INTERVIEWS

"No plans to join government"

The Administrative Secretary, Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC), V.Puthrasigamany has warned the northern based political parties that they should not get involved in the politics of the hill country. Blasting TNA MP, Eelavanthan, Puthrasigamany said Eelavanthan's attempts to address meetings in the plantation sector and attempts to make Chandrasekaran a hero would lead to a souring of relations between the TNA and the plantation parties. "We have respected the northern parties and left them alone. In fact it is our late leader who suggested that the northeast must be given to the LTTE for five years without any condition. So we do not like to see northern politicians trying to do politics in the plantation sector. This would lead to unwanted problems," a vociferous Sigamany told The Sunday Leader in an interview.

Following are excerpts; 

By Wilson Gnanadass 

Q: There were various reports about CWC joining the United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government after the local polls. What is the actual position of the party?

A: We have not decided as yet. There is no immediate urgency to join the government. We will discuss later to find out whether there is a necessity to join the government. Anyway, the party has decided to authorise CWC leader Mr.Arumugam Thondaman to take a final decision. So we will wait to see what he has to say.

Q: The government is desperate to seek support from parties like yours to obtain the necessary majority in parliament. Why not support?

A: Well if there is any move to further the peace process and if the government wants us to support them we will. It does not mean we have to join the government. We can still extend our support while remaining in the opposition. But so far we have not decided whether we should join the government and it is up to the leader to do so.

Q: Are you hopeful that this government will survive until its full term is over?

A: Nobody can survive without a majority in parliament. This is why I feel the UPFA government should seek the support of the opposition. The country has burning issues. The UPFA remaining in power is one thing and solving the problems is another. The government must get together with other parties and solve the crises.

The government should first stop its confrontational politics and place before itself the national interest first for the sake of salvaging the sovereignty of the country. It should not try to victimise the opposition. If this continues the government will have problems. The witch hunt that is being carried out on the UNP MP Ravi Karunanayake must be stopped.

With this type of attitude it would be very difficult to survive. This would pave the way for the opposition to come together, thereby weakening the government. I think it is already happening.

Q: The President has said she has now decided to talk to the LTTE based on its ISGA proposals. The northern-based Tamil parties however are skeptical of the President's announcement. How does the CWC view her statement?

A: The President, as far as the plantations are concerned, has been helpful earlier. She also started the peace process earlier. I think the President is willing to solve the crisis but I also think she is not being allowed to do so by her constituent partners like the JVP.

If the JVP does not permit this to happen the question of her trying to solve the problem would be futile. True enough, we also see her shifting policies from time to time, but we have not had the time to discuss this with her. I believe even if the President wants to solve the problem, the JVP would not like it and would continue to be a stumbling block.

Q: What is the Congress' position with regard to the resumption of talks based on the ISGA as demanded by the LTTE?

A: You see, our late leader Hon. Thondaman was first to propose an interim self government to the LTTE while in the cabinet. He said there should not be any condition and that the north east should be given to the LTTE for five years. Going on that basis we give our fullest support to the ISGA.

If this is going to solve the problem then I do not see any reason why the entire country should not support it. Interim self government would be run by the LTTE and in the meantime the government will have certain control on certain vital issues that affects the national interest. I think this must be allowed to take place soon.

Q: The Congress has always been a force to reckon with to bulldoze its way through to get into the government somehow. But this time it has failed. How do you feel about it?

A: It is not a question of failure. We have our support and even today we can join the government and get the portfolios. But our position is not to join the government and get portfolios but to address some of the issues before us, which need urgent focus. For instance the setting up of the constitutional assembly, the electoral reforms, the Kotmale Project and the jobs for workers are issues still unresolved. These must be addressed first.

We are objecting to the concept of forming a constitutional assembly because firstly, the government has no majority to do this and also the constituent assembly is not going to solve the burning problems of the country. So why should we go in for these constitutional reforms if they are not going to solve the problems?

The problem is with the LTTE and the LTTE is not going to sit in the constituent assembly. Then what is the use of having this constituent assembly? We are also against the abolition of the executive presidency. We will like to have an elected president and not a person with executive powers who will not be elected by the Tamils.

Q: Has the UPFA government been able to deliver the goods to the plantation workers during the past three months in office?

