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President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, in an interview with Nirupama Subramaniam which was published in yesterday's edition of the Hindu said that India could strengthen the hands of Sri Lanka's chosen facilitator, Norway, and try to persuade the LTTE to come for talks. The following are excerpts from the interview that the President Kumaratunga, gave to The Hindu. Nirupama Subramanian: What is the military situation in the Jaffna peninsula at the moment? Ms. Chandrika Kumaratunga: There has been strong fighting in the peninsula for over a month now. There are reversals and gains on both sides; but in the last 10 days, the military has been stabilising the situation. But the LTTE is dominating certain areas at the edges of the peninsula. Fierce fighting is on even at this moment, but with the new weaponry that we have been able to send to Jaffna in the last days, the military is gaining the upper hand. Do you think your troops will be able to retain Jaffna? I think so. We have many more men than the LTTE has. We have much more armament, we are better equipped as a whole but we (have) had some shortcomings in the overall strategy in the last few years. As you know, we gained many territories in the beginning. We still hold two-thirds of the peninsula strongly,but the LTTE is putting up a very determined fight. What we are worried about is the Jaffna population. They are pleading with us not to leave them at the mercies of the LTTE in case the Army has to withdraw, which does not seem a possibility at the moment. They fear they will be killed by the LTTE because they came into Government-controlled areas when we invited them, despite the LTTE forcibly trying to keep them back. We are very worried because we feel responsible, we are responsible for the people of Jaffna, as much as we are for the people in the rest of the country. What steps have you taken to protect the civilians in Jaffna from the fighting? We have not killed even by accident... But the LTTE seems to be wilfully bombarding civilian houses and areas. A few days ago, they had bombed an old people's home and orphanage, killing many old people and children. In a war like this, it is very difficult. Do you regard Government control of Jaffna as crucial to your efforts to find a lasting solution to the ethnic conflict? Normally, if one were not up against an inhumane, ruthless organisation like the LTTE, whether you hold some little part of the land of the country may not be important to arrive at a political solution. But the people of Jaffna, whom the LTTE is supposed to be liberating, do not want them there. We can't leave Jaffna just like that, we can't let down the people of Jaffna. That's one reason. Secondly, we are a sovereign Government and we are the Government of the entire country and its entire people, and Jaffna is an integral part of Sri Lanka, and no self-respecting Government will allow a bunch of terrorists who use murder and terror as their only weapon, to exercise their authority or their fiat over any part of the country. If you were to lose the peninsula, what would be the fallout, politically for you, and for the peace process in Sri Lanka? Politically, it is neither here nor there. But for the peace process we have begun, it could be very serious because the LTTE will establish de facto, if not de jure, a separate state. If the LTTE takes over Jaffna, when they have no more war to fight, they will use all their wherewithal to destabilise the plantation sector (which they have infiltrated)... they will kill politicians in the south, they will kill civilians, and probably, Mr. Prabhakaran will then not be satisfied with only Jaffna. Our assessment is that he would want to be king of Sri Lanka. Of course, he would be worse than Hitler and Idi Amin put together. But he probably would not end there, because one knows the mental make-up of megalomaniacs of his type. While destabilising Sri Lanka, he would also do all he could to destabilise the south of India. They already have the infrastructure in place. They have recruited many south Indians. Of the 100,000 Sri Lankan refugees living in south India, we know that a couple of thousand are acting as LTTE cadres. Do you think that the concerned State Governments in India have not been vigilant enough? I don't want to comment on foreign governments. I think they are aware of what is going on, but it is very difficult to control this sort of guerilla activity. There have been appeals to India from within and outside your Government for assistance. The Indian Government has said it could offer humanitarian assistance and also offered mediation if both sides are agreeable. But the Sri Lankan Government seems to be hesitant about accepting the offer. Humanitarian assistance is only in the event that the Government wants to evacuate soldiers and civilians. It hasn't reached that stage yet. And mediation, there is already a third party facilitating for 15 months. We can't suddenly drop Norway and pick up somebody else. But we are looking at the Indian offer in the background of Norway being our chief facilitator. We have indicated to India, whilst asking for some urgent military assistance which India had said they cannot give, that we are seriously looking at the possibility of a joint third-party effort at mediation with several countries, including India. You recently reiterated your commitment to talk to the LTTE... Our offer... is on the table. But the LTTE has consistently refused for several years. We have no conditions, they have. They want the military to withdraw from the peninsula, which is a bit of a joke. No self-respecting Government would accept