Political Column

That politics make strange bedfellows is an old adage or cliché. In Sri Lanka's fast changing political order, strange but true, the saying assumes different meanings at different times. The current one is somewhat paradoxical. However, though literally not on the same bed, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) are on the same side in their opposition to neighbouring India.

On Monday, the LTTE declared it was "deeply hurt" by the welcome extended to Army Commander, Lt. Gen. Sarath Fonseka, by the Government of India, during his visit to that country. Lt. Gen. Fonseka last Saturday ended a near-week-long visit that included a visit to the Indian side of their border in Kashmir, a flashpoint in India's relations with Pakistan. The LTTE claimed that India's "move of propping up the politically-militarily-economically weakened Sri Lankan State has upset Eelam Tamils."

The statement said "The view expressed by the Indian military chiefs, 'India wants to ensure that the Sri Lanka Army maintains its upper hand over the LTTE,' just illustrates the efforts" of India to prop up the Sinhala war machine." On behalf of "Eelam Tamils," the statement noted "LTTE kindly requests the Tamils of Tamil Nadu to understand this anti-Tamil move of the Indian State and express their condemnation."

Two days after the LTTE statement, some Tamil Nadu politicians did just that. On Thursday, Paatali Makkal Katchi (PMK or Toilers Party) founder leader, S. Ramdoss Viduthalai Chiruthaikal Katchchi (VCK or Liberation Panthers Party) President Thol Thirumavalan, addressed a lengthy news conference in Chennai to criticise the Central Government decision in inviting Lt. Gen. Fonseka. They called upon New Delhi to stop "all military aid" to Sri Lanka."

According to a report in Tamilnet web site, "The leaders demanded a referendum among the people of Tamil Nadu about the ban on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and support to Sri Lankan Tamils. They pointed out that while the people of Tamil Nadu wanted their Tamil-speaking brethren to live in peace in Sri Lanka, the activities of the Indian Government were totally in violation of these expectations. Both the leaders urged an immediate change in New Delhi's external affairs policy and asked the Tamil Nadu Government to lead the Centre in the right direction in order to protect the lives of the Tamil people in Sri Lanka.

The pressure from some Tamil Nadu politicians and the perception in Colombo by sections of the Tamil polity that there was indeed military assistance to Colombo from New Delhi has seen the Government of India re-double its efforts to ensure a political solution in Sri Lanka. Highly placed defence officials deny there has been "any military aid" to Sri Lanka. "The only exception has been the air defence radar and fire control mechanisms. Other than that, there have only been intelligence inputs," one official, who spoke on grounds of anonymity, said.

The latest assertion reportedly came from India's National Security Advisor, M.K. Narayanan, a former head of the Intelligence Bureau (IB), who is known to be avowedly anti-LTTE. A statement from the Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP), after its leader, Douglas Devananda, visited New Delhi quoted Narayanan as saying that New Delhi expects to play a major role in Sri Lanka's efforts to find solutions to its problems.

The EPDP statement said, "Having intently listened to Hon. Minister, Mr. Narayanan expressed his progressive views concerning the contemporary issues prevalent in Sri Lanka. The Indian National Security Advisor also said that he expected devolution of power to the people of the North and East would materialise very soon, consequent to which they would play a major role in Sri Lanka's efforts to solve the problems it (sic) up against." In the absence of any elucidation, what these "problems" are and whether they relate to the ongoing Eelam War IV is not clear.

Adding significance to this is a meeting India's High Commissioner in Sri Lanka, Alok Prasad, had with President Mahinda Rajapaksa, at his private residence 'Carlton' in Tangalle. The latter had visited the south to take part in ceremonies connected with the International Women's Day and later took part in an hour long one-on-one with the Indian envoy.

President Rajapaksa had briefed Prasad on Government's plans, now that the local polls in the East is over, to hold Provincial Elections. According to the Colombo-based Tamil daily Sudar Oli, President Rajapaksa has declared that he expects the proposed Interim Council for the North to function alongside with the elected Provincial Council for the East. Prasad's meeting with Rajapaksa came after the former, who went to New Delhi for consultations, returned. The Indian envoy is widely regarded as the one who suggested to President Rajapaksa that the Government should enforce provisions of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.

