Military-civilian relationship in Kilinochchi, very cordial - Maj. Gen. Udaya Perera

By Ranil Wijayapala

The role of the military in any country changes from time to time. The Security Forces of Sri Lanka, which played a leading role during the era of terrorism, are now playing a different role in the North and the East, which are being developed with renewed vigour in the post-terrorism scenario. Kilinochchi, where the high tempo battles were fought in defeating the LTTE, is now facing the same reality. The Security Forces personnel who fought fiercely with the LTTE now co-exist with the people in Kilinochchi after the displaced civilians have been resettled there. However, they are keenly following the security situation there to ensure that there is no repetition of the bitter past.

Security Forces Commander Kilinochchi, Major General Udaya Perera, in an interview with the Sunday Observer, discussed these changing issues in Kilinochchi.

Following is the full interview:

Q: As the Commander of the Security Forces Headquarters in Kilinochchi, how do you view the difference in the military role in an area such as Kilinochchi where the civilian administration and political set-up is now fully established, especially with the setting up of the Northern Provincial Council?

A: Day by day, being a flexible organisation, we have to change our concepts in a changing environment. During the era of terrorism, we fought a battle with the help of the other establishments of the Sri Lankan Government, and it was the role of the Government approach to terrorism. We had to take a leading role and the others played a supporting role.

Harmony Centre in the heart of town Life has now returned to normal

Through that role, we could comprehensively defeat the LTTE. In the post-terrorism scenario, until the resettlement, rehabilitation and reconstruction was partially done, we had to perform a leading role because this area was virtually under the clutches of the LTTE and had been severely affected by the high tempo battles which were fought here in Kilinochchi. So, the Army had a huge role to play.

Now, the government machinery is in place. We are relieved to a very great extent because we do not tax our soldiers by playing the leading role now. We concentrate on our professionalism because there are others to lead.

However, I should say that we still have a role to play because of the security concerns. We have security concerns basically due to the carriers of the LTTE ideology. Apart from the security role, we play a supporting role. As a military officer, I am, of course, not uncomfortable at all. Because whatever we have missed during the era of terrorism, we are now regaining.

Military presence

Q: The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) who are critical of the military presence in the North is now running the Northern Provincial Council. Do you think there is an impact on the military in Kilinochchi after the TNA established the Northern Provincial Council?

A: One thing we must understand is that the Military does not come under the Provincial Government and that it takes orders only from the Central Government. The President is the Commander-in-Chief and we have a Secretary of Defence.

However, there are a few challenges because there are some provincial politicians who are very short-sighted and narrow-minded. They can also liaise with the centre and get the Military to work more or get more support from the Military to develop the area.

They also must understand that whether they are provincial politicians or national politicians, that this is a national Army and we are not just focusing on a particular province. Sadly, some narrow-minded politicians who carry the LTTE ideology do not understand this. Some of them do understand the situation, but due to hidden agendas, they want the Army out of here.

This slogan may be coming from the outside world or from the international community and the diaspora. As far as the majority of the diaspora is concerned, they want a conflict here. Without a conflict in Sri Lanka, they cannot flourish in their adopted countries as they will be deprived of their refugee status if the international community decides that there is no problem in Sri Lanka.

And they will not get priority when getting citizenship in other countries if there is no issue or conflict here. So there is a segment in the diaspora who needs a conflict to gain that status.

Fund-raising activities of a section of the Tamil diaspora has now become their business and livelihood. Now they don't send money in its entirety to Sri Lanka and keep a portion for their benefit. All these avenues will be closed if there is no issue here. Therefore, they are striving hard to push the poor vulnerable community here back to another conflict. That is their idea. Unfortunately, certain political parties such as the TNA have give in to those demands.

Otherwise, as far as the working relationship is concerned, we have nothing to do with them. We go on a national agenda and we don't take orders from them. But if they want any help from us, we are ready to help them with the consent of the Central Government. I don't think the Centre will ever say no to any of the good things they request. We can have a very cordial relationship, but you need two hands to clap.

Q: Do you think the recent incident where a TNA MP made a speech in Parliament, glorifying the LTTE leader as a freedom fighter and calling the Tamil people to celebrate November 26 as war heroes day, had any impact on the people in Kilinochchi?

A: The TNA did not win the election on the LTTE ticket. People wanted them to be more mature to develop the area rather than pushing them back to the LTTE era. Now we find a few of them going beyond their mandate without sticking to the promises they had given to the people. They have diverted from their main path and some are glorifying the LTTE leader.

People don't like that. With all those requests, only a very few incidents were reported in Kilinochchi. People do not like to take a chance by glorifying the LTTE. It is only a few TNA politicians who try to do that.

I don't think there was a huge impact from this comment on the Kilinochchi people, but in the future there can be an impact because the people here are very vulnerable. They can be manipulated and they will do whatever upon promises made by the diaspora. They have adopted a very narrow-minded concept. If they continue to do that, there will be a little impact on the people.

So, we are going to see how best to handle it. They are not supposed to do this under the Constitution and under the clauses of the Prevention of Terrorism Act. They can't do these things to push back the people to terrorism. I don't think we should allow them to do so.

Q: Do you think they have the capability to influence the people to such a situation?

A: I can't say that as a political party, they do not have influence over the people. They do have influence. However, if they change their agenda and try to glorify the LTTE, only a few people will follow their path. These few people belong to the vulnerable communities. Why I say vulnerable is because some people have lost their families' breadwinners while some are single parent families.

