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| Sunday, 20 January 2002 |
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Northerners yearn for peace By E.Weerapperuma All eyes turned to the North and East on January 15th which, marked a new beginning in the lives of ordinary people living in the Vanni as consumer goods that were a luxury for years were finally rolling in. It was a moment of truth where life began to turn a full circle signalling the return to normalcy for these ordinary Tamil people yet under LTTE control. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe at his public appearance after assuming office said that his Government was very much keen in achieving peace and held the hand of friendship to all concerned to tread on a new path. He said that he wanted to treat everyone alike and promised that his government would lift the economic embargo imposed on the people of the North and East by January 15th with the hope of winning the confidence and goodwill of all. The United National Front Government led by the United National Party keeping its word let the gates open in the Vanni allowing people to move freely and gave them a new beginning with the lifting of the embargo that was in force for more than a decade. A group of journalists from Colombo were some of the first to visit the LTTE held areas in the Vanni passing through the Piramanalankulam check point. And we while in Vavuniya, witnessed his words coming true with vehicle loads of goods moving pass the barriers that were preventing them so long crossing sides. We also saw people crossing sides with ease. On Tuesday itself, around 600 people had come from uncleared areas to cleared areas and 170 had gone to the uncleared areas. As we entered the premises of the Vavuniya District Office, we saw three sheltered cubicles and when asked we were told that those cubicles were meant for people coming from the three districts to travel from there to their desired destinations."With the opening of the barriers this will not be necessary",the man who spoke to us said. The people living in Madhu and Mallawi, some of the uncleared areas in the Vanni appealed to both the government and the LTTE to allow them to run a normal life like anyone else in the South and said they were wanting to see the dawn of lasting peace. A teacher who served in Yogapuram Maha Vidyalaya staff while welcoming the removal of the economic embargo by the Government to clear the way for peace talks said this gesture on the part of the Government had given them much hope for the future. A female Advanced Level student at the Adamban Maha Vidyalaya was optimistic that the new UNF Government would give priority to the development of education. "There was no proper issuing of text books to us in the past. Although I did not have the necessary text books I was able to obtain excellent results at the G.C.E. Ordinary Level Examination. Students following science subjects in my school lack facilities. I hope the UNF government will help us overcome this problem", she said. Lifting of the embargo has cut the prices of essential goods by half the price these people used to pay earlier. They yet have to pay a high price for their travelling. " Now we are getting the goods to live a normal life. Prices of of essential goods have come down with the free flow of goods. Prices of push bicycles, kerosene have come down. At the moment we have to pay about Rs.150 to travel to Piramananlankulam to Mallawi and we hire a vehicle we have to pay about Rs.1000. We are sure that travel fares will also come down very soon. But what we mostly yearn is to see the dawn of peace which will make our lives happier and meaningful," some of the people who spoke to the media said. We were at Piramananlankulam, the final security check point in the state controlled area. There was the "no man's land which barred one crossing sides. The fence divided the areas coming under the control of government troops and of the rebels. In between we saw the Red Cross flag flying hither and thither inviting people on both sides to cross the boarders created by them and join hands to build a new country and move into a new world, where there is love, understanding and sharing. Minister of Interior John Amaratunga received by the District Secretary K. Ganesh inspected the goods and the vehicles and also saw to the smooth running of the affairs at the office where people were waiting anxiously to get their identity cards and pass ports. Ministers Dr. Jayalath Jayawardene, Gamini Jayawickrema Perera and Milinda Moragoda were present in different places in the North and East to see that this whole process was implemented without a hindrance. We waited with crossed fingers to see the LTTE Supremo's delegates come to meet us at the fence. And Sankar, Secretary to the LTTE's leader Prabhakaran came along with Suda Master, the media co-ordinator. They came with broad smiles and there was smiles every where you turned. Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) while commending the government's decision to remove the economic embargo imposed in the North, welcomed the honesty displayed by the new government of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. Addressing a media conference at Malawi, considered to be the capital of Eelam, S.P.Thamil Chelvam, the Head of the LTTE Political Wing told journalists that his organisation was pleased to witness the turn of events and the honesty displayed by the new government in its endeavour to bring peace back to the country. He also stressed the need to win the confidence of Tamil people to achieve a permanent and honourable peace and said that the solution to the present ethnic crisis could only be found to the extent of the commitment of the political leaders for peace. He did not hide the LTTE's real expectation. " We want the ban lifted", he said. He told the media that the unilateral cease-fire they declared was meant to hold talks with the government and said that if the government enters into dialogue with them they in turn would release some soldiers now in their custody. According to the LTTE at the moment they have 30 soldiers in their custody. He further said that his organisation was ready to open the Colombo-Kandy-Jaffna road if the Government and the Sri Lanka Army is willing to undertake the clearing of landmines. The LTTE while appreciating the systematic and well-planned strategy of the Wickremesinghe Government to engage in negotiations with the Norwegian Government as facilitators, pointed out that leaders of the South and the North should accept the blame for the mistakes of the past and the disruption of peace talks since 1994." What matters is that we learn from the mistakes of the past experiences and create peace. To do this it is imperative that we strengthen our mutual trust and confidence", he said. The Government declared cease-fire, a cessation of hostilities may go beyond January 24th, with the hope that the LTTE would follow suit enabling to have a common agreement in respect of a permanent cease-fire. The whole world is watching the movements of the two sides with the hope that the light at the end of the tunnel is not fake or charlatan. Prof. G.L.Peiris, Cabinet Spokesman : " We are now in the process of incorporating terms and conditions agreeable to both sides to arrive at a common agreement in respect of a permanent cease-fire." The history of Sri Lanka of the 21 century is just beginning to be written. |
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