MR seeks talks with Modi, as

TNA sets January 1 deadline

By Our Political Editor-Sunday, September 14, 2014
No confirmation yet of a New York meeting, while main Tamil party plans
Gandhi-style satyagraha for New Year - NP crisis persists as !eputy "eader-
designate #a$ith e%changes fire with &angala
Both for the UPFA Government and
some major Opposition parties, it
appears to be transition time. What it
portends with a presidential election
round the corner remains a critical
uestion. !n the UPFA, some major
issues relate to the forei"n polic#
front. President $ahinda %ajapa&sa
has sou"ht a meetin" with !ndian
Prime $inister 'arendra $odi when
the# attend the ()th sessions of the
U' General Assembl# in 'ew *or&.
!nitial responses from 'ew +elhi
throu"h diplomatic channels were
that there were schedulin"
difficulties.
$odi is also to meet President
Barac& Obama on ,eptember -) and
./. 0he ,ri 1an&a 23ternal Affairs
$inistr# has hence offered to re4
schedule %ajapa&sa5s itinerar# in a
bid to ascertain whether a meetin"
was still possible. 2A$ officials are
hopeful an en"a"ement would be
possible. %ajapa&sa is due to address
the U'GA on ,eptember -6 and
$odi on ,eptember -7. 0he
&eenness on the part of the UPFA
Government stems from the meetin" a si34member dele"ation from the 0amil 'ational Alliance
80'A9 held with $odi in 'ew +elhi.
President %ajapa&sa in anticipation appears to have laid the "roundwor& for such a meetin"
with $odi. 0hat is throu"h an interview to the :hennai4based 0he ;indu newspaper. !t was
conducted out b# ,uhasni ;aider, the dau"hter of Bharati#a <anatha Part# 8B<P9 politician
,ubramanian ,wam#, who maintains close ties with %ajapa&sa. ;e is not an !ndian
parliamentarian as erroneousl# reported earlier. %ajapa&sa e3pressed willin"ness to discuss the
=.th Amendment to the :onstitution with the 0'A. 0hat would of course be without Police
powers bein" devolved on Provincial :ouncils as listed in the :oncurrent 1ist to the =.th
Amendment.
%ajapa&sa has insisted in the past that tal&s should be with the Parliamentar# ,elect :ommittee
that has been tas&ed to formulate a pac&a"e to >recommend and report on Political and
:onstitutional $easures to 2mpower the People of ,ri 1an&a to live as one nation.? ;owever,
he did not ma&e clear in the interview whether there would be a departure from this
reuirement. ;e complained, >! am read# to tal& to the 0'A, but the# refuse to tal& to me.
Without a dialo"ue how can ! discuss devolution or an#thin" else?.
*et, his remar&s ma&e clear that despite the mandate to the P,:, provisions of the =.th
Amendment could still remain. 0he 0'A has declared that an# such tal&s should have an
international presence. !ts leader %ajavarotha#am ,ampanthan told the ,unda# 0imes, >0hou"h
not at all a pre4condition, "iven the fact that we have had tal&s for such a lon" time, an
international presence would be essential. 0his is the onl# wa# such tal&s can become
successful.?
0hus, even if %ajapa&sa succeeds in meetin" $odi, efforts on the reconciliation front would
become a tric&# issue for him. 0here is little doubt Premier $odi will point out that the issues
he raised with re"ard to the meetin" in 'ew +elhi on $a# -7, durin" tal&s after his swearin"
in, have still not been "iven effect. !ndia5s insistence is based on the assertion that the =.th
Amendment to the ,ri 1an&an :onstitution is the result of the !ndo4,ri 1an&a A"reement of
=)@7. +urin" the 0'A dele"ation5s tal&s with Premier $odi, the subject fi"ured prominentl#.
+etails of the tal&s were revealed e3clusivel# in the ,unda# 0imes 8Political :ommentar#9 of
Au"ust .=.
With the prospects of a UPFA Government40'A direct dialo"ue unli&el#, particularl# ahead of
a presidential election ne3t #ear, other new developments could also cause a strain between the
two sides. 0'A5s main partner, the !lan&ai 0amil Arasu Aatchi 8!0AA9 held its four4da# annual
convention in Bavuni#a from ,eptember 6. !ts out"oin" leader ,ampanthan told dele"ates that
the 0'A was willin" to tal& directl# with the UPFA Government on the national uestion. ,uch
tal&s, with an international presence, should conclude within si3 months, he said. 0he a"enda
for such tal&s, he added, would have to be formulated ahead of the tal&s.
