Sunday, 1st June 2014
Police and land powers can be given at a later stage
- Dr Subramaniun Swamy
An ardent supporter of the present Sri Lankan Government and President Mahinda Rajapaksa, India's former Union Cabinet Minister, Harvard PhD in Economics, Dr. Subramanian Swamy, who believes in the motto, "I give as good as I get," says India can only urge Sri Lanka as a friend and cultural sibling to implement the 13A as early as possible, so that the 1983–2009 memories become a distant nightmare and the chapter is closed.
Excerpts of the interview:
By Sulochana Ramiah Mohan
Q:
You have been an ardent supporter of President Rajapaksa and his political stance. What do you like about him the most?
A: I have been impressed by his resoluteness to fight and exterminate the evil terrorist outfit, the LTTE and restore national integrity. He did not waver or wobble before international pressure.
Q:
You had recently said Tamil Nadu politicians should not interfere in Sri Lankan Tamil issues where as, most of the politicians, including Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, have been interfering in Sri Lanka's internal matters and have seen some successful results (Jayalalithaa won the election, some critics say, India voted twice for the US resolution, cricket matches were not allowed to bet held in TN, Sri Lanka defence staff were asked to leave when they went to TN for training etc). How do you describe the TN politicians' acts?
A: Jayalalithaa's electoral victory was not because of her stance on the Sri Lanka Tamil issue, but on the 2G Spectrum scam issue, by taking credit for my court victories on the issue. On the contrary, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) did poorly because it aligned itself with pro-LTTE elements such as Vaiko who lost his own electorate badly. TN politicians at the helm are mostly from the cinema world, which is largely financed by money from the LTTE Tamil Diaspora, and hence this silly posturing on the issue by them.
Q:
Prime Minister Modi had said : 'India was bullied by smaller nations like Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Bangladesh and it was time that Tamils living in other parts of the world, including Malaysia and Fiji, were given their due'. Will he be tough on Sri Lanka?
A: That is electoral hyperbole. On the contrary, as PM, he invited President Rajapaksa to the oath taking ceremony and gave him full 'Raj maryada' [ruler respect] despite Mr. Vaiko's foolish agitation.
Q:
Your party is in power and how will its stand be different from the previous government?
A: Relations will be cordial. It will be warm once the remaining pending issues of devolution of power as in the Constitution is amicably resolved within the sovereign interests of Sri Lanka. We, across the length and breadth of India, consider all Sri Lankans as cultural brothers and sisters.
Q:
Sri Lanka's dealings with China, irks India. Will this change with Modi's Government?
A: We in India do not blame Sri Lanka for it, but blame the weak leadership of the Congress Party, for succumbing to the blackmail of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). The climate will change when under the leadership of PM Modi, foreign policy will be framed by the Union Cabinet in New Delhi and not dictated from Chennai.
Q:
Will Modi's foreign policy bring about a drastic change or by and large remain the same?
A: Change is already obvious. Only neighbours were invited for the PM's oath taking ceremony and the first official bilateral visit will be that of the Chinese Foreign Minister on 8 June.
Q:
Last week, PM Modi urged President Rajapaksa for an early implementation of the 13A and beyond as part of the reconciliation process. Do you agree with him?
A: Yes, subject to amendments that build confidence that no secessionist force can take cover under or advantage of any constitutional provision.
Q
How soon should the 13A be implemented if it's the key for a lasting political solution?
A: We can only urge as friends and cultural siblings that Sri Lanka do it as early as possible so that the 1983-2009 memories become a distant nightmare and the chapter is closed.
Q
Should the land and police powers (of 13A),which the government is 'not sure of giving', be given to the Northern Province?
A: It can be given at a later stage after ensuring it does not promote religious strife especially Islamic vs Hindu-Buddhist population, that which has the potential to take international dimensions that would affect India.
Q
There is also a worry that even if the President wants the 13A implemented, many of the political parties would not support it. How could Indo-Lanka unity tackle the situation?
A: We, if you want, can help and facilitate amity and thus help you argue the issues to a resolution.
Q:
If no progress is shown on the implementation of the 13A, don't you think that it might also drag the process of reconciliation?
A: Let the process of implementation start bit by bit, rather than strive for a package in one blow. By holding the Provincial elections you have already done a lot.
Q:
Modi had also told President Rajapaksa that Sri Lanka should expedite the process of national reconciliation in a manner that it meets the aspiration of the Tamil community, for quality life, justice, peace and dignity, within a united Sri Lanka. Does this mean that the Tamils are deprived of the above?
