Debate on Extension of Emergency

Govt. waging a political war
- Dharmadasa Banda

Dharmadasa Banda (UNP-Badulla District) read out a list of incidents and encounters between the LTTE and forces within the last month and asked whether, judging from those reports, the government was actually fighting a war. In each one, the LTTE attacks an army camp or government force while the latter retaliates. Even when the government says it captured Jaffna, it is not in a true war fashion as the LTTE had left the town and allowed the government to take over. He urged the government to fight a ‘real’ war, if they insist on war.

"The LTTE has destroyed electricity poles, exploded bombs and attacked Ampara; but you say, you are fighting a war," he said. "The LTTE has aircraft - has your government investigated? Can you at least reply as to whether the LTTE has aircraft or not?" The government forces are always defending themselves from the LTTE so how can they say they are fighting a war?

Recalling a report by Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar to a French Minister that the LTTE has acquired six light aircraft from France, he said air force says, they are ready to defend themselves always. This is a political war you are waging," he scoffed.

He pointed out that aircraft have been destroyed boats sunk. "You say you have captured Jaffna but can you reach it by sea, road or air?" he queried.

"When we alerted the government that the entire coastline from Batticaloa to Galle but nobody listened to us," he asked. "But no action was taken, even about reports of LTTE activity in Kataragama. Now they say there is an armoury in Kataragama. The Minister and the government must answer. You are asking for our assistance but you do not listen when we tell you something," he added.

Talking of the devolution package, he pointed out that the Sinhala people and the Maha Sangha are against it while some in the PA itself opposes it. "Even the LTTE is against the package. How can you stop the war with the proposals?" he asked.

"Your leader has said at a public meeting, she needs only 16 votes to achieve peace, she has asserted that she knows what to do if these votes are not given. So please do it!" he said.

There is a report that the LTTE has a harbour at the edge of the Yala sanctuary and that weapons for the LTTE are unloaded there. It is at the Udapottala harbour in Yala. "Will you implement ways and means to stopping any further unloading of weapons in the future.

Speaking on the elections, he referred to a bill presented to Parliament to determine a date for the Provincial Council elections. "Did you present the bill to circumvent conditions laid down by the courts following legal action taken by us?" he queried.

Mr. Banda asserted that if there is a genuine effort made by the government to solve the war, the UNP will help. "Come with sincere efforts and we will help. But we will not help with the devolution package, if not."

P. Sumathipala (Deputy Minister of Provincial Councils and Local Government): referred to tremendous amounts of money set aside for war effort, for provision of welfare to displaced and development and rehabilitation of recaptured areas. Hundreds have lost lives, especially in the three armed forces and police.

He propose emotional and mental rehabilitation of Tamil youth affected by the war. He pointed out that they are suffering a lot of mental agony through this war. "Most of the youth in the North and East that the people of the South are enemies, out to destroy the Tamils. There has to be encouragement and understanding between the two races and this must be achieved through dialogue," he noted.

He pointed out that there has been much development activity on the sidelines of the war. He cited the example of Mannar road which is now open to the public and establishment of fishing villages in conflict areas. Twelve villages have formed through resettlement villages in Vavuniya while agriculture has resumed.

He asked that some respite be given to home guards in areas such as Anuradhapura and Welioya who are transferred out of their home towns for duty in remote areas. He requested fair salary and uniform allowances for these home guards.

Gamini Lokuge (UNP-Colombo District): said :the war began with Prime Minister SWRD Bandaranaike and his Sinhala only policy.

He pointed out that the PA took over the war effort from the UNP in 1994 but after four years, "look at what has happened?".

"At every public meeting, your leader makes allegations against the UNP and all of you scold the UNP. But look at your state today, the air force has no aircraft to fly civilians to Jaffna and the Navy has no boats," he criticised, "there isn’t a government in the country which has spent more money on the war. There is a GST levied on the ordinary man’s telephone, water and tombstones," he said.

