I have never been in politics for power: ex-Sri Lankan president Chandrika Kumaratunga

Chandrika Kumaratunga. File photo. Reuters

by Seema Guha  Mar 4, 2016
Chandrika Bandarnaike Kumaratunga, is much more than a former president and prime minister. She is the architect of the political arrangement which showed strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa the door. She may not be a minister or hold a party position, but remains the glue which holds together this government of national unity, headed by SLFP President Maithripala Sirisena and run by UNP Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe.

Kumaratunga was in Delhi for the Raisina Dialogue, and took a few minutes off her busy schedule to speak toFirstpost. Kumaratunga revealed for the first time that the slain LTTE leader Prabhakaran regretted not accepting the political package she had given to the Tamils while she was president. She was told about this by a expatriate Tamil professional who worked out of London and often traveled back home to Jaffna.

Prabhakaran is said to told this man, ``I regret I didn’t take it.’’ Kumaratunga’s offer was the most that any Sinhalese leader could have extended to the Tamils. She admits that today, the government is not in a position to offer what she had done at that time. Nor are the Tamils asking for it as they know that Sinahala chauvinism fanned during the Rajapaksa regime would never give as much.

Chandrika was the main mover in getting the ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party, (a party founded by her father) to join hands with the United National Party and to throw out President Mahinda Rajapaksa in the January 2015 presidential polls. Without her backing, Sirisena, a low key minister in Rajapaksa’s cabinet would never have been accepted by the majority of the SLFP. Her voice, not just as a former president but the daughter of two former prime ministers lent weight to the argument and led to the eventual defeat of the Rajapaksa.

Chandrika Bandarnaike Kumaratunga, is much more than a former president and prime minister. She is the architect of the political arrangement which showed strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa the door. She may not be a minister or hold a party position, but remains the glue which holds together this government of national unity, headed by SLFP President Maithripala Sirisena and run by UNP Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe.

Kumaratunga was in Delhi for the Raisina Dialogue, and took a few minutes off her busy schedule to speak toFirstpost. Kumaratunga revealed for the first time that the slain LTTE leader Prabhakaran regretted not accepting the political package she had given to the Tamils while she was president. She was told about this by a expatriate Tamil professional who worked out of London and often traveled back home to Jaffna.

Prabhakaran is said to told this man, ``I regret I didn’t take it.’’ Kumaratunga’s offer was the most that any Sinhalese leader could have extended to the Tamils. She admits that today, the government is not in a position to offer what she had done at that time. Nor are the Tamils asking for it as they know that Sinahala chauvinism fanned during the Rajapaksa regime would never give as much.

Chandrika was the main mover in getting the ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party, (a party founded by her father) to join hands with the United National Party and to throw out President Mahinda Rajapaksa in the January 2015 presidential polls. Without her backing, Sirisena, a low key minister in Rajapaksa’s cabinet would never have been accepted by the majority of the SLFP. Her voice, not just as a former president but the daughter of two former prime ministers lent weight to the argument and led to the eventual defeat of the Rajapaksa.

Are the people bitter ?

CK : Not bitter, but frightened. But not with me. I am certainly neither frightened nor bitter about myself

How do you see the future of the UNP and the SLFP? Two opposing parties came together to save the country from the Rajapaksa’s rule, but afterwards what happens?

CK : We will finish the full five year term. Next elections we shall see. Possibly contest as two parties and form the government again together

And your political future ?

CK : I am not greedy for power. I have done my bit for my country. I don't want to be pinned down. Me and my family have never been in politics for power. We have given and not taken. My foundations are my passion and I also involved with the Chair for National Unity and Reconciliation.