<affna +istrict parliamentarian $avai
,enathirajah was elected leader of the !0AA, the
name b# which the 0'A is reco"nised b# the
:ommissioner of 2lections. 0hus, ,ampanthan
has become the national leader of the 0'A.
Besides the !0AA, other partners in the alliance
are the 2elam People5s %evolutionar# 1iberation
Front 82P%1F9, the People5s 1iberation
Or"anisation of 0amil 2elam 8P1O029 and the
0amil United 1iberation Front 80U1F9. 0he
convention adopted =6 resolutions.
,i"nificant amon" them is the final one which
saidC
>!f the Government continues with its present
pro"ramme b# suppressin" our people, "rabbin"
more land, destro#in" our people5s wealth,
abusin" our women and children and postponin"
the achievin" of a political solution so that in due time there will not be an# necessit# for a
political solution, and does not chan"e before the end of this #ear, we will be"in a non4violent
stru""le on the lines of $ahatma Gandhi from <anuar# ne3t #ear. We appeal to all pro"ressive
formations in the countr# and the international communit# includin" !ndia to come forward to
support us in this stru""le.?
Duite clearl#, the 0'A appears emboldened b# its meetin" with Premier $odi last month and
its outcome. ,o much so, the 0'A is puttin" the Government on notice that from <anuar#, it
would launch a >non4violent stru""le.? 0he timin", which influential sections in the UPFA
believe would be when the presidential election is li&el#, is thus si"nificant. An a""ressive
campai"n ma# force securit# authorities to resort to counter measures tri""erin" a
confrontational situation. On the other hand, the uestion is whether the 0'A leadership would
resort to such action and court arrest. Whatever the reasons are, the fact that the 0'A, which
represents almost the entiret# of the north in Parliament, is settin" a deadline is in itself
noteworth#.
Another resolution flows from the meetin" that the 0'A dele"ation had with Premier $odi. !t
invites >all 0amil, $uslim political parties, formations, forces and all pro"ressive forces within
,ri 1an&a to join with us in our stru""le on the basis that it is onl# throu"h a new constitutional
arran"ement based on ma3imum possible devolution can the ethnic conflict be solved in the
countr#. We also reuest !ndia, the international communit# and the people of ,ri 1an&a not to
permit the Government of ,ri 1an&a to continue to breach the provisions of the !ndo41an&a
Accord, which is an international bilateral treat# between two soverei"n states. We resolve that
the !ndo41an&a A"reement be implemented in full.? Premier $odi had ur"ed the 0'A durin"
tal&s in 'ew +elhi to initiate a dialo"ue with other 0amil and $uslim political parties.
Another forei"n polic# factor emer"ed durin" the one4on4one tal&s between President
%ajapa&sa and <apanese Prime $inister ,hinEo Abe. Abe was fran& enou"h to tell %ajapa&sa
The UNP's Political Affairs Director Mangala Samaraweera addresses
the news conference where he said that Sajith Premadasa should
convert his words into action. Pic b !shan Sanjeewa
that it was uite difficult for <apan to support ,ri 1an&a on some of the issues it faced if the ,ri
1an&an Government did not en"a"e the international communit# includin" the United 'ations.
0he remar&s appear to have spurred the Government into action. 23ternal Affairs $inister G.1.
Peiris has alread# sou"ht a meetin" with Prince Feid %a5ad Al ;ussein, the new U' ;i"h
:ommissioner for ;uman %i"hts. ,ri 1an&a5s Permanent %epresentative to the U' in Geneva
told the ;uman %i"hts :ouncil5s -7th sessions on $onda# that he >reaffirmed ,ri 1an&a5s
continued support to the ;i"h :ommissionerG to the O;:;%G and to the wor& of ;%:.?
'evertheless, he said ,ri 1an&a rejected the international investi"ation into alle"ed war crimes.
;i"h :ommissioner ;ussein declared in his openin" speechC >! attach "reat importance to the
investi"ation on ,ri 1an&a mandated b# this :ouncil, on which O;:;% will report later in the
session. ! encoura"e the ,ri 1an&an authorities to cooperate with this process in the interests of
justice and reconciliation. ! am alarmed at threats currentl# bein" levelled a"ainst the human
ri"hts communit# in ,ri 1an&a, as well as prospective victims and witnesses. ! also deplore
recent incitement and violence a"ainst the countr#5s $uslim and :hristian minorities.? As he
declared, an oral report on the international investi"ation, mandated b# the U';%: after the
third U,4bac&ed resolution, is due possibl# on ,eptember -6.
