Endless support

By Dhaneshi YATAWARA

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The recent decision by the Government to rescue the trapped civilians in the Vanni uncleared areas due to Tiger hostilities is a brave step in the context of the crisis-riddled current global situation. The Government officials are unable to go in to these areas to help these innocent people to move out as the LTTE resistance to such humanitarian acts is very high.

Amidst all the chaos the Government has not given up its hope. Some of those foreign elements who do not have at least an iota of knowledge of the situation in our country, criticize and thunder allegations against, the efforts of these dedicated officials which are praise-worthy. The Government is not treating every Tamil civilian as a Tiger unlike the LTTE which treats every Sri Lankan as its enemy. It is the curse that the Tigers see their own brethren as their enemy.

If they try to implant this evil notion into the minds of their siblings, the generation which grew up in isolation, the future will be a real tragedy. If the entrapped civilians can arrive at the Government controlled areas they will not be lost. Government, together with the renowned International Non Governmental Organizations such as the UN agencies and the Sri Lanka Army has made arrangements to provide the necessary assistance to these innocent victims of LTTE brutality arriving for safety and above all dreaming a ray of hope for their distorted lives.

One would wonder where would be those so-called ‘Humanitarian agencies’ demanding protection of human rights all over the world? Aren’t these innocent Tamil people creatures of this planet? Why can’t they make their voice louder so that the Tigers can hear their grievances properly instead of the dull statements calling the attention of ‘concerned parties’? Does the Sri Lanka Army forcibly keep those people in the LTTE target spots?

How on earth are they supposed to do that when they themselves are unable to move in to the Tiger strongholds? At times it became rather difficult to understand as to how these international organizations are unable to grasp the mere fact that these are Tiger-held areas where no other activity can take place other than nourishing and watering terrorism? What liberation does the LTTE seek for their own people when they keep them forcibly under their jack root? What safety can they assure for these helpless victims when they are loosing heavily day by day?

Safety assured

Vavuniya, the immediate buffer zone for the Vanni region is ready with all the assistance to provide to these ill-fated people. The District Secretary has been given the necessary funds to carry out relief work immediately when the displaced people arrive. The Government together with the UNHCR and other renowned INGOs have made the necessary arrangements in Vavuniya with shelter material, medicine and stocks of essential food and non-food items to relocate the displaced people. The Sri Lanka Army is ready to provide security to them.

The reawakening

With immense gratitude to the Sri Lankan Security Forces let us keep in mind that the entire Mannar district is now under Government control.

UNDP assisted livelihood development programs.

The initial ground-clearing process is going on were under the supervision of Sri Lanka Army. Under the Jathika Saviya program operated by the Ministry of Nation Building and Estate Infrastructure the required heavy equipment to clear the land dotted with huge bunker lines fertile soil of the ‘Rice Bowl’ have already been handed over to the Army.

“The plans are already finalized to resettle people in the Musali area of Mannar,” Advisor and the former Secretary to the Ministry of Nation Building M.S. Jayasinghe said explaining the past and present development programs implemented in the Mannar area. The MNARECAP program that commenced in 2004 with funding and technical assistance from JICA has already been completed.

In March 2004 the agreement on MANRECAP program of between the Government of Sri Lanka and JICA the Japanese Technical Cooperation Agency were signed and Japanese experts were sent to commence its work in Mannar. By early 2008 the program finalized its development activities.

“Development projects will also be implemented of the entrapped victims as well after the liberation of the un-cleared areas,” Jayasinghe added.

In addition the Ceylon Electricity Board is providing electricity to many areas in Mannar with funds granted by the Asian Development Bank. The Gama Neguma and Maga Neguma programs are in progress in the area.

Under the Reawakening Project for Mannar the World Bank funds worth over 300 million rupees will he utilised for the reconstruction of the Giants tank along with the main irrigation network.

Unbroken support chain

“Our effort is to make the return of civilians more sustainable,” UN Development Program Senior Program Manager Wuria Karadaghy told us when we met him at a discussion held at the Ministry of Nation Building. UNDP has its transition recovery programs jointly sponsored with the Ministry of Nation Building. The UNDP provides the technical and management services. After the Ceasefire Agreement the UNDP has built 2300 permanent houses for returnees of Mannar, Kilinochchi, Vavuniya, Jaffna, Trincomalee - jointly assisted by the respective district Secretariat and UNHCR.

Housing is part of the integrated package for the returnees, Wuria said.

Along with its livelihood development programme for farmers, the fishermen, businessmen and even small scale entrepreneurs are provided - both financial and technical support as required. The main target is a sustainable livelihood development.

“When the hands of the people are strengthened, especially economically and socially, it has a very positive bearing on the stability of the country. I have witnessed this even in many other countries as well,” he added.

“Initially in a post-conflict situation the early recovery is essential. The people need quick impact projects,” he said further explaining their plans for resettlement in Musali area. “These programs will not be stopped hereafter. When more and more areas are liberated by the Government we are ready to continue these development programs with the assistance from the Government,” he noted.

A high Government official in constant coordination with INGOs, who preferred to remain annonimous, told the writer that one of the INGOs confirmed that they lost a number of good condition vehicles working in the uncleared areas - they do not know their whereabouts. Several INGOs engaged in development activities said they only conduct small scale development activities like repairing and reconstructing rural roads, rebuilding culverts, building community halls etc.

An international NGO with its massive financial and technical background has a greater scope of providing assistance to the communities. Instead, minor development works can be considered as a waste of money and time. On top of all this, in these uncleared areas how can one expect the NGO workers to carry on their work independently, when the terrorists are getting more and more frustrated with the defeats and setbacks they face everyday.

International concern

At the historic forum of the United Nations held on September, 09 the Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon reiterated that United Nations Member States must take practical steps to implement their commitments to promote and protect the rights of terrorist victims so that they can help create a global culture against the scourge of terror. It is because Sri Lanka was fully committed to the U.N. Principals that it will take the necessary steps to provide the necessary assistance and security for these victims of terrorism, who are trapped under the tight fist of the Tiger terrorist?

In this backdrop it is pertinen to quote the U.N. Secretary-General: “Still too often victims are registered only as numbers and not as human beings that bear witness to stories of immense injustice. Still too often we pay more attention to the voices of terrorists than those of their victims.”