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| Sunday, 19 January 2003 |
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| News Business Features Editorial
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The business of peace Biz Buzz by IRIS & AVED Interesting findings of the public perception of war, peace and the peace process have been published by the Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA). The December 2002 report summarising the views and beliefs of people living in Jaffna, Nallur, Valikamam, Vadamarachchi and Thenmarachchi areas provide an useful insight into the minds of the people who matter most in influencing the direction of the LTTE, speeding up and making effective the peace process and ensuring that peace is durable. What are the pointers the people, the Government and the business community could use in their quest for peace? Over the past two months, people's dissatisfaction has changed to satisfaction over employment opportunities. However, people are still dissatisfied with humanitarian assistance and Government loan schemes. For over 60 per cent of the people, peace means 'ethnic harmony'. However, compared to October 2002, there is an increase in opinion that peace means "freedom" for the people. Over 61 per cent feel that all the ethnic communities can live together - an increase since October 2002. 62.5 per cent of the people believe that the Government is not committed to treating the return of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) as a priority in the peace process; 60.6 per cent believe that the LTTE is committed. Above all, an increasing number of people consider war as "death and destruction" while those who consider war as "a fight for rights" are decreasing. This is a positive trend. The business community supported by the Government should go beyond re-establishing trading operations in the North. There will be many manufacturing projects that can be located in the North to exploit the industrious nature of the people in that region, low infrastructure costs, close proximity to the South Indian market and the concessions under the Free Trade Agreement with India. To promote employment generating activities, the Government should step in to improve seaport and airport facilities, reconstruction of the A-9 road and other roads in the townships, provide electricity, water and sanitation to underdeveloped areas that are potential industrial zones. The resettlement of IDPs is a burning issue. A large number of houses has been destroyed by war. Many people have lost possession of their properties. The Government can establish, with Norwegian assistance, an office to invite applications from those who need to rebuild their homes or, regain possession or establish ownership title to land. It can use the latest inexpensive communications technology to access land registry databases and expedite the repossession and title clearance applications. Donor funds should be obtained, and such funds are sure to come, to give outright grants and soft loans to help repair or rebuild houses. This initiative will also revive the construction industry and create employment. As early as February 2002, Minister Rohitha Bogollagama who took a business delegation to Jaffna urged the then Vice Chairman of John Keells and also Aitken Spence to consider seriously property development in the North. Resettlement of IDPs in areas now designated as high security zones will have to be dealt with at the highest level of peace talks facilitated by Norway. A solution will take time to emerge. But the government can and should in the mean time offer those IDPs alternative preferably better land to construct their homes. Such assistance can significantly change the low perception people have of the government's good faith in the return of IDPs, vacating public buildings such as hospitals and schools should go hand in hand with other priority initiatives. The CPA survey results are surprisingly good when compared with the normal sentiments of people who have lost their homes, livelihood and access to basic facilities such as health care, electricity and water. It is an indication of the understanding and tolerance of the Tamil speaking people, their faith in rebuilding the much destroyed homeland and their willingness to forget the acrimonious past. The private sector, Chambers of Commerce and organisations such as the Sri Lanka First can contribute much to the employment creation, IDPs' resettlement and reconstruction efforts. Sri Lanka First launched an immensely successful campaign in the city of Colombo and also in other major towns to bring out the silent majority in favour of a negotiated settlement. This campaign should now be taken to the North and the East to demonstrate that the people in the South also believe in the ability of all communities to live together in harmony within an united Sri Lanka. The Chambers have already made several visits to Jaffna and forged links with the Jaffna Chamber of Commerce and the Yalpanam Chamber. The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce has organised with GTZ assistance a "Peace Caravan" to Jaffna later this week. These are laudable initiatives. Due to the poor state of roads the CCC delegation that was to travel by road is now reported to fly to Jaffna. However the Peace Caravan concept could remain. The World Bank Vice President Dr. Mieko Nishimizu and a delegation travelled to Jaffna last week and used the Vice President's one weeks tour of Sri Lanka to forge the WB involvement in the peace process. The Asian Development Bank Colombo office led by John Cooney is also involved in facilitating the projects to rebuild the war ravaged areas and their economy. It is now the time for the private sector in whom the multilateral agencies have much faith to closely interact with them and converge their efforts to rehabilitate the North and the East. Economic prosperity of these regions is the fundamental guarantee the peace initiative requires. The CPA brings out this message loud and clear. |
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