Tamils want equal rights, not a separate State - Karuna
by Shanika SRIYANANDA
Excerpts of the interview:
Former LTTE military leader known as Karuna Amman, who wants to see a complete annihilation of the Tigers, says that Tamils would not demand for any rights if they are treated equally as the other communities.
Having high hopes that he could bag more votes for the SLFP from the East, the UPFA Parliamentarian Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan said that the only leader who could treat Tamils equally was President Rajapaksa who knows the heart beat of the poor as well as the rich.
In an interview with the `Sunday Observer’ he said that the present government will be in power for decades and Tamil politicians in small political parties should rally round President Rajapaksa to strengthen his hands to sweep out the LTTE from the country and take the country to a prosperous era. “Today, people are intelligent than the politicians. I want to bring Eastern intellectuals into politics. Uneducated people cannot do politics”, he said.
Q: Generally, the Tamil politicians blame the two main political parties - the UNP and the SLFP for overlooking the grievances of the Tamils. Why did you decide to join the SLFP?
A: The main reason is that the only leader who can look into the grievances of Tamils is President Rajapaksa. I believe him and I personally like him as he is very streight forward and firm on whatever the decisions, he takes. Even the world leaders are now in favour of the President’s efforts to crush LTTE terrorism and rebuild a new peaceful nation. I think it is the duty of all citizens of this country to strengthen his hands to end terrorism.
The other reason is that I do not want to see Tamils divided in small political parties. That is why this was dragged for so long. I do not think that small political parties can find solutions to most of these issues and need a strong political commitment. When you talk about national politics the only party which fits into this category is the SLFP.
Q:Isn’t your decision to become a SLFPer solely based on your ambition to become a minister?
A: No. The reasons I have already mentioned influenced me to join the SLFP. President Rajapaksa and Defence Secretary have also invited me to join the party. Eastern people have been battered by the decades long war and what they need is peace and development. The government is trying hard to restore peace. The Security Forces are working very closely with the people. Still there are small hiccups where the LTTE is trying to infiltrate and disrupt normalacy. People are happy with the development that is taking place in the East.
I have discussed with the President and if I am to be given a ministerial post I prefer something which I can contribute for the Eastern development.
Q: Contrary to your prediction that over 90 percent of the TMVPers will join the SLFP with you, the TMVP says that the majority will remain with the party. How confident are you that they will join you?
A: I am confident that I can change the East. People like me and they want me to be with the government and to develop the East. On the other hand, I decided to join the SLFP according to the consent of the intellectuals in the East. What I can say is that over 99 percent people are with us and so are the TMVPers. All district organisers are with me. Senior TMVP members like Mangala Master, Iniya Bharathi, Jeyam and Markan are to take the SLFP membership. I have talked with Mayor Sivageetha and hope she would also join the SLFP. If they do not join the SLFP, they do not have a future. If they still want to remain in the TMVP, their political future will be in a dilemma. This is a good chance for them. I do not think that the Eastern people will support the TMVP in future.
Q: Tamil politicians are talking about grievances of Tamils. What are the major issues that you have identified as grievances?
A: Some of these politicians are talking about fundamental rights of Tamils and this is all nonsense. If they continue to talk like this we can not solve this problem. Some are asking more Police powers. It is unnecessary as Sri Lanka is a small country. In big countries like India police powers for provinces are vital. Everyone knows that there were some problems for Tamils and that’s all history. But if we talk about the past over and again we can not solve this problem. We need to think this a fresh. There is no need of additional powers as we all are come under the same administration. People have realised this, but unfortunately not the politicians. They are talking about this to get their political mileage. In a couple of years their politics will come to an end. I think they should blame the LTTE and Prabhakaran for most of the things that happened in this country.
Q: Can you specifically say what are the problems that you have identified as problems of Tamils?
A: I think it is the equal rights that Tamils need to enjoy. Tamils do not want a separate country or political rights but need the benefits that Colombo people enjoy. They need development, peaceful life, education and entertainment. Today no politician can mislead the Tamils. They suffered for the last three decades. They are more educated than the politicians and they know better what they want.
Q: From the beginning you opposed asking for additional police powers. But will you demand more powers after you become politically stable?
A: No even in future I will not agree with those who ask for more police powers. For example, if we recruit thousand policemen we can solve the problem. Unlike those days the hatred between Sinhalese and Tamils is fading gradually. Even this was created by the politicians and we requested that Tamils be employed in the Police due to the language barrier. If the government can overcome the language barrier no one will ask more police powers.
Q: While the government is talking highly about a successful resettlement program in the East, rumours are going that there would be concentration camps in Vavuniya to keep IDPs for three years. What is your experience about resettlement process ?
A: The LTTE sympathizers still want to make these allegations to mislead the international community. This is utter madness. These IDPs need to be protected, not from anyone else, but from Prabhakaran. Prabhakaran tortured Tamils more than Hitler did to the Jews. When the government tries to protect them to the maximum the LTTE spread rumours. There is no doubt, a tight security system is needed to protect them as well as to stop LTTE infiltration. Those who talk about the proposed camps should never forget Prabhakaran’s human bombs sent to kill IDPs. The government has a good plan for resettlement of IDPs.
Q:You were Prabhakaran’s military leader and saw the rise and fall of the LTTE. How do you see the military strategies now and then?
A: It is sad to say that those days the then governments did not give a free hand to the military. Decision makers were the politicians and they commanded the battle from Colombo. The military was not allowed to take decisions about the battlefront.
But now the military commands the military and military decisions will be taken by the military. This battle is fought militarily, but not politically.
The other important decision was the firm decision taken by President Rajapaksa to crush the LTTE militarily. The decision is strong and nothing could change the decision. Political commitment to destroy terrorism played a major role.
Those days, when the military fought the battle successfully, the orders came to halt the military push. Those days, when the military continued with the battle they held talks to stop the battle. Those days the then government fought with the LTTE to get political mileage. Under this government the LTTE found it difficult to play the same game. President Rajapaksa never expected anything from Prabhakaran and he invited the LTTE for negotiations, but when Prabhakaran was becoming more memongalic the President banned the LTTE as a terrorist movement.
Q: At the same time what are the set backs of the LTTE?
A: As I told you earlier Prabhakaran is a creation. Some of the leaders including myself had created Prabhakaran. When we were winning the battle Prabhakaran become more popular. He never came to the battlefront and also to meet the people. I motivated the cadres as well as the people. I have already told the people in the East I need their support to destroy Prabhakaran. We should do that because he did not do anything for the Tamils in the country.
He destroyed them. Now the Tamils have a good leader - President Mahinda Rajapaksa. He has come from the village and he knows the heart beat of the ordinary more than anyone else.
Q: As you said, the military will destroy the LTTE and Prabhakaran, but according to some politicians, the Tamil diaspora will be more active to keep the LTTE going.
A: Tamil diaspora needs problems in Sri Lanka for their benefits. Otherwise, they cannot get PR in those countries. That is why they stage demonstrations and try to paint a different picture to the international community. Tamils abroad cannot mislead the international community that long. They cannot `sell’ problems of Tamils any longer.
President Rajapaksa has invited all Tamils abroad to come and help develop Sri Lanka. This is a good opportunity for them. This so-called Tamil diaspora did not give a cent to IDPs in the East. If they wish they can help the suffering Tamils through the UN, but they are not doing even that.
sundayobserver.lk
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