by T. Sabaratnam; originally published January 27, 2004
Weekly Review
The World Figures Out
Japanese peace envoy Yasushi Akashi’s succinct comment “why should they suffer” and his indication that a new mechanism “will be established” to expedite delivery of some of the aid pledged by the international community to the reconstruction and rehabilitation of war damaged areas has stung the Sinhala leadership into action.
The Sinhala leadership, now referred to by political analysts as the southern leadership, is beginning to realize that the international community, which is getting tired of their feuding, is veering towards the LTTE and thinking of making use of some form of mechanism to continue their humanitarian aid to the northeast.
Yasushi Akashi
At last week’s meeting with Akashi, LTTE political chief, S. P. Thamilselvan, suggested the setting up of an Interim Development Council to coordinate the development work in the northeast until the proposed Interim Self Governing Administration is established. Akashi, who reacted favourably, took up that matter in the second follow up meeting of donor countries and agencies in Colombo on Friday January 23.
At that meeting, most of the 12 donor countries and seven agencies took the position that the Tigers had acted with responsibility and they were not at fault for the current stalemate in the peace talks. Most of the participants argued that, though peace talks were stalled due to the power struggle in the south, the peace process is holding as the ceasefire is in effect and the LTTE is continuing with preparations for talks.
Akashi told the media on Sunday he saw the development work carried out in the Vanni on Thursday when he met Thamilselvan. “I saw destroyed school buildings being rebuilt. I saw damaged hospitals repaired. Why should that restoration and rehabilitation activity be allowed to suffer because of the southern deadlock?” he asked.
He added: “The international community is determined to continue its assistance to the rehabilitation work in the northeast. At the same time they are losing faith in the southern leaders who had failed to sort out their problems.”
The determination of the international community was reflected in a statement issued by the United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Monday where he appealed to the international community to continue its assistance to areas most affected by the war.
In that statement he also expressed the hope that the peace talks between the Government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) would resume in the near future, an indirect censure of the Sinhala leadership.
Akashi told the Hilton media briefing that the sentiments of the donor community and agencies had been conveyed to Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and President Chandrika Kumaratunga.
Thamilselvan, who left for Europe on Tuesday, told the media at Kilinochchi that he would tell the European leaders that they could make use of the international non-governmental organizations and the LTTE’s own organizations to fund the urgent reconstruction work. He is visiting Norway, Sweden, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, Italy and Netherlands for discussions with the foreign ministries of those countries.
“We will explain to them that the political impasse in Colombo should not delay this (aid) anymore. The donor nations can disburse funds for urgent humanitarian needs through organizations here and through our own mechanisms,” he said.
Akashi’s comment and Thamilselvan’s announcement of his campaign has upset the Sinhala politicians, including some of the senior SLFPers who were not happy about the showy signing of the SLFP- JVP Memorandum of Understanding. Some of them expressed their unhappiness to Akashi, who felt that the MOU had complicated matters. He conveyed his thinking to Chandrika when he met her on Thursday.
Chandrika’s Outburst
Chandrika assured Akashi that a workable arrangement would soon be worked out between herself and Ranil. She was only referring to action she took on Monday night to reactivate the Mano – Malik talks while elaborate preparations were on to celebrate the SLFP’s political marriage with the JVP. The meeting she had with the Communist party leaders was responsible for her efforts to revive the talks.
Communist Party general secretary DEW Gunasekera told her bluntly that by signing a pact with the JVP she had irreparably damaged her image as a moderate leader who enjoyed the confidence of the minorities.
Chandrika told the Communist Party leaders of the Thai Pongal Vizha she had held in the President’s House and added that her speech in Tamil was highly appreciated by the Tamil people.
Gunasekera retorted “Yes Madam. You are trying to maintain your image as a moderate leader. What are your new found friends doing? That callow young upstart, (the reference was to Wimal Weerawansa of the JVP) delivered a venomously anti- Tamil oration in Trincomalee recently and what did your trusted party-men do? They clapped and grinned.”
Chandrika was disturbed. She pleaded with the Communist Party not to leave the People’s Alliance. The Communist Party has decided not to join the SLFP- JVP combine, the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA), but to remain outside and support whatever progressive measures it took.
Soon after the Communist leaders left the President’s House Chandrika telephoned Mano Titawela and asked him to revive the Mano- Malik Committee and said the alliance they were forging with the JVP should be used as a pressure point to work out an arrangement with Ranil. Another important factor influenced her decision. She was informed that some senior government ministers had started collecting signatures of members of parliament to give notice for an impeachment motion against her as a means to prevent her from dissolving parliament. The revival of the work of the Mano- Malik Committee put a stop to that move.
Chandrika gave vent to her anger when she addressed the SLFP Parliamentary Group meeting on Monday night. Pointing to the group that pressurized the party to form the alliance with the JVP she said: Now the people who jumped and gave in to the JVP would be happy because the agreement is being signed tomorrow. You have done that without taking into consideration the long term damage the alliance would have on the SLFP,” she said.
She told the MPs that she found the money to fund the party’s election expenses in the past. Now no one will give us money. You must look after yourself. They (JVPers) have gone to the rural areas and have started their election campaign. You also go and start your campaign. Otherwise the SLFP will disintegrate. When that happens don’t blame me,” she said.
On Wednesday, the day following the signing of the MOU, Chandrika took a U-turn. She attended the cabinet meeting, which she had boycotted since she took over the ministries of defence, interior and information on November 4. She was all smiles and greeted the ministers. Ranil and his ministers, too, treated her well. They saw that as an opportunity to draw her away from the JVP.
When Ranil moved that the election for all southern provincial councils be held on the same day, Chandrika readily agreed. She accepted that the election could be held on April 28. Ranil was pleased because that ruled out the holding of the parliamentary election before that date. Holding the provincial council election before parliamentary election would defeat the main design of the JVP.
Justice Minister W. J. M. Lokubandara drove home the strategic victory they had won by telling Chandrika, “Madam, Your alliance with the JVP is doomed to fail.”
“Why?”
Lokubandara, an astrologer, replied, “You signed it on Tuesday that is bad for you. If you had signed it on Wednesday or Thursday it would have been good.”
“That won’t affect me. I did not sign it,” Chandrika replied.
After the cabinet meeting Lokubandara told Ranil: We must work out a face saving formula and get out of this mess.”
The feeling that the Sinhalese have gotten themselves into a mess is gradually surfacing. One analyst said: The Sinhalese, who all these years said Tigers are the bad boys, have now proved themselves to be the bad boys.”
The Sinhala leadership is also worried about the international reaction to the growing religious strife. The Catholic Church of Sri Lanka has called for a day of fasting and prayer next Sunday, 1 February, following growing religious tension and attacks on several churches in south Sri Lanka.
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| Archbishop Gomis |
The Archbishop of Colombo, Rt.Rev. Oswald Gomis, has called on all Catholics in the country to conduct special Holy Hour Prayers with the exposition of Blessed Sacrament. He said it was an effort to bring back religious tolerance in the hearts of Sri Lankans.
Stung by the possibility that they might be named the ‘spoilers” of the peace process, Chandrika and Ranil have mandated their representatives in the Mano- Malik Committee to work out an acceptable arrangement to enable Ranil to proceed with the peace talks. The committee, which met on Monday, entered into detailed discussions on Tuesday. They were told to find a way out before the February 17 Washington Review Meeting.
“There are promising indications of finding some realistic and practical solution to the current political impasse,” Peiris said on Monday.