Rajapakse won the lands, but AKD can win people’s hearts by returning them MP Mano Ganesan DPF Leader

•  Six political parties representing Tamil speaking people have come together and formed this platform
• I emphasise we are not going to achieve anything until we achieve the status of Sri Lankanism
• The credit for this communalism we are experiencing should go to peoples’ movement or ‘aragalaya’

“I want to see a Sri Lanka where each of us are treated as ‘Sri Lankans’ and that thinking being upheld in this country in the political, social, economic and cultural circles in the country. But it is not so”

Democratic Peoples’ Front (DPF) Leader MP Mano Ganesan in an interview with the Daily Mirror said that a few political parties who represent minority communities had formed ‘the platform’ recently with the aim of focusing more on their issues. According to Ganesan, they have three concerns which are issuance of land to the owners in the North, conducting Provincial council elections and making amendments to the Constitution.  He further said the situation in the country is better after the peoples’ movement was initiated in the year 2022 where people started treating each other as Sri Lankans sans racial segregation. The Parliamentarian also said that although other countries have made progress where a person from non-numerical communities can become a President, in Sri Lanka, there us an unwritten law that the President has to be a Sinhala Buddhist. 

Following are excerpts 

of the interview:

“Thanks to the Aragalaya, the concept of ‘Sri Lankans’ came about”- MP Mano Ganesan Democratic Peoples’ Front Leader  (Pics by Pradeep Dilrukshana)

QRecently 21 MPs representing minority communities formed an alliance called ‘The Platform’. 

What is the reason? 

You are correct one way, but incorrect in another other way. It is not an alliance, it is called a platform. Generally, alliance means a political entity. Indeed, it is a political entity, but it is not at all an electoral alliance. We call this “the platform”. There are six political parties representing Tamil speaking people namely Eelam Tamils from the northern east, Muslims and then Indian origin malaiyaha Tamils are coming together and forming this platform. We have also formed this platform to discuss ways and means to move forward and have a place and seek an undivided Sri Lanka in terms of equality, equity and having political and administrative power. 

QBy forming such a coalition don’t you think you are practising identity politics? And as a MP representing the Tamil community you have become part of the problem rather than finding a solution?

I don’t think so. Tamils face issues just being Tamils and so are Muslims. In fact the Sinhalese people face problems in the northern east. Being Sri Lankans won’t help us unless problems are solved. I am a proud Sri Lankan, but I want that to be open, concretely and systematically. Until such formalities are done, we must practise this. What we formed is a formality. As with people, I don’t agree with your terminology “identity politics” but in practice I am compelled to do so. I will think so until we reach the sentiment of being equally treated as ‘Sri Lankans’.

QIn your opinion have minority political parties achieved anything significant by forming coalitions in the past? 

Yes. It is a long process. We have been working and fighting and struggling through various successive governments in this country. I don’t believe in utopian sentiments. We can’t see results overnight and it is a long process. It has to be step by step. I emphasise we are not going to achieve anything until we achieve the status of Sri Lankanism. 

QDo you think Sri Lankas’ political culture has changed since 2022 after the people’s movement? 

Yes absolutely. The credit for this communalism we are experiencing should go to peoples’ movement or ‘aragalaya’. Since the ‘aragalaya’ did not have a certain leadership, this movement called the communalism that included Sinhala, Tamil, Muslim or Buddhist Hindu Islam or Catholic all went down underneath. Thanks to the Aragalaya, the concept of ‘Sri Lankans’ came about. Though the NPP government hijacked it and formed a government, SJB has failed to take 

advantage of it. 

QOnce you stated although you have all the credentials to be the President of this country, you won’t achieve that because you are a Tamil national. Do you still believe in this, or do you think the situation has changed?

The situation is changing. To your previous question on identity politics yes we need identity politics which helped Obama become the President of USA, Rishi Sunak get elected as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. There have been many times where non numerical majorities have had their candidates becoming Prime Minister in India. There are many other countries that have provided such examples. So far in Sri Lanka, either the President or Prime Minister has essentially been a Sinhala Buddhist. That happens because there is an unwritten law. People can easily comment saying that there is no such restriction. But truth is otherwise. When you find fault with us (Tamil people) saying that we are practising identity politics you must look at the other side of the coin too. It is the reaction to that. It is only the secondary action. I want to see a Sri Lanka where each of us are treated as ‘Sri Lankans’ and that thinking being upheld in this country in the political, social, economic and cultural circles in the country. But it is not so. Therefore, we (Tamil minority platform) are moving forward. 

