We want snap polls in Sri Lanka: Mahinda Rajapaksa's son to WION

Former President of Sri Lanka, Mahinda Rajapaksa is on a comeback trail. His newly formed Sri Lanka People’s Party (SLPP) swept local polls over the weekend, decimating both the main parties of Colombo’s ruling coalition: the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) of President Maithripala Sirisena and the United National Party (UNP) of PM Ranil Wickremesinghe. WION spoke to Namal Rajapaksa, Member of Parliament and – Mr Rajapaksa’s son and political heir apparent.

Q: Namal Rajapaksa, your father the former President is as popular in Sri Lanka as he is controversial overseas. Your Sri Lanka People’s Party (SLPP) is relatively new. Did either of you foresee such a sweeping win of the local polls over this previous weekend?

A: Thank you. Yes, I think we were expecting a big victory. If you look at the way the government has been reacting to people’s demands over the past three years, it has always been from the government’s point of view, rather than actually delivering what people need. Of the total of 96 MPs of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) of the current President, 51 of us who split are seated in the opposition. Even though we are in the majority there, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) which has only 16 members, leads the opposition, the Janatha Vimukthi Perumuna (JVP) has only four seats but yet provides the chief organizer whip of the opposition. So the current government is simply not responsive to people’s demands and – this election result is a clear indication.

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Q: These local polls were essentially elections to your "pradeshiya sabhas", comparable to ‘panchayat’ elections in India. And yet, you are already calling for snap parliamentary polls…

A: The people’s verdict is very clear. The majority is not with the government. The government itself is in a crisis. Even though it calls itself a "unity government", you can’t see any unity within the government. You can’t run a country like this. The President represents a different party than that of the PM. They are not on the same page and can’t agree on anything the country needs. So, what’s the point? This government cannot last.

Q: Your SLPP won especially handsomely in Hambantota, the home constituency of all the Rajapaksas. Did it have anything to do with the equity-for-debt deal with China over the Hambantota port and the 99-year-lease on 15000 acres of farmland in the area for the Chinese to build a free trade zone?

A: Yes, of course, that port is a national asset. But there is more. One of the main reasons for our victory there are the government’s policies on agriculture and fisheries. Hambantota has a very strong agriculture base and it is badly affected by the government cutting down the fertilizer subsidy. And also by the fixed prices the government has introduced for paddy. The government is on the verge of privatising the fisheries industry of this country. But I must reiterate, it is not only in Hambantota that we won. We won all local councils even in Pollunaruwa, the district that the current President, Maithripala Sirisena, represents. That clearly shows how frustrated people are with his government.

Q: But what about the Tamils of Northern and Eastern Sri Lanka? That’s an extremely sensitive question. A bloody civil war was fought for almost thirty years. It ended during your father’s presidency. The outstanding question of maximum autonomy for the Tamils still remains unsolved. The Tamil National Alliance (TNA)'s local party ITAK, won the recent local polls. If snap polls are held and your SLPP does come to power, what will you do for the North?

A: The government has to go for a snap poll. That’s the only option now: a proper general election and the opportunity for the people to elect a strong government. As far as the North is concerned, please note : neither the SLFP, nor the UNP, nor the JVP nor even we, the UNPP, have so far been able to establish ourselves in the north as national political parties. So the only option in the north is to vote for TNA. Even though this government talks about reconciliation and unity, this govt hasn’t taken the north seriously. Instead, it’s still depending on the regional party. And is still depending on the regional ITAK. Look at the recent statements by the TNA leader, the Honourable Mr Sambandan and I say this with all due respect for his seniority and position. He categorically says that Tamil youth should not demand jobs and employment but should wait for a devolution package. Tamil people have been waiting for these opportunities for the last thirty years and now he wants them to wait for another thirty years!

Q: But will they have to wait much longer if your party, the SLPP wins a snap poll if one is held? What are your own plans for greater autonomy for the North and the East?

A: We need to come up with a solid development programme, over which both southern and northern Sri Lanka will agree. You can’t come up with a devolution package only for the north. There are more Tamils living in Colombo, there are more Tamils living in upcountry Sri Lanka (up-country equal to tea estates). You know, the issue has never been between Tamils and Sinhalese. Look at the businesses in Colombo and elsewhere in Sri Lanka. Most are controlled by Tamils. I am sure that they don’t all want to sell their businesses and live in Jaffna. That’s not going to happen. So it has to be something that is accepted by Tamils, Muslims and Sinhalese living in both the North and South. It is not about what Hon Sambandan wants, not about what Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) chief Prabhakaran wanted: that’s history. And yet, that’s what all these regional parties want. We have to have a holistic approach towards a solution and - the entire country has to accept it.

Q: Now give us a scoop before you go. Will your father Mahinda Rajapaksa be the next Prime Minister and your uncle, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa (former defence secretary) be the President after the next presidential election?

A: That’s a very difficult question. Of course, the candidate for PM will be my father, the former President, Mahinda Rajapaksa. And it is clearly evident from the majority votes that we have got at this election - it’s clear that people voted for him. The campaign was based on him, people voted for Mahinda Rajapaksa. But the presidential election is in 2020 and we haven’t decided yet. My uncle Gotabhaya has just arrived in Sri Lanka. When the media asked him about getting into parliament or doing politics, he said he hasn’t decided yet. So we’ll think about the next presidency when the time comes. For now, our main objective is to go for a snap parliamentary election and form a very strong government. One which wants to and will take this country forward.