Flying into danger...

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Minister of Human Rights and Disaster Management Mahinda Samarasinghe who escaped disaster last week in the wake of LTTE mortar attack in Batticaloa speaks of his experience to the Sunday Observer . All Ceylon Tamil Congress leader A. Vinayagamoorthy blamed the Government for taking diplomats to Batticaloa.

Q: What was the purpose of the high-powered Diplomatic delegation to visit Batticaloa last week?

M.S: The purpose of the visit was to help Internally Displaced People (IDPs) who are numbering around 75,000 from Vakarai, Muthur and Trincomalee. Diplomats wanted to get a first hand assessment of the situation. We wanted to have an open dialogue not only with the civil society groups but also with Government officials and security forces and prepare an assessment paper to take policy decisions to better the conditions of IDPs. It was a very innocent visit in that respect. We were able to get quite a number of Ambassadors, High Commissioners and UN agency heads to participate in the visit. The decision to tour Batticaloa was taken at the Consultative Committee held at the Ministry of Defence along with others.

A.V: I don't know the purpose of visit but they should have realised that this is not a time to go there. This meeting could have been held in Colombo. I asked the UNP leader to lead a delegation to Jaffna. But he did not because the time is not conducive for it. The Government wanted to show the Diplomats that they cleared the areas of the LTTE. NGOs are not allowed to go and work there. What happened to 17 aid workers of France? They got killed due to a crossfire. I am boldly saying that the LTTE did not intentionally attack Diplomats. The Problem with the Army today is they do not take directions from the Government.

Q: Did the LTTE try to stop Government assisting IDPs in Batticaloa? Was that the reason they attacked the helicopter which was carrying Diplomats?

M.S: There were 24 people who accompanied me to Batticaloa. We are still baffled as to why this visit was targeted. now LTTE admits that they were responsible. Our objective was to observe the shortcomings and identify lacunas in order to bring remedial measures to address problems of IDPs.Those who attacked us obviously did not want us to assist IDPs. They obviously did not want people to believe in the commitment of the Government help them.

A.V: Still fighting is going on in this area daily. The Government should have considered the taking of diplomats to war torn areas. The Government wanted to put those countries against the LTTE further. That was the real purpose but not to show IDPs.

Q: How will the International Community respond to this attack?

M.S: The International Community is very keen to assist IDPs and assist in the development of Tsunami and conflict affected areas in the country. They are always with us to help. I saw very clear resolve on the part of Ambassadors and UN heads to continue the work towards helping the people. This was quite evident when we went to the Police Station and discussed whether we should go ahead with the programme or return back immediately to Colombo as two Ambassadors were slightly injured.But all of them including those injured agreed to go ahead as planed and have the meeting despite the attack. None of them wanted to take the next flight and get out of the place. So we had a very successful one and half hour meeting with religious leaders, civil society members, officials and members of security forces.

A.V: Diplomats will understand as to why the Government took them there. It is just to show the diplomats that the Government had cleared the East and now under the Government control. They were not intentionally targeted.

Q: Why the international community's condemnation was only restricted to statements?

M.S: Many Embassies and UN agencies issued statements condemning the attack. The most important thing is that we should not say or do anything to encourage them to look at this unfortunate incident negatively. I think when this kind of incidents happen, it should also be viewed positively and cultivate more to resolve the right thing. I am sure that the International Community understand the nature of this attack at what needs to be done both from a short term as well as long term perspective to deescalate the conflict.

A.V: International Community should also be aware of the provocations of the LTTE by the security forces. Security forces fire mortars to the LTTE targets day and night. The LTTE has no option but to retaliate to the security forces.

Q: LTTE Military Wing Spokesman S. Illenthirayan blamed the Government for not informing them that diplomats were visiting Batticaloa. Should the Government inform the LTTE about its programmes?

M.S: I don't think this visit was a secret. Every one knew that we were coming there. There were regular consultations with the GAs and Security Personnel.UN agencies who went with us would have also informed their respective Batticaloa offices. It was not a secret. People knew that this high level delegation was coming. Nobody can say this was a surprise visit. This was also clearly a visit which was undertaken to help the people.

A.V: Then why don't the Government take them to Muhamalai? Why are the SLMM and Diplomats prevented from going to Muhamalai? Because undeclared war is going on in this are between the LTTE and the Government. Army is conducting aerial bombing and LTTE is retaliating.

