Mutual understanding and Communal amity ensured - Minister
D.M.Swaminathan
By P. Krishnaswamy
Minister of Resettlement, Reconstruction and Hindu Religious Affairs
D.M.Swaminathan MP who is a trustee of the historically famous Sri
Ponnambalawaneswarar Hindu temple in Colombo, a legal luminary and
hailing from the family of the famous Tamil statesman Sir Ponnambalam
Arunachalam told the Sunday Observer in an exclusive interview that the
new
Government is working on concepts of equality to all ethnic and
religious communities without any disparity and the current political
and social trends signal mutual understanding and communal amity. He
expressed optimism that the grievances and problems of the Tamils would
be resolved if the leaders of the Tamils worked jointly with the
government and took recourse to discussions with the President, the
Prime Minister and senior ministers.
The proper resettlement of the displaced people, the release of the
political prisoners in detention, the return of the lands superfluously
in the control of the security forces in Valikamam North to their
rightful owners and seeking assistance of international agencies for
providing livelihood to the war-affected families of the North and East
are some of the other important matters are the main focus of the
government in its 100 day program and beyond, he said.
Excerpts of the interview:
Q: Many prominent Tamils have been appointed to high positions
under the new administration. Do you believe this heralds communal and
religious amity, lasting peace and brotherhood ?
A: Yes, certainly. Under the stewardship of the new President
and the Prime Minister, the country is heading towards harmony in all
aspects. There is no disparity or discrimination against any ethnic or
religious communities and all are treated equally as citizens of this
country.
There are now separate Ministries for the affairs of all four
religions. So this state of affairs itself substantiates your question.
Q: You spoke of redeeming the lands superfluously under the
control of the government security forces in Valikamam North and
returning them to the rightful owners to facilitate their resettlement.
A large number of Hindu temples, places of worship of other popular
shrines in these areas and other areas have been destroyed or damaged
during the conflict period. Will steps be taken to reconstruct them ?
A: Th Government may not be able to rehabilitate every single
of temple or place of worship that has been damaged. But taking steps to
reconstruct major and important temples that have been damaged is the
primary duty of the Government. The Government will ensure that they are
remodeled and and reconstructed whether it is a Hindu temple, a Buddhist
temple , church or mosque. The Government will reconstruct them under
the 100 day program and the rest after that.
Q: Over 800 Tamil political detainees are reported to be
languishing in prisons for periods ranging from 10 to 15 years. What
steps are being instituted for their release ?
A: I have discussed this matter with the Minister of Justice
and he said a few days ago that he appointed a committee comprising
three members, headed by the Additional Solicitor General Mr. Fernando
to look into it and to submit a detailed report within about 10 days
from the date of appointment.
As soon as that report comes , we will know how many detainees can be
released immediately , on how many detainees indictments have been
served, how many are under investigation and how many are already under
under court cases.
In any case, it is unlikely that investigations would go on for 10
years or more.
It may be possible to release a good number of them immediately. To
my knowledge the Minister of Justice is also confident that he will
tackle it in a feasible manner.
Q: Ex-combatants who were released after rehabilitation,
prisoners to be released and war widows who had lost their breadwinners
desperately need livelihood facilities, according to reports.
Do you have any programs to provide them livelihood facilities and
other temporary relief assistance ?
A: Yes. There are many international agencies that are willing
to help and come to our rescue in providing livelihood facilities and
assistance to them.
The UNHCR and other connected organisations are some of them. It is
necessary to coordinate with the Ministry of Women's Affairs and Child
Protection in this matter. We will have to jointly work to assess and
provide relief to them.
Q: TNA parliamentarian Suresh Premachandran is reported to
have said that the UNHRC should not heed the Government's request to
defer presentation of its report on HR violations scheduled for March
this year. Your comments on that?
A: That must be Mr.Premachandren's point of view and we have
no objection to his statements, if he wants to do so.
As far as the UN or other international organisations are concerned,
we cannot tell them what steps they should take. They have got their own
time frames and, charge sheets. We are not interfering with that but we
have maintained that as far as the internal rights of Sri Lanka are
concerned, we want to handle them ourselves.
If international organisations want to do their own investigations,
they are free to do so but they must give us their reports so that we
would clarify the veracity of those reports and do whatever necessary.
Presently , the TNA is working closely with the Government and they
hold discussions on various issues relating to the Tamils.
I met the leader of the TNA, Mr. R.Sampanthan and the Chief Minister
of the Northern Province Mr. C.V.Wigneswaran . I even met Mr. Sampanthan
two days ago and he is accommodative.
We and they are working together on all matters for the common good
of the people and also for the welfare and protection of the Tamil
community who had suffered.
Q: Also some of the TNA members are reported to have said that
the full implementation of the 13th Amendment is no lasting solution to
the Tamil problem ?
Q: As far as the Government is concerned, it has laid down its
policy on this issue very clearly. The original intention is to
re-introduce the 13th Amendment.
The 17th Amendment is to be reintroduced for the different
independent commissions , such as the police, the judiciary and public
service to function on their own. The 18th Amendment is to be be
abolished.
