the solidarity of people in Sri Lanka. I cannot justify terrorism but it was the only alternative for the deprived youth in the north. It also happened in the south earlier. According to my reading I cannot accept that terrorism is the real problem in Sri Lanka. It is only the symptoms and signs and not the disease. We must treat the diseases. We should not forget this is a chronic war and also the conflict has been internationalized. We cannot find a sustainable solution through military means; negotiations are the only answer.
Do you think the JVP has strong links with the LTTE?
True they were have strong connects with Tamil militants but I think their connection with the PLOTE was stronger than with the LTTE.
You say military approach cannot find a solution but when the JVP rose in arms in the south, it was defeated by military means. Even the JVP became political in a democratic way without a radical path. Do you think the LTTE is different in this respect?
The problem has been internationalized; also this is chronic war. We must think of a situation. It is different from the JVP factor. JVP is influences the Sinhala community but the LTTE is fighting for a Tamil Nation. This is conflict within two nations.
Give me a clear answer, Is this a fighting between two races or two nations.
No doubt to me it is between two nations. Sinhalese are a nation and Tamils are another nation.
Earlier when you were in the university you were a JVP member. Even later as a politician, you have been in touch with the LTTE. According to my sources, Kausalyan, political leader of the LTTE to Batticaloa who was killed by the TMVP in 2006 and Ramesh, the military leader for Batticaloa have been visiting your house in Hanguranketha, Kandy during the period of the Cease Fire Agreement. I would be happy if can answer me why are they visited your home after all you are a representative of your people.
Yes, they came to my home even Pillayan the current chief minister of the Eastern Province also came with them. Even I have been in touch with the LTTE. As a politician I must understand the real situation in the country. How can I find a solution without dealing with other party people and understanding their issues and concerns?
Have you given them any funds?
I was deal with them as a genuine politician not as a businessman.
What do you think of the CFA singed Ranil Wickremasinghe and LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran ? According to the government it was golden opportunity for the LTTE for their strength. Is it true?
I don't think it aided the LTTE but it was strategically a good decision by our leader. The CFA is the major reason Karuna Amman split from the LTTE along with thousand of their cadres.
But Mr. Wickremasinghe never accepted it. How do you say that was the main reason for the defection
It was stated by the LTTE openly. According to the LTTE, Ranil is the man who destroyed the LTTE as cunning fox.
Even Mr. Wickremasinghe accepted two territorially controlled areas. It was anti constitutional and threat to the sovereignty of the country.
If we want to find an honorable solution we must focus on reality. I don't think Mr. Wickremasinghe was done it; he was wake up a sleeping country over losses everywhere in economy and war. He has done it.
Finally, let me know your opinion for sustainable solution for this chronic conflict?
Well, the Sri Lankan governments have been holding peace talks with the LTTE as well as in 1985 with Tamil militants groups. We could find a solution. But I think the Indo-Lanka accord was a golden opportunity for a permanent solution to this conflict. Unfortunately at that time the SLFP also - I was with them - refused this pact. We can't solve without power devolution according to the Indo-Lanka accord. - Sri Lanka Guardian
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