India wants 13A and beyond

Senathirajah
August
31, 2014
By Ananth Palakidnar
Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Parliamentarian and senior Tamil politician Mavai
Somasundaram Senathirajah, who is expected to succeed R. Sampanthan, as the
lan!ai Tamil Arasu "atchchi (TA") leader, at the Part#$s annual %eneral meetin% this
wee! in &avuni#a, spea!s to 'e#lon Toda# on the TNA$s recent tal!s with the ndian
Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New (elhi. Senathirajah also expressed the
readiness o) the Tamil National Alliance to hold direct tal!s with the %overnment as )ar
as the chauvinist )orces do not mess around in )indin% a dura*le solution.
+xcerpts o) the interview,
-,
.ow do #ou see the Tamil National Alliance$s recent meetin% with ndian Prime
Minister Narendra Modi/
A, The meetin% was encoura%in%. t has %iven us hope and enthusiasm towards
settlin% our political pro*lems. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was ver# s#mpathetic in
re%ard to the humanitarian issues which remain unsettled in the North and +ast. The
ndian Prime Minister, who is ver# much concerned a*out our pro*lems, had
emphasi0ed that the North and +ast issue in the island must *e settled in a manner
where Tamils could live in peace with di%nit#. ndia$s role in settlin% our issues remains
inevita*le. +arlier, the 'on%ress 1overnment didn$t %ive much emphasis to dealin%
with our pro*lems. .owever, durin% our meetin% with Prime Minister Narendra Modi,
we reali0ed that he would ta!e meanin%)ul steps on his part in dealin% with our
pro*lems.
-,
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has cate%oricall# said his 1overnment would )ocus on
the implementation o) the 23th Amendment. .ow do #ou see his stance with re%ard to
the Amendment/
A, 4ell, Premier Modi is ver# )irm on the implementation o) the 23th Amendment. .e
has also reali0ed the importance o) %oin% *e#ond the 23th Amendment. +ven the
previous 'on%ress 1overnment which was instrumental in *rin%in% out the 23th
Amendment to the 'onstitution was ver# particular that throu%h the implementation o)
the Amendment onl# could a dura*le solution to the 5an!an North and +ast crisis *e
)ound. 4e had told the ndian Prime Minister that the TNA, which represents the
people in the North and +ast, *elieves that a solution )or the Tamil pro*lem in the
sland is possi*le *# %oin% *e#ond the 23th Amendment. +ven the present Rajapa!sa
1overnment had told the ndians that it would even %o *e#ond the 23th Amendment to
)ind a political solution to the Tamil crisis. So the ndian leadership expects the 5an!an
1overnment to stand *# the pled%es it made with re%ard to the implementation o) the
23th Amendment. 6rom the response o) Prime Minister Narendra Modi, durin% our
tal!s with him, we reali0ed that he would ma!e %enuine e))orts in dealin% with the
issue.
-,
4hoever comes to power in ndia emphasi0es on the implementation o) the 23th
Amendment. .owever, do #ou thin! that the ndian leaders do not %et into action and
the# onl# !eep on mentionin% a*out the Amendment/
A, 7es, o) course the ndians have *een emphasi0in% on implementin% the 23th
Amendment. 8ut we )eel the# should ensure that the 5an!an 1overnment is doin%
ever#thin% to implement the Amendment and enhance it )urther. 4e !now o) the e))orts
put in *# the ndian 1overnment in the past to see the success o) the 23th
Amendment. .owever, the chan%es in the political situations in *oth countries didn$t
create the ri%ht atmosphere to )ul)il the political aspirations o) the people in the North
and +ast. .owever, now we see a sta*le 1overnment in ndia, under the leadership o)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi. There)ore, the ndian 1overnment is now in a *etter
position to ensure the devolution o) powers to the North and +ast *# discussin% with
the 5an!an leadership.
