SFJ marks 16th anniversary:

Soldiers and Jaffna folk work in harmony

By Shanika SRIYANANDA

Young Krishnakumar Kajenthini, babies - Jegatheeswaran Apisha and Skandharasa Santhos will be among thousands of people of Jaffna who will pay gratitude to the soldiers as they are alive. Their gratitude to the soldiers knows no bounds for helping them to survive.

In every sphere of their lives, soldiers who made the country a peaceful nation for them to live without fear and bloodshed, are committed for over the last 15-years to serve the people.

The Palaly Army base was established in 1963 to prevent the illegitimate entry of foreign intruders to the island. It was gradually transformed to a Task Force which was subsequently elevated as the Security Forces Headquarters – Jaffna (SFJ) on 19th June 1996. Since its inception, the SFHQ-J rendered an exceptional service to the nation as the centre of command of the Northern military. Presently, this esteemed military establishment is giving its maximum contribution towards upgrading of Jaffna life through various welfare and development programs for civilians.

“Actively participating in the government’s efforts to develop the Northern province, the soldiers in Jaffna are on a mission to protect people while making them realise living together is the key to a unitary State free of terrorism, Commander Security Forces - Jaffna (SF-J) Maj. Gen. Mahinda Hathurusinghe said.

The SFJ, which marked its 16th Anniversary, is the premier government institution which holds tightly all ends in the peninsula strongly to make it a safer place for people to live. “ We are satisfied with the endeavour we have done for the last 16 years to facilitate people and solve their problems in their day-to-day lives”, he said.

The SFJ Commander said his soldiers were committed and soldiers play a major part in Jaffna. “ The relationship between the soldiers and the people of Jaffna is excellent and for every issue they run to the nearest camp to seek redress for their problems”, Maj. Gen. Hathurusinghe said.

In an interview with the Sunday Observer, he said the SFJ’s tentacles were everywhere and at every moment the soldiers are ready to protect them. “ We are serving people based on compassion. It is to foster peace among the people of Jaffna.

The conflict is over and we have been able to establish peace. In this direction there is a lot to be done for the process of conflict transformation. There is peace-making and peace-building.

We have already done the peace-keeping and now it’s the peace-making and peace-building. Peace making is what we build on what we have achieved”, he said.

According to the SFJ Chief, peace-making is basically with conflicting groups, where they are allowed to understand the conflict on why they fought and its futility.

“ Here you will bridge the conflicting parties and all segments of society- the clergy, people, intellectuals, schoolchildren and academics.

In the peace-building process which is the transformation process, bringing positive peace, where soldiers are involved. There are various tracks that run to achieve results and they are the civil society, academics, religious persons, the police, the judiciary”,he pointed out.

Maj. Gen. Hathurusinghe said in Jaffna, people belong to the two religions - Hinduism and Christianity- they live together in harmony. “ Basically, the message from all religions is the same.

They teach love, passion, how to treat people equally, give them the best what you could do, and make them happy in the way you could. Soldiers are in that process and the SFJ has understood the Army’s role in going according to those lines in peace-building and gaining trust among the people”, he said explaining the success story on SFJ’s brainchild - development committees set up to create a forum to solve the problems of the Jaffna people at village level.

“In this concept development committees are set up and every village is incorporated into the concept at Divisional, Brigade and Battalion levels. In each committee at village level it includes the village headman, Grama Seva Niladhari, respected people in the village, priest or the kurukkal, senior citizens, Advanced Level and university students.

This committee meets every fortnight and discusses problems and issues in the village”, the SFJ Commander, who gets calls from ordinary people about various grievances, said.

If the problems are solved at their level, the committee will handle but if the issues are complicated they will be brought to the SFJ, which in turn directs the relevant authorities to find solutions.

“ These development committees are powerful fora to solve the problems at village levels and it is the vehicle that we are using to go to the public. It is very effective and we discuss issues among each other and share their grievances, requirements and address them effectively. Because of the success of this system people trust us.

We have been able to give our best to them and people believe in what we are doing now”, he said.

