Int’l community hails resettlement program

by a Special Correspondent

Sri Lanka’s relentless battle against terrorism and the current resettlement program under the `Uthuru Wasanthaya’ have been commended by many, including the International Community.

Two of Sri Lanka’s friendliest nations - India and Japan, are amongst many countries which have hailed the Government’s timely action to liberate thousands of innocent civilians from the clutches of LTTE terrorism.

During Lanka’s unrelenting battle against terrorism, certain quarters made a sinister attempt to paint a gloomy picture of the humanitarian operations, saying it was a war against a particular ethnic group and labelled it a genocide. But by now, the Security Forces have not only demolished the LTTE terrorist power in the North and the East but have also vanquished the Tiger propaganda through their mercy missions in the battlefront.

The International Community now has a better picture on the Government’s sincere efforts to provide a better picture for the rescued civilians.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has instructed to accelerate the resettlement process which has already begun in Mannar. The Government is making every effort to improve the facilities offered to the IDPs in Vavuniya.

Infrastructure development in the North and the East too will be done at a rapid pace so that the people living there too could make a positive contribution to build the national economy. Billions of rupees would be invested to develop infrastructure facilities in the North under the `Uthuru Wasanthaya’.

It is a similar program to that of the `Eastern Reawakening’, which was successfully implemented after the Security Forces liberated people in the Eastern province. What President Rajapaksa intends is to implement a similar program for the people rescued from the North as well. Not only to resettle them and offer better facilities with infrastructure development, but also their democratic rights.

Having restored democracy in the East with the Local Government and Provincial Council elections, the Government would soon conduct elections in the North as well. Prior to that, every displaced citizen would be resettled with all facilities, assuring them a secured future.

It is heartening to see the Indian Government extending its fullest support as a true neighbour. India has always voiced for Sri Lanka’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Indian Foreign Secretary Shiv Shanker Menon told a group of Sri Lankan editors that a political solution is entirely a business of Sri Lanka. He has said that presenting a political solution is not the task of India, Norway or the United Nations.

“The 13th Amendment is a sequel to the Indo-Lanka Accord. It is a Sri Lankan law now. It is only Sri Lanka that would decide whether to provide a solution on the lines of 13th Amendment or go beyond it. A threat to Sri Lanka’s security would affect India in the same way a threat to India would affect Sri Lanka,” said Menon.

India has already provided Indian Rs. 5 billion for relief and rehabilitation in the North,” he added.

Japan too has commended the efforts made by the Government to offer better facilities to IDPs. The condition of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in welfare centres in the North has achieved tangible progress compared to his last visit to Sri Lanka, Japanese special envoy Yasushi Akashi said adding that resettlement of IDPs have to be made after demining activities are completed.

Addressing the media, he said President Rajapaksa was very committed to expedite the resettlement of IDPs in their original dwellings. The most important matter is to ensure the security and safety of the people due to the high number of landmines in the area, he said. The main purpose of his visit was to observe the humanitarian aspects of IDPs and to see how much progress the Government has made towards arriving at a political solution.

Akashi commenting on the humanitarian situation in the North, said it had made a tangible progress compared to his last visit to Sri Lanka, but congestion in those centres is enormous due to the very large number of IDPs.

The Japanese Government will continue to offer all assistance towards peace-building including demining activities, rehabilitation and reconstruction work in the North and other areas in Sri Lanka, he said. The Japanese Government, Asian Development Bank and the World Bank have pledged US $ one billion for development of those areas, he said.

The Government and Non Government Organisations are engaged in a massive effort to improve the conditions of IDPs by providing sufficient food, water, shelter and medicine. But still it is not fully satisfactory, he said. Sanitation facilities need to be improved to prevent health hazards in centres, he said.

He said he was happy to see medical facilities have been installed by the Indian Government and their staff, taking all measures to treat IDPs as most of these people were undernourished during few weeks of fighting between the military forces and the LTTE. He said that a full scale resettlement of refugees in their original dwellings should be carried out after demining activities are completed in the North which is a gigantic task.

Akashi said he was happy to observe that President Rajapaksa was committing himself to a political settlement and fully implementation of the 13th amendment to the 1978 Constitution for the devolution of power to the North and East.

Akashi at a discussion with the Foreign Minister and other officials had said that normalizing the living conditions of the IDPs was a daunting task for any country, and in this context, Sri Lanka had been coping with the humanitarian situation with tenacity and sincerity.

Minister Rohitha Bogollagama, while acknowledging the existence of shortcomings in the welfare villages and IDP camps, had emphasized that the Government was taking concerted action to improve the facilities and services in these locations.

During discussions he had also pointed out that the welfare villages were under civilian control. Referring to the presence of the military, the Minister had said that their role was to provide security to the camps and to clear and build basic infrastructure to accommodate the displaced persons.The Minister had also reiterated the Government’s firm commitment to the implementation of the 180-day program to resettle 80 percent of the IDPs in their native places, which has already begun in the Mannar district.

The need for international community to help Sri Lanka rebuild the conflict damaged infrastructure in the North too had come under close scrutiny. The Japanese delegation had responded positively to the request for financial assistance to undertake demining of areas in the North, to make them safe for human habitation and economic development they added.Japan has already contributed US$ 2.1 million this year to finance de-mining operations in the North. Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris said the immediate priority for the Government was to address the humanitarian needs of the IDPs, who have undergone untold pain and suffering.

He said the Government was committed to restore the livelihoods of these people, which would enable them to return to their homes and rebuild their lives. In this context, he underscored the need for rapid economic development of the North, which will open new vistas of opportunity.

Referring to the political process which is under way to find a lasting solution to the conflict, Prof. Peiris pointed out that one of the most heinous acts the LTTE had committed in the past had been to destroy the entire political leadership of the Tamil people.

In this backdrop, it is the expectation of the Government that by holding local government elections in the North, space would be created for the emergence of a new and viable leadership among the Tamil community.

Following the defeat of terrorism, there will be a reduction in the budget deficit, paving the way for economic development. We could anticipate more foreign direct investments and better employment opportunities. With the additional contribution from the people in the North and the East, Sri Lanka could look forward to an encouraging growth rate. Sri Lanka, which has been a symbol of courage to the world, must now stand on its own feet. We must make a determined effort to build the nation.