An Interview with Champaka Ranawaka
2001
Q: What are the main issues your are presenting to the voters on your
election platform this year?
We are presenting five points to the people. Most important is the LTTE
issue. Since its developed so much militarily if we cannot defeat them now we
will never be able to defeat them. We have a golden opportunity now since the
international situation is favourable to us. We must make the best use of it. In
1983/87 India did not allow us to defeat the LTTE. Then in 1987 Sri Lanka did
not allow India to do it. In the nineties the West did not allow us. Now the
West, India and all are against the LTTE and we need to make the situation
better in the country to defeat the LTTE. But, the opposite is happening in our
country. We are emphasizing this strongly and we feel that even the internal
political struggle is inspired by the LTTE.
Other point is that we are warning against the growing trend of Islamic
fundamentalism. Census reports have shown that in 90 years time Sinhalese will
not be a majority. We need to watch out and isolate the extremists.
Unfortunately except from Sihala Urumaya all other parties are protecting these
elements. Then there is the economic crisis. This is not only due mismanagement
and corruption. Something like this happened in 1986 too. We have presented our
programme on national development, poverty alleviation with the best use of our
own resources, both natural and human for sustainable development. Sinhalese are
economically backward and we need to make them competitive. We also have a
social reforms commission to have a government based on dhamma and society and a
political culture based on principles rather than individualism.
Q: Are you satisfied on the progress Sihala Urumaya has made as a
political party so far?
Yes. Sinhalese never had an organized political party. We have done it. We
have shifted the political ideology towards the Sinhalese. We hope to shift it
further based on political power. We always propose consensus politics to unite
everybody.
Q: Are you confident that you could improve on your past performance?
Yes. We have targeted urban and semi-urban areas. We have already got the
support of middle class groups since they are the opinion makers and we could
reach out to many others too.
Q: What is your clash with the SLMC leader Rauf Hakeem?
In the fourties the Muslims leaders decided to go ahead with the Sinhala
leaders. Muslim leaders like Marcan Markar. So, the Muslims progressed very much
and the Tamil community fell as a community. Now, Rauf is trying to take the
Muslims down like the way Chelvanayagam and Amirthalingam did to the Tamils.
That is our problem with Rauf. People who are with Hakeem does not know that
they are playing with fire and even Rauf does not know that he is playing with
fire.
Q: Do you support the PA allegation that the UNP and the LTTE has a
secret pact?
LTTE has no permanent pact with anybody. They always take political
advantage. In 1994 LTTE liked the PA. It was evident during the 1999 elections
how the LTTE leaned towards the UNP. If the UNP becomes too powerful the LTTE
will attack them too. But, the UNP does not give a clear answer to the
following. 1) Will they lift the ban on the LTTE? 2) Will they implement a
cease-fire? 3) Will they accept the conditions of the Tamil National Alliance?
4) The composition of the interim council? Those are the questions.
Q: Sihala Urumaya’s recipe for peace?
Peace can be achieved only if the LTTE is defeated militarily.
source : sinhaya.com