A: “The Tamil community is not politically homogenous—the southern plantations Tamils are different politically from The Northern. Muslim Tamils are politically inclined differently from Hindu-Christian Tamils, while Jaffna Tamils are differently persuaded from Batticaloa. The deprivation feeling is in those Tamils who were first hit by the LTTE and later by the collateral damage of the war in 2009.”
Q:
What should Modi's Government do for the Tamil community besides urging the implementation of 13A?
A: Whatever the elected sovereign government of Sri Lanka and the Chief Ministers want us to help in.
Q:
Chief Minister of Northern Province, C.V. Wigneswaran declined to join the government delegation for Modi's swearing-in ceremony stating it would indicate there exists a strong co-operative spirit prevailing between the Centre and the Province, wherein, the people in the North are engulfed in a climate of fear on account of the continued presence of the military while the activities of the NPC have been stultified.What is your message for him?
A: The message is simple. India should not unilaterally and directly deal with the SL Tamil population. We did not directly invite the Chief Minister of Jaffna. But the CM was short-sighted in mixing political differences with the SL President with a ceremonial occasion. Modi did invite Pakistan despite our differences and Nawaz Sharif came.
Q:
The major concerns of the Northerners are the presence of military in excess and that their lands have been grabbed. What should Sri Lanka do?
A: If lands have been grabbed from the Tamils, then no civilized government will keep it and not return it to the masses. The Jaffna CM is a former judge of the Supreme Court. He should have this challenged in court if it so. Why has that not been done yet? As for excess military, the word "excess" is a subjective one. In India, we have this problem in a few states.
Q:
Can you describe your vision on Indo-Lanka ties?
A: Our two countries should interact so closely that all our differences be of bilateral concern. I truly regret that as PM, Manmohan Singh allowed the international synthetic anger at human rights violations of 2009 to become an issue in the UN forums. Can any anti-insurgency war or any war be fought without human rights violation? Was Hiroshima and Nagasaki nuclear bombings a picnic?
Q:
The US resolution at the UNHRC against Sri Lanka on alleged human rights violations, has brought immense trouble. Should there be an international probe on the alleged human rights violation?
A: Probe by whom from the international arena? Let the first country without human rights violations cast the first stone. And what trouble has it been for Sri Lanka? None so far! Unless the UN Security Council intervenes, which it cannot, because of the certain Chinese veto, Sri Lanka should throw UNHRC resolutions into the dustbin.
Q:
If you call for an internal probe, still the Human Rights Commissioner Navi Pilllay will go ahead with the report documented by the Panel of Experts for the next session in March 2015. How can India help Sri Lanka to overcome the haunting by the international community?
A: We will cross that bridge when we come to it.
Q:
Was it a wise decision by the previous government of India to abstain from voting at the last US resolution against Sri Lanka?
A: India from day one should have opposed it and voted against it.
Q:
TN Chief Minister Jayalalithaa has been dictating terms to Sri Lanka in the past, but will Modi's strong centre use Jayalalithaa and work closely with her to tackle Sri Lanka's national issues in the future?
A: Jayalalithaa's stance is a melodrama to outclass M. Karunanidhi. It is curable. Originally, the LTTE was befriended by some Tamil politicians because of their money. Why doesn't Sri Lanka publish the so-called Eelam Bank accounts of Indian politicians and that which flows from the UK Diaspora to Tamil Nadu. Since it is terrorist financing the UN has measures it can apply.
Q
:What is your present political status with the BJP-led government besides remaining a senior member?
A: It is a developing situation.
Q
: You have been constantly calling for the arrest of Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam General Secretary Vaiko over his protests and speeches against the Sri Lankan government and his conduct as a politician in TN. What do you think of him?
A: Personally Vaiko is a cultured and good natured person. But he built his political career on LTTE supremo Prabhakaran. The latter ended up from puli [tiger] to eli [rat], and that too a dead one. This has caused Vaiko's career to crash and made him a neurotic and an anti-national.
Q
However, Vaiko told Ceylon Today, Modi declined to give you a ministerial portfolio because he had told Modi that you are an 'agent' of President Rajapaksa. What have you to say?
A: I do not answer such silly charges. Vaiko should go to court and file a case under sedition sections of the Indian Penal Code -- if he is not out of his mind. Otherwise dogs bark but the caravan moves on.
From : http://www.ceylontoday.lk/89-65315-news-detail-13-a-should-be-implemented-as.html
