Eastern Poll will uphold democracy, human values and freedom

Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle states in one of his last interviews:

In one of his last full-length interviews given to the media, Highways Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle said a grateful Eastern populace will hand over a resounding victory to the UPFA on May 10.

Expressing his views on the forthcoming Provincial Council elections in the East to the Asian Tribune, Minister Jeyeraj Fernandopulle stated that a Muslim or a Tamil should be the Chief Minister.

Recent local government election results clearly showed that the people are happy with the Government and with the Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal. They now control nine Local Government bodies.

They have a choice at the Provincial Council elections that is between the Government coalition or any other group contesting the elections. He added whatever is said and done, the people in the East will vote with the Government at the Provincial Council elections, because the people in the East know that they have to get lot of things done by the Government in their areas as it had been neglected for a long time.

Excerpts from the interview Minister Fernandopulle had with the Asian Tribune:

Q: On 10 March people in the Batticaloa district voted in nine Local Government bodies. Now the Government has come forward to hold the East Provincial Council elections. Your comment?

A: In the forthcoming Provincial Council People of the liberated East will come forward and vote in the election to uphold the democratic principles and values of democracy, human values and freedom. This is what our Government under the leadership Mahinda Rajapaksa wants by holding the provincial Council elections in the East.

It is up to the people of the East to decide and vote. The most popular party voted by the majority of the voters will run the Eastern province Provincial Council. I believe they have a choice between the ruling party, United People's Freedom Alliance or any other party contesting the elections. Whoever win in the elections, unmindful of the results of the forthcoming polls the Government would continue with its development programs which is already launched by the Government.

In case the people vote for the ruling party candidates, it would be easier for the Government to continue with the development programme already launched without any let or hindrance.

Even in case the people voted for the Opposition, our Government is not going to stop the development work that has been launched in the East especially in the Batticaloa and Trincomalee districts. But it will be easy for the Government to continue with its development works if the Government is in power in the East.

Q: What is in store after the Batticaloa Local Government elections .....?

A: Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle: The election results clearly predicted that the people are happy with the Government. People are happy with the Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal. After the elections to the local Government bodies in the east people have given the administrative control of nine Local Government bodies to the TMVP.

The results clearly show that the people in the district are happy with the Government and also happy with the TMVP. My view is that people will naturally vote with the Government.

Whatever is said and done, the people in the East will vote with the Government because the people in the East knowthat they have to get lot of things done by the Government in their area as it had been neglected for a long time. Areas such as Kokkoddicholai, Valaichchenai, part of Tirukkovil, were neglected for a long time and most of these areas were under LTTE control also for a very long time.

Also Sampur, Vakarai and other places earlier under the control of the LTTE, had been neglected and these areas have to be developed. That can only be done only if the Government wins in the elections and work smoothly with the people of the area..

Q: One more question. UNP after the recent Pradeshiya Sabha elections on 10 March, its leader Ranil Wickremasinghe, Secretary Tissa Attanayaka and other leaders staged a protest rally in front of the Elections Commission.

They shouted that there is an armed group in the region and as such, Provincial Council elections should not be held. But suddenly now they have decided to contest in the Eastern provincial council elections. Why was there a change of mind? Please comment on the sudden change of stance by the UNP.

A: That is the outcome of the pressure they received from the rank and file of there party. Some people think now that they could have easily won the Batticaloa Municipal Council. They think like that because the UNP got more votes from the Batticaloa Municipal area in the last Presidential election.

Therefore they think that Ranil has made a miserable mistake. A very big mistake. Suddenly they have realised that if they don't contest then they will be totally forgotten by the people in the Eastern province, for the next six years. I think that is the pressure Ranil received from the Party rank and file.

Q: Please tell us the chances of UNP winning any seats in the East Provincial Council elections?

A: They might win a couple of seats. There are UNPers in the Ampara area.

Q: In the 1989 elections which was held for the merged North East provincial council, UNP got only one seat from the East? At that time Late J.R.Jayewardene was the President.

A: Yes ... yes. But in Ampara they have got a little support and also they have a little amount of support in Batticaloa also. I think they will get a couple of seats.

Q: Your comment about Sri Lanka Muslim Congress chances?

A: I think they too have some support in the midst of a section of the Muslims in the Eastern province.

Q: Do you think that that the SLMC would join with the UNP ?

A: In fact, I feel that the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress leaders and members do not want to join with the UNP, but its leader Rauff Hakeem wants to join with the UNP. I think that the majority of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress members want to join with the United People Freedom Alliance and get things done for their areas.

The grassroots level people in the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress want their political organization to join with the Government and get the Eastern province developed. But unfortunately what its leader Rauff Hakeem wants is to join the UNP and support Ranil.

Today, Wickremesinghe is like a deflated car tyre. Whatever they may do, he cannot win in the race.

Q: Do you know the position of the Tamil National Alliance and the Members of Parliament representing that party. There is a rumour that TNA is trying to support UNP behind the scene ?

A: Yes for sure, TNA will be supporting the UNP. Because TNA and UNP both are supporting the LTTE. Therefore for sure the TNA would support the UNP. It is a public secret that UNP and TNA are supporters of the LTTE and as the TNA is not contesting in the election; the TNA would urge their supporters to vote for the UNP. Definitely that will happen. That is what Prabhakaran also wants.

Q: What is the position of the JVP?

A: I think that there is a chance for JVP to have one or two seats in the Ampara district. I think that they will get one or two seats on the whole of the East.

I don't agree that TMVP should be disarmed. If TMVP is disarmed then the LTTE will come and kill all the people. All the TMVP people. Definitely that will happen. In fact the UNP wanted to get that done.

In fact when I was speaking at the Galgamuwa public meeting, I said that people like Ranil Wickremesinghe who demands TMVP, in fact Pillaiyan should be disarmed are not clamouring that LTTE and Prabhakaran should be disarmed.

They are not asking that, but they are only asking that Prabhakaran's rival should be disarmed. When Prabhakaran's rival is disarmed then his rival Pillaiyan would be an easy target for Prabhakaran. I think that TMVP should have their arms for their self-defence until such time Prabhakaran is disarmed.

Q: Your comment about who should be made the chief minister?

A: I don't know. But my personal view is that a Tamil should be the Chief Minister. To clarify further my personal view is that either a Tamil or a Muslim should be the Chief Minister of the Eastern Province.