The Political Column

3rd December 2000

Distant peace looms near now

By our Political Correspondent

This dirty trend of playing politics with national issues still continues.

During the recent election campaigns, we saw how the PA tried to link the UNP with the LTTE. President and PA leader Chandrika Kumaratunga alleged that the UNP and the LTTE were hand in glove to oust the government and the main opposition party was playing into the hands of the rebels because it was doing what the LTTE wanted.

But now, what is the government doing? The government, which took up the position that it would not talk to the LTTE until it lays down arms, is now ready for unconditional talks. This is a contradictory position.

Any kind of talks which could solve this problem and relieve the people of this huge economic burden must surely be welcome. At one stage, the government adopted a two-pronged approach - a political solution for the moderate Tamils while prosecuting the war against the LTTE. But it now finds itself increasingly stultified in going ahead with the war because of the huge economic cost to the country.

The government knows that it cannot burden the people any more with its war bill. It has now decided to go along with the UNP's thinking which called for direct talks with the LTTE.

The Norwegian facilitated direct talks between the government and the LTTE are expected to begin within the next couple of weeks in London. The Norwegians have the complete support of both Britain and the United States.

As a first step, President Kumaratunga has moved to appoint foreign secretary Lionel Fernando as Ambassador for the Netherlands. He is likely to act as an interlocutor between Norway and Sri Lanka. Mr. Fernando has worked as Jaffna Government Agent and he is well respected by the Tamils. He was also a member of the team that held talks with the LTTE in 1995. Mr. Fernando would probably be coordinating with the Norwegian facilitators working out modalities and the environment for talks between the government and the LTTE in London with the good offices of the British government.

British deputy foreign secretary Peter Hain's recent visit to Sri Lanka is linked to this exercise. Though he met several ministers and top officials, he could not meet the President whose busy schedule did not permit an appointment. However, She is believed to have met him in London this week during a meeting with British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook.

Many cabinet ministers told Mr. Hain that the country was facing a bleak future and the only way it could be put back on the right track was through a political solution to the ethnic crisis.

During his meeting with many Sri Lankans, a complaint that the British Broadcasting Corporation was having an LTTE bias figured prominently. This many people believe is also true of the Sinhala Service of the BBC Sandeshaya.

Speculation about hurried talks was rife after LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran's Heroes Day address. Mr. Prabhakaran said the LTTE was prepared to negotiate without conditions in a conducive environment. The conducive environment, according to the LTTE leader, is the de-escalation of the war. But cessation of hostilities was the foremost condition put forward by the LTTE on earlier occasions. Thus analysts point out that the LTTE has placed the same demand with a twist of terminology.

The LTTE is also talking about a confidence building exercise between the two parties. The US Assistant Secretary of State Karl Inderfurth who was in Sri Lanka recently echoed a similar view. He said the beginning of talks was one step towards the building of confidence and others could follow.

Mr. Inderfurth told journalists in Colombo that the US would back the Norwegian initiative and that the Sri Lankans were fortunate to have Norway as a facilitator for negotiations. He urged the LTTE to abandon terrorism and instead pursue its political aims through peaceful means.

Both the US and Britain are encouraging a healthy dialogue between the government and the main opposition UNP to strengthen the process for peace talks. Both Mr. Hain and Mr. Inderfurth have inquired about the PA-UNP talks that came to a halt just before the elections.

At present it looks like that there is a positive approach for peace, despite contradictory signals emanating from political platforms with Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake holding hawkish views.

When Mr. Inderfurth met Opposition UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe the latter reiterated the UNP's stance that it had always been advocating direct talks between the government and the LTTE. However, he inquired of Mr. Inderfurth as to what the government's position was relating to the ethnic problem since the Prime Minister and the President were expressing contradictory views.

Prime Minister Wickremanayake addressing a school ceremony in Horana last week reiterated that the Government would not declare a cease-fire to hold peace talks with the LTTE. He said military action would be continued concurrently with the peace talks until a final consensus was reached. Until then, the Prime Minister said, the security personnel had been instructed to find and eradicate the terrorist menace.