0he transition for the main opposition United 'ational Part# 8U'P9 appears even more
si"nificant. !t was onl# the previous ,aturda# 8,eptember (9 that the part# mar&ed its (.rd
anniversar# with a meetin" in Passara. !ts national leader %anil Wic&remesin"he announced
that he would "ive priorit# to Premadasa when appointin" a deput# leader for the part#.
Premadasa reciprocated b# declarin" he would heed the call of the national leader to unite the
part# and democraticall# topple the rulin" UPFA Government. ;e noted that it was a repetition
of histor#. 0he late <.%. <a#ewardene had similarl# invited his late father %anasin"he
Premadasa to join hands to topple the then "overnment.
*oun" Premadasa also "ave an insi"ht into his thin&in" with some remar&s he made. When
addressin" those on the sta"e, he described one time +eput# 1eader, Aaru <a#asuri#a as
$anthri 0huma or $P. 0here was no reference to the fact that he was chairman of the
1eadership :ouncil, the bod# under Wic&remesin"he tas&ed to run the part#. +urin" behind4
the4scene tal&s that led to his elevation as U'P5s number two, Premadasa had sou"ht the
abolition of this council. ;e also declared that he was not a politician who had at an# time
crossed over to the Government ran&s. Premadasa was alludin" to <a#asuri#a who crossed4over
with =) other U'P parliamentarians but returned to the part# fold later. 0hat he be"an firin"
within minutes of bein" virtuall# named >+eput# 1eader desi"nate? underscored not onl# the
reservations he entertained but also his immediate tar"ets.
0he ,unda# 0imes telephoned Premadasa to offer him the opportunit# of commentin" on this
and other related developments. !t continued to rin" but there was no answer. ;e later
responded to an ,$, messa"e sent to him. !t said >H political meetin"s in ;ambantota.? !t is
not clear wh# he was addressin" political meetin"s in this southern town on a Frida# mornin"
when the U'P polls campai"n was under wa# in the Uva province.
0he election of the deput# leader is set for ,eptember -., just three da#s after the Uva
Provincial :ouncil elections. 0he part#5s Wor&in" :ommittee, the main polic# ma&in" bod#,
has been summoned for this purpose. Wic&remesin"he told the ,unda# 0imes, >0he
Government has "iven us a challen"e. ! have accepted it. ! will be proposin" the name of ,ajith
Premadasa as the deput# leader at the Wor&in" :ommittee meetin". ! will also be proposin" the
names of a few others to hold important positions and thus "ive a new loo& to the part#. ! have
made these announcements at campai"n rallies in Uva.?
0he critical uestion is whether a new loo& will chan"e the ima"e of the part# or avert the
deepenin" of the crisis within. A news conference and the seuence of events that followed
hi"hli"ht a number of issues. 1ast Wednesda#, the U'P5s Political Affairs director $an"ala
,amaraweera addressed a news conference at ,iri Aotha, the part# headuarters. ;ere are some
edited e3cerpts of relevanceC
>After the completion of the war we hoped that we could achieve the much awaited socio4
economic pro"ress. 0he victor# achieved b# the heroic armed forces has been projected as a
victor# of the %ajapa&sa re"ime. ,ince the defeat of separatism, thou"h the countr# could
function as one nation the %ajapa&sa re"ime has created two different worlds 8classes9. >One
countr#4two classes? is the most suitable slo"an for the time. 0he Ifirst class5 which ! refer to is
enjo#ed b# less than /.= per cent who are close to the %ajapa&sa re"imeJJ.
>0he Government sa#s there should be heav# traffic on the e3presswa#. But ! noticed about =/
vehicles an hour. ! spo&e to the owner of an eater# where ! had m# lunch with m# securit#
"uard and driver. ;e was tellin" me that thou"h there are e3presswa#s, the irri"ation tan&s have
run dr#. We have fallen bac& in our standards. $edia freedom remains curtailed. 0oda# more
than K- per cent of the population earn less than %s. -76 a da#. 0his is the other side of
prosperit#. Povert# is runnin" hi"h. :rime a"ainst children is increasin". When parents from
the north come to :olombo to protest a"ainst disappearances, the# are beaten up b# criminals.
0hose who were ordinar# Pradeshi#a ,abha members toda# are amon" the richest.
