Towards national reconciliation and development:

CSD plays key role in terror-free Sri Lanka

By Ranil Wijayapala

Director General of Civil Security Department participating at the harvesting of maize at the Maha Oya agriculture project

Harvesting banana cultivation

Harvesting of crop at Seruwila agriculture project

Chilli cultivation by CSD personnel

When the entire country was engulfed in the flames of war due to the terror tactics of the LTTE, the role played by the Home Guards then attached to the Sri Lanka Police, to ensure that the day to day lives of the civilians especially those who lived in border villages was not disrupted due to terrorism, was not given due recognition in society. The sacrifices they made to protect the villagers with the double bore shot guns were never a secondary task to the Tri Force personnel in the battle front.

The sacrifices they made to protect civilian lives was given due recognition under President Mahinda Rajapaksa's government when the National Home Guard Service established in the mid 1980s as a voluntary service was restructured as a Civil Security Department (CSD) by gazette notification No.1462/20 on September 13, 2006.

It was the beginning of a new life for the Home Guards or the Civil Defence Force as they were entrusted with the role of ensuring the safety of the civilians in the border villages when the three Armed Forces were fully engaged in the battle against LTTE terror in the Northern and Eastern theatres of the country.

According to Rear Admiral Ananda Peiris, who took over the Department as the second Director General of the CSD, not only protecting the villagers the Home Guards attached to the CSD also helped in continuing the education of the students, transport services and other essential services whenever they were disrupted.

Their role in guarding the Forward Defence Lines, Main Supply Routes in the North East, the places of religious and economic importance became a tower of strength to the Security Forces personnel as they relieved them from such tasks and helped them to devote their commitment to the battle fronts and other duties important for the national security.

The due recognition given to the Civil Defence Force after 2006 encouraged many rural youth from the North and East and adjoining provinces to join the CSD and undergo military training to enhance the security in their areas thus increasing the number to 41,500 at a time intense fighting were going on in the Wanni theatre.

But, uncertainty loomed over their future with the end of the humanitarian operation on May 19, 2009 , and the role they played in the threatened villages became less important with the eradication of LTTE terrorism .

As any other para military force the Civil Defence Force also has to adjust itself to the post conflict scenario in the country since the role they played was no longer required and it became a challenging task for the CSD.

“After we gained victory against LTTE terrorism there was no requirement to protect border villages as there were no border villages. So there was fear as to what would be the future. President Mahinda Rajapaksa being a person with the people from the inception took a firm decision to dissolve them and make it a permanent Department like any other Department and ensure that their pensions are paid in the future”, Rear Admiral Peiris said.

“Soon after the victory the Secretary of Defence asked me to engage all the troops in a gainful and productive manner. He told me to start as many farms as possible”, Rear Admiral Peiris said.

But, finding suitable lands, equipment to cultivate the lands, seeds and fertiliser became a challenging task.

“There was a problem of financing the farms. But I did not ask the Government's support, because I knew it was difficult for the Government to find funds for these things as we already had a difficult time”, the Director General said.

But the CSD personnel were ready to take up the challenge as many of the troops were from rural areas and were familiar with the task .

“Since they are from farmer families we didn't have to ask for mammoties and knives. As we did not have seeds we thought of borrowing seeds and were willing to accept if somebody would donate. That system worked well and we started cultivating the lands given to us. Until the harvesting we thought we may deploy them for projects such as making bricks and protecting archaeological sites and any other programs. That is how we ended up in today’s role”, Rear Admiral Peiris said.

“We totally deviated from our original task and engaged in development and other activities. We have undertaken whatever task entrusted to us as stipulated in the original gazette notification. The gazette notification says we should undertake any tasks given by the Minister. Under that clause the Secretary of Defence allocated several other duties during the past years and we have obliged ”, he said.

The agriculture projects are performed in Sector Commands of Gomarankadawala, Mihintale, Mahaoya, Medirigiriya, Pahalalannda, Puttalam, Uhana, Welioya, Polonnaruwa, Padaviya, Ampara, Kataragama, Kabithigollawa, Vilpathu, Galkiriyagama, Nuwara, Madawachchiya, Horowpathana, Kanthale, Kabithigollawa, Medirigiriya by the CSD.

