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"No government will surrender to a terrorist leader"

Amit Baruah

Sri Lankan PresidentMahinda Rajapaksapulls no punches when speaking about the difficult situation in his country. Excerpts from an interview toThe Hindu:

— FILE PHOTO: Sriyantha Walpola

Mahinda Rajapaksa: "We believe in a political solution, not a military solution." — FILE PHOTO: Sriyantha Walpola

Have you issued instructions to your security forces to avoid excesses against civilians?

Yes, we have said that. In the Jaffna peninsula, food is taken by the Army and the Navy. They are guarding it; the food is distributed by the Army and the Navy. Do you know that on some days, Army rations have been distributed among the civilians?

Now, shops have opened [in Jaffna] — after the LTTE [Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam] had asked that all the 4,000 outlets close down. The Sri Lankan Army had opened some boutiques and distributed food. You must remember that they [the soldiers] are also human beings. They are not someone from somewhere else. No one knows that even the commander, who is in charge in the Jaffna peninsula, is a Tamilian. He's very concerned, he's from that area.

The LTTE wants to create an issue over this [food shortages]. The A 9 [highway] is open. Anybody can go from the Vanni side, from the south. There is no problem in Kilinochchi or Mullaithivu — the food items are going.

Recently, when there was a shortage of milk food for children, we airlifted milk food. Medicines are airlifted. So, the [armed] forces are doing what is possible.

Sometimes, we get complaints that there are excesses. The international community, NGOs or the LTTE accuse the Army or paramilitary groups of abduction. Now it has become a practice — some parents go and make complaints in the police station just to get refugee status in Western countries.

One day, when many MPs came and complained to me about abductions, we were really worried. A young girl had been abducted from Colombo itself and after two-three weeks we traced this girl and found she had eloped with her boyfriend.

What's your response to Velupillai Prabakaran's assertion in his "heroes day" speech that the ceasefire agreement is buried, defunct?

On his birthdays, he comes out with various statements. This is another statement on his birthday. Even last year, they said the fourth Eelam war would start — this would be the last war and we are going to take over Jaffna in a week's time or something like that. Boasting. But it didn't happen.

For me, he can say anything he wants. Our position is that we will go for a political solution. We believe in a political solution, not a military solution.

But would you agree with his categorisation of the ceasefire agreement?

He says it is defunct. So what can I do about it? I have said that we will not start an offensive against the LTTE.

Mr. Prabakaran has been very scathing about both the southern parties — your Sri Lanka Freedom Party and the United National Party. Is it because of the agreement the two parties signed to make progress on the ethnic issue?

In [the] Geneva [talks], he [read the LTTE] praised this. Now, he says this. He [Mr. Prabakaran] must realise that we are ready to talk to him, that weapons won't answer this, killings won't answer this.

He can kill some Presidents, presidential candidates, he tried to kill Chandrika Kumaratunga. But do you think any Government will surrender to a terrorist leader or terrorist organisation in this world? No government will do that.

And no government will ask me to surrender myself to a terrorist.

We see the example of Nepal — where a Maoist group is making peace. But it seems to me Mr. Prabakaran feels that he can't live like a peacetime leader. Is it possible you might give him some incentives to feel secure?

This is why I have asked him: come and talk to me. You are right, you have understood the problem because he can't face peace. He's a misfit there. What he must do is to realise this and try to change. We are ready to help him in that.

Does Mr. Prabakaran get inputs other than those from within his organisation?

This is the whole trouble. This is what some of his own leaders have mentioned. He's not getting any outside views since he's living in the jungle and depends on a few people around him like Pottu Aman or other military leaders.

Is the Government using Karuna and his group against the LTTE?

Why should I use them when I have an Army? Why should I use someone who has broken away from the LTTE? You think I don't know these people. How can I trust an LTTEr [person from the LTTE], who had been very active in the LTTE?

I don't think the Government wants to use him as any ... but if he's ... anybody can come and do politics. Now, you take Douglas Devananda, he was a fighter earlier. He's one person who has changed from military to democratic politics. Now he's a Minister, but the LTTE is after him. They want to kill him.

Most of the people who were against Prabakaran, he has killed. He has killed more Tamils than Sri Lankan Army [personnel].

How would you describe the military situation in Sri Lanka?

Whenever the LTTE attacks a village or a military position, we have reacted, retaliated. Other than that, our Army has not gone for any offensive acts. When the Sea Tigers put their boats and try to advance to some spot, the Air Force will go and attack. We have found military targets. We know where these camps are. When we are 100 per cent sure [of their location], we will go and attack. Otherwise we won't.

After Mr. Prabakaran spoke again of a separate state in his "heroes day" speech, your spokesman in Colombo made a reference to the role of Norway. What is Norway's role today?

That I must find out from Norway. I cannot understand their ... what they will come out with. We must thank Norway for trying to facilitate this peace process. They also have tried to settle this for so many years, but they have failed miserably.

What is the status of the devolution package that you have promised?

They [the panel of experts] are going to give me the first report in the middle of December. After that, we'll put that to the all-party committee and we'll continue with that.

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