North faces devil's choice

● Voters give demonic titles to the main contestants

● Proliferation of drugs in the Northern coastal belt

● Amidst heavy opposition, Mangala reveals draft MCC agreement

● Sajith hits back at Ranil over remarks of continuing as Premier

J AFFNA – Thirty-five may be in the fray for the presidential election in this former war-torn northern peninsula but the voter interest is clearly between two – Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Sajith Premadasa. And funny enough, most refer to the duo by different demonic titles. Gotabaya Rajapaksa is Achchakkara Pei or frightening devil. Sajith Premadasa is Verukkira Pei, a hateful devil. The voters talk to each other about which devil is less ‘dangerous’ and better for them as President.

In many ways, in the peninsula, they are caught between the devil and the deep Palk Strait and Gulf of Mannar sea. Rajapaksa has won the dubious title not only for his controversial reputation in the past. This was particularly over the separatist war that he supervised to a conclusion. A serious flaw in his polls campaign here has revived the issues. Some highly controversial retired military officers who served here, now in his election campaign, have opened old wounds. It is in the families who bore the brunt of the war. So have some of the retired military officers who were placed in charge of civilian responsibilities in these areas. They were unpopular if not hated for their alleged role in these neck of the woods.

Many civilians I spoke with insisted that they should not be identified. They feared reprisals. One complained about a brutal murder of a family member who was reportedly a non-combatant. Others displayed physical wounds which left them incapacitated, or now healed and yet others blinded. A few cases are too gory to explain. Joining in were a sizeable section of state officers. Their complaint? A retired officer posted to a top position used his power of office to “threaten” and “intimidate” them to get jobs done. Now, they fear if Gotabaya Rajapaksa becomes President, there would be a repeat of a similar situation. In the absence of more SLPP local campaigners, what the retired officers said and did turned counterproductive. It was like unleashing a fox to campaign in a chicken coop.

Rajapaksa era achievements

There is a tragic irony in this. It was the Rajapaksa administration that developed the asphalt road network beyond Vavuniya to Kankesanthurai, the furthest northern end of this peninsula. It also developed the intricate road network within. In addition, that administration was responsible for introducing a new rail track from Vavuniya to Kankesanthrai. What remained until then was only a non-paved, rugged road with overgrown bushes and large craters. The Tiger guerrillas, during the war, had removed the rails and the sleepers to build bunkers.

With assistance from the Indian government, a more stable track to facilitate speedy travel was built. That these two measures contributed immensely for people in the north and south is to say it mildly. It was the main contributory factor for a new Jaffna. The railway stations in the south pale into insignificance compared to these nearly new stations in the north. For those in the south, it was like laying the paavada or a white cloth on the ground for guests to walk. They came in their hundreds from the south to an area denied to them for almost three decades with the ‘north-south’ bridge former President Rajapaksa built. And then, they restored democracy in the north by establishing the provincial council. The SLPP did not exploit that unique achievement that tremendously changed the lifestyles of residents here.

“After these achievements, the Rajapaksa regime forgot us. They did nothing for peace. We faced social evils like the growth in drug addiction and increased liquor consumption,” said Arul (not his real name). He said unemployment was on the rise. “Our educated youth have no jobs and are forced into menial work as labourers or waiters to earn a living,” he said. Adding to this were remarks by National Freedom Front (NFF) leader Wimal Weerawansa that a new government, after candidate Rajapaksa wins, would change the name of Jaffna International Airport.

Exacerbating this situation further is another extraordinary factor. In any part of the world, if there are newspapers with different publishers, one need hardly say, different views are expounded. In adopting an editorial policy, they are understandably conscious of the economic viability lest they go bankrupt. Amidst this, the three widely read Tamil newspapers here differ in their views on most issues. But, when it comes to the Rajapaksas they are united and opposed them, some virulently. They have created a moronic image.

These newspapers have, in recent weeks, reminded readers of what they describe as “atrocities caused earlier” and the pitfalls in voting for candidate Rajapaksa. This peculiar unity led security circles here to suspect a ‘hidden hand’ orchestrating the exercise. A senior security official said “we know it” but declined to elaborate. The SLPP appears to have failed to address these issues. Many I spoke with favoured the frightful devil Premadasa as a ‘lesser evil.’ However, there are those in support of his rival, the fearsome devil.

