By Siva Sivapragasam “I am the President of this country and the TNA has to talk to me. Otherwise new leaders will rise and I will have to deal with them,” says Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse. In an over two hour interview with Editor Ram of the “Hindu” newspaper, President Rajapakse spelt out some candid opinions on a variety of issues facing the country. Speaking about the 13th. Amemndment, he remarked that it was already in the Constitution and implementable except the Police powers. He promised to talk to all parties after the General elections were over to consider it’s full implementation. He wants the TNA to talk to him and that they have no other choice because “I am the President of the country and they must have a dialogue with me”. Referring to India, he stated that “India is my relation and other countries are my friends”.
My relationship with China and other countries is for develop- ment. On the Sarath Fonseka episode, he painted a dangerous picture had Fonseka won. “There would have been a blood bath with bodies everywhere and hous- es burning. Even Public servants had been threatened, Sarath Fonseka is kept in a comfortable flat with all amenities provided .Had he won, I may have been put in a cell in the Bogambara prison”, the President added. When Editor Ram asked him as to who should get credit for winning the war against the Tigers, Rajapakse does not mince his words. “By the way the people voted for me, they gave credit to me for winning the war. Who is remembered for building the Taj Mahal (Shahjehan, the Emperor)/ Not the mason or the Chief Engineer, he says.