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| Sunday, 4 August 2002 |
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Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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The Return to Jaffna - II by Factotum In a loud blue batik lungi, mismatching shirt sleeves and open collar meant for a necktie, this Engineer turned academic, a highly rated one at that in HongKong, was a far cry from the Jaffna man clad in homespun verti and a dash of ash on his forehead. A short visit to his homeland was perhaps too short for him to get reoriented to the indigenous dress or is it that a long sojourn abroad has robbed him of his identity? That is an open question. But he has not lost that touch to size up a situation, this time over there in Jaffna, and then venture to give us his impressions of the people and his assessment of the peninsula political situation. Despite the constraints of a short stay he had had the opportunity to interact with, among others, the University community - the Vice Chancellor, staff and students. Of the political actors his meetings with LTTE, PLOTE, and EPDP local leaders had been quite informative. Church leaders, religious types, toiling fishermen and flourishing businessmen had all responded in varying degrees to his overtures to ascertain views on the situation that prevails - post MoU. What had stood out like a beacon amidst the horrors of war was the quiet dignity and incredible equanimity with which the Jaffna man had borne all his trials and tribulations. If the bitterness and rancour have faded away that augurs well for peace in the country. What had surfaced at the informal discussions and gleaned from the body language and postures of the people was that there was considerable support for the LTTE especially at the level of the less privileged and the mass of the people. As one moved up the social ladder there appeared to be cold cynicism even hot opposition to the LTTE. There was concern over the setting up of an interim administration. Those concerns border on issues of democracy and freedom from fear, no doubt emanating from past experiences. But there is hope mixed with despondency and cautions optimism. There is much anxiety over the delay in going forward from what is seen as a 'no war-no peace' scenario. The businessmen have no escape from the payment of taxes. It is surmised that the LTTE rakes in around Rs. 100 million a month to meet the expenses of a parallel bureaucracy. The tax on liquor alone is in the region of 200%. One pays a good one hundred rupees and more for arrack than in Colombo! Other levies are in the region of 05-15%. Petrol is around Rs. 80/- a litre with the prospect of it coming down to around Rs. 60. Annual taxes on businessmen could be anything from 05 to 30 lakhs of rupees. The infrastructure in the Vanni - the LTTE stronghold takes up most of this income. The LTTE power base is the Vanni rather than Jaffna as the deep South was for the CP and Sabaragamuwa for the LSSP. The PLOTE position is one of strict neutrality and seems to lack any perspective of the political scene. The EPDP on the other hand adopts a diametrically opposite stance. All hell is going to break out soon. This is discounted by the Jaffna district organiser of the LTTE who is cautious but optimistic about the outcome of the present no war situation. He emphasises that the LTTE started as a party for peace' and finishes off on a we hate war platform. The thrust of the LTTE standpoint was that the 'tribal constitution' must give way to decentralisation/federalism. No compromise was possible on that score. The interim administration may be in place for about 2-3 years but no specific time frame has been visualised. A probing question on the enthronement of democracy was artfully parried. Despite the fracas when the LTTE overstepped the mark in taking SLMM personnel into custody there were no negative comments on the Monitoring Mission. All in all a lucid update on the situation in the North presented in characteristic style - full of candour and bonhomie. |
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