He, too, pointed out that while the government maintains that they captured Jaffna and Mankulam, the LTTE actually gave it to them on a plate. He also asked that when medals be awarded, that they be awarded to those who deserve them. Mr. Lokuge said when Pooneryn was lost during UNP times, an inquiry was held and top notch officials in the army lost their jobs. "But where are the investigation reports of the Mullaitivu incident, Kilinochchi incident? How about the disappearance of the Lionair craft? Has the government at least said or issued a statement on what happened to the craft?" he asked. He also demanded lists of names of those who lost their lives in the Mullaitivu and Kilinochchi battles.

He opined that last since the times of the Sinhala kings have so many weapons been handed over to the enemy than now - weapons are lost and fell into the hands of the LTTE, like the ship from Zambia.

The MP reasserted that it there is a genuine effort to solve the war, the UNP will help. He also asked the government to hold provincial council elections if they are not afraid of the outcome.

Mano Wijeratne (UNP-Kegalle District) said: I am compelled to tender an apology, not on behalf of my party but on behalf of the government party. I am doing so because at a time the House is debating an important matter such as the extension of the Emergency not a single Minister is present in Parliament. Also only a handful of government MPs were present.

You have conducted a series of operations such as the Viduli Pahara and Sath Jaya but have you brought the war into a conclusion. Today your so-called "Jaya Sikuru" operation has bogged down half way Kilinochchi.

The war has become a profitable exercise for some in the government. War brings big money to them.

We are ready to help the government if it puts forward an acceptable solution.

Alavi Mowlana - (Minister of Provincial Councils and Local Government) said: Jaffna was under LTTE control when you went out of power in 1991.

The opposition is trying to fish in troubled waters. There was no democracy during the UNP rule. Don’t forget how President J. R. Jayewardene rolled up the electoral map for ten years.

You are asking whether the Provincial Council elections are being held. We are doing that.

We are not going to hold the kind of elections that you held during your time. We will be genuine in our elections.

K. Thurairajasingham (TULF-Batticaloa District): criticised President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunge’s statements in South Africa about Tamil history, saying she was ignorant of Tamil history and the community. He pointed out that while both the UNP and SLFP accuses each other of treading on the Tamil people and depriving them of their rights, they are both to blame. He said the "Sinhala only" policy of SWRD Bandaranaike was a big injustice to the Tamils and added that the proposal was introduced to the house by former President J. R. Jayewardene. "When the Sinhala only policy was introduced, the Tamil community performed Satyagraha at Galle Face and when thugs attacked them the UNP did nothing to protect them they joined in the acts," he said. "You’re not giving justice to the Tamils - and the Tamils will not welcome your justice," he said. He appealed to both parties to provide a solution for the Tamils on ‘humanitarian grounds.’ He stressed that both parties have committed great atrocities against the Tamils although they talk of the plight of Tamils now.

He said the people of the Vanni, Vakarai and Paduwankarai are in urgent need of food and medical supplies and appealed to the government to provide these amenities. He said in the area of promotion and employment opportunities, Tamils are still treated as second class citizens. "From 1994, what are the numbers of jobs given to Tamils since 1994? How about the Tamil language provisions? The law is there but there is no implementation. Provide all government departments with officials proficient in Tamil and introduce such instruments as typewriters."

"Also, about colonisation. There are efforts in Linganagar, Trincomalee, to move residents on security grounds. But they try to send the people out." He called such moves "racist" and added, "this is not the way to bring about peace." He asked for registering of births and deaths in Tamil and legal documents and court proceedings in Tamil.

Chandradasa Galapaththi (UNP-Ampara District) said: The whole of the Eastern Province was free from terrorism when the Chandrika Kumaratunga Government came into power in 1994.

The success of your party at that election was also due to connections your party leadership had with the LTTE. Your leaders had entered into various understandings and agreements with the LTTE.

Jaffna was a desolate place when you captured the city. Only people too feeble to walk about and the persons with physical disabilities lived there.

You were boasting that you restored civil administration in Jaffna. But what is there in fact was a military administration. Even the military finds it difficult to maintain law and order there.