Q: Illenthirayan said that in the morning that day Army attacked them from that ground and they had to retaliate. Do you accept this statement?

M.S: They have accepted responsibility.Therefore they must face the music. We landed about 8.40 am at Webber stadium and were walking towards our vehicles. When we heard a loud noise and someone shouted mortars.. mortars.. and asked us run towards vehicles. From there we were taken to the SSP's office. It was a narrow shave. Thankfully, there were no serious injuries to any member of the delegation.

A.V: Not at all. LTTE did not actually know that the helicopter was coming. It was totally an accident. Visitors got caught to crossfire like others. This is not the first such occurrence in the country. Thousands of people have been killed after getting caught to such cross fires. The Government should take the responsibility if something happened to the members of the delegation.

Q: Do you think that this incident is a good example for some of the countries which are still mollycoddling the LTTE to realize the atrocities of the LTTE?

M.S: I don't think anyone is not aware about the true nature of the LTTE.No one has said that terrorism should not be eradicated. But what many are saying is that a political solution is necessary to address the issue faced by people in these areas. We must therefore not interpret this as a support for terrorism. These are our friends who want to help us.

A.V: These ambassadors might have seen the plight of the Tamils living there as a result of the war. I hope that at least now they will push the Government to the peace table. It is good that they went there and saw how people are suffering.

Q: Though the LTTE has been proscribed by many western countries, still they are operating in different ways to raise funds and support terrorism. Why bans have been just restricted to nominal proscriptions?

M.S: Lots of these countries which have banned the LTTE have introduced different strategies to crackdown fund raising. They have raided offices of such organisations and arrested them. Lot is being done. I don't think it is correct to say nothing has been done. It is not an easy task to crack them overnight. I don't think it is fair to say they are sitting on the ban. But at the same time these countries are urging us to not to forget a political solution.

A.V: Can you tell me how Israel was formed? It was formed from the remittances of Israelis living in foreign countries. What is wrong with Tamils helping Tamils? Why can't people in the whole world help the LTTE for the Tamil cause?

Q: 38 US Congressmen and Senators urged President Gorge Bush to appoint a special envoy to inquire into the human rights violations in Sri Lanka and also the EU has drafted a resolution against Sri Lanka. Do you think that these actions have been taken as a result of the influence of the LTTE backed NGOs and LTTE propaganda?

M.S: These are issues which needed to completely stop. I don't think so. These decisions have been taken independently. The Government has taken lots of steps particularly by my Ministry to promote and protect human rights in this country. For an example President Mahinda Rajapaksa appointed a local Commission of inquiry with 11 eminent international personalities to observe investigations on selected 15 cases. It's a ground braking decision that has been commended by even UN High Commissioner on human rights in Geneva. Anyone can see there is a desire on the part of the Government to take the required steps to stop this kind of incidents. It is my view that all these resolutions and demand for international monitoring will stop if we build up strong independent institutions within Sri Lanka to address human right issues.

A.V: Govt is not amenable to anything. Emergency regulations are responsible for human rights violations. Unless the Government take initiative to restore human rights of Tamils, this trend will continue. Still Eastern University Vice Chancellor is missing. Many innocent youth have been arrested using the draconian laws and it is a passport for security personnel to misuse it. Only way to bring a halt to these incidents is to defeat this Government. Normal laws are quite sufficient to arrest this situation in the country. So I call upon all MPs to vote against passing emergency regulations.

Q: What action has the Government taken so far to improve the human rights monitoring machinery in the country?

M.S: The National Human Right Commission was established to protect and promote human rights of Sri Lankans. We are planning to bring amendments to this Act in order to make NHRC decisions binding. Some institutions do not carry out the directives of the NHRC. My task as the minister for human rights is not to take over the role of the NHRC but to strengthen it further to deliver its mandate. If we put independent commissions such as election, police and public service, most of the rights enshrined in the Constitutions can be effectively guaranteed.

A.V: The Government has to demilitarise the paramilitaries and get the Security Forces to respect human rights laws and monitor abuse of emergency regulations. The Government should not let members of security forces to use Emergency Regulations as a passport to suppress rights of the people. The Karuna faction has to be controlled. Then only we can have a hope of life in Sri Lanka.