Power sharing: “Neither plus, nor minus” says Sri Lanka president

President Ranil Wickremesinghe who is seeking a mandate to lead the country again has declined to make any firm commitment to share power with the Tamil people, which was one of the root causes of the decades-long ethnic conflict and a long-standing demand of the Tamils.

“Neither plus nor minus” was his curt reply to Tamil journalists in Sri Lanka’s North adding no firm decision has been taken on power devolution.

Ranil Wickremesinghe visited the office of a popular Tamil daily ‘Uthayan’ in Jaffna as part of what is considered his pre-election tour trying to garner Tamil votes. During the meeting, Tamil journalist Dileep Amuthan asked him about his attempt to bring in a new constitution for the country when he was the Prime Minister in 2015 and now speaking about 13 minus.

“I did not speak about 13 minus, just said about what is in the constitution and what I am doing. Neither minus nor plus,” Ranil replied to him and the audience in the meeting.

The President maintained he speaks in Sinhala when visiting the North since he wants the Sinhala people to know what he tells in the north and added that his statements in English can be misinterpreted. Ranil Wickremesinghe stressed addressing the economic issues is his priority now.

“Give importance to what’s important. There are big economic issues in the country. We came to this situation only because of the economic issues. People look at economic problems in the first place. When I come here the youngsters ask me about development and employment opportunities. They don’t ask anything with me. Even yesterday all the youth whom I met asked the same question”.

The President interacted with local journalists after meeting the Chief Executive of ‘Uthayan’ newspaper and former MP E Saravanabavan, Chief Editor T Prabakaran, and other staff at the media outlet and answered queries raised by them, says the President’s Media Division.

Ranil who is contesting the September 21 Presidential election as an independent was in the North to inaugurate the “Jaffna-Killinochi water distribution” and the desalination plant at Thalaiyadi. He said the Jaffna water distribution project would start soon and a comprehensive solution to the water problem in the North could be solved through the Jaffna-Killinochi water project and the ‘Jaffna river’.

“There is a great opportunity for the Northern Province to develop, especially solar energy and wind power coming and agricultural modernization”.

Even as he made the comments about solar energy and wind power in the North, residents of Navatkadu village in the Batticaloa district have vowed to continue their protest until a solar power plant in Vavunathivu is shut down fully.

The President pointed out the country has to face an economic war now after the civil war ended 15 years ago. During his visit to the North, he also interacted with the youth and assured them the government had never forgotten their expectations.

In yet another meeting with educationalists, traders, entrepreneurs, and others in Jaffna, he said the economic grid had collapsed due to election promises and subsequent borrowings in the past to fulfil them, and a new way would be found to move forward with a new economic for the same and would not allow the same to happen policy and political culture.

As part of his meetings in the North, he also met the senior most Hindu prelate in the country His Holiness Sri Somasundara Gnanadesika Paramacharya Swamigal of the Nallai Adheenam, Jaffna Bishop Rev.Fr. Justin Gnanaprakasam, Chief of the Jaffna Naga Vihara Meegahajundare Siri Wimala Nayaka Thero.

During the interaction at the ‘Uthayan’ office he said he is “very, very worried about the situation” in the Middle East after Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated by Israel in Tehran.

“The state of Palestine and the state of Israel was recognized in 1948. But the state of Palestine hasn’t come into existence. So, that is what happened at the very beginning. Actually, Palestine was the original state. Out of Palestine, you carved Israel. So, Israel is there and Palestine isn’t".