President Rajapaksa's latest moves are said to have the fullest backing from India. Nominations for the Provincial Council elections will be held from March 27 to April 3. It is likely the elections would be held on May 10.

The Sudar Oli report was to cause some ripples in the Indian High Commission. Officials there had wanted to ascertain how details relating to a one-on-one meeting had leaked. According to one diplomatic source, the mission was embarrassed since they would be accused of leaking the story.

It is for spearheading initiatives to devolve power through the 13th Amendment to the Constitution and the establishment of the Interim Council for the North that have angered the JVP. Its leader, Somawansa Amerasinghe told The Sunday Times, "we will take to the streets to campaign against Indian expansionism in Sri Lanka but the protests would be peaceful ones."

Added Amerasinghe: "We are not against the Government of India. We share a common culture and respect the people of India. We are totally against some bureaucrats who are arrogant and insist on interfering in our internal affairs. The situation is very serious. We have received very important information. We will come out at the appropriate time. The only support Indians have offered is to ban the LTTE. Otherwise, they are not acting according to international laws. They cannot talk of devolving power. The 13th Amendment was passed by the then UNP Government, which was illegal. They remained in office not through a ballot but through a referendum.

"India, on the pretext of helping in devolving power to the Tamils, is only covering up its economic expansionism. Take for example the power project they want to establish in Trincomalee. In doing that, they are only depriving land that belongs to Tamil people. They claimed they were trying to emancipate the Tamil people from their sufferings."

Amerasinghe said that his party's politburo will take a decision on contesting the upcoming Provincial Council elections for the East. He said a statement would be issued on the matter. However, he said the party would insist that the 17th Amendment to the Constitution, particularly the appointment of the Constitutional Council, should be implemented. "This is very important.The failure to do so creates fears that this country is headed towards a dictatorship," he declared. He said his party was concerned about democracy, which was the basis for the conduct of PC polls in the East.

The United National Party (UNP) which objected to the Batticaloa mini-polls earlier this week on the grounds that armed groups backed by the Government were on the field, has now, more or less, decided to contest the Provincial Council elections. This week party leader Ranil Wickremwsinghe met the Batticaloa District Chairman Arsaratnam Sasitharan and asked him to get ready for elections.

Sasitharan himself had been one of the vociferous opponents of the party contesting the Batticaloa elections saying that he would not be able to muster sufficient candidates given the dangerous security situation. On Wednesday, he was furious when he was telephoned by friends and asked to watch the afternoon news on television. To his horror he was to see footage of party leaders protesting against the holding of the elections opposite the Elections Commission office and he, nor the party's other front-liner from the East, A.M.M. Naushad had been informed of the demo. It had been organised by MPs from Colombo and Gampaha districts with nary a word to the Eastern organisers.

Another disgruntled person in the party was its own General Secretary Tissa Attanayake who was under fire by a section of the party for some alleged indiscretion on his part. Officially, Attanayake was under a cloud for making a statement to a newspaper saying that he, as general Secretary was unaware when the party leader, party chairman Rukman Senanayake and MP Kasi Chocky had gone to see the President recently to discuss support for the All Party Representatives Committee (APRC).

Confronted by Wickremesinghe, Attanayake said that he was misquoted, the usual escape route of a politician in trouble for having said something to the press. He said he would send a correction to the relevant newspaper, and is now reportedly back in the fold. Just then the party's chief organiser S. B. Dissanayake fired a salvo saying that it was a mistake for the party not to have contested the Batticaloa polls, but he carefully qualified the statement saying that the presence of armed groups was the reason why the party did not contest.

Fire-fighting seems to be the full-time job of Wickremesinghe as party seniors jostle for power and place giving a hint of what is to come should they be elected to office, some day.

Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga not only sprung a surprise by turning up at Temple Trees on Friday night for the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) Central Committee meeting, but voiced her strong protest at the way an endorsement was being sought to enforce the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.