-,
4hat is the impression ndian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has on the 5an!an
1overnment$s Parliamentar# Select 'ommittee (PS')/
A, 9ur leader R. Sampanthan explained the TNA$s stance with re%ard to the PS'. The
TNA participated in the tal!s with the %overnment in :anuar# ;<22. 5ater in ;<2; the
%overnment withdrew )rom the tal!s with the TNA. 4e had su*mitted our proposals
with re%ard to the Parliamentar# Select 'ommittee. 8ut the %overnment is not
prepared to ma!e a %enuine e))ort to resume the tal!s. 4e have told Narendra Modi
as lon% as the extremists$ elements in the rulin% =P6A ta!e the upper hand,
meanin%)ul e))orts could not *e ta!en in dealin% with our political issues. There are
several hardcore political parties in the PS'. The# will de)initel# )lex their muscles to
cripple whatever the attempt made to solve the pro*lems. +ven in the past the#
prevented the e))orts ta!en to reach amica*le solutions. There)ore, we are not
prepared to sit and tal! with the parties with extremist views. 4e told Narendra Modi
that we are prepared to hold direct tal!s with the %overnment. 8ut not in the presence
o) those who spoil the e))orts. The ndian leader understood clearl# the stance ta!en
*# the TNA with re%ard to the PS'.
-,
The TNA dele%ation had even pointed out the alle%ed land ac>uisition carried out in
the North and +ast. 4hat was the response )rom the ndian Prime Minister/
A, The ndian Prime Minister is o) the view that the land powers should *e devolved to
the Provincial administrations. Several thousand civilians had *een displaced )ollowin%
the intensit# o) the civil war in the North and +ast. Around two hundred thousand
5an!an Tamil re)u%ees are still livin% in 22? re)u%ee camps in South ndia. The 5an!an
re)u%ees in South ndia and the nternall# (isplaced civilians )rom the North and +ast
are still stru%%lin% to %et *ac! to their ori%inal places.
The 5an!an 1overnment, with the help o) the Securit# 6orces, is %ra**in% the lands to
put up new militar# installations and stren%thenin% the presence o) the armed )orces in
the North and +ast )urther. The ndian 1overnment expects the sa)e return o) the
5an!an Tamil re)u%ees in South ndia to their ori%inal places. There)ore, to pave wa#
)or their return to the island and )or them to *e%in their new li)e in a secure
atmosphere, the ndian Prime Minister a%reed with us on puttin% a halt to the land
ac>uisition and reducin% the militar# presence in the North and +ast.
-,
4hat is the ndian Prime Minister$s view on devolvin% police powers/
A, The 23th Amendment paves the wa# )or devolvin% police powers to the Provinces.
The ndian Prime Minister stated that the police powers should *e devolved to the
provinces li!e in the ndian States to maintain law and order at re%ional level. 4ithout
the police powers it will *e di))icult )or the Provincial administration to deal directl# with
an# adverse situation in the re%ion. At present in the North, despite the overwhelmin%
victor#, the TNA led Provincial 'ouncil administration is still not in a position to execute
its powers in a meanin%)ul wa#. The important powers have *een vested in the
1overnor.
nstead o) allowin% the Provincial 'ouncil to )unction independentl#, the 'entral
1overnment is runnin% a parallel administration throu%h the 1overnor. The
democraticall# elected 'hie) Minister '.&. 4i%neswaran, with his vast experience in
the constitutional a))airs, as well as in handlin% the law and order situation, remains a
powerless )i%ure in %overnin% the Northern Province. 4hen we in)ormed the ndian
Prime Minister a*out the di))iculties )aced *# the Northern 'hie) Minister in
administerin% the province, he expressed his willin%ness to have direct tal!s with 'hie)
Minister 4i%neswaran.
-,
Minister Pro). Tissa &itharana, commentin% on the TNA$s visit to New (elhi, stated that
the TNA need not to %o to ndia see!in% a political solution, *ut should tal! directl# with
the %overnment. .ow do #ou see/
A, 4ell, am surprised to hear that comment )rom Pro). &itharana. 4e all ver# well
!now that Minister &itharana$s e))orts, throu%h All Part# Representative 'ommittee
(APR'), to explore the wa#s and means to )ind a political solution )or the ethnic issue
have *een a )ailure. The )indin%s and the resolutions o) the APR' have *een shelved.