Q: Over five years since the defeat of the LTTE by the
Government forces in May 2009, about 280,000 displaced people have been
resettled after provision of initial relief and rehabilitation
assistance.
While they need livelihood facilities, according to reports, over
35,000 are still in welfare centres or with friends or relatives
awaiting resettlement. Can you tell us about the Government's plans to
address this situation ?
A: Now this again is an important factor. As far as
resettlement is concerned, merely saying 'They have been resettled' is
not sufficient. We have to see that their basic amenities are provided.
Sanitation, schooling for children and housing are primary needs. At
the start they were given eight bags of cement and tin sheets for
roofing. That alone is not sufficient.
The Government has to coordinate with the relevant authorities, get a
feed back on the condition of these families and what has to be provided
to get back on track and do the vocation of their choice.
The Government will focus on shelter, drinking water, sanitation,
schools and other basic amenities. There is no feedback as far as my
ministry is concerned until now and we are trying to get the facts
relating to these families.
I do not want to talk about the past. I have talked to the relevant
authorities and agencies and they are willing to help . If we can
precisely say what they need and what has to be done, the organisations
will definitely help.
Q: Some people have been resettled in their original places of
domicile but have abandoned them and come to urban areas, according to
reports. Your comments ?
A: We have no objection to their coming to urban areas and
mingling with the people if they are happy that way. They may carry on
with whatever vocation they desire.
We have no objection.
It does not matter whether they want to live in Colombo, Galle or
even Matara. The only people we are concerned about at present are those
who want their lands back to do farming or other vocations that they
desire in their own lands.
Q: At least 70 percent of the the Sri Lankan Tamil refugees in
Tamil Nadu/India want to come back , according to reports. Will the
Government coordinate with India, UNHCR and other relevant authorities
on their resettlement and rehabilitation back in Sri Lanka ?
A: Yes, of course. In fact we are in touch with India and the
relevant authorities. According to their statistics, about 70 percent of
the people want to come back. But before they come back we have to see
where they are going to be housed. There are no houses for them.
The Government of India has expressed concern over their resettlement
back here. They have to go through the normal security procedure when
they come back and then they will have to be provided shelter and other
facilities.
Unless they are resettled and rehabilitated, there is no point in
getting them back. We will have to provide them the basic requirements,
mainly housing and other amenities such as sanitation, medical
facilities and education to their children would be of paramount
importance. .
Their return will be phased over a period in batches of 40 or 50
families at a time. We must know how many families are coming and what
professions or vocations they would want.
Some of them may be fisher people while others may be farmers and so
on. We must know firsthand what category they belong to.
Q: Reports say that over 800 wells used by the people for all
purposes, including drinking is contaminated ? What steps are being
taken to redress this situation?
A: That is a major issue that has come up now. It is a
disaster in the sense that people of the areas have no water to drink or
for other uses. The water is contaminated.
If there is no water , the people can't live there.
There was a notion it was due to the power plant and seepage from
that. But the company owning the plant has denied it as unfounded.
It is now for the environmental authority to clarify as to what has
caused water contamination and seek international assistance to
eradicate this menace.
I think the Japanese have got a system, a technical know-how, to get
rid of it. The Government and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs should
seek and get foreign assistance to ensure that the citizens of Jaffna
are relieved from this major problem.
Q: Opposition members accuse that the Government has deviated
from the Constitution on the removal of the Chief Justice (CJ) and
reinstating his predecessor ?
Being a legal luminary yourself, can you please comment on it ?
A: There is a view point that the procedure under the law of
the land have not been followed, by Parliament and the appointing
authority on matters relating to these.
CJ Shirani Bandaranayake was reinstated and she resigned after
assuming duties for just one one day. Under the normal course of events,
the most senior SC judge is appointed.
Whatever has been wrong and where ever there have been shortcomings,
jurists who are handling the matter should look into that. As an MP I
cannot comment.
Q: The TNA has insisted on an exclusive body to handle issues
relating to the Tamils and Muslims of the North and East ?
A: I cannot understand what they mean by an exclusive body.
But matters relating to resettlement and reconstruction as well as the
the political grievances of the TNA can be resolved or mutually agreed
upon through a political approach.
They can meet the President or the Prime Minister, discuss matters
and sort them out. I believe they are already doing it. I have been in
touch with the TNA leader, the CM of the Northern PC and others over
some ministry appointments.
We must live together and work together politically and otherwise and
if we do that a just political solution to the Tamil problem can be
worked out and agreed upon.
Q: As Minister in-charge of Hindu Religious Affairs, what
steps are being taken to arrest the continuing conversion of Hindus into
other religions?
A: As far as conversion is concerned, I have made it clear
that if the Hindus of this country practice the religion according to
its percepts and norms and if the younger generation has studied
Hinduism properly this would never happen.
Hinduism is a vast sea of knowledge and a philosophy. If our younger
generation can be taught the lofty ideals and preachings of Hinduism
correctly there will be no conversions. We cannot say that another
organisation is converting the Hindus. It is due to the lack of proper
knowledge . If one studies the Hindu percepts , he will not go to
another religion.
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