The Prime Minister was directly opposed to a de-escalation of the war because he did not want the government to be taken for a ride as in the past two occasions.

The Prime Minister, it appears, is bent on keeping intact the Sinhala vote bank he enjoyed as a politician. But he should also understand that softening of attitudes is sometimes necessary in the greater interest of the country.

In another significant development, President appointed Anuruddha Ratwatte as deputy defence minister. Mr. Ratwatte had been sidelined for a while following allegations that he was involved in election malpractices in the Kandy district. The President delayed the appointment though he had taken part in security council meetings in the past two months. The appointment of Prime Minister Wickremanayake as the Acting Minister of Defence while the President was away, further consolidated the position that Ratwatte had been sidelined, but a sudden decision to appoint him as Deputy Defence Minister had baffled many political analysts.

They ask whether the President is working against her conscience. The President first said she would not offer ministerial posts to those against whom there were allegations of election malpractices. But several PA politicians who were alleged to have been involved in election offenses had been rewarded with ministerial portfolios. Political analysts say that rewarding the people against whom there were allegations was similar to encouraging them and others to go ahead and win elections by employing unscrupulous methods.

Meanwhile the PA which opposed the UNP's resolution to appoint a select committee to probe election malpractices on the premise that it would affect judicial proceedings instituted by various parties had now decided to reconsider its decision. PA General Secretary D. M. Jayaratne told the media that they would reconsider appointing a select committee if there was a way that the committee could go into the matter without affecting the court proceedings.

The UNP in the meantime had set a 4-months deadline to set up the four independent commissions on elections, police, public services and judicial services. The PA had said that it would appoint three commissions sans the police commission. But insiders say it is now willing to set up the police commission as well and the UNP will be informed of this at the next round of talks between the two parties.

The other controversial issue that is being debated now is the decision of the PA to implement the death penalty, which has been suspended for nearly two decades. This has stirred a debate with opponents of capital punishment questioning the execution of the death sentence as a deterrent to the rising wave of crime. Human rights groups feel that it would never work as a deterrent, but they call for other urgent measures to combat the rising wave of crime. They also believe that the government should strengthen the law, and the police should be given adequate personnel and more independence.

Meanwhile NUA leader Rauf Hakeem, is consolidating his position in the party. NUA insiders say it would be difficult for the party to survive unless the two main factions headed by Mr. Hakeem and Ferial Ashraff get together.

Some insiders expressed the view that both these leaders are not strong enough to put their points across. The best thing they should consider at this stage is to get together and work for their common goal.

One member suggested that the NUA should sacrifice its portfolios and remain in the PA if the government was trying to exploit the present split in the party to its advantage. If the government fails to appoint the commissions as promised, it is likely that the UNP would try to make use of Mr. Hakeem to create problems for the PA.

But what is more important for the UNP at this stage is to solve its own problems. Some dissension is brewing in the party over the appointment of Senarath Kapukotuwa as general secretary. Mr. Kapukotuwa, is an experienced marketing man, and a director of the Maharaja Organisation. He had earlier served as the UNP organiser for Teldeniya, which his father Tissa Kapukotuwa held for some time. Some UNP insiders are questioning the wisdom of appointing a company executive as general secretary. They point out that a party should be run by a seasoned politician and not by company executives.

Mr. Kapukotuwa has been given six months' leave by the Maharaja group to hold this coveted post associated with a lot of power. The post of UNP general secretary carries less weight when the party is in government but it becomes powerful when in opposition.

Past UNP leaders such as J. R. Jayewardene and R. Premadasa gave a great deal of prominence to this post when they appointed heavyweights such as Ranjan Wijeratne and Sirisena Cooray as party secretaries.

Under Ranil Wickremesinghe's leadership, Gamini Atukorale, one time his deputy became the general secretary. The post of general secretary of the UNP is no doubt an important position recognised by the party constitution. It is understandable that the appointment of Mr. Kapukotuwa in the circumstances may not be acceptable to all, some of whom share the view that a party should not be equated with the running of a business organisation. Others feel that the UNP's advantage was well oiled party machine run on professional lines.

