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`But for the change, Lanka would have gone Argentina's way' -- UNP stalwart speaks out in a candid interview

Rasheeda Bhagat

A FORMER Speaker for seven years and a former Minister for Transport in the earlier UNP regime, Mr M.H. Mohamed is a stalwart in the United National Party who has been given a Cabinet rank and put in charge of Western Development in the Wickremesinghe Go vernment.

In an interview to Business Line at his home in Colombo, Mr Mohamed wondered at the wasteful expenditure by the previous regime of the People's Alliance. While the "grand palace" the Sri Lankan President, Ms Chandrika Kumaratunga, was building for hersel f at an enormous cost had "gone with the wind" (its construction has been stopped), he doubted if the new Speaker would occupy the opulent house built by her brother, Mr Anura Bandaranaike, the previous Speaker of the Sri Lankan Parliament. "If I were th e Speaker, I wouldn't live in that house."

Punctuating the interview with a lot of humour, Mr Mohamed recalled his friendship with the charismatic M.G. Ramachandran and said, "I distinctly remember the breakfast I had with him once. That was the first time in my life I was served idli with chicke n. But I must say it was a very good combination."

Commenting on the mandate of the people, Mr Mohamed observed drily, "Sri Lanka would have become another Argentina if no change had taken place. People were so angry with the economic mismanagement that they would have come out on the roads and massacred everybody."

He added that, initially, his party did not expect Ms Kumaratunga to invite the UNP, the single largest party, to form the Government. "We thought she would create problems for us. But she couldn't do that because the people were very angry and very voci ferous."

On whether there is any possibility of impeachment of the President if she did not co-operate on the peace process and revival of the economy, Mr Mohamed said, "She will go on her own; she will not be able to take the pressure and function. Many of her o wn people are against her."

Regretting that Ms Kumaratunga had brought this upon herself, he said, "It is very unfortunate because she is a very polite, pleasant and cultured lady; but unfortunately she has surrounded herself with all kinds of wrong people."

On his own responsibilities in developing the western provinces, including Colombo, Mr Mohamed said he would be appointing a high-level committee comprising businessmen, architects, engineers and other professionals. "This committee will have more than a n advisory role and our immediate priority for Colombo will be water and sewerage. I also plan to take the assistance of NGOs in development work."

As for the challenges before the country, he said, "The future is very bright and we can resolve most of our problems. Economic revival will take a little more time but India is our great neighbour and we need India's support on several fronts."

On how hopeful he was in taking the peace process forward and resolving the long-standing ethnic conflict in the country, Mr Mohamed said both sides had no choice but to talk. On past experience that it was difficult to negotiate with the Tigers and keep them within the negotiation process, he said, "Yes, that's true, but we have to make an effort. This time if they (LTTE) reject any reasonable peace proposals by us, I don't think the Tamils themselves will tolerate them any more."

The Muslims in Sri Lanka constitute 8.5 per cent of the population and in the last 20 years had played a meaningful role in the country's politics. "We are a strong but vigorous minority."

On their relationship with the Tamils, he said, "It is good, but it could be better. The Tamils are very nice people and an asset to our country and its development, its education and economy. We respect them. Muslims also have a very good relationship w ith the Sinhalese," he said.

On how soon the peace talks would begin, he said that as Mr Ranil Wickremesinghe had informed the Indian Prime Minister, he would soon be contacting Norway. "That will be the beginning."

On whether he envisaged the peace process to be a long drawn one, Mr Mohamed said, "Of course. There will be no short-cuts at all. But today I think the LTTE themselves realise that they can't continue in this manner for too long or else the Tamils will lose confidence in them. So there will be no other alternative for the LTTE except to fall in line and try to get the maximum possible from the Government and try to come to some kind of peaceful resolution to the problem."

Also, he added, once the talks begin successfully, "there is no reason why the existing ceasefire should not be extended".

On whether he expected co-operation from the People's Alliance in the peace process, the Minister said, "That's what they say, but we don't know what they will do. But, I do believe they have realised that this state of affairs can't go on forever. A jus t settlement to the problem will be to the advantage of all sides."

This could be gauged from the people's mandate for peace. "The people have suffered all kinds of hardship. In restricting the people's movement, the earlier regime was interfering with the democratic process and the people resented this very strongly. As promised during the campaign we have thrown open the roads and we also want to enable people to have a closer co-ordination with the north-east, while they wait for a proper settlement."On Kashmir, Mr Mohamed said, "It has to be resolved; India and Paki stan can't go on fighting like this. Today there is an established Government elected by the people of Kashmir, rightly or wrongly. That forum should be used and some bold and good steps taken to resolve this issue. Kashmir is a big problem and now there is danger of another war, which will be disastrous for Pakistan. If anything happens, America will go all out to finish the terrorists they are supporting."

Pic.: Mr M.H. Mohamed, Sri Lankan Minister for Western Development.