27.05.2008
His Excellency Mr. Mahinda Rajapakse,
President of Sri Lanka,
Temple Trees,
Colombo-03
Your Excellency,
SPECIAL TASK FORCE FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE NORTHERN PROVINCE – PART - II
I owe you an explanation for this letter and for Part – I sent to you yesterday. Since the matter is urgent and important, I hope you would have found a little time to read it. I assure you that I have nothing personal against Hon. Douglas Devananda. The atrocities perpetrated on the people of the Kayts Electorate by the EPDP cadre earlier are still fresh in their memories. There is no guarantee that the same thing will not be repeated in the future. The Kayts electorate is composed of nine Islands including Nainatheevu also known as Nagadeepa. This letter carries only extracts of the two letters. But if you go through the annexures and do a serious analysis, the facts contained therein shall throw light on the disastrous end that would follow if the Special Task Force is permitted to function with Hon. Douglas Devananda as its Head. The two letters referred to here were addressed to your predecessor in office H. E Chandirika Bandaranayake Kumarathunge, in my capacity as the Leader of the TULF Parliamentary Group and Senior Vice-President of the TULF, about the activities of the EPDP. You will find them relevant to the issue. – a copy annexed.
“Will this sort of thing be tolerated in any other part of the Country? I am asking you, your Excellency whether this sort of thing will be tolerated by the Sinhalese or Muslims? Why have you singled out the Tamils for this treatment? Is it not your duty to protect every citizen of this country? The people thought that the country is fortunate to have a respectable Lady from a very respectable family as the Head of the State. We are all aware of the agony you and your children underwent when your beloved husband was assassinated. Many people like me shared your grief on the death of your husband. The feelings of the wife of the murdered AGA and that of the relatives of that youth can’t defer much with that of your feelings on the death of your husband, except that there were people to speak for you and none except perhaps only me to speak for them.
In all sincerity I ask you, your Excellency whether you are aware or not of these atrocities perpetrated on one section of the people who are under your domain and popularly believed to have been done with your blessings. If you are aware it is high time, your Excellency, you intervene atleast at this stage. I appeal to you to do so in the name of Lord Buddha.
You have made the Leader of the EPDP as the uncrowned King of not only Jaffna but of the Tamils of the North and the East. He appoints the GA and the Divisional Secretaries and other Heads of Departments in Jaffna. Those who do not fall in line, are branded as LTTE supporters. Not a single Government servant in Jaffna can claim to have had nothing to do with the LTTE. One should not forget that Jaffna and Vanni were under the full control of the LTTE from 1990 till 1995. One of the best Divisional Secretaries had been refused extension of Service. The public opinion is that he is one or perhaps the best of the Divisional Secretaries. In the matter of appointments and transfers his word prevails. There is no place for merit. Two years back even teaching appointments were given at his Srithar Theatre Office. In short he is the Minister for all affairs in Jaffna. Even the Yarl Oli a Branch of the SLBC promoted him. The people are asking whether the Government is creating a separate Kingdom for the EPDP cadre to rule.”
The letter further says:-
“A group of people who have no moral right to be in Parliament have found their way into Parliament by fair or foul means. They aught to be satisfied with that. Contrary to that you have made its Leader a Minister knowing fully well that millions and Millions of money was just thrown in to the Jaffna Electoral District just before the General Elections for various Projects without any Budgetary Provision and without proper accounting. Money was given out at random merely for asking, out of which a substantial amount went into the pockets of individuals. Presumably these large sums of money came as donations from various liberal minded countries for the rehabilitation of displaced persons and to reconstruct their dwellings and not to promote a Political Party and to finance the election campaign of a group of persons who are anti-democratic, anti-social and have no respect for Human Rights and Human lives.
You have made the very same person who is guilty of all these, as the Minister in charge of Development, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction of the North and Tamil Affairs, North and East and Hindu Religious and Cultural Affairs.
“RRAN” also comes under his Ministry. The contributions of Donor Countries are disbursed by “RRAN” which had been filled with his yes-men from top to bottom. The Donor Countries do not pluck money from trees, Your Excellency. It is a part of the sacrifices made by the people of the respective countries that come in the form of aid. We must account for every cent we spend out of it and also justify the expenditure of every cent, without leaving it in the hands of an individual or group of persons who have more personal interest than common interest.
A recent Paper report says that the Hon. Minister Douglas Devananda has allocated 22 million rupees to rehabilitate 400 families in Jaffna. Although it is a welcome move one would like to know as to who the beneficiaries are and on what basis the beneficiaries had been selected. The report says that 110, 95, 69, 11, 4, 80 and 33 families selected from each of the Divisional Secretaries Divisions of Nallur, Jaffna, Vali – North Tellippallai, Vali – West Chunnakam, Island – East Velanai, Vali – South Uduvil and Point Pedro respectively. Who made these selections and on what basis? Are these the most deserving in these D.S. Divisions?
Another report says that the Hon. Minister Douglas Devananda had ordered the Jaffna Government Agent to prepare a scheme to purchase lands and supply building materials to re-settle the displaced families. Initially it appeared to be a well intended proposal. But to our great shock we now find that this is a ploy on the part of the Government to deprive the people of the Vali – North of their valuable lands for ever. The cat is now out of the bag with the Government instructing the Government Agent to re-settle those displaced persons from the High Security Zone surrounding the Palaly Army Camp in private lands acquired for this purpose.
