Govt.'s double
Krishna makes one claim, Peiris another, President yet another; confusion confounded
When President Mahinda Rajapaksa chose to celebrate Thai Pongal, the widely observed Hindu harvest festival, it was one day too late.
The event was observed last Sunday by Hindus worldwide and with much gaiety in the neighbouring southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The next day, (Monday) when the event was fixed at 'Temple Trees,' it was Maattu Pongal or Cattle Pongal Day where Hindus pay reverence or thanksgiving to cattle. Bulls and cows are given a special prominence for ploughing fields or providing nourishing milk. They are washed, horns painted and covered with glittering metal tops. Tied around their necks are tinkling bells, coloured beads, sheaves of corn and garlands made of flowers. Respect to cows is shown by devotees bending down, touching their feet and thereafter the forehead.
It is more than likely that the event was fixed for Monday for another reason. Eighty year old Somanahili Mallaiah Krishna, the External Affairs Minister of India, was arriving that evening. After reaching the Bandaranaike International Airport on an Indian Air Force jet, he flew to Colombo on a Sri Lanka Air Force VIP helicopter. After a brief ' freshen up' at his suite at Taj Samudra, he was off to 'Temple Trees' accompanied by India's High Commissioner Ashok Kantha. He became the virtual 'guest of honour' at the Thai Pongal celebrations there. It was Krishna's counterpart, G.L. Peiris, who had invited him after arrival at the airport. Conspicuous by their absence at the event were parliamentarians of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA). They were not invited. Tamils of Indian origin outnumbered their local counterparts in what seemed a scene setter for Krishna.
As Rajapaksa mingled with his invitees, an Indian journalist asked him whether he was going to give any assurances to Krishna. "He will neither ask for such assurances nor will I give any," he said jokingly with his inimitable guffaw. Barely six hours later, the joke turned out to be just the opposite of what he said. Krishna did ask and Rajapaksa did give him an assurance. To put it in Krishna's own words, "The Government of Sri Lanka has on many occasions conveyed to us its commitment to move towards a political settlement based on the full implementation of the 13th Amendment to the Sri Lankan Constitution, and building on it, so as to achieve a meaningful devolution of powers. We look forward to an expeditious and constructive approach to the dialogue process. We believe that continuation of the dialogue between the Government and the TNA would pave the way for a political settlement, including under the rubric of the (proposed) Parliamentary Select Committee."
He made the remarks at a noon news briefing at the External Affairs Ministry (EAM). After a breakfast meeting with Rajapaksa the same morning, Krishna drove to the EAM for talks with his Sri Lankan counterpart, Peiris. A call on Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratne and a restricted meeting with Peiris and some of his aides preceded the formal talks attended by the two Ministers and ten aides from either side. The news briefing followed.
Krishna said, "I discussed this matter with His Excellency the President this morning. The President assured me that he stands by his commitment to pursuing the 13th Amendment plus approach."
A journalist asked, "Mr Krishna you said that at the discussion he expressed his commitment to pursue 13th Amendment plus. There has been speculation in the Sri Lankan media that there would be Indian input during your talks. What I would like to ask is whether any timeframe was discussed.
Krishna replied, "Well we did not discuss a timeframe. By the sheer nature of the complexity of the problem it would not be desirable for me to either suggest to the President or ask him about a timeframe. It was heartening to hear from the President himself that he is committed to the 13th Amendment to the Sri Lankan constitution and the process will automatically follow."
The next question was to Peiris. He was asked "Will the Sri Lankan External Affairs Minister elaborate?" He declared, "Well, as the Indian External Affairs Minister said, it is a process. It has been commenced. Issues have been identified, substantive discussions about those issues have commenced. I agree entirely with his comments. We have had many proposals that have been prepared and submitted to parliament. In some cases, what is required this time around is something different. The emphasis needs to be on implementation and that is what we all need to work towards."
