Colombo, February 13: Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe and the Thamil Makkal Thesiya Kuttani (TMTK) leader and Jaffna district MP C.V.Wigneswaran had a meeting on February 11 at the Jetwing Hotel in Jaffna. Wigneswaran met the President at the suggestion of the Governor of the Northern Province Jeevan Thiagarajah.
The entire gamut of issues agitating the Tamils was discussed but the gap between the Tamils and the government remained, Wigneswaran said.
“Both the Governor and High Excellency were wanting to help the Tamils but not on our terms, as I saw it,” Wigneswaran said in a press release on Monday.
To Persist with Engagement
However, the TMTK MP, who is a retired Supreme Court justice, clearly stated that he would continue to engage the Sri Lankan government and its leaders as he believed that politics is the art of the possible.
“I thought engaging was necessary in order to progress. Our people must get investments and progress economically while keeping our political struggle real and vibrant. Creating barriers disallows effective engagement. Maybe other Tamil politicians have said similar things and done the same thing, but failed. I feel there is no need to feel pessimistic about these matters. Politics is the art of the possible. It means pragmatism instead of idealism. Politics, as I see it, is a matter of creating achievable goals and implementing them in the real world at ground level,” Wigneswaran said in defense of his pragmatism.
“Bismarck said that ‘politics is the art of the possible, the attainable — the art of the next best.’ The term suggests intelligence, common sense and an ability to work within the ‘art of the possible’. I do not see Federalism or Confederalism being achieved during my stay in this world. Our youth will look after that. Let me work towards ameliorating the existing negative conditions of our people while doing everything possible to achieve a confederal constitution.”
“The President said he was working on the matters that I had requested and a little time was necessary. I believe he meant the release of political prisoners, requests of families of the disappeared, release of lands by the Military etc. He was very much interested in getting the help of the Tamils to work with him.”
The discussion including the following issues:
1. Guaranteeing investments by the diaspora: The President said there are existing Investment protection agreements with certain countries like the UK and they could get the benefits under those agreements which guarantee the security of investments if they apply from those countries.
2. Commencing the Flight to Singapore and Malaysia: He said he was working on it.
3. Commencing the flight to Colombo from Palali: He said he wanted the flight to go via Hingurakgoda (Polonnaruwa district in North Central Province). I pointed out that hitherto the flight went through China Bay. Said he would look into it.
4. Changing the Chief Secretary and Provincial Director Health bringing in seniors from within the Province in their place. Again, he agreed to look into it.
5. Release of Lands taken over by departments: I pointed out that as per International Law, priority regarding lands given under colonization schemes or taken by the State and returned, must be given to the people of the area. He agreed and said the Constitution says so. He would definitely change the Law to stop persons from outside the Districts being brought in.
6. “Mahinda Palace” at Kankesanthurai: I pointed out that in the presence of Mr.Sumanthiran and Self, the former President Sirisena agreed to give the property to the Northern Provincial Council (NPC). He said the lands around the building belonging to private parties would be returned to them and the building itself would have to be used for something useful naming it after Sir Ponnambalam Ramanathan. I suggested medical tourism. He did not commit himself to giving to the NPC.
7. The Kakankesanthurai-Karaikal and Talaimannar Boat Service: He said he would consider giving it to the private sector if anyone comes in to run the services.
8. Palali – Singapore Flight: He was all for it. Will take steps, he said.
9. Creation of Provincial Development Bonds: Such bonds people could purchase and give an impetus to the development of the Province -He wanted us to take this up with his Secretary Samaratunga.
He mentioned other matters, draft laws which were being prepared, which would stop the central government from interfering with the work of the Provinces. His idea seems to be not to give a federal constitution but to give effective power-sharing under the existing constitution. Legislation for effective devolution was in the making, he said. He was contemplating taking out the Mahaweli Laws.
The President was determined to bring Laws to control the drug menace effectively.
He was going to call upon the private sector to invest in the opening of the Salterns, the Paranthan Chemicals and the Tile factory in Oddusuddan.
The President was unaware that a Sinhalese heads the Palmyra Development Board.
The Tikkam Factory would be made to function, he promised. He said various laws were being prepared and these would be discussed with the Tamil representatives before being submitted to Parliament.
The President said that there was a document prepared by the seven Chief Ministers of Provincial Councils outside the North and East in 2017 and that I should go through it. Sumanthiran (Jaffna MP from the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Katchi) has a copy, he said and added that I could get it from him. I said Sumanthiran sometimes conveniently forgets to share! But I would ask him.
END
