The majority will stand by our position: Ranil
The SLMM and the enforcement of law and order must be
strengthened, says UNP Presidential candidate
By Dharisha Bastians
After weeks of furious campaigning all over the country, Opposition Leader and UNP
Presidential hopeful, Ranil Wickremesinghe was using the 48 hours preceeding the
poll to engage in religious observances and take time out to talk to journalists.
The UNP leader and former Prime Minister vows to pick up where he left off in
November 2003 with regard to the peace process, and reiterates that his priority upon
assuming the office of Executive President of Sri Lanka will be to obtain the support of
the SLFP to carry the process forward and put immediate consumer relief measures in
place. Mr. Wickremesinghe is also confident of the support of the north and east,
despite the LTTE’s indifferent stance toward this election.
Following are excerpts of the interview conducted with Mr. Wickremesinghe last
afternoon, 36 hours before the Presidential election of 2005.
Q: You have maintained that you will do away with honorary titles upon ascending the
Presidency. In the event you are elected, this time next week, what would you want us
to call you?
A: When I’m elected I will do away with the title – His Excellency. The President will no
longer be addressed like that. So you can call me Ranil Wickremesinghe. Or you can
call me Mr. President also. But certainly not the normal title of ‘Excellency.’
Q: As Sri Lanka's fifth Executive President, where would you start - what would be your
top priority upon assuming office?
A: As I am elected, I will speak to the SLFP about joining me in the peace process. For
the country, I will implement the consumer relief programmes by January 2006.
The economy, creating jobs, peace, all these are important issues. I have also
identified some issues like the Good Governance Council and the enactment of
certain laws with regard to corruption for which I have given a time frame of one week
to start working. And, of course, the tsunami reconstruction – which will be a 365 day
programme.
Q: You were widely believed to be the choice of the people living in the north and the
east. But lately it appears that the LTTE has turned against you somewhat and are
remaining aloof. How do you view this about-face by the LTTE and by extension, the
people of the north and the east?
A: I will get the support of the voters of the north-east. As far as the LTTE is
concerned, it is up to them to decide as an organisation whether they want to back
any candidate or stay neutral. And they have stated that they have no desire to
support either of the candidates. All we want to ensure is that people, whether in the
north or south, are free to vote and that they can exercise their franchise at this
election.
This of course breaks the argument put forward by the JVP and the JHU that I am in
league with the LTTE to divide the country. In which case, why should the LTTE deny
me the vote? I want the peace process to continue. The peace process I have outlined
in the People’s Agenda. I must say that beginning with the Ceasefire Agreement of
February 2002, my talks with the LTTE produced a number of agreements and
understandings, which have provided a solid foundation for the peace process.
Therefore I will build on all the agreements and understandings beginning with the
ceasefire agreement and ending with the communiqué of November 3, 2003. I will take
the peace process forward. But that does not mean that I agree with what the LTTE
does, or that the LTTE agrees with everything I say. I want the peace process to
continue, like the SLFP who made Mahinda Rajapakse their candidate. What I want is
for the SLFP, LTTE, UNP and the conventional left parties and others to agree on the
need for the peace process. And when I am elected President, I will pull them all in
together. That doesn’t mean that all these parties who are committed to the peace
process are going to support me.
Q: Should you win this election, will you dissolve parliament and call for a general
election immediately afterwards or obtain the support of the SLFP to take the peace
process forward?
A: I will first talk to the SLFP and then decide on the next step.
Q: Will the talks with the SLFP be largely with regard to the peace process or is there
a prospect of forming a national government?
A: I will talk to them on the peace process, and certainly if they’re willing I think we
should form a grand coalition, because there are already enough large parties
supporting me, including the CWC, the SLMC and the Up-country People’s Front. If it’s
to bring peace, it’s worth it. What are the other options? This is where 85% of the
country stands.
Q: Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse has said that if he is elected, he will speak with
LTTE leader Prabhakaran directly. In the event he is voted into office, will you extend
the same support to him that you did to President Kumaratunga when she signed the
P-TOMS?
A: The UNP has stated its position. We will stand by that position. The majority of the
country will stand by that position and therefore I cannot see Mr. Rajapakse being
elected President. As far as talking to Prabhakaran is concerned, what is he going to
discuss? Prabhakaran will not accept maximum devolution as he suggests. Neither
would the LTTE accept a move away from the Oslo communiqué. He must tell the
country where he stands.