The party hierarchy had extended an invitation to her as their patron but thought she would not turn up. She drove into Temple Trees escorted by two security vehicles. When she walked in, the meeting had not begun. President Mahinda Rajapaksa was still upstairs. The seating arrangement was for members of the Committee to gather around tables since a buffet dinner was to follow. There was a loud ovation when she walked in. Prime Minister, Ratnasiri Wickremanayake and Minister D.M. Jayaratne walked up to her and asked that she come and sit with them.

Soon President Rajapaksa walked in accompanied by SLFP General Secretary and Minister Maithripala Sirisena. They saw Kumaratunga. Sirisena walked up to the announcer who was using a public address system and whispered something into his ear. It seemed he asked that references be made to Kumaratunga too.

Proceedings were to begin after the lighting of the traditional oil lamp. She was invited but she refused to join in. Then came two resolutions. One moved by Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva urged that the SLFP Professionals Association be included as a sub organisation of the Working Committee of the party.

However, the second was most important and formed the purpose for convening Friday night's meeting. It was a resolution by Minister John Seneviratne that a settlement to the ethnic issue be found through the recommendations of the All Party Representative Committee (APRC). That is by implementing the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. The Central Committee had earlier empowered the party leadership to grant devolution through District Councils. Thus, an endorsement to concede the 13th Amendment had become necessary.

Maithripala Sirisena noted that the Government was winning the war against Tiger guerrillas. He praised the efforts of President Rajapaksa in this regard and said the APRC had recommended the implementation of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.

Kumaratunga was to raise issue. She asked what it was all about and whether there was a document that gave the outline of the proposals which the Central Committee could approve. Rajapaksa intervened to say it was the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, a fact which was very well known. Now that the North and the Eastern Provinces have been de-merged, he said, this would be an important move. There were tense moments.

Sirisena, in a bid to ease it, asked whether all present would raise their hands and thus endorse the resolution. "I cannot approve it. I am against the way it is being done," she declared.

Wickremanayake and Jayaratne were telling her there was nothing sinister and she should support it. "It is not that I am opposed to the proposals per se. I am opposed to the way in which it is being pushed through here. Most of those present here do not even know what it is," she declared. All others present raised their hands in favour except Kumaratunga.

At that stage, Sirisena was to ask those opposed to the resolution to raise their hands. There was none and Kumaratunga remained silent. Rajapaksa was to tell her that if she wanted, he could despatch a copy of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. She did not show interest.

In a short speech he gave, Rajapaksa said there were various conspiracies and differences of opinions within the party. He said there was no need for such divisions since the Government cannot be toppled by conspiracies. He invited those present to dinner. Kumaratunga explained she had to visit her brother Anura who was ailing.

In the recent weeks Anura's illness and his admission to a private hospital in Colombo has taken most of Kumaratunga's time. Last week she flew to Brussels to address an event connected with International Women's Day. On her way out, she did not use the VIP Lounge. Instead, she went past the Customs and Immigration as any other passengers. Most failed to recognised her. She was only spotted later. However, on her return, she found her official vehicle being driven to the tarmac.

She accompanied SLFP-M leader, Mangala Samaraweera, to the private nursing home to see Anura Bandaranaike. The conversation turned to films. Anura, an avid movie fan, had taken a portable DVD player to hospital and had been watching a series of new movies. Samaraweera was to ask him whether he had seen any of the recent films that had won Oscars. Anura was to jovially comment on some of them. Also visiting Anura at the private nursing home was Leader of the Opposition, UNP and personal friend Ranil Wickremesinghe. They were engaged in a lengthy conversation.

Wickremesinghe had been told there was no need to visit Anura in hospital as he was been sent back home. But then, he was told that Kumaratunga had wanted Anura to remain a little longer in hospital under the watchful care of doctors and nurses. So, he went there with another classmate of theirs and had a chat. On a previous visit the three of them had talked of the US Presidential election primaries which Anura was intently following on TV. This time, the discussion revolved around his health, and his desire to return home as soon as possible.

Anura has since left the nursing home and is now at Visumpaya. He is to shift to his Rosmead Place residence shortly.

LTTE, JVP use common claws against India