Another effective tool that the SFJ used in its strategy to strengthen the bond between soldiers and the people is ‘Civil Military Coordination’ (CMC) which is headed by a senior Army officer and also at each battalion level. It is also a fine forum for the people to discuss their problems and the reporting mechanism is clear. There are 15 CMC offices in Jaffna.

Commenting on the success of the Army’s assistance in development projects like infrastructure development, constructing houses Maj. Gen. Hathurusinghe said the Army alone has constructed over 1,773 houses in Jaffna.

He said people are convinced as these areas are on a rapid development drive, former LTTE cadres mere doing well and people were leading normal lives.

Maj. Gen. Hathurusinghe said the amazing factor is Sinhalese blood runs in most of the Jaffna people as the highest contribution to the Blood Bank in Jaffna Hospital was from the soldiers.

“ Every month the Army organises a blood donation campaign and they donate 150 litres of blood. The total requirement of blood in the Northern province is 600 litres and the Jaffna’s requirement which is between 125 to 150 litres of blood is supplied by the soldiers”, he said.

The SFJ had given priority to a series of multi-religious observances in its 16th year celebrations. A Catholic mass was organised on June 17 at St. Mary’s Church, Oddahapulam which was followed by prayers at the Jumma Muslim mosque in Jaffna on the evening of the same day.

On the 18th morning, officers and other ranks serving at the SFJ attended a Pooja at Mavaddipuram Hindu temple.

The same day evening, a Bodhi Pooja was organised at the foot of the Bodhi in the Palaly SFJ Headquarters premises.

In the main ceremony held on June 21, Maj. Gen. Hathurusinghe and senior officers paid tribute to fallen heroes who sacrificed their lives for the country’s sovereignty, placing bouquets of flowers at the War Hero Monument at Palaly.

A Guard of Honour was accorded to the Commander SFJ before he visited soldiers undergoing treatments at hospital.

He wished them all a quick recovery and distributed gift parcels to inmates. During all ranks at lunch, Maj. Gen. Hathurusinghe thanked officers and other ranks serving in Jaffna for their immense contribution towards achieving lasting peace, assisting the government’s development programs for Jaffna and initiating humanitarian measures for the Jaffna populace.

The SFJ’s chief said they facilitate war widows amounting to 29,000 widows in Jaffna and are mainly concerned about the education sector.

“ After eradicating the 30-year long terrorism, Universities were coming back to normal but certain political parties were still trying to meddle with higher education misleading undergraduates.

We requested these youth not to get caught in these traps. The SFJ through development committees discuss with them and try our best to solve their issues.

The SFJ is not groping in the dark and people are aware of what we are engaged in and they also know we are genuine in our efforts”, he said adding that even in the middle of the night anyone can walk on the streets of Jaffna as the situation in Jaffna is safe and the people are humble and friendly.

The SFJ which had a strength of over 27,000 troops earlier but have now reduced to 15,600 with the situation back to normal. “ I have received heaps of letters from the people in Jaffna requesting not to reduce the troops from their areas as they feel they are safe when the soldiers are deployed in those areas. People want us but certain political parties don’t want military presence for their own gains”, he said.

With the dismantling initiative of High Security Zones in the Northern Province the Government has released 3,741.09 acres, from the land area, earlier declared as the Jaffna High Security Zone (HSZ). According to latest statistics, an area of 6,381 acres has been renounced as cantonment areas, similarly to what exists in other provinces of Sri Lanka.

With a motto - protection for all people- the SFJ has already changed its flag logo, which was highly displayed a military theme.

At present, instead of two rifles there will be two spears to show the strength of the people of Jaffna, Palmyrah tree, the sun and the moon, conch shell, greenery to show prosperity and the blue to represent the fisheries sector which is the second main livelihood in the peninsula.

“We decided to change the flag as peace has dawned and to show the people that we are there to protect them. In this manner to facilitate the people to change their perceptions”, he said.

Maj. Gen. Hathurusinghe’s statement referred to the idea of Prof. Subramaniyam Leelakrishnan who lives on Mudaliyar Canagasabai Road in Manipay. “I am firmly for One Country, One Nation and One Religion concept. We all must live like children of one mother.”