Pro). &itharana and his le)tist collea%ues are ver# much aware o) the attitude o) the
chauvinist elements in 5an!an politics. 9n and o)) the# had even spo!en in )avour o)
)ul)illin% the political aspirations o) Tamils. The# !now ver# well the e))orts ta!en *#
ndia to solve our pro*lem. So we approached ndia when we )ailed to continue with
our e))orts in )indin% a political solution. 4hen Pro). &itharana is not in a position to
push his APR' proposals *ein% a senior minister in the %overnment to )ind a solution,
how come he comments on the e))orts ta!en *# the TNA, such as see!in% ndian
assistance to solve our pro*lems/
-,
The 8arathi#a :anatha Part# stalwart (r. Su*ramaniam Swam# o)ten ma!es his
comments on the 5an!an Tamil crisis, whenever he visits 'olom*o. So, (r. Swam#
*ein% a !e# mem*er in the 8:P@led 1overnment did #ou *rin% to the notice o) Prime
Minister Modi his comments on the Tamil issue/
A, 4ell, we didn$t want to waste our time *# tal!in% a*out a person who the TNA
considers an a*solute clown in ndian politics. Su*ramaniam Swam# is clin%in% on to
the Modi and Rajapa!sa 1overnment )or his personal survival. .is comments do not
re)lect the stance o) the ndian leaders who are %enuinel# concerned a*out the 5an!an
Tamil issue. So !nowin% ver# well the capacit# o) (r. Su*ramaniam Swam#, we didn$t
*other to tal! an#thin% a*out him.
-,
The =P6A 1eneral Secretar# and Minister Susil Premaja#antha had, at a press
*rie)in% in 'olom*o a )ew da#s a%o, indicated the %overnment$s willin%ness to hold
direct tal!s with the TNA. A couple o) wee!s a%o +conomic (evelopment Minister 8asil
Rajapa!sa also said that i) the TNA was not willin% to attend the PS', the %overnment
should %o )or an alternative arran%ement to approach the TNA. .ow do #ou see those
comments/
A, 6irst o) all, would li!e to sa# that the TNA is )or a dura*le and a constructive
political solution to the Tamil crisis. 4e have *een supportive o) whatever %enuine
attempt has *een made towards settlin% our issues. 4e are even )orever read# to
have tal!s with the %overnment. 8ut we don$t want to *e ta!en )or a ride. ) the
%overnment ma!es an# %enuine attempt to have direct tal!s without allowin% the
chauvinist )orces to ta!e the upper hand in dealin% with our issues, we would de)initel#
come )orward )or tal!s. The %overnment cannot dictate terms to us on where to %o and
what not to tal!. 4e want peace with justice and di%nit# )or our people. So we are
prepared )or an# %enuine attempt to )ind a political solution )or our people.
-,
The TA" will hold its Annual 1eneral meetin% in &avuni#a this wee!. 7ou are most
li!el# to succeed R. Sampanthan as the new leader o) the TA". 4hat have #ou %ot to
sa# on #our new role/
A, The TA" is the )la% ship o) the Tamil National Alliance. t was )ounded *# late S.:.&.
'helvana#a%am AB #ears a%o in 2C?<. Several icons such as 4anniasin%ham, +.M.&.
Na%anathan, Rajavaroth#am, Rasamanic!!am, A. Amirthalin%am and "athiravetpillai
had stren%thened the part# as a )ormida*le )orce towards winnin% the political ri%hts o)
the Tamils. The present leader R. Sampanthan has done a remar!a*le service as the
leader o) the TA" in the recent past.
There)ore, will also )ollow the )ootsteps o) m# predecessors and continue to
stren%then the part# while remainin% )irm to win the political ri%hts o) our people.
Posted by Thavam