TIME Asia | 'I Can Take a Lot of Risks'

	ASIA	FEBRUARY 9, 1998 VOL. 151 NO. 5
"I Can Take a Lot of Risks" President Kumaratunga on war, peace and solitude More than most presidents, Chandrika Kumaratunga, 52, is a captive of her office. She may rule her island country with a powerful parliamentary majority, but she is high on the hit list of Tamil separatists. She seldom leaves Temple Trees, her heavily guarded residence in Colombo. The daughter of two former Sri Lankan leaders met with TIME correspondents to share her insights on the country's past and her hopes for future peace. Excerpts from the interview: TIME: What are the reasons to celebrate 50 years of independence? KUMARATUNGA: There are many. We are celebrating independence from colonial rule and the possibility of deciding our own destinies. At the same time, we have to look back and see where we have gone wrong. People have begun to ask themselves whether we have actually succeeded in the nation-building exercise. What we should have built was a Sri Lankan identity within which we gave an important place to separate identities. But unfortunately that didn't happen. TIME: Why not? KUMARATUNGA: Most Sinhalese politicians hoped they could sweep the whole problem under the carpet and forget about it. There were people who did raise the issue, somewhat, for democracy in this country. Until one year before he came into government, my father was of the group that called for parity of status for the two languages. But finally he didn't feel strong enough to stand up to the chauvinistic call. TIME: Are you strong enough? KUMARATUNGA: Things have changed a lot since then. We didn't come into government on a "Sinhala only" call as that government did. We came in telling the people that there has to be [constitutional reform]. TIME: The Tamils now feel let down. KUMARATUNGA: That is understandable because they expected things to happen in a jiffy. I read that they were so hopeful that apparently in their marketplaces, everything they sold was called Chandrika-something. Chandrika bangles, Chandrika bracelets. There was a young boy selling plastic airplanes. He was playing with one and making noises, saying, "This is how Chandrika is going to come to Jaffna. Wooo. She is going to land here with peace for us." This is symbolic of how fast they thought the problem would be solved. Naturally they would be disappointed. TIME: You once called the war "unwinnable." KUMARATUNGA: I said it was a "no-win" war for both sides, but that was a long time ago, under the last government. They had no proposals for peace at all. They thought they could finish off the whole problem by killing all Tamils, militarily. But we changed that equation. We saw the Tamil people as different from the ltte. And then we offered the Tamil people what they have been asking for from the beginning, the assurance that they could live with justice and on equal footing with the majority. TIME: Were you optimistic when you began negotiating with the Tamil Tigers? KUMARATUNGA: To be truthful, yes. I thought there was a 10% to 15% chance for success, since for once there would be some Sinhala leaders in the central government showing them that we are willing to give in without asking for anything back. TIME: Can you trust the Tigers? KUMARATUNGA: I don't think I can ever trust the leadership again. But those young people who have been forced into their army can be convinced. TIME: How can you stop the war? KUMARATUNGA: Once the new constitution is in place, either the ltte agrees to work under that constitution or we have to continue the war. I believe that their people, once they are fully convinced, also will pressure them. They will get isolated, pushed to the side. At which point they may well feel they have to come to the negotiating table. TIME: Can you defeat the Tigers? KUMARATUNGA:If they refuse the hand of peace, we will have to defeat them militarily. They are not as strong as a lot of foreign journalists are convinced they are. TIME: Has the war had social costs? KUMARATUNGA: It's taken a very heavy toll, especially on the children. There is a lot of violence in our society. And now the violence is turning inward. We have the highest suicide and alcoholism rates in the world. TIME: Do you like being President? KUMARATUNGA: Kumaratunga: Yes and no. I enjoy the work. I enjoy seeing problems being solved. Of course I get frustrated and upset when they don't. And of course what I hate most is the lack of freedom. When I have time to daydream, I see myself walking without guards on the roads. Walking on the streets of London or Paris or Sri Lanka, just looking at things or walking with my two children. Those are my dreams at the moment. TIME: Have you done enough? KUMARATUNGA: I am satisfied with what this government has been able to do because we inherited such massive problems. I did not come here forever like most politicians. As soon as the major problems are solved, I say, "Bye-bye." That is why I can take a lot of risks.
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President Kumaratunga on war, peace and solitude

More than most presidents, Chandrika Kumaratunga, 52, is a captive of her office. She may rule her island country with a powerful parliamentary majority, but she is high on the hit list of Tamil separatists. She seldom leaves Temple Trees, her heavily guarded residence in Colombo. The daughter of two former Sri Lankan leaders met with TIME correspondents to share her insights on the country's past and her hopes for future peace. Excerpts from the interview:

TIME: What are the reasons to celebrate 50 years of independence?