These families are targeted by some to capitalise on their vulnerability. It is a very sad situation. Politicians should never do that. Definitely, there will be a few people to support them to get some short-term benefits. However, the majority will not follow them. If they go on this path, I think they are going on a suicide mission.

Q: With these minor incidents, what are the priority areas of security concerns you have identified in Kilinochchi?

A: There are no major security concerns as far as the people are concerned. Through development projects and various interactive sessions, we have a very cordial relationship with the people. The Military - civilian relationship is very cordial. That means, we have a very secure area.

Our main issue is with regard to a few people who carry the LTTE ideology. The politicians who carry the ideology instigate things. There are a few 'clergymen' also doing the same thing. There are a few people like that who instigate things for their own benefit. They say that they are the liberators of the people. However, they are not.

Within this community, people are more vulnerable and they are trying to capitalise on this situation. It is very sad as far as the political leadership is concerned. Other than that, there are no major security concerns here in Kilinochchi.

Youth reaction

Q: How do you see the youth reaction to the Military and also their interaction with the South?

A: The youth here are very friendly with the Military. Through many programs like sports and cultural programs, they work closely with the Military. To give an example of how close the youth are to the Military, I can cite the recruitment to the Civil Security Department (CSD) from Kilinochchi, which is around 3,500 including rehabilitated cadre. That is how youth have responded to the Military.

There is a massive waiting list to join the CSD after the youth had observed the progress of other youth who had joined the CSD at the initial stages. If they hated the Military, if they hated the Government, they wouldn't have ever join the CSD.

Apart from that, 109 girls joined the Military. We recruited them after considering 500 applications. Now we are using them to empower other women. Clearly, the youth reaction can be proved by the numbers that have joined the CSD and the Army.

Because for the last 20 to 30 years, the LTTE has been brainwashing them, saying that we are a murderous military and we are there to rape their women and harass their men. Now, they have realised that the Military is sincere and that is why they are joining the Military.

That shows without any doubt that we are a National Army. The component of the Tamil community is now there in the Military. So, as far as the youth are concerned, I think they are enjoying their peaceful life after the defeat of the LTTE.

Q: Apart from the Military, do you think there are enough opportunities for them in Kilinochchi?

A: We always encourage people not to be frogs in the well. Kilinochchi may not provide all the opportunities they want. They have to go out to find opportunities while some people will have to come to Kilinochchi. MAS employs about 1,000 people. Sometimes, girls from other district also come here for jobs. If we say Kilinochchi per say, I can surely say that there may not be enough opportunities. They should take the opportunities in the entire country.

Opportunities depend on qualifications. If you are qualified in some vocation, there are opportunities in the neighbouring districts. As far as development is concerned, we should not limit ourselves to a district. We have to go beyond the district for opportunities.

Q: One major issue concerning the Tamil community in the North is the domination of lands by the Military. Is this situation applicable to Kilinochchi too?

A: Not at all. If you bring up a single person who complains that the Army is occupying private land, I am ready to quit!

With regard to all private land, whenever somebody comes forward and claims land, if there are no disputes relating to that land, it is handed over to that person. I request anyone who has an issue over private land to please come over.

There are no displaced persons' camps now and people are not living in such camps. All the land has been given back. I think people have benefited more than earlier. Even people who had no lands earlier are now occupying government land. So, Kilinochchi is concerned that there is no land issue. However, the TNA may make it a point to say that the Army is occupying certain pieces of land. We also should have a place, so we are in government lands and we are in land where the LTTE had claimed ownership. We do not occupy any private lands.

Civilian set-up

Q: As a military person looking at the civilian set-up in Kilinochchi, what are the areas that have not been addressed do far?

A: I think each and every area has been addressed. Infrastructure development is taking place. However, the demand for infrastructure is increasing day by day with the requirements of the people increasing day by day with the growth of their income levels.

The Government has made a lot of effort related to development. The agriculture sector has been developed. In 2011, only 5,000 metric tonnes of rice was produced.

In 2012, this increased to 40,000 metric tonnes. That is an eightfold increase. The Government has taken action to develop almost all areas, but as far as development is concerned, day by day the needs are increasing and you may have to focus on them and develop the area.

Otherwise, there is no particular point where we can say that this area should be developed.

Now we see a new Kilinochchi. Before 1983, it was an undeveloped Kilinochchi city and after 1983, it was a devastated Kilinochchi. Now you can see how Kilinochchi has been developed. The beauty of this is that though the TNA won the election, the Government has not stopped pumping money for the Northern sector. Things are improving the same way they were before the election.

Q: When things are running smoothly, if someone asks what the necessity is for a military presence in Kilinochchi, how do you justify the military presence in Kilinochchi?

A: If I am to answer the question of how you can justify the presence of the Military in any part of the country, it is the same justification, the same theory which applies to Kilinochchi. How can we justify a one million strong Army in India and a three million strong Army in the United States of America? Armies are there to safeguard a country and its national interests. So, the Army will have to exist and the Army will have bases.

The Sri Lanka Army will have bases in Sri Lanka. It is not just in Kilinochchi or in Jaffna, they have bases all over Sri Lanka. As far as the Sri Lanka Army is concerned, we can't go and occupy a foreign land. You can't say there is Army presence in Jaffna, Mullaitivu or Trincomalee. This is a national Army and it will be there to protect the country's sovereignty and integrity and to safeguard the national interest. Until the country exists, the Army will also exist.