For efficient co-ordination:

Diplomatic service to be strengthened - Neomal Perera

By P. Krishnaswamy

Deputy External Affairs Minister Neomal Perera told the Sunday Observer in an interview that his Ministry is working round-the-clock in coordinating with the President's office, the Defence Ministry and other relevant ministries to keep our foreign missions informed of decisions taken in Colombo and to prove them with guidelines on how they should react to specific situations. The country already has very competent people in the foreign service but, as is the practice in any institution, the possibility of absorbing more accomplished career diplomats into the service is also under consideration, he said.

Being a former Deputy Minister of Fisheries, he also expressed his views on permanently resolving the cross-border issue of fishermen across the Palk Strait.

Excerpts of the interview:

Q: Are there moves underway in your Ministry to strengthen the foreign service with more talented and competent career diplomats in the wake of the current situation?

A: There is no question of lack of competence. The present situation calls for much more than competence. We are planning to improve coordinated efforts with the President's office, the Defence Ministry and other relevant ministries on deciding what our ambassadors should do and what they should say on specific occasions to counter any efforts to tarnish the image of the country. Accordingly we provide them the guidelines. The people in the foreign service are competent enough. But, however, we are trying to get better people into the service as any institution would do to improve its efficiency.

The country has emerged from a three-decade-long civil war after eliminating the most ruthless terrorist outfit. We are trying to introduce new systems in the light of the present day requirements. We are now working round-the-clock providing all necessary information to our foreign missions on the position of the President, the relevant ministries and security authorities on specific matters.

Q: The UN has now requested us to set up our own investigation into the purported war crimes and HR violations?

A: We set up the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) over one year and six months ago. The LLRC has been in the process of holding inquiries, investigations and recording statements of all interested and affected persons. The right approach for any institution, may it be international or local, is to intimate the LLRC of the complaints they have received so that the LLRC can act in an appropriate manner to ascertain the veracity of it and take suitable action. Those institutions should not take upon themselves the responsibility of conducting their own inquiries or investigations. They do not have the right to do so. Ours is a democratically-elected government, we have a competent judiciary and we can, on our own, ascertain the veracity of any complaints relating to our internal affairs. The LLRC has recorded evidence and statements from very prominent persons, including those who held high Government positions, those affected and those living abroad.

Q: Would you rule out influence of sections of the Tamil diaspora, who provided support and all assistance to the LTTE, in relation to the report of the UN Panel?

A: All comforts and influence which the particular groups of diaspora are enjoying overseas is at the expense and exploitation of the innocent Tamils of those countries. Many of them were smuggled into those countries by these diaspora groups for their own ends. They were able to enjoy all comforts, collect funds, procure weapons for the LTTE and extend other forms of support by the making migrant Tamils to work in sub-human conditions in unknown and far-away lands. Their ulterior motive is money and power. They exploit people of all communities irrespective of whether they are Sinhalese, Tamils or Muslims but outwardly say that they are championing the rights of the Tamils. So I would not rule out such possibilities.

Q: Some of the Western media also levelled various unfounded accusations on the Sri Lankan Government and the Armed Forces?

A: It is the normal function of the media to give publicity to any significant or sensational news or occurrences. It is up to us to ascertain whether they are true or deliberately fabricated to tarnish our image.

Again, the LLRC is engaged in this process. Many persons who gave evidence before the LLRC had accused the Government forces. It is upto the LLRC to decide on the veracity of such accusations. So the LLRC is the right authority to which such matters should be referred. If it is not referred to the LLRC but only seeks to get publicity, then we can assume that there is a mischievous motive. There is a justice system effectively in force in this country and even a convicted criminal has the right to appeal. So nothing is conclusive unless it is referred to the appropriate authorities for proper verification.

Q: We have been dealing with the most ruthless terrorist outfit in the world whose cadres mostly disguised as civilians and were capable of blowing themselves up to cause mayhem. Are the international organisations that are pointing an accusing finger at the Government aware of the true nature of the LTTE?

A: The international organisations measure the so-called freedom movements, many of which were found to be terrorist organisations, with a different yardstick than the democratically-elected Governments.

The UN Convention has a clause specifying the quantum of explosives and landmines that a' freedom movement' can use in its struggle against its undemocratic country. During the final stages of the war, and during the humanitarian operations launched by our forces on May 19, 2009, the LTTE used civilians as human shields. When the Security Forces made loud-speaker announcements telling the civilians to go away isolating the LTTE and they responded the LTTE slaughtered them point blank. The number of casualties in such attacks was very high. The forces were caught between the LTTE and the civilians. Had it not been for the timely humanitarian operation launched by the forces, the armed conflict would have continued for more years posing a security threat in the whole region. They were involved in the smuggling of humans, arms and drugs. Everything stopped abruptly after their defeat.

Q: Observers of international affairs have commented that the UN interest in safeguarding HR is not genuine?

A: Our country is also in the UN membership and the general understanding and principle is the safeguard of HR all over the world. As regards the report of the UN Panel, this is a matter that should have been entrusted to the LLRC for inquiries and investigations into, instead of being given publicity for publicity sake.

We are willing to investigate on any evidence that they may have but through the LLRC .

Q: Will the countries in the membership of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) give us a moral support?

A: Many of the NAM countries are also in the membership of the UN. They can support a just cause.

Q: The Indian small vehicles find a very good market in Sri Lanka while the signing of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) remains in abeyance. Your comments please?

A: India is a very good partner to do business with. When it comes to investments we promote Sri Lanka. Under the CEPA and the Free Trade Agreement, investments will come to Sri Lanka for them to produce and re-export . In my opinion we will benefit because there is a huge market in India while ours, for India, is very negligible. With more better terms at promoting trade balance, the CEPA should benefit our country immensely.

As regards small vehicles, India is exporting them not only to Sri Lanka but also to Europe, America and even Japan. India is manufacturing very good quality vehicles.

Q: You were Deputy Minister of Fisheries in the previous cabinet. Your views on permanently resolving the cross-border issue between the fishermen across the Palk Strait?

A: My personal opinion always is that we should promote sustainable development and sustainable resources. I believe in working very closely with the regional interests. Security is the first priority. It encompasses security of food, health, environment and the like. The protection of freedom of speech and the protection of the different communities and their cultures in the region should be the second priority. In the SAARC region we have a sustainable fisheries breeding ground. This should be protected.

The Mannar basin and the Palk Strait have fertile breeding grounds for countries in the whole region because fishes are migratory. So sustainability is important.

The South Indian bottom trawler fishing methods, nylon nets and other illegal fishing methods have contributed to the debilitation of fish stocks and breeding grounds. We have banned it.

This is a problem that has to be addressed very soon. The level of pollution in the fishing areas in the Indian ocean is comparatively very low and the fish are healthy and palatable.

So we have to protect it in the interests of our future generation. I am personally aware that some groups have carried out attacks on the fishermen of the two countries with the ulterior motive of causing tension between the two countries.

They are also destroying fishing nets and boats and letting loose other forms of violence. Mutually accusing without finding out what actually is happening will not serve any useful purpose. Satellites, radio facilities and modern communication facilities which are now available should be taken advantage of to identify those who are behind these and to keep track of the movement of the fishing vessels.

These communication and radio equipment cost very little, in the tune of about Indian Rs. 10,000 or less. There is no use making accusations without placing a system in place.

This is one issue, among others, that should be taken up for discussion with India. Fishing grounds in the region should be common to all but it is the question of destroying the breeding grounds and impairing the sustainability that have to be discussed and sorted out permanently.