KUMARATUNGA: There are many. We are celebrating independence from colonial rule and the possibility of deciding our own destinies. At the same time, we have to look back and see where we have gone wrong. People have begun to ask themselves whether we have actually succeeded in the nation-building exercise. What we should have built was a Sri Lankan identity within which we gave an important place to separate identities. But unfortunately that didn't happen.

TIME: Why not?

KUMARATUNGA: Most Sinhalese politicians hoped they could sweep the whole problem under the carpet and forget about it. There were people who did raise the issue, somewhat, for democracy in this country. Until one year before he came into government, my father was of the group that called for parity of status for the two languages. But finally he didn't feel strong enough to stand up to the chauvinistic call.

TIME: Are you strong enough?

KUMARATUNGA: Things have changed a lot since then. We didn't come into government on a "Sinhala only" call as that government did. We came in telling the people that there has to be [constitutional reform].

TIME: The Tamils now feel let down.

KUMARATUNGA: That is understandable because they expected things to happen in a jiffy. I read that they were so hopeful that apparently in their marketplaces, everything they sold was called Chandrika-something. Chandrika bangles, Chandrika bracelets. There was a young boy selling plastic airplanes. He was playing with one and making noises, saying, "This is how Chandrika is going to come to Jaffna. Wooo. She is going to land here with peace for us." This is symbolic of how fast they thought the problem would be solved. Naturally they would be disappointed.

TIME: You once called the war "unwinnable."

KUMARATUNGA: I said it was a "no-win" war for both sides, but that was a long time ago, under the last government. They had no proposals for peace at all. They thought they could finish off the whole problem by killing all Tamils, militarily. But we changed that equation. We saw the Tamil people as different from the ltte. And then we offered the Tamil people what they have been asking for from the beginning, the assurance that they could live with justice and on equal footing with the majority.

TIME: Were you optimistic when you began negotiating with the Tamil Tigers?

KUMARATUNGA: To be truthful, yes. I thought there was a 10% to 15% chance for success, since for once there would be some Sinhala leaders in the central government showing them that we are willing to give in without asking for anything back.

TIME: Can you trust the Tigers?

KUMARATUNGA: I don't think I can ever trust the leadership again. But those young people who have been forced into their army can be convinced.

TIME: How can you stop the war?

KUMARATUNGA: Once the new constitution is in place, either the ltte agrees to work under that constitution or we have to continue the war. I believe that their people, once they are fully convinced, also will pressure them. They will get isolated, pushed to the side. At which point they may well feel they have to come to the negotiating table.

TIME: Can you defeat the Tigers?

KUMARATUNGA:If they refuse the hand of peace, we will have to defeat them militarily. They are not as strong as a lot of foreign journalists are convinced they are.

TIME: Has the war had social costs?

KUMARATUNGA: It's taken a very heavy toll, especially on the children. There is a lot of violence in our society. And now the violence is turning inward. We have the highest suicide and alcoholism rates in the world.

TIME: Do you like being President?

KUMARATUNGA: Kumaratunga: Yes and no. I enjoy the work. I enjoy seeing problems being solved. Of course I get frustrated and upset when they don't. And of course what I hate most is the lack of freedom. When I have time to daydream, I see myself walking without guards on the roads. Walking on the streets of London or Paris or Sri Lanka, just looking at things or walking with my two children. Those are my dreams at the moment.

TIME: Have you done enough?

KUMARATUNGA: I am satisfied with what this government has been able to do because we inherited such massive problems. I did not come here forever like most politicians. As soon as the major problems are solved, I say, "Bye-bye." That is why I can take a lot of risks.