>Our forei"n service has become a jo&e. 0oda# we have (- diplomatic missions. 0his too is
unnecessar#. 0his also is bein" used to "ive jobs to those in the first class, particularl# those
who do not have ualifications and the henchmen of the Government. +urin" the late
1a&shman Aadir"amar5s time and m# time, we maintained the proper ratio of (6C.6. 0his is (6
per cent from the diplomatic service and onl# the rest were political appointments. 2ven the
political appointees were those who had some special talentJJ.
>0he ;ambantota Port was opened in October -/=/. But it too& .K months for =// ships to
arrive at this port. 0hat too, some of the ships were compelled to call over at the ;ambantota
Port. 0hese ships were carr#in" cars and could have unloaded them at the :olombo Port. 'ow
the# pa# more to transport the vehicles bac& to :olomboJJ.
>Under the leadership of our national leader we should unite to defeat the opposin" forces. We
should be careful of those who pretend to be friends, but are actuall# enemies. When the part#
leader is ma&in" sacrifices to unite the part# and fi"htin" bravel# to brin" a better era for the
U'P5ers who suffered durin" the past -/ #ears, some media or"anisations cannot bear it. 0he#
have "ot scared and are worried. 0he# are tr#in" to scuttle this journe#.
>When it comes close to an election the# criticise the part# leader. 0he# use different people,
some with robes. ! wish to tell these media or"anisations that the# are wor&in" accordin" to the
Government5s a"enda, ma# be I$aha %ajawaru5s or IAuda %ajawaru,5 that our leader will not
bow down to them. Whatever forces come we will do ever#thin" to ma&e %anil
Wic&remesin"he the ne3t President of the countr#.?
A D and A followed. 23cerptsC
>DC +id #ou oppose the proposed appointment of ,ajith Premadasa as the deput# leader.
AC ! alwa#s battled not persons, but principles. !n -//7 when ! was told to re4join the
Government ! rejected it on principle. When ! was the Forei"n $inister ! too& certain decisions
based on principles. ! have no hatred a"ainst $ahinda %ajapa&sa. 2ven if ! meet him toda# !
can spea& to him as a brother. But ! cannot accept his principles.
0herefore re"ardin" ,ajith Premadasa too ! have no problems with him, but ta&e decisions
based on principles.
DC ;e 8,ajith9 has said he would dedicate himself for the victor# of %anil Wic&remesin"he as
the Presidential candidate. *our commentsL
AC We welcome that statement. But ! hope that is turned into action in the future.
DC !naudible
AC ,ince =))6 this media or"anisation has been criticisin" me. 0hat5s not new. ! do not care
about them. ! can bear if ! am attac&ed. ! do not "o to complain. !f at all it is %anil
Wic&remesin"he who has been attac&ed the most, ! "et the second place. But if media
or"anisations bloc& our journe#, ! will spea& on that.
DC %anil Wic&remesin"he has made a statement re"ardin" $r Premadasa bein" appointed as
the deput# leader, but this media or"anisation continues to attac&.
AC Our leader has honestl# ta&en a decision on this on behalf of the part#. We should honour
that. !t is uestionable to launch another attac& when such a decision has been ta&en. 0he
people should understand this. Whom do the# representL Whose contracts are the# doin"L 0his
or"anisation durin" the past few #ears has been attac&in" the leader at crucial times. 0his is to
dishearten the voters. 0he Uva voters should decide. !f the people vote, whatever the media
tells won5t be an issue.?
'o sooner the reports of ,amaraweera5s remar&s at the news conference became public on
0hursda#, hell bro&e loose in U'P circles. General ,ecretar# 0issa Attana#a&e was incensed.
;e told confidants that ,amaraweera had unnecessaril# hurt the feelin"s of the two persons
who were helpin" brin" unit# within the part#. Attana#a&e, a staunch promoter of Premadasa5s
entr# as deput# leader, said this should never have been done and added that he had raised
objections with his leader Wic&remesin"he.
Premadasa hit bac& the same da# with a stron"l# worded statement. ;ere are edited e3cerpts of
the statement issued in ,inhalaC
>A person li&e $an"ala ,amaraweera who destro#ed the U'P, and who is not aware of the
part#5s proud histor#, who does not understand the thin&in" and aspirations of the majorit# of
part# members, is now throwin" down challen"es at me. ! am not prepared to accept his so4
called challen"es.
$atara +istrict $P $an"ala ,amaraweera has stated at a media conference held at part#
headuarters ,iri Aotha, I'ow it is time for ,ajith Premadasa to prove his mettle.5 0his appears
to be a statement made b# someone who has not understood the part#5s principles, nor assessed
the Premadasas or even correctl# assessed himself. !t is merel# a statement made b# a
hatemon"er.
