The country’s dismal, violation-ridden election campaign is drawing towards an inevitably disappointing climax. It’s easy to lapse into a state of simple depression regarding the caliber of candidates and the utter futility of exercising a democratic franchise in a deeply undemocratic country. To provide some respite from the frustrating futility of our current political system, this week The Sunday Leader sat down for a cup of tea with one of the few politicians in the country who has attempted to make policy, not giant cut-outs of himself, the heart of his campaign. Milinda Moragoda’s campaign for preferential votes in the Colombo District is based on his agenda for influencing the government. It’s a concise, readable and sensible document which provides a road map for a gradual return to normalcy in a nation brutalized by war. The lucidity of the document and relevance of the ideas presented is striking in an election which has been dominated not by issues but by mudslinging and posing. But is there really any space for principle in Sri Lankan politics?

Q: I haven’t noticed any cut-outs or posters featuring you image decorating Colombo. Are you planning a high-impact campaign at the last minute?

A: No, not at all. I made a decision not to use cut-outs and posters based on my experience in previous general elections. Of course there is an environmental aspect – polythene damages our urban environment – but engaging in a poster-based campaign means almost inevitably associating with the underworld. That may not seem an obvious point, but the reality is that poster boys and so on are often affiliated to local gangs. In my first election campaign a young man putting up my posters was shot and died. That made it crystal clear to me that a poster campaign was just not worth it. At that point in time I decided that all my future campaigns would be based purely on issues, door to door campaigning and grass roots level meetings.

Q: But do you think that an issue-based campaign can work in a political climate dominated by patronage?

A: I think people understand that we are entering a new era and that we need to reform our political culture. After 30 years of war the hearts and minds of this country’s people have been traumatised. As a result, respect for the law and for simple values has fallen. At every level of this society you find venality, violence and abuse. And what I am seeking to do through my policies is reverse this brutalization. I think many people understand that the need to return normalcy, the rule of law and basic morality to our society is the utmost priority at present, and therefore I am confident that my campaign can and will succeed.

Q: While you are asking people to vote for your policies, do you think you will be able to implement these policies? Some would question your success as Minister of Justice and Law Reform and claim that you preside over what has become a lawless country?

A: I admit that there are problems at every level of our judicial and legal system. However, I have been minister for hardly a year, and in that time we have taken a number of initiatives. For example, in looking at the number and nature of cases being heard we discovered that the majority of cases in our courts involved child abuse. We have, together with Save the Children, taken steps to establish special family courts, as normal court houses are not suitable environments for children, We have also established committees to look into the overcrowding of prisons, trial procedures, the issue of prisoners being held without charge, etc. And this is not merely talking shop. We publish the committees’ findings regularly and are working with them to effect change at every level of the justice system. After extensive consultation, for example, we have taken a decision to charge the 5,000 former LTTE cadre suspects currently being held in northern detention camps, which will allow us to end the state of emergency in the near future. This is just a brief outline of what we have achieved so far. However, I accept that the challenges are vast. This is a society where, after 30 years of brutal conflict, the value of life has been utterly degraded. Therefore, creating the values and mores that are the basis of a just society will take decades.

Q: While you may be committed to humanizing this society, do you find the government responsive to your ideas? This is, after all, a government which has shown little interest in repealing emergency law and which has made a concerted effort to muzzle the media?

A: There are many voices within the government. That is the key strength of our President – he is a great builder of coalitions. He put together one coalition to end the war, which encompassed Karuna on one hand and the JVP and Sarath Fonseka on the other. Now he is building another coalition to win the peace. Within this coalition there are a number of able individuals and there is certainly space for a voice that emphasizes the urgent need for a return to normalcy.

Q: Your manifesto is diverse. What issues will you put before parliament?

A: I think the priority for me is to end the polarization of our society. This is a society divided along class, caste, race, religion and party lines. I believe we need to get beyond this tribalism and move to a political system based on ideas. The level of patronage now prevalent in this society is simply unacceptable. To get a child into school you need a letter from a politician. Even to have a cess pit or a drain fixed you need political support. It’s an abysmal situation, and all political parties are to blame for the rise of this patronage culture. With this sort of system no one can have faith in the political process. My priority is to restore people’s faith in the system.

Q: In practical terms, however, how do you plan to change the political culture of the island?

A: In terms of bringing about real change in the country’s political culture, I have identified two key priorities. They are transparency and women. First, women, as the heart of the family, have the power to change the mindsets of people. It’s women who pay the highest price as a result of the breakdown and brutalization of our society. It is also women who, by working in the garment, tea, and migrant labour sectors, keep our economy afloat. By empowering women, and by working to ensure that at least 25 percent of our elected representatives are women, I believe we can bring issues related to the development of a value-based society to the forefront of the political agenda By transparency I mean essentially the introduction of a Right to Information Act, as has been done in India. Indian citizens have the right to request any piece of information from the government. They can ask for the assets of ministers and judges, and ask to see government tender documents. This information empowers the press, civil society and ordinary people and helps create a culture and a society not dominated by overly-powerful politicians.

Q: On a lighter note, you have in your manifesto pledged to uplift the standard of football in this country

A: While I was honorary consul for Brazil I saw the role football played in terms of social development. While we in Sri Lanka naturally focus on cricket, the country needs to develop more than one sport. Football, as the sport of the urban poor, has the power to bring about change at the grass roots level. In this country we have largely, as a result of ingrained elitism, chosen to concentrate on rugby at the expense of football. However, I believe we have more potential to excel in football than rugby. By supporting local football clubs I’m trying to provide local urban youth with an avenue for advancement and recreation beyond drugs, alcohol and gangs.

Q: Finally, is there anything you would like to express to our readers? Why, in short, should people vote for you?

A: Well, in a sense I don’t want people to vote for me; I want them to vote for my policies. I want them to vote for a Right to Information Act, for more representation for women and the end of the emergency. Ultimately, people should vote for a more open and accountable political system, and not for me as an individual.