People are in the dark as to what is happening in the country.

The LTTE took the first cannon from the Pulukunawa STF camp which the terrorist group overran.

Police stations in Ampara do not have vehicles.

Our leader has proposed the setting up of a body comprising top level army officers to conduct the war.

Jeyaraj Fernandopulle (Minister of Plan Implementation and Parliamentary Affairs): Hon’ble Gamini Lokuge said the trouble in the country started as a result of the Sinhala only policy of S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike in 1956.

The Minister reads newspaper reports which said that J. R. Jayewardene, addressing an election meeting in Uyanwatta, Matara, in 1956, announced that his party stood for one official language which was Sinhala.

The Minister also quoted newspaper reports which said that Sir John Kotelawala also upheld the Sinhala only policy.

J. R. Jayewardene first moved the Sinhala only policy in 1944 at the state council. S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike was for two official languages then. But he changed it in 1956.

The UNP promised to make Sinhala, the only official language of the country in 1956 in order to win the election. The UNP lost the election in 1956. If by any chance the UNP came into power it was the UNP that would have implemented the Sinhala only policy.

So you cannot blame the government for the Sinhala only policy of S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike.

Nandimitra Ekanayake (Minister of Environment and Forestry) said: The solution to the war is not to fight each other but for the UNP to support the government’s peace plan without submitting various excuses. The UNP criticises the government but has no alternative plan or proposal. Other political groups are ready to back the government proposal.

He said he heard UNP MP Thilak Karunaratne proclaiming over radio recently that he believes war is the only way to solve the ethnic problem in Sri Lanka. "If war is the only solution then support the war effort fully", he said. "Don’t discourage the soldiers at the warfront.

If, on the other hand, war is not the only solution, then support the peace proposals," instead.

The UNP does neither and the people suffer. "An independent observer would be shocked at the way we are acting", he said.

The majority wants unity of all three races. But because of our hunger for power, we are rousing people to anger.

Minister Ekanayake requested the UNP to pass the peace package and enable the 2/3 majority. He accused Nihal Galapaththi (Progressive Front MP) of travelling around the country and trying to arouse youth through the use of war psychology. Speaking of the fast-unto-death by some graduates, he said he had explained to them the unemployment problem had grown worse over the years since the 1960s and could not be solved immediately, that there were no instant solutions. He also accused certain political elements of using these youths to further their political aims. He asked the Opposition not to rouse youth for their own purposes.

Finally, he drew attention to the plight of reserve police constables who have no pension rights, and whose allowances have been reduced. He asked that they be absorbed to the permanent cadre and that they be given the same benefits as those in the permanent cadre.

Nihal Galapaththi (SLPF-Hambantota District) asked that the problem of unemployment be solved. He said although the government has extended the emergency and kept extending it with the objective of controlling crime, crime rates have actually worsened. He quoted several examples of crime from news reports. There has been no scheme of action to control corruption although the government said it will eradicate crime.

Dr. Rajitha Senaratne (UNP-National List) said: We discuss today the extension of the State of Emergency when all of us are examining our future strategies following the Mullaitivu debacle.

We lost arms, ammunition and military equipment in the LTTE, assault on the Mullaitivu camp. The loss has been estimated at Rs. 450 million. LTTE spokesman in Canada making a statement just after the Mullaitivu attack said the LTTE would not spend a cent in 1999 for new weapons. So vast was the stock of weapons and ammunition that fell into the hands of the LTTE.

Six hundred bodies of soldiers killed in the attack and handed over to ICRC by the LTTE were buried in a common grave on the orders of the Commander of the Army. Perhaps he was acting on orders from persons above him, who feared a revolt if the bodies were sent to their home towns.

One hundred and thirty-nine other bodies were also buried in the same way at Anuradhapura.

Mothers send their sons to the war but when they die they are not given the opportunity to look at the faces of their dead sons. Dead are classified as missing soldiers. The outcome is that the parents and kith and kin of the dead soldiers are not getting even the compensation.