Even if he is known as a linguistic acrobat, this time, Peiris appears to have outdone his Indian counterpart. In saying "I agree entirely with his (Krishna's) comments," Dr Peiris has unequivocally endorsed what Krishna said. He has not only acknowledged the need to implement the 13th Amendment to the Constitution "in full" but also to go beyond it with what is commonly. called "plus," a reference to a proposed Senate or a second chamber. The idea of such a body was first mooted by Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa, when he was a member of a three-member team that discussed bilateral issues with their counterparts alternatively in Colombo and New Delhi. The other members were Presidential Secretary Lalith Weeratunga and Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
What Krishna spoke at breakfast with Rajapaksa at 'Temple Trees,' and at the teak panelled office of Peiris at Republic Square later remained a secret until the former's assertions at the news conference. There is little doubt Krishna pulled off a major diplomatic feather in the cap for India in making an official pronouncement on Sri Lankan soil that President Rajapaksa had once again agreed to "the full implementation of the 13th Amendment to the Sri Lankan Constitution, and building on it, so as to achieve a meaningful devolution of powers…." That was within hours after talking to Rajapaksa. If he were to say it after his return to India, that could have been construed, as being misquoted. That was a sover- eign assurance from a sovereign head of state and head of government. It came after a pendulum like swing back and forth in government positions, first opposing provisions like limited police and land powers and later agreeing to consider them. If indeed the government explained to Krishna that some provisions in the 13th Amendment including police and land powers could not be given, there was no one in the government to explain it.
Krishna's declarations were made in the presence of Sri Lanka's External Affairs Ministerpeiris and his Ministry Secretary Karunatilleke Amunugama. For good measure, Peiris added, "we are confident the threshold which we have reached with regard to Indo-sri Lanka relations is not something fleeting, not something confined to a short period, but it is something which we are confident to nurture and safeguard. There are two things which strike me about his visit to us in November 2010 and his current visit. It is very significant; the range of issues he is dealing with in the course of brief, but exceedingly productive visit it straddles every aspect of public policy." That Krishna pulled off a diplomatic coup has won plaudits for him from Peiris who calls it an "exceedingly productive visit."
It will be recalled that after his official visit to New Delhi last year, Peiris issued a joint statement with the Government of India calling for "genuine reconciliation" in Sri Lanka, a reference that drew controversy.
Krishna was still on Sri Lankan soil on Thursday when a response of sorts to his remarks came from President Rajapaksa. He and Gampaha District UNP parliamentarian Karu Jayasuriya were signatories to the wedding of a talk show anchor on a private TV channel. The signing ceremony was held at the Seema Malaka of the Gangarama Temple that abuts the Beira Lake. Set on three linked platforms rising out of the lake, the novel structure was apparently inspired by the design of Sri Lankan forest monasteries such as those at Anuradhapura and Ritigala, which feature similar raised platforms linked by bridge like walkways.
For security reasons, only the close relatives of the bride and the groom were allowed into a room there. Rajapaksa who was locked in an informal conversation with Jayasuriya referred to his meeting with Krishna. He said he had agreed to enforce the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. The 'plus' was the creation of the Senate, a matter which Rajapaksa said was being looked at. He said that the question of Police powers (under the 13th Amendment) was an issue that would have to be determined by the proposed Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC). In other words, Rajapaksa has made clear that a "full implementation" of the 13th Amendment would not be made without recourse to the proposed PSC. Quite clearly this is different to what Krishna said at his news conference.
In terms of the 13th Amendment, the Sri Lanka Police shall be divided into - (a) the National Division (including Special Units); and (b) a Provincial Division for each province. The National Division shall consist of the IGP, DIGS, SSPS, ASPS and other ranks recruited at the national level. A Provincial Division shall consist of the DIG, SSP, SP and ASP, all seconded from the National Division and Provincial Assistant Superintendents of Police, Chief Inspectors, Inspectors, SubInspectors, Sergeants and Constables recruited in the Province. Members of the Provincial Division shall be eligible for promotion to the National Division.
To underscore his reluctance, Rajapaksa said even Minister Arumugam Thondaman, was opposed to the granting of Police powers to Provincial Councils. It goes without saying that land issue is an even more contentious matter.
The enforcement of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, a political weather cock, has been changing directions many a time. Just last month, President Rajapaksa told local media representatives during his monthly news conference at 'Temple Trees' that "if Police powers are given I will not be able to go to my village sometimes. Journalists will complain to me that they have been assaulted because they wrote something about a Chief Minister. There are good reasons not to give Police powers. Already 750 Tamils have been recruited to the Police. In the past they did not allow the Tamils to join the Police." (Political Commentary - the Sunday Times December 25, 2011).
Since then, official government spokesperson Keheliya