Sampanthan Calls For Devolution Of Powers & Human Rights Accountability
By Pitasanna Shanmugathas –August 5, 2016
Pitasanna Shanmugathas
In an exclusive interview I conducted with the leader of the opposition,Rajavarothiam Sampanthan, he discussed several grievances facing the Tamil speaking people and the prospect of constitutional reforms under the Sirisena government.
Mr. Sampanthan, in an attempt to counter opinion that there is no change under the new government, highlighted that under the Sirisena government there is a change in attitude and approach in contrast to the actions of the Rajapaksa government. Mr. Sampanthan asserted that under the Rajapaksa government, land was taken away, the white van culture was dominant, members of Parliament were assassinated, journalists were assassinated, independence of the judiciary was under attack, and overall the people did not feel free. Mr.Sampanthan asserted that viewpoints under the Sirisena government have changed but there are still many matters that must be attended to.
As it pertains to the issue of land occupied by the military, Mr.Samapanthan asserted that, “people in the East have received land that was released in Sampoor, and in Jaffna some land has been released but the process has been very slow.” Mr.Sampanthan claimed that one of the reasons the process is slow is due to “opposition being mounted by the Rajapaksa audience.” Mr. Sampanthan recalled that shortly after the end of the war he and his colleagues went to about 30 villages in the Vanni and prepared a report and gave the report to Rajapaksa and asked him to give the people housing. According to Mr.Sampanthan, Rajapaksa replied, “Where do I go for the money?” Mr.Sampanthan said that he told the Indian Prime Minster about the dire situation in the Vanni and the Indian government responded by providing 50,000 houses to the people in the North.
Upon being asked why it is taking so long to withdraw the military from predominantly Tamil populated areas, Mr. Sampanthan said that, “there are sections within the military and sections within the bureaucracy who do not quite agree with the thinking of the government” and thus they are trying to “obstruct and prevent the government” from carrying out its duties. In addition, Sampanthan asserted that there are people who carry out propaganda claiming that when the land is released to the Tamil people and the military is withdrawn the national security of the country will be in danger.
