Interview

Sinhala party going full steam for polls

By Shelani de Silva.

The new Sinhala Urumaya party which is to be officially launched on Wednesday will contest as many seats as possible at upcoming general elections, its Chairman S. L. Gunasekera said.

In an interview with The Sunday Times Mr. Gunasekera said the new party while fighting for the rights of the Sinhala people would not discriminate against any other community. Excerpts:

Q: Is Sihala Urumaya a communal party to add to the pot?

A: No. It is true the founder members are all Sinhalese. Two of our basic objectives are to safeguard the rights of the Sinhalese and to restore their rights, while guaranteeing equality before law both in theory and in practice for all citizens irrespective of race, caste, creed and political affiliations.

We feel that the Sinhalese are being cheated and betrayed especially to the minority to such an extent that the country is in danger of being destroyed. But we do not intend embarking on any course of discrimination. Every individual must enjoy equal rights in all parts of the country. Discrimination cannot help anybody. It will help an individual but it can't help a group. For example, assuming we come to office and we appoint an incompetent Sinhala person to a high administrative post whereas there could be a competent Tamil person, it is the Sinhalese who will be affected more. So we don't have any intention of going in the suicidal course. But we will not cow down to the pressure of NGOs and minorities. We are not hungry for power. We are wedded to policy not to power. To us gaining power is gaining means.

Q Have you sought recognition from the Election Commissioner?

A: The party was born about three days ago, of course we have been engaged in a lot of paper work. Those who have been behind it have been involved in political work. This is a joining together of various forces who have been engaged in politics in various forms. After the launch of the party we will send the application.

Q: Are you hoping to put forward candidates for the next elections?

A: Yes. As many as possible. We have a lot of support, judging from response we get through telephone calls and other means.

Q: Will MPs from either major party join your group?

A: Some MPs have expressed interest in joining us. Others who are in the inner circle of the major parties are also likely to come.

Q: Isn't there too much communal politics in Sri Lanka? Don't you think, the crux of the problem is the lack of economic development and not racial superiority?

A: From the time of Independence racist Tamil parties have taken advantage of the government. S. J. V. Chelvanayakam to me is the arch villain of the peace. He was against Tamils accepting office. In his first speech in first parliament, Mr. Chelvanayakam said if Ceylon could retreat from the British empire, why could not the Tamils retreat from Ceylon if they so wished. These were the seeds of communalism he sowed over the years.

My personal view is that hunger, unemployment, lack of housing, lack of health care are common problems. So a Government of a country must approach those problems as national problems. What happens today is the Government seldom thinks of human needs. It is more interested in the votes. The whole idea is 'how can we sell the idea, sell our party'. That is why the UNP went to an advertising agency during the elections. They treat the voter as a piece of soap or toilet paper.

But we don't think so lowly of ourselves as to want to sell ourselves like soap and toilet paper. You can't pander to sections. You have to think of the country as a whole.

Q: What will the party's basic thrust be? Pressure politics?

A: First we will launch a propaganda campaign, then we will contest the elections. We will use whatever political clout we have.

Q: It is observed while Sinhala groups protest against peace moves, Sinhala youth are not joining the army.

A: If the Government wants the youth to join the forces, it should motivate them. We see little such motivation now. Both the UNP and the PA say the war cannot be won. So when the leaders say that the war can't be won, it is an unwinnable war. Who then wants to go and fight? On the one hand we see advertisements calling on the youth to join the forces, but on the other hand we see some ministers carrying placards saying stop the war. Does a soldier know what he is fighting for? After Rivirasa Operations when they took over Jaffna the credit was taken by Anurudha Ratwatte.

The Lt. Colonel was made a General. But when there is debacle the officers on the front are penalised. If Gen. Ratwatte takes the credit when there is a victory, he must take the rap when there is a defeat.

Q: It is reported that the Army is suffering heavy casualties in the north. As you see it what are the reasons?

A: For the UNP and the PA the war is a matter of one-upmanship. They never could cooperate to fight the LTTE.

Q: You and Tilak Karunaratne launched a Hela Urumaya. What happened to that?

A: When the elections came up in 1994, most members did not wish to sacrifice their seats. That was that.

Q: Do you think that the same fate will befall the Sihala Urumaya?