The party to which he belongs, the Sri Lanka Freedom Party is very clear on its stand
on the peace process. The SLFP and the UNP have now a similar position on the
overall peace process. But Mr. Rajapakse has a different position. The only people
who are against power sharing are the JVP and the JHU. He is echoing their view. I
have put forward in the People’s Agenda that according to the pledge given at the
Bellanwila Rajamaha Viharaya, I will work with the SLFP in the peace process to unite
this country.
Mr. Mahinda Rajapakse claims that this process will divide the country. So he is not
only accusing me but he is accusing his own party of working with me to divide the
country.
Mr. Mahinda Rajapakse will not be elected, but he will have to decide which party he
supports after the election. I think his own party will demand that. He is carrying out a
JVP agenda. You do not have any SLFPers on his stage. He is taking around Wimal
Weerawansa. Where are the key figures of the SLFP? Why aren’t they on his stage?
Mr. Bandaranaike wore a blue shawl. Why is Mr. Rajapakse wearing a red coloured
shawl? After all he is the candidate of the SLFP. The red coloured shawl is to please
the JVP. It’s a JVP campaign behind the SLFP Presidential candidate.
Q: Will you stick with Norway as the facilitator of the peace process, would you re-
invite them to play this role as Head of State?
A: Norway is the facilitator unless we change it. Norway continues to be so. To my
knowledge the SLFP and President Kumaratunga have accepted Norway as facilitator,
so have the co-chairs and India.
Q: Your rival, Premier Mahinda Rajapakse has envisaged a bigger role for India in the
Sri Lankan peace process. If elected will you also get India more involved?
A: India’s role is what they are playing now. That’s what I have discussed with India.
India’s role is defined by its own internal politics. I don’t know what Mahinda’s
suggestions are, he just seems to be suggesting randomly. With regard to the co-
chairs also, I have no problem with the international community, I will go with the
present structure. Only the JVP is against them and Mahinda is reflecting that position.
Q: You mentioned that President Chandrika Kumaratunga would be given a special
place in your administration after her retirement. What kind of role do you envisage for
her?
A: I would like to invite President Kumaratunga to join the peace process. After all she
has also played a role in it and made a contribution. It is up to her to decide whether
she wants to take it up. But I will certainly invite her. I will make the offer and if she is
willing, then we can decide what role she will play.
Q: Under your administration, do you have plans to free or broadbase the state media
in any way?
A: We have plans for the state media, but first we have to feed the people. Feed the
hungry, find jobs for the jobless. The state media certainly will be prevented from
playing this biased role.
Q: You said that you would recommence the peace process where you left it in 2003.
How do you plan to address problems with regard to the peace process and the
ceasefire, if any?
A: The ceasefire agreement is a good document, which recognises the sovereignty
and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka. I have said, firstly, the role of the SLMM must be
strengthened because the ground situation today is totally different from what
prevailed in January 2002.
Secondly, the enforcement of law and order is the responsibility of the government of
Sri Lanka, under the CFA. There have been shortcomings with regard to the
enforcement of law and order, both in our time and now.
But this transition from a conflict situation, the interim period when there is a ceasefire
in place but no peace process ongoing. In 2003, we had plans to strengthen the law
and order machinery in the east. But before we could implement it, there were
elections and the government changed. But I will be going ahead with this when I
become President.
Q: You have spoken about greater powers to parliament and making the President
accountable to the legislature. What method are you proposing to do this?
A: Parliament has many powers, which are not being exercised and are lying dormant.
We established an Executive President and retained the parliamentary procedures of
the UK, where the parliament is subordinate to the Cabinet of ministers.
Parliament controls the Cabinet only by votes of no confidence and the passage of
bills. What you find in America is a system of checks and balances, with regard to the
Presidency. We should adopt this system, which will make parliament stronger.
Q: If elected, will you really bring a new budget for 2006 or move ahead with the one
presented in parliament last week? And since the government is not a UNP one, how
do you propose to present a new budget after November 18?
A: No, we will have a new budget for the year 2006. I will have a parliament which will
vote in the budget. But that we can discuss following discussions with the SLFP with
regard to the peace process. [Courtesy: Daily Mirror]