CWC wants public apology from President

Chris Kamalendran in Kotagala, Photo Credit Saman Kariyawasam.

The Politburo of the Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) which met here on Friday decided to demand a public apology from President Mahinda Rajapaksa if its leaders are to withdraw their resignations and for the party to support the Government again. This is allegedly on the grounds that the President’s brother Senior Advisor Basil Rajapaksa had made derogatory remarks about them.


MPs and supporters at the CWC Labour Foundation office.	Minister Thondaman’s motorcade proceeding to Kotagala

However in Colombo Mr. Rajapaksa denied he ever made any such remarks.

“We do not want to get insulted. Whichever party comes to power we support them as it would be difficult for a minority party to survive otherwise,” party Vice President M.S. Sellasamy told The Sunday Times.

Mr. Sellasamy said former CWC leader Saumyamoorthy Thondaman had supported the introduction of the emergency to contain the situation in 1983 and even today the CWC supports the Government for different reasons.

“As an independent party we have our own identity and own policies and though we support a government we also need to protect our identity”, he said. “We got the citizenship bill passed, not by confrontation, but by extending the support to the Government,” he added. The CWC executive committee met at the Kotagala CWC Labour Foundation where views were exchanged for and against quitting the Government.

Mr. Muttu Sivalingam addressing the gathering

All 48 zonal organizers, local council members and executive members met for 90 minutes. Some of them were of the view that it was not the right time to quit the Government as it would affect the members who have obtained appointments, positions and jobs.

Another concern was that they had already submitted development project proposals to the Government and the funding was yet to be approved. In the event of quitting the Government funds would not be released for such projects.

Another main concern was about the security of the upcountry youth. Some of them pointed out that currently they were in a position to take up issues of arrests of upcountry youth with the police as the CWC was on the side of the Government, but quitting it would not give the same authority to the party.

However, some others argued that the Government had failed to fulfill their promises as well as guarantee the security of the Tamil population.

They said the security of the minorities had not been guaranteed and no genuine effort made to resolve the ethnic crisis.

They also said that the Government had given a series of promises, but failed to fulfil them.

‘We have our self-respect’ : Muttu Sivalingam

CWC Financial Secretary Muttu Sivalingam - the man at the centre of the political controversy - answered questioned posed by The Sunday Times.

What made your party leave the Government?

We decided to resign from the portfolios after the President Senior Advisor Basil Rajapaksa used abusive and derogatory language on us when we called over for a meeting on Thursday. He insulted us and threw a piece of paper at us telling us to write our letters of resignation.

Your party is seen as an opportunistic party – contesting from one party and joining the Government and trying to get ministerial posts. Any comments?

No we join the Government not to get ministerial posts. You should understand that the CWC cannot elect a President alone and we cannot have a prime minister in this country or form a government on our own. Therefore as a minority party it is our duty to join the Government and get the work done for our community. That is the reason we join the Government.

Some of your supporters say that your party looks for portfolios when the Government is elected.

Our supporters know why we go and join. Their work is attended to only when we join the Government. We tell the people openly that we are supporting the party and if it does not come to power we will support the winning party. Even after elections the people want us to join the Government. The people have confidence in us and we have been serving the people for several decades.

What made you join the President Mahinda Rajapaksa Government ?

As a minority party representing the minority community we have to be with somebody to get the development work done. As explained earlier we cannot remain on our own to get development activities started and that’s the reason we joined the Government.

Is the CWC planning to join the newly formed National Congress?

We have not thought about it . There was an incident on Thursday which made us leave the Government. We have self-respect.

To save our self-respect we have resigned from the Ministry positions. We have not resigned to join Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe, Mr. Mangala Samaraweera or someone else. It is not our intention to topple the Government as well. As I said the interest of the minority communities should be looked into and therefore we do not want to topple the Government.

How do you hope to continue in the future in Parliament ?

We are an independent party. When issues come in Parliament normally we speak to the President and the Government Whip explaining our difficulties in voting or supporting and there has been modifications done to Bills accordingly. In future as well if any Bill comes to Parliament and it safeguards the interest of our community we will support and if it is against our community we will oppose it.

What is the relationship the CWC has maintained with the President’s brothers, specially with Mr. Basil Rajapaksa?

When we joined the Government he (Mr. Basil Rajapaksa) was like a mediator. Up to Thursday he was the person whom we approached , because due to pressure of work it has been difficult to meet the President. I am not blaming him (the President). So for minor things we go to him (Mr. Basil Rajapaksa) . On Thursday when we met him. I don’t know what made him provoke us.

Was the CWC given the freedom to work ?

We were free. President has never interfered and even if a complaint is made or any favour needed he will send his Secretary to meet me. The President has not interfered or prevented me from functioning as a deputy minister.

How do you assess the Government’s performance in the estate sector about its development activities?

Within the allocation for the estate sector upcountry infrastructure development activities are taking place. Housing, road, electricity and hospital infrastructure development is taking place. There is no shortage of that, but may be due to lack of funds there are delays, but no one - not even the President - has prevented it.

The cost of living is high. What do you tell the estate workers?

My people are more educated now and read the newspapers. Due to international price increases fuel prices have gone up and the Government cannot be blamed. At the last Cabinet meeting, after the wheat flour increase, the President said he wanted to see that rice flour is issued to the workers at the lowest price.

Even he suggested that I take it up with the companies and request a free midday meal be given to the workers. Therefore he is concerned about them.

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