A: This cannot happen to Sihala Urumaya, because none of us is in need of a job or status. We would rather mind our own business. The people are looking for a total alternative to the PA or the UNP and we hope to provide it.

Q: Do you really expect a large mass of voters to veer away from the two major parties?

A: We will try to convince the voters. We will put the country first and even if we lose, the country will gain.

Solheim coming; Oslo team to meet Prabha

By Chris Kamalendran

The newly appointed Norwegian peace envoy, Erik Solheim, will arrive in Sri Lanka shortly to pursue Oslo's facilitation efforts to bring about peace talks.

Diplomatic sources said Mr. Solheim would work out modalities here during meetings with government and opposition leaders.

The date for Mr. Solheim's visit has not been fixed, but it is due to be finalised when Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar returns after medical treatment.

The LTTE is demanding a cessation of hostilities and de-escalation including a troop withdrawal among other things before talks but President Kumaratunga is insisting that any talks must be unconditional and within a specified time frame.

Meanwhile, a London-based Tamil magazine reported yesterday that a Norwegian team was due to meet LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran as part of the peace efforts.

The Tamil Guardian, a pro-LTTE magazine said the diplomatic team would hold the talks during a mission to the Wanni.

The magazine quoted LTTE adviser Anton Balasingham as saying, "the LTTE leadership has extended the invitation and the Norwegian government has agreed to send a goodwill team to Wanni."

Norwegian Foreign Minister Torbjorn Jaglan has also sent a letter to Mr. Prabhakaran through Mr. Balasingham assuring him of the new Norwegian government's readiness to continue its efforts and assistance to the parties in conflict.

Mr. Balasingham arrived in London last week from Oslo where he has been convalescing after a kidney transplant.

He told the Tamil Guardian the new Norwegian government was keen and sincerely committed to continue its efforts to facilitate talks between Sri Lanka and the LTTE.

"It understands the depth and intensity of the mutual distrust between the parties in conflict. It realises that brokering peace in Sri Lanka is a difficult and challenging task that involves patience, time and delicate diplomacy," he said.

Deadly dispenser

A 70-year old resident from Castle Street in Colombo, a relative of President Chandrika Kumaratunga, suffered burn injuries to his vocal cords and upper respiratory track as a result of being given a wrong drug by a leading pharmacy in Colombo.

The victim, a diabetic patient, who had wanted to purchase liquid parasene, a laxative, on medical advice, was erroneously given hydrogen peroxide instead which burnt his vocal cords instantly and caused damage to his upper respiratory track.

The elderly gentleman was rushed to hospital. On a complaint made to the police by the patient's son, the pharmacy had been raided, The Sunday Times learns. It was found that due to a wrong label on the bottle, the patient was sold the wrong drug.

The pharmacy Manager, when contacted by The Sunday Times, said he was unaware of any such incident but The Sunday Times learns the management of the pharmacy was now offering to settle the hospital bills.

The patient, who is said to be serious having taken two tablespoons of hydrogen paroxide, is receiving treatment at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Asha Central Hospital since his admission two weeks back.

SriLankan passengers treated shabbily

Hundreds of Sri Lankans who turned up last Thursday at Chennai's Anna Interanational Airport for Sri Lankan Airlines flight UL 122 at 10.45 a.m. were in for a shock.

Many who turned up as early as 8 a.m. were told that the flight had been "re-scheduled" for 4.20 a.m. that day or more than five hours later. Most passengers had to spend the time on the dusty road just outside the airport in the swettering heat which was over 40 degree celsius. Security personnel there only permitted passengers to enter the terminal building when check in procedures were under way.

A few, however, succeeded in receiving luxury coach transport and accomodation in hotels.

That was bad enough. There was more shoddy treatment in store for them from an airline that boasts about providing a taste of paradise. The aircraft, an airbus 330 was new and had state of the art features. The food was excellent but the passengers were in for shoddy treatment from the cabin crew. They never responded when passengers pressed the overhead bell to draw their attention. Those who missed the meal service after visits to toilets were not served.

Angry passengers told The Sunday Times it was cronical that Sri Lankan cabin crew treated their own fellow countrymen with contempt. "With passengers being frequently off loaded and others being treated callously, SriLankan is fast losing its good image," a leading businessman, who was a passenger declared.

