Former Economic Reforms and Science and Technology Minister of the UNF, Milinda Moragoda is confident that the UNF will be back in office come April 2 "because at the end of the day people will recognise that the Prime Minister has laid the foundation for a lasting peace and a sound economy with a clear vision and a balanced and moderate approach." Moragoda states he worked on the basis of certain priorities and values "assisting the Prime Minister in the matter of obtaining international support for the peace process."
Milinda Moragoda

He told The Sunday Leader in an interview, "Never before has any previous government of Sri Lanka been able to muster such international support for any initiative to achieve peace in Sri Lanka."
Following are excerpts;
By Romesh Abeywickrema

Q: You came to the people two years ago with a unique agenda. What do you think you have managed to achieve in the past two years?

A: I worked on the basis of certain priorities and values. It is left to the people to judge me on my record as to whether I succeeded or not. My first priority was to support the Prime Minister in everything he undertook and high on his priorities was the peace process. We anticipated successes and setbacks - we said it would be a difficult road to traverse - a virtual minefield. I do believe we have achieved much despite the obstacles and all indications showed that it was likely that talks could be resumed after the break of almost one year, when the election was called.

I also assisted the Prime Minister in the matter of obtaining international support for the peace process. We succeeded even beyond our own expectations. Never before has any previous government of Sri Lanka been able to muster such international support for any initiative to achieve peace in Sri Lanka. Our efforts were crowned when we secured pledges amounting to US $ 4.5 billion at the Tokyo Donor Conference for the reconstruction and development of the whole country including the war-devastated north and east.

We also launched the E-Sri Lanka programme which is an unprecedented initiative supported by the World Bank and the international community with billions of rupees which is just in the process of taking off. When completed, this programme will integrate Sri Lanka and its rural areas into the global information and communication technology network. This will be the catalyst which will unleash the natural intelligence and talent of our youth and bring our nation to heights we may have never imagined.

Q: But what have you done for the ordinary people of this country?

A: I believe that all the work I outlined above, is for the benefit of the ordinary people of this country. However, at the grassroots level, I have initiated projects such as the Sahana Sevana Project which provides a better working environment and facilities for Grama Sevakas, and Visva Gnanawhich aims to give citizens access to information technology through the establishment of cyber kiosks. Wherever possible, these cyber kiosks and Grama Sevaka offices have been located in temples and other places of religious worship.

I have also initiated several other community-based projects such as 'Sanasilla,' whose aim is to rehabilitate and construct children's playgrounds in underprivileged areas, and 'Apeksha' which is an English teaching programme for the underprivileged which is run by volunteers. I have also initiated civil society based initiatives to help provide basic services, including sanitation services to the urban poor.

In addition, the Milinda Moragoda Institute for People's Empowerment has initiated a humanitarian de-mining project in the Northern Province. Two large areas of the Vavuniya District have been cleared of mines and over 100 families have resumed their livelihoods. Demining work in two further areas will commence in April. The institute also restored a school and a mosque for the people of the village where demining was undertaken.

Q: It has been mentioned that you wish to see a transformation of society. What exactly do you mean by that?

A: As you would appreciate, Sri Lankan society has today lost its social cohesiveness and moral foundations. Therefore, many of my projects seek to address this very critical issue wherever possible, by promoting community involvement as well as by helping to provide linkages between society and places of religious worship, whether they be the Buddhist temple, the Hindu kovil, the mosque or the church. All of us should have a frame of values to relate to. There is today a breakdown of social values, this must be arrested. If this issue is not addressed seriously, our society will never be able to heal its wounds.

Q: The President has criticised the peace process, do you think she was right to do so?

A: In a democracy, everyone is entitled to express their own opinion. One should hope that this right is exercised responsibly and with integrity, devoid of malice. Today, there is essentially no ideological difference between the two major parties. Hence, it appears that the focus has turned to personalities instead of substance, when it comes to peace and the economy.

Where you stand on an issue depends on where you are sitting at the time. All political parties have been guilty of this opportunism from time to time. It is important now for us to think in terms of establishing national policies in the critical areas, such as the peace process, education and health.

As for the peace process, the President herself would admit that when she commenced negotiations with the LTTE she did not have the structured approach that we have introduced. There is today a ceasefire agreement which is being monitored by an international group of monitors, there is a facilitator who makes arrangements for and is present at the talks, who assists with the preparation of the agenda and the follow-up; today we have a secretariat which provides the back-up for the talks, liaises with the ceasefire monitors, the military and the LTTE to ensure the effective implementation of the CFA. The secretariat has also been engaged in following up the decisions arrived at the talks. The secretariat also maintains a website to inform the world of the progress of the talks. As I stated earlier the government has marshaled international support for the peace process and obtained international support for the reconstruction of the country. None of this was there when the President negotiated with the LTTE.

Q: What is your view of the recent split in the LTTE?

A: It is part of our political culture to try to interfere wherever we see discord and division, but I believe that we should refrain from that type of instinct. Instead, we should carefully study the situation, take stock and act responsibly. The politics of the south over the last 50 years has relied on creating and instigating division, be it race, class, caste, religion or political affiliation, which accounts for the situation prevailing at the moment. I would therefore urge, that in this delicate situation that we act against what seems to be our natural impulse to manipulate.

Q: What are your views on the Buddhist clergy's entrance into active politics?

A: All of us need to place a mirror in front of us and ask ourselves as to why this actually happened. In our ancient past, if the ruler was wicked, corrupt or incompetent, it was not uncommon for the clergy to cause reforms to be made or in some cases even oust the ruler. In our traditions, this has been part of the many duties of the clergy. But throughout our history, the clergy never felt it necessary to do the ruler's job themselves. To me this is symptomatic of the depths into which our political culture has fallen, where even many of our spiritual leaders have lost hope in their ability to reform us and have come to the conclusion that they themselves need to step in to set things right.

