APPEAL TO THE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES BY V.ANANDASANGAREE, PRESIDENT-T.U.L.F.
When the country is facing a crucial election, that will determine the fate of our country and its various ethnic groups I have a bounden duty to speak on behalf of the Tamil people of the North and the East, who have no proper representatives either in Parliament or outside. Those Tamils who are representing the North and the East in Parliament are only proxies of the L.T.T.E. with no independent views and those outside have been silenced by the threat of guns. As far as the North and the East are concerned the last free and fair election was held on the 5th of December, 2002 at which I polled over 36,000 votes and came first out of the nine Members elected from the Electoral District of Jaffna. Therefore I have an undisputable right to speak on their behalf.
Wide publicity was given in the local papers to the letters I sent to the two main Presidential Candidates urging them not to include the “Ethnic Issue” in their election campaign. It being the most urgent and important of all issues, and being a sensitive one, should be dealt with separately. I also expressed the fear that the ethnic issue may take a communal turn during the election campaign. Communalism long dead may be revived.
Initiative should be taken by the Prime Minister Hon.Mahinda Rajapakse and the Leader of the Opposition Hon.Ranil Wickramasinghe to arrive at a consensus before the election, on the “Ethnic Issue” in consultation with the other Political Parties supporting them and take it forward jointly after the elections, the winner taking the initiative and with the support of the others. The advantage in this process would be that all those who are parties to the consensus arrived at, could take it as a mandate given to them by the voters at the election. A formula that I have to solve the ethnic problem, had been discussed with leaders of many political parties, the Mahanayakas and Senior Politicians. I have made it know to the Rt. Rev Bishops and many other religious dignitaries also.
On the “Ethnic Issue” I can speak more authoritatively being one of the most Senior Tamil Politician living today. I know the history of the ethnic problem which gathered momentum only with the passage of the Sinhala only Act of 1956. The problem could have been solved with the Bandaranayake-Chelvanayakam pact or five years later with the Dudley-Chelvanayakam pact. Both pacts were disrupted. I do not want to blame one party or the other, but the fact remains that no one can find a solution to our problem after the election. Having known the fate of the B-C pact, the D-C pact and the draft constitution of 1996. I declare without any hesitation that the promise of both the main candidates in respect of the ethnic issue can never be fulfilled.
It is encouraging to see that Federalism as a solution to our problem is being discussed all over the country and has been placed before the People at a very crucial election. For the first time in the Island’s history a major political party the U.N.P. has pledged to solve the ethnic problem after the elections, based on Federalism within a United Sri Lanka. Another major political party the S.L.F.P. too has decided to find a solution based on Federalism. The Left parties had already accepted Federalism as a solution. I have had a number of meetings with the J.V.P. Leaders and had discussed various aspects of Federalism. They too had stated that if the L.T.T.E. openly declares to give up their demand for separation, they are also prepared to reconsider their stand. During a series of meetings I had with the Leaders of the J.H.U. we discussed the Indian pattern of devolution also. Above all during the past two years, a lot of speeches had been made with in Parliament and outside, suggesting Federalism as the only solution. There had been a number of Workshops and Seminars on Federalism, organized by a number of N.G.OO.
The late Hon.S.W.R.D.Bandaranayake, long before he became Prime Minister, was the first to suggest a Federal solution, foreseeing the problems the country would face in the future. The late President J.R.Jeyawardana also had said that Federalism is the best solution for our problem. Unfortunately he said it after retirement Hon.Bob Rae the Ex-Premier of Ontario in Canada, an expert in Federalism had said more than once that Federalism is the best solution. Not to mention names, a lot of leaders belonging to various political parties also had agreed that Federalism will solve our problems easily. The enthusiasm shown by most leaders and religious dignitaries had given me so much of encouragement to get actively involved in canvassing support for a solution based on Federalism.
The fear that a federal solution will end up in separation is groundless. First of all a separate state can never be achieved. Secondly the International Community had said that the only solution should be within a united Sri Lanka and that they will never support a separate state. India had also repeatedly said that it will not support division of the country. India tackled a similar problem in Tamil Naad over fifty years back and no one now talks about separation. All minority groups in Tamil Naad are leading a contended life.