Nevertheless, there was kudos for Namal Rajapaksa MP who addressed professionals at a meeting just last week at Thinnai Hotel, located just two kilometres away from the 15th century much venerated Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil. He gave them a brief of the SLPP economic policies and took questions from the audience. Participants praised the way he handled the event with no controversial references. There were also comments to say he had the makings of a future leader. That the view came from Tamil professionals from different trades is noteworthy.

Candidate Rajapaksa’s meeting here Tuesday, amidst sporadic outbreak of rain, therefore, came in this backdrop. Busloads of Police Special Task Force (STF) personnel and plainclothesmen arrived here from Colombo. They formed a security cordon covering Rikka playground, just near the Jaffna District Secretariat. The venue was almost the size of Colombo’s Muttiah Park and belonged to the Bharath Community Centre. For security reasons Mahinda Rajapaksa made his speech and departed before the arrival of candidate Gotabaya.

Ahead of the meeting, two power brokers vying with each other, led their way to the venue. Eelam People Democratic Party (EPDP) leader Douglas Devananda stood before his supporters, who were carrying their small red and black flags. Similarly, Angajan Ramanathan led his backers with the maroon Pohottuwa flag. If candidate Gotabaya is campaigning to become president, the duo vied with each other to showcase their own support base. Police estimated the crowd at anything between 3,500 and 4,000 both inside a specially built white canopy and those outside. By Jaffna standards, that was good attendance.

The bustling city is growing rapidly infrastructure-wise. Broken buildings are repaired and only a few remain dilapidated. There is rising economic activity. The Pizza Hut is packed at nights with young people. The Food City and Cargills supermarkets are well stocked, surprisingly with more fruits and fresh vegetables than some of those in Colombo. Liquor shops are doing brisk business. BMWs, Mercedes Benzes and other luxury cars are parked outside hotels and in the town. Motorcyclists have replaced cyclists. More expatriates are visiting their relatives though the Sri Lanka Railways have done little to improve the very poor quality of service they render travellers. The next choice is luxury buses operated from Wellawatte by private operators. Women use bicycles and scooters to travel, perhaps more than in any other part of Sri Lanka. Motorists including motor cyclists, some without helmets, do not observe road rules and cause chaos on main streets.

In just ten years after troops militarily defeated the Tiger guerrillas, the change of face is remarkable and showing. When I visited the guerrilla held peninsula during the war, only walls of buildings damaged by artillery and mortar remained. Almost every wall had bullet holes. They are all gone. Rows of new buildings have sprung up. Television in hotels have 80 channels, most from Tamil Nadu compared to a handful earlier. They are clear on the screens whilst Colombo channels are somewhat distorted. Some receive through cable whilst others have antennae to catch telecasts from South Indian service providers.

If the war time troops brought this change of normalcy, there is something noteworthy. Even during peace times, the military has been playing a major role in civilian life after a vacuum left by those in power. They organise public events, essay competitions for schoolchildren and many other events. Their respective media outfits have been successful in projecting their role increasingly in the local media. This is proof that they are effective where politicians have failed.

Premadasa’s prospects

Now to Sajith Premadasa, the “Hateful Devil.” Fears about him among voters here stem from an unfounded issue that he would retaliate against the Tamils. This is in revenge for the murder of his father. Ranasinghe Premadasa was assassinated by Tiger guerrillas at a May Day rally (in 1993) bringing a violent end to his remarkable and sometimes controversial political career. Young Sajith took to politics thereafter since his father forbade him earlier. Premadasa will come here on November 8 and has the task of allaying fears in the Tamil community.

Other than a large support base for him, some voters are waiting for the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) to announce whom it would back. Five Tamil political parties, which put forward 13 political demands, met here on Tuesday but put off a decision till a later date. In the light of new political developments, it is not clear whether they would insist on their new demands or stay neutral. If they do extend support, the