There is little doubt that we as a society need to increase the attention we pay to our spiritual development, no matter which religion we may follow. We should seek to strengthen religious teaching in schools as well as seek to build strong links between spiritual leaders and society. In fact, the advisory council consisting of spiritual leaders of all religions proposed in the UNF policy statement is, I believe, a step in the right direction. We as a society need to be more sensitive to the religious belief of others and not seek the divisions in our society by demonising each other along religious lines.

Q: And what about the economy? People expected great things of the UNF government and they appear to have been let down, haven't they?

A: The country was virtually bankrupt when we took over in late 2001. That was only partly due to the war, and economic policy which caused us as a country to live beyond our means. The growth rate had come down to negative levels for the first time in our history. Today it stands at over 5%. This has been a difficult achievement which required many short term sacrifices for long-term gains. The Prime Minister without the absolute executive authority of the President was able to implement major changes to the economy. The economy which was contracting two years ago was moving into a high growth mode at the time parliament was dissolved. Had parliament not been dissolved the economy would have even been in a far better position than it was at the time of dissolution. We have, effectively, lost five months at a critical time for the country.

Q: There is a perception among some that your government is slavishly following the IMF, World Bank and the West in your policies?

A: In today's globalised world, there are very few options when it comes to economic development strategies. From China to Brazil, leaders have sought to integrate into the world economy while maintaining their respective values and cultural identity. If you look at India, Malaysia and Thailand, they have all managed to achieve this balance very well. Our Prime Minister's vision, too, is the same. We should have the self-confidence to accept the realities of the international economy, while ensuring that we enter it on our own terms with dignity. His vision is to make Sri Lanka the gateway to the Indian subcontinent, to become the Hong Kong of the South Asian region. The challenge here is to bring about the internationalisation of our economy while maintaining our identity and safeguarding our cultural values. Many Asian leaders have achieved this and this is what the Prime Minister is aiming to do. All of these leaders have incorporated the relationship with the IMF and the World Bank in their different ways to achieve their objectives.

Q: What are your thoughts on the Prime Minister's stewardship during the past two years?

A: I believe that the Prime Minister himself has tried to play a moderate and non-confrontational role, while seeking to build a social consensus bridging the divisions in our society so that we can take the critical decisions that lie ahead of us with a sense of unity and self-confidence. I think that he has set a standard for all of us and, you know, the international community understands that as well. One of the things that has made me very proud has been the way that for the first time in recent history, foreign leaders such as Prime Minister Vajpayee, President Bush, Prime Minister Blair and Prime Minister Koizumi have so warmly welcomed a Sri Lankan leader. In effect, by welcoming our Prime Minister, they are welcoming the Sri Lankan people. Now, wherever the Prime Minister goes in the world the Sri Lankan flag flies proudly. The Prime Minister has brought to bear a moderate, thoughtful and consistent leadership to the critical issues our nation is facing.

Q: But you came in on a ticket to change the political culture, how successful do you think you have been?

A: I think that there has been a shift in public opinion. I wouldn't put that down to me. In some ways it is because recent events have been so bizarre that people reacted angrily. That in itself indicates a certain change in people's attitude. To sack three ministers, to call an election when we were only two years into a six year administration and especially when the government enjoyed a majority in parliament is undemocratic. It is not a matter of the effect this has on a particular political party, it is about ignoring the democratic wishes of the people. The people wish to see the establishment of certain accepted norms. To change the political culture we would at the end of the day need a structural change and a change in our value systems- this can come only through education - both at school and university. We have to work at it.

Q: Your detractors accuse you of indulging in extensive overseas travel and spending a lot of your time abroad.

A: It is true that working on the peace process, canvassing for foreign aid and helping to build an international network to restructure our economy and ensure our national security has taken me away. The foundation for confidence and trust can only be established through face to face meetings. We had an urgent agenda to achieve to regain Sri Lanka which required an unprecedented level of international support. Sri Lanka as a small island state can develop only if we integrate into the international economy while, of course, maintaining our distinct cultural identity.

Q: What do you think the result of the election will be?

A: I don't have a crystal ball. However, what I have observed in the field is that the people have been much more questioning now than they were in previous elections. That is good because it shows that they will no longer just accept what the politician says. I would hope that they will give a large mandate to the UNP so that we can continue our programme and to deliver in concrete terms what it was we hoped to achieve for the country over a six year term. I would also hope that they would realise that to judge a government for just two years of work is unreasonable. Whatever the decision may be, however, we will abide by that.

Q: So, you think you are going to lose?

A: No. I think the UNP will win because at the end of the day the people will recognise that the Prime Minister has laid the foundation for a lasting peace and a sound economy with a clear vision and a balanced and moderate approach. As I talk to ordinary people from all walks of life, it is very evident that they are becoming increasingly intolerant and critical of the petty and opportunistic power games indulged in by politicians today. They are not interested in talmudic constitutional debates and legal arguments, or even as to who is in power and who is not.

The people of this country want their basic problems resolved. Problems such as jobs for our youth, a good education for our children, a good healthcare system, an efficient transport system, effective and impartial justice, law and order, and a lasting peace. They want to be able to look up to their political leaders, most of whom unfortunately have lost their credibility, and hence, most of us politicians have now the challenge to regain the respect of our people. It was the former Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, who said that what he wanted was not popularity, but the people's respect and we Sri Lankan politicians have a lot to learn from these wise words.