D. M. Jayaratne, Minister of Agriculture and Land said: When the two main political parties are at each others throat the LTTE become stronger. Most of the criticism we hear on the floor of the House supports the cause of the LTTE. Such critics are only encouraging the LTTE. We must understand this.

I have no friends among the business community. I consider them as UNPers. But I know that there is some value in their views about the devolution package.

I suggest to the UNP that they should change their attitude and adopt a more meaningful policy toward the government’s efforts to resolve the problem. Such a change of attitude is essential for the survival of all concerned.

I also appeal to the Tamil parties to consider themselves as Sri Lankans, rather than Tamils, and work together with the Sinhalese parties in the efforts to find a way out the national crisis.

R. A. D. Sirisena (UNP-Kegalle District) said: Leaders of the UNP met the business community separately although they did not participate in the All Party Conference. He reminded the House that the the UNP had maintained as always that the terms of the Liam Fox agreement be implemented. "It says that all parties must unite on the issue and be made knowledgeable of the discussions," he said. The government must take the initiative, he stressed.

The people are hit hard through the budget proposals as a result of the war, he said. He pointed out that the LTTE is at an advantage since it is united under one leader while on the other side the leaders of the government, opposition, smaller parties and so on, have to be brought together. "Don’t politicise the war", he said, "let the intelligent forces handle the war."

"Some leaders of the UNP were killed by the LTTE because they could not stand them. Premadasa, Gamini Dissanayake. You have taken the reigns of power now, learn from the mistakes of the past."

"The numbers joining the army are decreasing because you spread propaganda telling people the war is bad. The ‘Thavalama’ is an example. Then, when you are losing the war, you ask young people to join the army."

"You are not defending the interests of the Tamil people. You can’t restore democracy in Jaffna because the people have no confidence in you", he told the PA. He said they were not able to activate the Jaffna Municipal Council.

He asked for the establishment of an independent Police Commission, Public Service Commission and an independent Elections Commission. "If the PA opposes these proposals, there is a big question here," he said. He also asked that the contents of the 37 letters between Prabhakaran and President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga be revealed so that there may some information gained on how the conflict can be solved.

Gen. Anuruddha Ratwatte (Deputy Minister of Defence): Winding up the debate answered some of the questions raised by Opposition speakers.

Replying to a query by Tilak Karunaratne MP he said in 1994 the number of army deserters stood at 25,300. Another 14,000 joined the figure by January 1997 bringing the total to 39,300.

So far 32,000 have returned to service and about 7,000 more have not still reported for duty.

The Minister denied press reports quoted by John Amaratunga MP about the future purchases of arms and military ware only through the Defence Ministry.

He said there was no such arrangement.

The procedure for procuments by the armed forces is follows: Purchases from Rs. 5 million to Rs. 10 million by the army, airforce or the navy under their own tender procedures. Purchases from Rs. 10 million to Rs. 20 million with the special approval of the Ministry of Defence and purchases over Rs. 20 million under Cabinet appointed Tender Board.

This is the procedure laid down in respect of purchases by the armed forces and this remains unchanged, he said.

He said that the LTTE is now trying to create a fear psychosis both in the Jaffna and the people of the South. "We would not tolerate it," he said.

He told opposition not to keep on making statements which helped the LTTE’s designs. "We will take care of the people of Jaffna", he added.

He refuted opposition charges that the President viewed a LTTE video cassette of the distruction caused to the Mullaitivu army camp. He said he was present at the conference referred by the Opposition but no LTTE video cassette was screened, he assured.

Referring to UNP demands for unconditional talks with the LTTE the Minister said that the LTTE is asking for the division of the country and nothing else. We, under no circumstances are prepared for that. We took Jaffna, and we would under no circumstances give back Jaffna to LTTE," the Minister added.

The extension of the State of Emergency in the whole island by one more month was passed by a 107 to 80 votes by Parliament Friday evening.

House meets again at 9.30 a.m. on 10/11 1998.