A: They did not have any programme other than to continue the programme our leader Thondaman initiated. The government should also tell us what they are going to do for the plantation sector. I also don't expect them to act so fast within a short period. The other thing is, there is nobody who could advise about plantation issues in the government. So this is a weakness of the present government.

Q: What are the major problems faced by the workers and what is expected from the government?

A: The rising prices of essential items is causing a huge crisis in the plantation sector. Then the malnutrition, infant and maternal mortality was highest in Nuwara Eliya and now it is Badulla. The income of the workers is very low and there have been no jobs created for plantation workers for many years. The youth are without jobs. The plantation industry does not create new jobs. So it is up to the government to find ways to provide employment for the jobless youth in these areas.

Q: Recently you came out strongly opposing the involvement of some of the northern based political parties in the plantation sector. Why do you reject them?

A: Basically, CWC is in a very strong position politically in the hill country. We consider the LTTE as the strong party in the northeast. We have made this point very clear. Our late leader even wanted to give northeast to LTTE for five years.

Our Leader, Arumugam Thondaman was very clear when he said the Congress should stay away from the peace talks, as this would dilute the burning issues to be discussed. Mr. Arumugam Thondaman has given so much of consideration to the northeast issues. He felt the northeast issues must be ironed out before the plight of the plantation workers' is addressed.

So this is the understanding we have. It is clear that he has told the world that the northeast issues should be solved first. But now some of the TNA MPs are addressing meetings in the plantation sector and this only means that our relationship is going to be strained with the TNA. But that does not mean they can walk into the vote bank of the CWC.

I further say in 1947, when the Citizenship Bill came up some of the northern politicians supported this. And the government went ahead and passed the bill. As a result we lost eight members who were in parliament. Our people lost citizenship rights and in the subsequent elections we could not contest. Now we have eight seats in parliament.

We are worried whether the TNA could weaken our positions by getting involved in our politics. As we have left them alone to their politics they too should leave us alone.

Q: What danger do you see by allowing these parties to get involved in the politics of the hill country?

A: This would weaken the position of the CWC and other up country political parties. The TNA is trying to support the Up Country People's Front led by Chandrasekaran and trying to call him the sole representative of the Tamils in the hill country. I think this could create a division among parties. TNA MP Eelavanthan has compared Pirapaharan to Chandrasekaran. I think Eelavanthan is talking through his hat.

Q: Do you feel the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) is trying to force its way through to capture power from the plantation sector as well?

A: Collectively I don't think the TNA is doing this. Eelavanthan is doing this and I am not sure he has sought permission from the LTTE to utter this nonsense. When I spoke to some other members of the TNA they said they are against their members going into the hill country.

Q: Do you intend making  representations to the LTTE?

A: Eelavanthan's speech appeared in some of the Tamil media and the LTTE should know what type of action should be taken against a man who compares Pirapaharan with Chandrasekaran.

Q: What danger do you foresee as a result of this?

A: Supposing war erupts the plantation youth are going to either be drawn into the war or get harassed by the police on suspicion. And at this juncture it is not Chandrasekaran who will come to their rescue. But it is the CWC that has to move forward. So I think this must stop now right here.

Q: But the Up Country People's Front (UPF) led by P. Chandrasekaran has always been supportive of the TNA and in fact has gone to the extent of being in the forefront of the TNA's protests against the government while other plantation unions and parties stuck to their own policies?

A: His connection with the north and east or his survival is now in the hands of northeast parties. He takes instructions from northeast for his survival. This is also due to bankruptcy.

Q: Are you of the opinion the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) are the sole representatives of the Tamils in Sri Lanka that also includes the citizens of Indian origin?

A: No. People living under the CWC continue to consider CWC as their sole representative. They consider Thondaman as their saviour. The late Thondaman was a charismatic leader and in fact was also described as 'local Gandhi.' He, as a matter of fact, was instrumental in bringing the plantation workers out of their misery. And his grandson Arumugam is following this and the people have not only accepted his leadership but also have endorsed it.

So there are no qualms about this as far as the workers are concerned. Even other plantation leaders have led the workers in the path they should travel and we have never sought help from other political parties. We can stand independently.

Q: Then why were the citizenship rights for the plantation sector also included in the Thimpu talks?

A: This is a mistake that was made.