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W. T. J. S. Kaviratne - Ambalangoda special correspondent

When the volatile situation which prevailed for some time in Trincomalee subsided, a very successful endeavour was made recently, to bring together the civil society representatives of all three communities to the Trincomalee Kachcheri to discuss the commitments of the people of the district in promoting peace and prosperity.

Representatives of all three communities of Trincomalee district comprising civil society leaders, Muslim, Hindu religious dignitaries, principals, teachers, divisional secretaries, politicians and the police attended this conference.

All the representatives who attended this conference representing far away places in the Trincomalee district discussed on one common agenda of how to bring back peace and prosperity to the district affected both by the ethnic conflict and the tsunami disaster.

Natural harbour

The most striking feature of this conference was the congenial atmosphere that lasted throughout the conference devoid of the usual heated arguments even though it was comprised of representative of diverse ethnic groups. From the discussions it was evident that all the citizens of Trincomalee district, irrespective of ethnic diversity were proud of its resources.

All those who took part in the discussion, mentioned the exceptionally beautiful Trincomalee harbour which is considered as one of the three natural harbours in the world. Natural beauty, unique landscapes, undisturbed wildlife and numerous other attractions could be fruitfully exploited to develop tourism as a major income generating industry. In addition, a vast potential to develop agriculture was also available in the district, the participants pointed out.

The convenor of the conference, Director of Vipra Foundation, Anuradha Seneviratne in his inaugural address said the district was reputed as one of the few districts in Sri Lanka where all the three communities, Tamils, Muslims and the Sinhalese lived in peace and inter-ethnic harmony from time immemorial.

He said even though the district was rich in numerous resources, majority of the people in the district were economically living below the poverty line in the rural sector. Over the years, due to the conflict, large scale development programs could not be implemented in Trincomalee.

Despite the availability of a vast tourist potential little had been done by the authorities in promoting it as a popular tourist destination, mostly due to the adverse publicity given to Trincomalee during the two decades of war, he said. All the communities living in the district could agree on a workable common program promoting peace and prosperity.

He said that all the ethnic groups of the district if united as one, could find peaceful solutions to all the economic, social and political issues affecting the people. Five commitments had been identified from the communities living in the district to establish peace and prosperity.

Signatures

Leaflets in all three languages with having the five commitments were distributed among the participants and Vipra Foundation was planning to collect several thousands of signatures from the people living in the Trincomalee district endorsing the following commitments; (1) Participate fully in any development activity for the betterment of our society, (2) Work for a better future for all, (3) Seek peaceful solutions to all problems through discussions and consensus.

A Hindu priest Ven. Kovil Aiyar said that he was born in India and lived in Galle for 25 years mingling with the Sinhalese and the Muslim communities, and studied there till their family was forced to flee Galle during the height of communal riots in July 1983. As he lived in Galle he said he could not pay much attention on learning Tamil language, because he moved mostly with the Sinhalese and spoke Sinhala, he said.

During the communal riots he and his family members had to undergo many hardships, and finally decided to leave Galle for Trincomalee, he said.

Sri Lanka had reached its crossroads and all the politicians who were considered as the representatives of the people of the South, the West, the North or the East had to change their mindset and work with consensus forgetting all the differences in rebuilding the Sri Lankan nation which was gravely affected by the wrong attitudes of the politicians of the country from the time of independence, he said. Democratic political culture should be established.

All politicians of the country should treat the Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims and the others equally and not according to the race or by the religion, he said. In a country like Sri Lanka which was pluralistic in nature and comprised multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multi-cultural society, politicians should refrain from uttering irresponsible remarks which could ignite communalism, leading to adverse repercussions in the country, he further said.

Principal, Kuchchaveli Muslim School, Zeid Ahamed said that during tsunami the school buildings were damaged and a number of students died, but no action has been taken by the authorities to re-construct the school. Students were now in the habit of giving up their education and work with fishermen in the area because of extreme poverty.

It was very unfortunate that 'peace' in Sri Lanka was merely a word confined only to discussions and no effective measures were so far taken on the implementation of anything benefiting the war affected people in the North and the East, he said. Peace and prosperity go hand in hand and Trincomalee should be considered as a city of peace, he said.

Trauma

The principal of Jamaliya College, Trincomalee, Mustapa said more than 60% people living in Trincomalee district were under the poverty line and now they were suffering from the trauma caused both by the tsunami and the unfortunate incidents which disturbed the peace in the district in the recent past.

He said the majority of the communities in Muttur East were so poor that they could afford only one meal per day. Peace could prevail if there was development and avenues should be made available for each and every individual without discrimination, to have equal access to the it basic needs, he pointed out.

Principal of St. Mary's Girls College, Trincomalee, Rev. Sister Wasana said that poverty was rampant even in the urban limits of Trincomalee and some students get only one square meal a day according to her survey. Several welfare programmes had already been launched in the school assisting the students of low income groups, she said.

