Pressure on the Sri Lankan government from the international community led to the military releasing occupied Tamil land in the North-East, stated the chief minister of the Northern Province Justice C V Wigneswaran this week.
In an interview with the Sunday Observer, the chief minister dismissed remarks that the Sri Lankan military’s release of land earlier this month was a “gesture of goodwill”.
“The release of land recently is not a gesture of goodwill,” he said.
“It was the result of our continued engagement with the International actors and the pressure they brought on the government. If it was a gesture of goodwill it should have taken place within months of January 8 2015. Waiting for three years and giving a part of the land occupied is certainly not a gesture of goodwill.”
“The wrath of so called nationalist elements of the South which stem from wrong and false ideas instilled (pertaining to historical and social matters) into the minds of our Sinhala brethren from the time of Independence against the Tamils have had to be ignored by the government owing to International pressure.”
Justice Wigneswaran went on to state that “if the government was of a positive frame of mind, having come to power with our overwhelming support, they would have returned all lands as soon as they came to power and called back the Military”.
“But they did not do so,” he continued.
“In fact there had not been any war related violence since May 2009, nine years ago. The lands which should have been returned soon after the war or at least soon after we took office in 2013 are being released only now. You want us to consider the return of our lands to us after a nine –year delay as a positive sign.”
“It is my view that there is absolutely no reason for the Military to continue to reside in the North and East since there are no so called security concerns now,” he added.
Despite continued requests to the government for action on key Tamil demands, the chief minister said “nothing has happened”. “I dare say nothing will happen!” he remarked.
The chief minister was also critical of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), stating that “the inadequacy of performance by the TNA as well as dilution of basic political policy decisions by the TNA, especially, the ITAK” had resulted in “reservations” form voters in the recent local elections earlier this year.
“The path pursued by the (TNA) leadership is not a moderate path, said Justice Wigneswaran. “It is a path pandering to the politicians of other parties. Our basics have been lost sight of.”
“It is up to the (TNA) Leadership to look into the mirror and decide whether what I have been saying is right or wrong,” he commented.
“If we continue with the inadequate and watered down politics of the TNA Leadership the interests of the Tamil Community would certainly be affected negatively for all times.
See the full text of the interview here.