“Paddy, cashew, cow pea, maize and other vegetables are cultivated under these projects”, he said.

In the Yala season this year the CSD cultivated 6,894 acres of land which included 2,550 acres of paddy, 296 acres of peanut, 1,165 acres of maize, 271 acres of undu, 219 acres of vegetables, 47 acres of chillies, 59 acres of green gram, 437 acres of cow pea, 485 acres of sesame seeds,, 65 acres of kurakkan, 300 acres of other crops and 1,000 acres of cashew cultivation.

Apart from these cultivations the CSD also maintains animal husbandry, fishing, brick making , cement block , and other handicraft projects. “Around 1,380 projects are now being implemented to employ the CSD personnel”, he said.

“We developed this organisation in different ways. Our cultural troop is performing well as any other service today. We have two bands , Eastern and Western . We also have a Tamil cultural troop in Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu” he said.

In addition, the CSD recruited 3,700 rehabilitated ex-combatants and civilians from the Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu districts. It enabled the CSD to contribute immensely to the reconciliation process.

“We recruited 3,700 people from the Northern province including the Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu districts of whom 700 are rehabilitated ex-combatants. The balance represent the people who helped the LTTE and LTTE sympathizers”, he said.

To accommodate them we have established 12 farms and deployed 200 Sinhalese and Muslims to supervise the farms, by means of which we are contributing towards the reconciliation process of the Sinhala and Tamil community. They are people who fought each other in the battle front during the war on terrorism”, he said.

Initially, there was a low response from the people but gradually many wanted to join the CSD for the development of the lands. Now the CSD has a big file of applications seeking to join it, but cannot recruit any more due to the scarcity of land for cultivation.

“We have around 230 pre-schools in the Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu districts and we have deployed 507 ex-LTTE female combatants as pre-school teachers. Earlier the pre-school teachers were paid Rs.1,000 by the Government and they were not happy. When they learnt about the Seva Vanitha Organisation conducting around 300 plus pre-schools elsewhere , they made applications to us”, Rear Admiral Peiris said.

“ The teachers in addition to teaching at pre-schools also conduct tuition classes for Grade five children sitting the scholarship examination”, he said.

Through these programs the CSD is contributing towards a genuine reconciliation process as all in the CSD and the ex-combatants of the LTTE are now working together as one community at farms and other projects run by the Department.

Despite deviating from the original task the CSD is now making a big contribution towards the national economy as well as in the development drive without becoming a burden to the nation, he said.

“We are aware that there is criticism over the deployment of our members for jobs such as canal cleaning. But that is also a national requirement and we have deployed our personnel to fulfil the task on behalf of the nation”, Rear Admiral Peiris said.

‘Our troops are ready to fulfill whatever the task entrusted to them when there is a national requirement. When there was a shortage of vegetables in the cities, under the directive of the Defence Secretary we collected vegetables and sold them in major cities. Likewise we deployed our personnel in various other tasks such as protecting and preserving archaeological sites, reconstructing and renovating places with religious values and city beautification projects. We have proved our value and the Government has decided to confirm the CSD personnel and continue the Department”, he said.

Explaining the procedure on pension rights for the CSD personnel, Rear Admiral Peiris said though the Cabinet paper has been approved there is a big procedure to be followed to make it a reality.“We have done everything possible and handed over to the Ministry and are awaiting approval. If it is approved still we cannot complete it because we have to get the list of people prepared first since there is a requirement as per the Pensions Code to publish all the names by a gazette notification”, he said.

The CSD is now collecting data since the date of starting the Home Guard Service and awaiting to publish a paper advertisement explaining the situation to check whether the names of those who served as Home Guards is available in the list. If the name is not in the list they have to prove that they were in the service by producing the ID or other means.

“We will give them a time limit and complete the process of pensions rights for the CSD personnel as soon as possible ensuring a better future for the CSD personnel and those who served the nation as the Home Guard Service”, Rear Admiral Peiris said.