Your Excellency I wish to lodge my strong protest against any such move to deprive the People of their hereditary properties which are as dear to them as Horogalle is for you. These people are languishing in refugee camps and in homes of friends and relatives for many years undergoing the worst hardships, not merely to be transplanted in a new place but with the only hope of getting back to their own lands which are very dear to them. If this is what the Government intends to do they need not have undergone all these sufferings these long years.
The necessity to re-settle the people outside the high security zone will arise only if the Government has intentions of continuing the war or to keep the Tamil people under subjugation. I am sure Your Excellency will soon end the war, bring back normalcy and re-settle the people back in their respective homes.
Misuse of funds, showing partiality to their supporters, penalizing their opponents are rampant in the EPDP. Hence I wish to very strongly urge that not a cent of the public money or that of the Donor Countries should be allowed to be apportioned arbitrarily by the Minister concerned or by people, hand picked by him.
Further more any fund coming in as aid from Donor Countries should be spent on projects prepared in consultation with the Donors. Your Excellency may also consider appointing an advisory Committee constituted with Elected Members of Parliament from both the Government and the Opposition sides.
I am positively sure that Your Excellency will take remedial measures for the matters enumerated in this letter and also liberate the suffering innocent village folks of Kayts in general and of the Island of Delft in particular.”
I also wish to draw your attention to extracts of another letter dated 14.05.2001 addressed to H. E Chandirika Bandaranayake Kumarathunge on the subject of “Jaffna District Development Committee” which appear to me as very relevant in the present context – a copy annexed
“Your appointing the Leader of the EPDP as the Chairman of the Jaffna DDC, inspite of the fraudulent manner in which the EPDP won four seats, annoys us. The remaining five Members together polled 54,930 votes. Atleast the option of electing the Chairman of the DDC should have been left in the hands of the elected Members of Parliament of the Jaffna District. I consider this act of yours, Your Excellency as very unfair, undemocratic and intended to insult us – me in particular.
Even during the last Parliament he was appointed by you as the Chairman. At that time although all his 13 candidates jointly polled only 175 votes in 10 Electorates, nine Members belonged to his party were declared elected. The 8,000 odd votes obtained by the EPDP candidates in the Kayts Electorate cannot be taken into account because from that time till up to this very minute the Kayts people are living as slaves under the iron clutches of the EPDP’s armed cadre. At the 1994 Elections the EPDP cadre did not allow a single candidate from any other group to enter this electorate of Kayts. In all earnestness I am asking you Your Excellency whether you or any one in your Government have the moral right to speak of Civil Liberty, Human Rights, Fundamental Rights etc?
The whole world knows that this country of ours is very poor and had become poorer due to the on going war. Have you forgotten appointing him as the Chairman of the Jaffna DDC even after the dissolution of Parliament last year, unheard of in any other District and in the History of the DDC system in this country. Do you know your Excellency as to how much, the 2 hour meeting Hon. Minister Douglas Devananda had in Jaffna with a full team of officials coming from Trinclmalee including the Governor of the North – East province attending the meeting, would have cost the poor Tax Payers of this country? The hidden motive of appointing him was to make all Government Servants to salute him and it really paid dividends. Most Government Servants started working at their respective Polling Stations the night before the Poll day. Perhaps their efforts would have been more successful if the Thikkam Distillery had been under their management then.
The team of persons whom you are promoting at the expense of the poor Taxpayers in Jaffna and in the name of Tamil Affairs in other Tamil areas in the North and the East, should have been more than satisfied with their Membership in Parliament, they won with your help. But you have overburdened him with many Portfolios thus enabling him to interfere in all matters in the North and the East.
Now your Minister is holding a DDC Meeting in his Ministry Office housed opposite his Srithar Theatre Den, where the armed EPDP cadre is found in large numbers. Do you expect us to attend this meeting Your Excellency? A copy of letter of protest sent to you on 02.09.2000 is annexed.
I, as one properly elected as Member of Parliament, am prepared to lay down my life to preserve democracy in this country for the sake of the future generation of this country.
I have therefore decided not to attend the meeting of the DDC that is proposed to be held under the Chairmanship of Hon. Minister Douglas Devananda.
In Conclusion once again I appeal to you Your Excellency to free the people of the Kayts Electorate from the iron clutches of the armed EPDP cadre. Also please take steps to hand over the Thickam Distillery belonging to over 12,000 poor tappers, taken over by the EPDP cadre at gun point.
It will be also much appreciated if Your Excellency warn them to take their hands off the Administration of the Jaffna Municipal Council.”
Your Excellency, you are Heading the State at the most crucial time and every step you take should be taken cautiously. Even in matters relating to Human Rights Violation why should you get the blame? Extracts of letters embodied in Part – I and Part – II speak for themselves. Hon. Douglas Devananda had enjoyed enough power and many other privileges much more than what he is entitled to. I am very much concerned that for the faults of others the Government should not lose its credibility especially at a time when the whole world is watching as to how you are going to deal with the ethnic problem. I go with the satisfaction that I have done my duty to my people and the country at large. I wish you success in all your endeavours.
With kind regards,
Yours Sincerely,
V. Anandasangaree,
President – TULF.