>At the time m# father sacrificed his life for the part#, $an"ala ,amaraweera was one of the
main actors who attempted to ridicule m# father b# character assassination and, not stoppin" at
that, he was at the forefront of destro#in" the U'P and also the U'P "overnment which was in
power at that time.
!n =))), when U'P 1eader %anil Wic&remesin"he contested the presidential election, $an"ala
,amaraweera destro#ed his ima"e b# caricaturin" him as >$ister Bean? and puttin" up posters
all over the countr# to mislead "ullible voters. 'ot content with that he called a news
conference and proclaimed throu"h the media, >%anil is incompetent?. ;e also lured man#
U'P $Ps over to the "overnment side. !t is a tric& of fate that this same $an"ala ,amaraweera
is now passin" off as the saviour of the U'P.
>! showed m# capabilities b# winnin" the ;ambantota +istrict in -/// and -//=. $an"ala
,amaraweera obtained U'P membership in -/=/ onl# to include his name in a reco"nised
part# candidates5 list in order to contest the "eneral elections M not because he had an# love
for the U'P. ;e entered the part# as a refu"ee and came second in the $atara +istrict. +urin"
the last provincial council elections in $arch he could not increase the U'P vote percenta"e in
the $atara +istrict. 0herefore ! am not read# to accept these challen"es thrown down b# a
person li&e $an"ala ,amaraweera, who destro#ed our part#, is not aware of the presti"e of the
part#, has failed to reco"nise the thin&in" and aspirations of the common people and who
refuses to accept new trends in the part#. !n contrast, ! am alwa#s willin" to consider the views
of an#one who "enuinel# loves the part# and who dedicates himself towards its success.?
U'P national leader %anil Wic&remesin"he had finished campai"nin" in Uva on 0hursda#
ni"ht, had dinner at 'uwara 2li#a and arrived in :olombo onl# in the earl# hours of Frida#.
0he news of new developments caused serious concern for him. ,amaraweera was read#in" to
respond to Premadasa with a stron"l# worded statement but had been persuaded not to do so in
view of the ,eptember -/ Uva Provincial :ouncil elections.
'evertheless, he issued a brief statement with plans to issue a detailed one after the polls
ended. 23cerptsC >JJJ$r. ,ajith Premadasa has issued as usual a vitriolic statement
attac&in" me for Ichallen"in"5 him. 0his could not be further from the truthC ! merel# echoed
the view of thousands of U'P activists when ! said that his words of total support for our leader
in the lead up to the ne3t Presidential election should be matched b# his deeds in the wee&s
ahead.
>;ence, it is b# no means a challen"e that emanates from me. !t is a challen"e for $r.
Premadasa, to prove his "enuine lo#alt# and sincere commitment to upholdin" part# unit# and
disciplineG that is the e3pectation of ever# member of the United 'ational Part#JJ.
>JJ 0hat $r. Premadasa has chosen to devote all his venom at me at a time when he should
focus on the misdeeds of the UPFA "overnment is indeed sad. We in the U'P are not at war
with each other after all. Our battle should be, must be with the GovernmentJ.?
!f indeed ,amaraweera is den#in" he did not challen"e Premadasa, wh# then did Premadasa
issue such a statementL Was he ta&in" offence at an# references to him or was he, li&e U'P
,ecretar# Attana#a&e sa#s, espousin" the cause of others who have been hurt b#
,amaraweera5s comments at the media conference he hadL Whatever the reasons are, one thin"
appears clear. 0he problems within the U'P appear to wei"h more heavil# than that of the
UPFA Government. 0hat is even before the part# has pic&ed a deput# leader. 2ven if the UPFA
is do""ed b# a multitude of issues on man# fronts includin" the conduct of forei"n polic#, its
poor human ri"hts record, brea&down in law and order, the virulent campai"n a"ainst 'GOs,
spirallin" cost of livin", rampant briber# and corruption amon" others, what counts at the end is
the outcome of the polls.
As one UPFA $P said durin" a 0B debateG >while we are buildin" roads, and loo&in" into the
needs of the poor, the U'P is fi"htin" over who should be the leader, or deput# leader and who
should sit in what chair?. 0he hiccups for the U'P become worse ahead of ever# election, be it
local or national. 0he results are a wal&over to the rulin" part# and total disillusionment to
those who want to see chec&s and balances in "overnance.