The recent incidents created fear and uncertainty not only in the minds of elders but even among the students. Mostly due to poverty and fear, majority of the students were suffering from trauma and many of them due to these reasons, behaved in an unruly manner, she explained.

Throughout the country everybody mentioned peace, but it has not been achieved yet, she said. Good values and morals should be inculcated in the minds of these children, and if all the principals of the Trincomalee district unite they could work out a plan to bring peace and prosperity to Trincomalee, she emphasised.

TNA MP for Trincomalee district Thurairatnam paying a tribute to the participants said those who were genuinely interested in regaining peace and prosperity in the Trincomalee district had gathered here as one family, forgetting all the past differences.

People belonging to all the three communities living in various parts of Trincomalee district yearned for peace and prosperity since gaining independence, but unfortunately, neither of these has been achieved so far he said. Some were waiting for peace and prosperity as a gift.

Those who talk about peace rarely tried to find reasonable solutions for the root causes of the conflict he said. The general public of this country and the international community were aware of the genuine grievances of the affected communities he said. Ceasefire agreement had been continuing for the last three and a half years but still the whole country was awaiting lasting peace.

A natural disaster in the guise of tsunami taught good lessons to the whole Sri Lankan nation, which helped change attitudes and mindsets of certain extremist groups. People belonging to all ethnic groups of the country forgetting all their differences must extend a helping hand towards the affected communities.

Even the members of the Police and Forces worked with the cooperation of LTTE in providing relief for the tsunami affected communities in the Trincomalee district, he said.

If Post Tsunami Operational Management Structure (P-TOMS) could be implemented it could pave the way for the continuation of the stalled peace negotiations, he said. In future peace discussions, priority should be given to the development of both tsunami and the war affected areas, he said. The members suffering from various forms of trauma as a result of 20 long years of war and the recent tsunami catastrophe in the affected areas were on the increase, he pointed out.

Message

It was very unfortunate that while one group of politicians was trying to hold peace negotiations, while another section was trying their best to sabotage it, he said.

Instigating one community against the other through demos, and making racist slogans could never help in confidence-building among the communities, and such strategies could never help the political parties coming to power in a country such as Sri Lanka having diversity of ethnic groups, he said.

Lasting peace among communities could be established only through political negotiations and peace in the North and East. He requested the participants to carry the message on the importance of reconciliation and the unity among communities as pre-requisites for a lasting peace and prosperity, to all communities.

The General Secretary of World View International and the Founder of Cey-Nor Arne Fjortoft who was a guest speaker said that he had been visiting Sri Lanka since 1967 and considered this country as his second home.

Beliefs

Reminiscing on the peaceful days, he said, even though he had visited many countries, in Europe, Asia and Africa he never came across a country so rich in diversity, with refined cultures, religious beliefs and peaceful and harmonious coexistence among communities. Trincomalee could be considered as one of the unique towns in Sri Lanka because of its richness in diversity.

It could be proud of its historical and cultural significance and due to the presence of all three communities widely spread throughout the district having a rich cultural diversity, he said.

Tolerance of cultural, religious and ethnic diversity was found in the Trincomalee district, and this was somewhat disturbing due to recent incidents, but the representatives who have gathered here today from all corners of the district and are seated together, proved that all are dedicated and united on seeking ways for peace and prosperity in the district, he said.

In order to assist tsunami affected small-time fishermen in the country under the 'Boat for life' project, he was able to donate around 1000 canoes and fishing gear in the South of Sri Lanka. For the benefit of fishermen in the Trincomalee district he had donated canoes for all three communities, he said.

He said Trincomalee was a district blessed with sufficient lands, natural resources and manpower to develop numerous industries based on fish, milk and minerals. The economy of the people of the district could be uplifted even by Tourism Industry for which there was a wider potential in the Trincomalee district, he said.

In order to keep abreast with the fast developing globalised world and in tune with the policies of the government he said he had envisaged an educational programme for tsunami affected school going children in the rural sector of Sri Lanka on Information and Communication Technology. (ICT) ICT Consultant to the Ministry of Education, Dilantha Vithanage said knowledge of ICT and English were essential tools to face the future challenges.

If the younger generation of the country was denied opportunities to learn ICT, the digital gap thus created could lead to numerous social and economic constraints, he said. Youth unrest caused by unemployment was the root cause for all the conflicts we were facing today in the country.

Politicians of the past and the policy makers to the Ministry of Education should be held responsible for designing an outdated system of education in the country for producing University Graduates who could not be absorbed either in the private or public sectors, he said.

Realising these shortcomings ICT had been introduced recently to schools as a subject, he further said.

Eight fully equipped ICT Training Centres for teachers had already been established countrywide and the Eastern Province ICT Training Centre was functioning in Trincomalee and those teachers who had been selected for training on ICT should make the maximum use out of it, he said.

Knowledge of ICT and English language could facilitate in resolving the unemployment problem, and all those who were keen on peace and prosperity should pay attention to teach both these subjects which are of equal importance to the younger generation, he further said.

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