that kind of a condition. Did you feel betrayed by the refusal of India to give military assistance to you? In politics, one does not feel betrayed by anything or anybody. Obviously, one asks hoping that the other party will say yes. If not, one would never ask... I have always said that India has a crucial role to play in South Asia... but I also understand the Indian Government's reticence. They very willingly came forward at one time during the UNP Government, and the Indian troops and the Government were so shabbily treated... and I think the Indian military and the superstructure as a whole feel very insulted and humiliated after that. And they will think twice before getting involved in a military situation. I can understand it, but at the same time, the people of Sri Lanka feel that as it was an Indian Government some time ago that supported the terrorists on their soil, gave them not just refuge, but arms and training so that they could come back and start the war... I suppose this is why Rajiv Gandhi felt obliged to correct the situation, but he was treated in such a shameful manner by the UNP Government. Are you concerned about the pro-Eelam statements being made by some leaders in Tamil Nadu? Yes, of course, we are because some of those leaders are members of the Central Government also. One of those leaders has denied making such a statement, but we have four witnesses who heard the speech and took it down word for word. Have you spoken to the Indian Prime Minister personally yet on the present situation in Sri Lanka? Not yet, but I hope to, soon. But I have been in touch with several high-ranking representatives of the Indian Government who have been carrying our messages to the Government and to the Prime Minister. What can India do for your Government? India can do many things. What it could do is strengthen the hands of our chosen facilitator, Norway, and try to persuade the LTTE to come for talks. Do you think India has that kind of influence over the LTTE? (Smiles) That's an obvious question. I think India has, could have a lot of influence over the LTTE, if they so wish... How one could persuade Prabhakaran I don't know, but I am an eternal optimist. I don't think history can be made to move according to the whims of one individual. There are so many other related forces, internal and external, that come in to change the course of history. So, I don't think Prabhakaran's personality alone can dictate the destiny of the Tamil people of Sri Lanka much longer. Many people are already very sick of his violence... All they want is a political-constitutional solution, which we will give. We are now reaching the last stages of discussions, we have come to consensual agreements with all parties except the UNP. The discussion with the UNP is going along successfully though they do tend to drag it along... But we are going to finish it soon, at which moment we will bring it to Parliament. The UNP holds the view that while on the one hand you seek their co-operation, on the other, you and members of your Government lose no opportunity to sling mud at them... I have never, since we started working with the UNP, slung mud at them. It is the UNP that has slung mud at me, the filth they have said about me from various platforms. I have never indulged in that sort of stuff, that's not the way my parents brought me up... Even the political criticism, we have kept it down a lot. I don't know of any of my Ministers doing this, except the Media Minister, who is the Government spokesperson and he was replying to the UNP's lies in newspapers that Jaffna had fallen. Do you believe that your political package is the final solution to the ethnic conflict? Do you think the LTTE will ever come on board your proposed solution? The political package offered by my Government is a major step in that direction. I doubt very much the LTTE will accept it, but the LTTE is only 5,000 people. The majority of the Tamil people in this country still have confidence that my Government has the political will, the courage and the determination to give them their rights so that they can live safely and as equal citizens. If the LTTE does not want peace and does not want to come into any negotiating process, I would say that the LTTE is acting totally in contravention, in opposition, to the wishes and dreams of the majority of the Sri Lankan Tamil people... I don't think any movement, however strong, could exist for very long without their main support base. But the LTTE does not want the Tamil people to get their rights, so that they can continue to oppress them and continue with their raison d'etre. The LTTE does not seem to be able to stop the momentum of violence they have started. You have closed down two newspapers, imposed draconian censorship laws on the press. What does the Government have to gain through this? Does it not contravene every norm of a functioning democracy? Hah! You call them newspapers! I call them filth-mongering news- sheets. This is not a normal democratic situation. At the time of war, we expect every citizen to be responsible, and it is the duty of the Government to stop anybody who is deemed irresponsible. If they are doing things to provoke racial violence, to cause demoralisation of the forces, which the Leader group of papers has consistently done, to demoralise an Army that is fighting, it is absolute treachery. They have been extremely irresponsible. They were warned several times and finally this decision had to be taken. I am sorry... but there was no other alternative. When do you think censorship can be lifted? As soon as we can, when the military situation in Jaffna becomes a little stable.
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