Mr. Kapukotuwa who was appointed as an electoral organiser for Teldeniya before the Presidential Election gave up the seat soon after he lost Teldeniya by some three thousand votes and he rejoined the Maharaja Group. Teldeniya being a relatively small electorate, Mr. Kapuktuwa felt his chances in a general election was circumscribed. Other UNP insiders are wary of Mr. Kapukotuwa's association with the Maharaja organisation, while others see no reason why this should he a disqualification. In the past the Maharajas have had at least one of their members of a directorate contesting elections. One such person is Gamini Fonseka who became the Deputy Speaker under the Premadasa regime.

Maharajas have supported politicians including R. Premadasa and Susil Moonesinghe. The Maharajas were thought to to be supportive of the PA as well in 1994 but some acrimoious governmental statements, put that belief to rest.

Business organizations are increasingly worried that under the PA regime, economic and business development will continue to be tardy. The PA supporters have a more exotic view of the hoppening. They think that the appointment of Mr. Kapukotuwa is a signal to the LTTE that the UNP would be more amenable to talks with the LTTE.

One senior UNPer described his party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe as not acting as a leader who lost six times, but as a leader who had won ten times. He said that running a one-man show was acceptable as long as the leader delivered the goods. But here we have lost all the elections we faced. There is a general feeling of frustration and tension in the party, he said.

On Thursday, there were reports that some of the UNPers were planning to agitate against the leader at the annual convention in Kandy today.

Sources close to Mr. Wickremesinghe, claim that the UNP leader feels his party campaigners need a brief rest after the election campaign and that they may as well have this within the few weeks left before the year ends.

Mr. Wickremesinghe has also come under fire for trying to create positions for Colombo-based non-political figures such as Charitha Ratwatte and Daya Pelpola. Some party members had wanted more grassroots level rural politicians to come to the fore. But it is now centered more on Colombo-based businessmen and professionals, one party senior said. The era of Podi Singho and Tikiri Banda has come to an end and the party is now run by elitist groups, another senior member said.

The other side of the coin was the smooth functioning party machine, run with almost ruthless efficency by N.G.P. Panditharatne for J.R. Jayewardene.

While the UNP was trying to sort out its own problems, a workshop organised by the party for the new MPs was held at the Mayor's residence. There were special features in this workshop where film actress Anoja Weerasinghe was given an opportunity to demonstrate breathing exercises for the benefit of the new parliamentarians. There were also meditation lessons by some guest artistes to bring in more discipline among the new UNPers. Video clippings and lectures were part of the programme where film star Anoja Weerasinghe figured prominently. The program was made successful under the patronage of parliamentarian Mahinda Samarasinghe who telephoned the members who had failed to turn up to ensure full participation.

This is the politics of the UNP. One political analyst said that they should have got down the Sri Lankan cricket physiotherapist to give them more exercises, to keep the body in good shape while in politics.

Meanwhile, the battle between Ministers A. H. M. Fowzie and Mangala Samaraweera over the demolition of unauthorized structures in Colombo figured during the weekly meeting of the ministers on Wednesday. Minister Alavi Moulana gave moral support to Mr. Fowzie who held the view that these unauthorized structures should be demolished only after alternative accommodation was found, but other ministers saw it differently.

However, Mr. Samaraweera was adamant that he should continue with his plan to have a more systematic and a cleaner Colombo. He vowed to go ahead with his demolition plans with the help of the UNP-run Colombo Municipal Council. Mayor Omar Kamil also welcomed the move since most of these unauthorized structures have come up under political patronage of some PA ministers. Minister Samaraweera said that he would push for emergency legislation to tackle the problem and added he would also clean up other urban areas under this programme.

Minister Fowzie made a big din and protested against what was going on. But it looks like he is fighting a losing battle

Situation Report

Editorial/ Opinion Contents