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"The arrest of the former Secretary of the UNP Tissa Attanayake created a sensation recently. He was enlarged on surety bail of Rs 2 million, and his daughter Dulmini who was interviewed thereafter said that her father was unjustly treated by those in authority. She said that despite the presence of thieves, drug addicts and gangsters her father was the first to be remanded by the present regime."
My father was the former Secretary of the UNP, and no sooner the UNP won the election my father was taken into custody and jailed. I have a great respect for the Judiciary and hope that justice would prevail. After protecting the party leader over a long period this had been a great humiliation for him.
Q Have you ever met Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe? Yes, he was a family friend. I have met him on several occasions but not recently. He had wished me on my birthdays as well. Even my brother had met him. My Appachchi had been a tower of strength to the party leader during the times the party went through difficult times.
Q Didn’t you speak to the Prime Minister? It was pointless speaking to him after my Appachchi was remanded. I am happy that the Court had released him, and I have much faith in our Courts.
Q Did your Appachchi discuss with you about the last minute cross-over he made? My Appachchi continued to remain in the UNP with much heart burn. He was mentally upset about the way he was treated by colleagues. He had lot of patience, which I greatly admire. Despite these indifferences he made many sacrifices towards the development of the UNP. He strived hard to bring about peace and reconciliation, and he wanted to re-unite every one and bring back the party to power. My Appachchi will never leave the party even if he is expelled.
Q But your father left the party. No he did not leave the party. He always spoke of the party. He was chased out from the party, and was not allowed to work for the party. I saw how shaken up he was at the last stages. I do not wish to mention the names of those who were responsible for my father’s plight. They were very few and most others loved my father. These few obstructed him and stood in his way. So as there was no alternative Appachchi decided to support Mahinda Rajapaksa.
Q Had it ever occurred to you to discuss politics with your father? I am the eldest and whenever there was some issue of a crucial nature involving him, he had discussed it with me.
Q Have you ever advised him? I looked up to him as a leader who stood to serve the country. I express my sincere thanks to former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, he treated Appachchi well and gave a helping hand to overcome the mental agony he was faced with. He helped him get over the stress.
Q Is your Appachchi aiming to continue in politics? Yes. He had faced similar ups and downs in his political career. This is not the end of his political life. From the time I remember he was away from home attending to the needs of party members. He was very much attached to them and always served them. There was mud slinging, even by those who knew the truth. He was abused. Our house was attacked and we suffered a lot - these we faced bravely. My mother, brother and myself stood by him and gave him all the encouragement together, as a family.
Q What have you got to say to the youth of this country? Take lessons from those of the earlier generation. Emulate them. Begin to think about the country in a new way. Do not stoop to low levels by slinging mud at your opponents. If you think of entering politics always put the country first and be determined to serve the people. Politics had become a joke in our country, unlike in UK or US where politics play a dominant role in developing the lives of the citizens.
Q How long have you been abroad? About five years.
Q What have you got to say about the period your father was in prison. Only Mr Nimal Siripala De Silva spoke on behalf of my father. Mahindananda Aluthgamage and some opposition members too spoke in favour of him. I felt sorry about the party my father served for about 35 years. Some MPs of the present government Wijedasa Rajapakse and Sujeewa Senasinghe visited my father in jail. Many others who were close to my father did not even bother to visit him. My father did not amass wealth from being in politics. He strived hard to educate me and if he had wealth we would not have lived like this.
Q Do you mind in revealing your personal information - Where did you study? At Sirimavo Bandaranaike Vidyalaya, Colombo and afterwards at the Colombo British School. I did my degree in UK.
Q What was your subject of study? Finance.
Q Are you keen on going abroad again? No decision has been taken, and I am now unable to leave my Appachchi in this predicament and go abroad to continue my studies.
Q Have you any idea of coming into politics? I cannot answer that at present. My Appachchi never brought me towards the masses or the media. My brother is doing his A/L at Royal College Colombo. I was not selected to a foreign University just because my father was in politics. I applied and got selected.
Q Do you give prominence to present day fashions? Generally no, only when needed and to suit the occasions.
Q Do you patronise night clubs? No never go out anywhere without my parents permission.
Q How do you spend your free time? Reading and never miss watching news.