Those who fear that Federalism will lead to separation must be satisfied with India’s Stand and accept it as a guarantee. If the fear of separation still persist the other ideal alternative is to accept an Indian Pattern of devolution. The Indian pattern could be sold easily to our people rather than any other system which will be new to them. Thousands of Sri Lankans who fly to several destinations in India every day, see for themselves how the Indian system works.
One of the largest Democracies is our immediate neighbour India. We should take a lesson from them. The country with the largest Hindu population in the world has a Muslim scientist as the Head of the State and the Indians are very proud about it. The Prime Minister who commands very high respect in India belongs to a community which is only 2% of its population. We, whether Sinhalese, Tamils or Muslims all came from India. Our languages culture and two of our religions are of Indian origin.
In spite of the threats and humiliation I suffered, I spent the last two years in canvassing support for a permanent solution by devolution of power based on the Indian pattern. During the past two years I did not find a single person opposed to my proposal within Sri Lanka or outside. This proposal will be acceptable to all Tamils and Muslims. If the majority of the Sinhalese also agree, a solution to our problem is at our door step. I am not acting as an agent of India which does not bother as to what system we adopt or reject.
No one can deny the fact that the Tamils, Muslims and Sinhalese in the North and the East are the real victims of war. They are the people who live in constant fear and tension. Arbitrary arrests, detentions, extortions, abductions, tortures, intimidations, disappearances, recruitment of children continue to take place un-challenged. It is true and rather very unfortunate that twenty to thirty thousand Sinhalese and Muslim village youths from poor families who joined the army to earn a living died in the battle front-- a loss that cannot be compensated. On the other hand due to some administrative blunder a couple of thousand innocent Tamil people also got killed. In addition to this over eighteen thousand(18,000) Tamil youths sacrificed their lives in the battle field. Good number of them are children of poor families. Above all many thousand innocent ones got killed in bomb blasts during the last 20 years. Those responsible for the war are responsible for the loss of 60-70 thousand valuable lives and for the creation of thousands of widows, orphans and cripples. No one wants war except those who are blood thirsty and can’t live without smearing their hands in human blood. A real patriot will not want a single person to die unnecessarily whether he is a Tamil, Muslim or Sinhalese.
Tsunami brought all the three communities together. We have heard Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslim saving the lives of those in distress without any communal differences. We have seen Sinhalese women carrying food parcels on their heads and shoulders walking several miles to feed people of other communities in distress. This is the proud tradition of our country. No Sinhalese or Tamil or a Muslim will rejoice at the down fall of one another. Whether we are Buddhist, Hindus, Christians or Muslim, our religions preach the same thing. With a very few exception, the Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims like to live like children of the same family. Every one is aware of the sufferings of the Tamils of the North and the East. What every Sinhalese should ask himself is whether it is not his duty to liberate the Tamils, which is possible only if some Sinhalese Leaders come down and extend their hands of friendship to the Tamil people and win their confidence.
A description of the pitiable plight of the Tamils and Muslims living in the North and the East, briefly given here should not fail to touch the hearts of the Members of the J.V.P. and the J.H.U. I strongly urge the leadership of both parties with whom I had a series of discussions on the ethnic issue, to re-consider their present stand and agree for a Federal Solution within a United Sri Lanka. If still reluctant, as an alternative, the Indian pattern of devolution should be considered. It is difficult to convince the minorities, who are the real victims of war, if a reasonable solution is not offered. When a consensus is arrived at that proposal can be submitted to the L.T.T.E. for them to request any changes if they so desire.
If any one is serious in solving the problem a gentlemen’s agreement should be entered into, to agree for a federal solution or even for a settlement based on the Indian Pattern of devolution by the main contenders. As suggested by me to both the main Presidential Candidates by my letter of 2nd October if that issue is taken out of the election campaign and put forward as a common programme all the votes obtained by both candidates could be taken as a mandate given for the implementation of the Agreement. Without any reservations I say that the Leader of the Opposition soliciting the support of the S.L.F.P after the election and the Prime Minister promising to have direct talks with the L.T.T.E. Leader to solve the ethnic problem, within three months after the election, are all day-dreams and will never take place. We will go back to square one. This is what happened repeatedly at all elections in the past. History is repeating itself.
I strongly plead with the L.T.T.E. also to give up its demand for separation which can never be achieved, and to accept a solution based on the Indian pattern of devolution. I am certain that peace is at our door-step. Taking it in or chasing it out is in their hands.
V.Anandasangaree,
President-T.U.L.F.