Exclusive to Sunday Times

Cricket: Cronje, cronies, crooks

By Sidharth Bhatia

Disgrace is the name of the novel, written by South African writer J. M. Coetzee, that won the Commonwealth Writer's Prize in Delhi last week, even as allegations of match-fixing and illegal betting were being made against Indian bookies and South African cricketers. An ironical twist when you think about it, and an apparently appropriate name for what has turned out to be the biggest scandal for not only cricket but also South Africa, which is still coping with the shock.

Where Indians greeted the news of the betting scandal with a resigned air of de Ja vu-an official confirmation of an open secret-there was outrage in South Africa when the news first broke. Outrage at many things-the fact that their national hero, a demi-god, no less, had been accused of something so unseemly as accepting money and committing a dishonorable act. That anyone could point a finger at a God-fearing, morally upright, straight-as-an-arrow cricketer was bad enough; that it was done by the police of a far-away land, which would definitely be a byword for corruption and inefficiency was intolerable. Frankly, there was considerable skepticism in Delhi too at the claims of a police force that often finds it difficult to book even traffic violators, but this time the they seem to have got it right. They had the goods and Cronje's confession vindicated them.

But South Africans were still not fully convinced. "He is a Christian, how can be accused of doing something like this" was what one of his colleagues said. All the latent racism that still simmers in parts of South African society came to the fore and the South African government, instead of looking inwards, began asking disparaging questions of its Indian counterpart, till some quiet and effective Indian diplomacy convinced them that the case was fairly watertight. But the general South African public did not accept the official version till Hansie Cronje himself had a post-midnight epiphany and called his bosses to say he had been "less than honest" about his financial dealings with unnamed shady people.

Then it hit his countrymen and women: not only had the Delhi police got it right, that there was a prima facie case against him, but their God had feet of clay. However, as Cronje too began changing his story and his government appeared to stand by him, the public mood changed. A prominent Johannesburg newspaper got calls from over 10000 people and found that over 90 percent respondents supported a role for him in national cricket. His colleagues said he had been set up. It was pointed out that he was a good, church-going man who had been caught out for one small error of judgement. No, it wasn't Disgrace that the South Africans were feeling at all-it was disbelief, followed by outrage and eventually with a feeling of let's move on. Of course, there were others who held a different view. A prominent columnist, Gary Lemke, who accused Cronje of "leading a double life" wondered if " his conscience would have been pricked had the Indian police not filed charges?" "How would we have reacted had it been Sachin Tendulkar, Wasim Akram, Steve Waugh or Nasser Hussain implicated. "Hang the bastard. Ban him for life. Get him out of the sport. Cheating bloody Aussies ... Poms ... Pakis..." or phrases to that effect" he wrote. But this was a contrarian view, out of tune with public opinion. The general tone was motivated by the feeling, widespread in South Africa, that "Third World" brown countries were corrupt and inefficient and were passing on their own low moral standards on to others of a higher ilk.

The sub-continent's image of being full of charlatans and crooks was uppermost in the minds of those who persisted with their disbelief of any wrongdoing by their white hero. Meanwhile, the Indian media are speculating that the names of some Indians will also come out soon enough.

There are rumours that three Indian cricketers—including one former captain who is supposed to have declared 160 million rupees in a tax amnesty scheme—have been neck deep in betting and match-fixing. The former president of the cricket board has accused the chief of the ICC Jagmohan Dalmiya of being "in the grip of the mafia," and has said that he has evidence of many matches having been fixed.

The cricket board, fraught as it is with internal politics and obsessed with making money, is pussy-footing over looking too deeply into the issue. It doesn't even want to release a report by a former sitting judge on earlier charges of match-fixing, even though it is widely known that the report is a mealy-mouthed one, full of generalities, signifying nothing.

Clearly, everyone is betting that once the hue and cry dies down, this, like many other controversies in the past, will disappear from public view. Our cynical public is quite used to such high profile controversies that come to nought eventually.

There is too much big money at stake to rock the boat. And this gullible public, happy to get cake while bread becomes more expensive, will continue flocking to matches to see its multi-millionaire heroes who make money when they win and more money when they lose.

The writer is a former Consulting Editor of The Pioneer and a senior Indian journalist.

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