Douglas Devananda slams npc

Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) leader Douglas Devananda charged that the Northern Provincial Council had failed to deliver anything to the general public despite high hopes pinned on it by people at the elections. Mr. Devananda refuting the allegation about militarization of the north, called upon all those concerned to follow the example of South Africa’s iconic President Nelson Mandela. Excerpts of an interview with him;


Q: Nearly three months afte the setting  up of NPC how do you analyze its performance?
Not satisfactory. The Tamil National Alliance that controls the council could have done a better job. There is a saying that a person who is unable to dance finds fault with the floor. It is not able to solve problems. So it trots out flimsy excuses. It finds fault with the system.  It is not genuinely interested in addressing the issues. There are other PCs serving the people. In the north, the TNA could have done the same.  There was a good opportunity to be seized to serve the people in collaboration with the Governor and the government. The TNA could have done wonders.  




Q: During this period, did you, as a politician from the north, interact with Northern Chief Minister C.W. Wigneswaran and the council?
Mr. Wigneswaran did not participate in the District Co-ordinating Committee (DCC) meetings. He is the co-chair of it as the chief minister. I heard that a Provincial Minister had sought a meeting with the Kilinochchi District Secretary on the needs of the people. He had asked for a need based list to be submitted to the Chief Minister. Actually, the DCC meetings are meant to discuss such matters. This particular Minister Kurukularajah can discuss such matters at the DCC meeting if he participates. But, the TNA members continue to boycott DCC meetings in the north.  I am the co- chair of   other meetings. There are district and divisional co-ordinating committee meetings. Other than that, the TNA cannot call for meetings alone.




Q: You mean the TNA boycotts all the  meetings?
After the NPC was set up, it did not participate in the DCC meetings. Before that the TNA representatives attended DCC meetings chaired by me. Now they don’t.





Q: What is the reason for their boycott?
They are playing politics. It is a political trick.





Q: The TNA insists that the Governor should be removed. It sees the Governor as the main obstacle. What are your views?
The TNA does not want to solve problems. The TNA has often been like that and  Mr. Wigneswaran is the latest addition to the fold. If the government addresses one issue raised by the TNA today, it will come up with a new issue tomorrow. That way, it will drag things on.





Q: What is your view of the  the Northern Governor and the Chief Secretary?
They are doing a good job. I am happy with them. They really work well.  The TNA has no valid reason to reject them. If the Governor and the Chief Secretary are replaced, the TNA will find fault with the next appointees as well.

Now, the Canadian MP of Tamil origin Rathika Sitsabaiesan came here with a clear agenda to arouse the sentiments of people for her political advantage back in Canada. According to opinion polls in Canada, she is not likely to win the next election. Therefore, she came here with an  agenda. She claimed she was under house arrest. It was not true.





Q:  The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) will take up Sri Lanka’s case in March. Are you ready to campaign for Sri Lanka?
We have to work for the interests of the country and its people.





Q:  What is your view of the allegations of human rights violations, and disappearances   of persons during the war time?
There are serious doubts about the numbers given by LTTE and lobbyies. We have to verify them through a census. The LTTE lobbies have bloated these figures for their own advantage.  They gave distorted figures about the number of people   trapped in the Wanni region.





Q: But, the western leaders including British Prime Minister David Cameron said that there were legitimate allegations. How do you respond?
They make statements to suit their vested interests.





Q: There is also an allegation of militarization of the North. What is your view?
There is no militarization of the North. These allegations are false. May be, during the war time, it was there. After the war it has been relaxed.




 
Q: There are calls for an international inquiry. If this is done what will be the repercussion?
 This is our problem. We ourselves have to solve it. That is our long-standing position. When the Indo-Lanka Agreement was signed in 1987, the LTTE claimed it had lost 652 cadres in the war.  Had the LTTE used that opportunity in 1987, it could have averted the massive disaster to human lives and properties after that. People died from both sides. It was an unwanted disaster.





Q: Mr. Minister, I asked about the international inquiry and its possible impacts on the country’s future.
Then, we cannot bring about unity. The gap between the communities will be widened. We have to follow the example of South Africa’s   iconic President Nelson Mandela.  He was in prison for 27 years. Had he been revengeful of those who put him behind bars, the problem could never have been solved in that country.  By being revengeful, we cannot solve problems. Everyone should act accordingly to bring about peace and harmony.





Q: Apart from that, there was an internal killing in your party in the island areas of Jaffna.  Your party activist Kandasamy Kamalendran who is also the opposition leader of the Northern Provincial Council has been removed. What are your comments as the party leader?
The police inquiries were done. He was arrested. I have stripped him of all the party positions. As a democrat, I have done it. That is what I can do. Similar crimes have been committed by members of other parties as well.  It is not a crime that happened only within the Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP).





Q: As a member of the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC), how far has the process evolved?
We are going to invite proposals from the respective parties now.





Q: What do you think about the non-participation of the TNA in the process?
I also invited the TNA to the PSC. I tried amicable politics even with the TNA in  the NPC. The Provincial Council is considered by me as my baby.