QWhat is your opinion about the present government and have they kept up with their election promises or is there no difference between them and the previous regimes? 

This government came into power with a big bang. They were saying that they are different from many others. They have been in the system for a while, but they have not taken action to change the system yet. It is time to bring changes to the law and amend the constitution and bring in laws that unsure that all Sri Lankans are treated equally. 

The formation of our platform is logical because now we see that communalism has gone underneath. It’s like ashes under the fire. Before anyone misuses this to harm communal harmony and return to the old ways, we must use this as an opportunity to commence the constitutional process. Because the constitution is the fundamental law in any country and makes the minorities feel that they are part of this county. They should feel that they are part of the governance too. 

By forming the platform we have put forward three prioritised issues. First is constitutional process. During the previous government Ranil Wickremesinghe chaired the committee nominated by then Speaker Karu Jayasuriya. I was a member of the committee and so was the current President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. We started the process of drafting a new constitution. We couldn’t finish it and it became an unfinished mission. But we have published an interim report where each clause of that report was agreed upon by the President AKD, my self and all the others who were there. 

Prior to the Presidential Election, the President told me personally and assured the general public that he would start the constitutional process. But from where do we start? He too agreed that we do not need to redo the process again. It is already done and there is no need to waste resources and time again. We reminded the present government several times to start the process to seal the communalism and uphold Sri Lankanism. 

The second reason is that Provincial Council elections are long delayed. It was delayed by the governments which we were also a part. But since we are minority parties we could not convince the government to conduct the election on time. However AKD’s government came with a promise of changing the system. They ensured that they are different from others. They said they will conduct the elections within one year after assuming power. One year has already passed and no action has been taken. 

The third is the land issue. The war is over, therefore all the lands occupied must be handed over to the owners. During the war, the occupation of land was justified logically because of war which we clearly understand. The war is over and the LTTE is no more. Currently there are lands addressed by the Archaeology Department, Mahaveli Authority and Forest Department in various other names. All those lands should be released to the people. Yes, Rajapakse won the lands, but AKD can people’s hearts by returning them.  

I have also cautioned President AKD about Jaffna people rallying around him whenever he visits the North. Don’t get carried away by that. If you don’t deliver what you assured that sentiment will cease. He will lose their support. 

The government even assured the residents of the plantations that they will distribute uncultivated land, to the Malaiyaha community through their infamous Hatton Declaration. So, give that land to the people as promised. These people have sacrificed their lives for over 200 years. They have shed blood and tears. Today the regional plantation companies are more powerful than the times bygone. This is because the regional plantation bosses are alleged to be very close with the President. Therefore, they are randomly using the power vested in them against the poor 

residents of plantations. 

QWhy can’t you work on these requests while you are with the rest of the parties without separating yourselves?

We are very much a part of the opposition. We wanted to raise our issues so that it will be heard by the government in power. The Media did not reach us to hear our issues six months ago, but they have reached us now because we formed this platform. I don’t find fault with the other opposition parties. Other parties in the opposition have their own list of priorities. We cannot force them to focus on our issues. They support our stance regarding constitution, provincial council elections and land. 

QDo you mean to say that there is no conflict within the opposition? 

We are the opposition and opposition is not the sole property of somebody. But SJB being the largest party in the opposition can have the opinion. I and the others in the alliance are not members of the state. We contested elections and were elected to parliament. We have a clear MoU with SJB. That MoU prescribes our rights to act on our party policies. There is no problem between us and SJB as long as the MoU provisions allow us to work. 

QAt the last election there were a large number of voters representing the minority communities who voted for the ruling government. They even rejected some of your parties in the coalition platform. Why do you want to protest when voters from minority communities are not with you? 

At the 2024 September elections, the so-called minorities in the eight districts of the northern east and the southern outside northern east voted for the opposition candidate whom we proposed. They did not vote for AKD. Even AKD scored less than 50%. After becoming the President within 50 days, he conducted the Parliamentary Elections. Then the people went away. It is simply the wave of trend. Within those 50 days we did not do anything wrong, engage in illegal activity or any sort of unlawful activity. I remained the same person. But it is the wave and this wave is bound the change. The JVP was rejected by the people, but did they run away? They did not run, they came back. This is how a democracy works. There are 

ups and downs.