We must understand and act in changing world - Minister Vitharana

“When Sinhala only was going to be made the Official Language, the LSSP by saying “make Tamil also”, and trying to defend the Tamil people, suffered a lot.” It was amazing as to how a little matter of internal politics could lead to such consequences, said Science and Technology Minister Prof. Tissa Vitharana.

Professor Vitharana, was speaking as the Chief Guest at the launching of Domestic Politics and Diplomacy - a study of linkage of politics in Indo Sri Lanka Relations, of the late Professor Shelton Kodikara, held at the BMICH and organised by the Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies recently.

The Minister reminisced as to how G. G. Ponnambalam supported the proposal of the LSSP and the CP defended the rights of the Tamils on the Plantations to have the right to vote, while Chelvanayagam decided to oppose it.

“The problems that Professor Kodikara has covered in his publication titled Domestic Politics and Diplomacy, are essential for us to understand and act in this changing world in our relationships with our powerful neighbour”, he said.

He mentioned that he could come across the differences of opinion between India and Pakistan at the SEARO country meeting held for Science and Technology Ministers in Delhi recently where they couldn’t reach a final consensus and sign the document that they were supposed to sign, hence had to postpone the matter.

“Today seeking a political solution to the problem through the APRC is one of the realities that I have been forced to face along with my colleagues there.

The closeness of India is influencing the process itself and the key issue that remains to be settled is whether we have to have a federal solution which the parties representing the minorities would feel happy about as it will ensure adequate devolution of power, retention of powers etc. which are given as a part of an agreement.”, Prof. Vitharana said.

“During this very short visit of mine to India, one of the questions that I was asked about was Kachchetivu. I asked the gentleman who posed that question why that was being raised because the issue was that of fishermen.

The Indian fishermen were suffering and there was a feeling that gaining possession of the island of Kachchetivu would end that, as a refuge for these fishermen and reduce the dangers that they face thereby.

So I had to respond by saying that even fishermen in Sri Lanka have lost a large area of fishing as a result of the conflict. Therefore the resolution of this problem really needs a solution to our conflict.”

“All the people raised the issue of Kachchetivu for a variety of reasons which may be perceived in different ways by different people. So it is difficult to understand the complexities of the interactions and to work out solution, he said.

“The SAARC arrangement has become necessary as increasingly in the globalised world to emerge from the situation in which single countries cannot survive in a highly competitive globalised world.

We are faced with close proximity, geographical proximity, a common history and so many other things that would bind us. Therefore we need to working out the best type of political, economic and social alliances in the interest of our people, the Minister said.

We have the largest concentration of poor people in the world in South Asia. We have to find a way out for them, link our countries to catch the emerging ways of new technology and develop the way that countries like Korea has developed.

BCIS Chairman, Lakshman Jayakody, Professor Amal Jayawardena and Professor I. Siriwardena spoke at this event.