Opinion:

Sampanthan-Rajapaksa meeting:

Milestone in reconciliation drive

by K.M.H.C.B. Kulatunga

TNA leader R. Sampanthan's meeting with President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Friday could be an important milestone in Sri Lanka's reconciliation drive since the eradication of terrorism.

A vegetable market in the North, now flourishing following the return of peace

Women drying fish in the sun to make dry-fish

It was good to see Sampanthan deviating from his cry-baby attitude and the habit of running to outside forces for solutions. As the President has stressed time and again, no outside element or a foreigner could have deeper sentiments for the people of Sri Lanka than our own leaders.

Hence, Sambandan's decision to meet the President and iron out whatever the problems through dialogue is an important move.

Now that the LTTE is no more to threaten them or to take their lives through bullet, Sampanthan and his TNA leaders should abandon their separatist agenda and work with the Government for the well-being of the Tamils in the North and the East.

Solution

The Government has reinstated democracy in the North after 23 long years. The LTTE undermined the power of the ballot through bullet and subjected people in the North to untold misery. Hence, Sampanthan and other Tamil leaders must work closely with the Government to find solutions to the problems of the people in the North and the East.

What is important is the aspirations of the people in the two provinces and their well-being. Their expectations are far from what the LTTE cohorts in the West dream. Tamils in the North yarn for a better tomorrow with improved living standards and livelihood activities that would strengthen their purchasing power.

They do not demand land or police powers as the LTTE rump in the West. They are sick of the daydreams of the LTTE which only unleashed agony. Sampanthan should understand this bitter truth.

The new chief minister-elect of the Northern Provincial Council, C.V. Wigneshwaran is a moderate and educated person than most of the TNA seniors. Though he has not lived in the North much, he is educated and intelligent enough to read the pulse of the people in the North. If he fails to make use of the golden opportunity he has got, Tamils in the North would teach him an unforgettable lesson.

Moderate and peace-loving Tamils have a better impression on Wigneshwaran than any of the TNA leaders. Hence, Sampanthan and his men should not get carried away by the TNA's landslide victory at the Northern Provincial Council (NPC) elections. Hence, it is the duty of Wigneshwaran to meet those aspirations of the Tamils, without allowing Sampanthan and his men to poke their fingers.

Wigneshwaran's victory does not mean that the people in the North approve the separatist and racist agenda of the LTTE cohorts. People in the North are not willing to go back to those dark and bitter days again. Hence, it is the supreme duty of Wigneshwaran and other newly-elected NPC councillors to work hard for the betterment of the people in the North.

Wigneshwaran could well take the North back to its golden days again if he works closely with the Government. He must cooperate with the Government to usher a better tomorrow for the people in the North.

At the same time, Wigneshwaran should not keep faith on outsiders and foreign elements. Whatever the problems are, he must make every effort to solve them within the country through dialogue, without turning to the West or neighbours. He could always speak to the President and the Government in all matters to find solutions to problems of the people in the North.

Terrorism

None of the Western godfathers of peace ever uttered a word of comfort when Sri Lanka was at the receiving end due to barbaric LTTE terror. Many powerful world leaders have often preached on eradication of terrorism and for a worldwide attempt eliminate error outfits across the globe. But only a few of them have demonstrated such practically.

Though some of the world leaders say that it was the obligation of all leaders to speak out forcefully against violence and extremism, only a few of them have sincerely acted with an honest desire of eradicating terrorism. It is time that the world leaders translate their words into action and proves their integrity and sincerity in crushing global terrorism.

Championing the human rights of terrorists would only support and encourage terrorist groups the world over. The UN Human Rights Council should only respect the human rights of civilians and not that of terrorists, either directly or indirectly.

Any further action against a sovereign state such as Sri Lanka at the UNHRC would set a bad precedent and infuse fresh hopes for global terrorism. The US-led resolution against Sri Lanka at the UN Human Rights Council earlier this year only underestimates the Herculean efforts of the Security Forces who risked their life and limb to liberate thousands of civilians

When the Tiger terrorists mercilessly killed hundreds of thousands of innocent people, hardly any of these godfathers of human rights were there even to speak a word on behalf of Sri Lankans who had been at the receiving end.

Bomb attacks

It is still fresh in people's memories how the LTTE terrorists carried out some of the most brutal bomb attacks during this period of time in previous months. The anniversaries of several brutal terrorist acts of the LTTE fall this week.

Among them is the unfortunate incident in which a total of 25 Sinhalese passengers travelling in a bus were shot dead by LTTE cadres along Pottuvi- Monergala Road on October 7, 1987.

The Tigers also killed five motorcyclists travelling along the same route. On Oct. 9, 1988: Armed LTTE terrorists shot dead 44 Sinhalese villagers and set fire to 11 houses in Mahakongaskada, Medavachchiya.

Certain countries in the West, who had kept mum against those numerous LTTE atrocities for nearly three decades, now shed buckets of crocodile tears over the Tamils in the North. They allege that there is military presence in the North, without knowing the true ground situation. They often exaggerate stories to pain a gloomy picture on Sri Lanka.

True situation

But the recent observations by Lord Rogan of the United Kingdom is a good eye opener to all those who level allegations against Sri Lanka without knowing the true situation in the country. "During my visit to all parts of the country, North, East, South, and West I was able to speak freely and openly with ministers, government officials, religious leaders, and most importantly ordinary citizens from all sections and walks of life. What struck me particularly was that the military presence in the North was substantially less than what has been often portrayed," Lord Rogan said after his tour.

He expressed these views when he met President Mahinda Rajapaksa at Temple Trees on Friday. Lord Rogan of Lower Lveagh, member of the British House of Lords and Vice Chairman of the British - Sri Lanka Parliamentary Group completed a seven-day fact-finding visit to Sri Lanka. He is also a member of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) of Northern Ireland which is currently a coalition partner with the ruling Conservative Party.

"Sri Lanka must be recognised as a country coming out of an armed conflict spanning a thirty year period which cost around 100,000 lives. Since 2009 much has been achieved in Sri Lanka - the government has policies to achieve more. I was happy to note that there is religious and ethnic harmony," he further said.

Snap judgements

Lord Rogan said that he found that peace has descended on this pleasant land and that development and prosperity are continuing to grow a pace. "Having lived in Northern Ireland during our troubles, I know how easy and wrong it is for outside commentators to make snap judgements (often - on poor and wrong information) on the situation in our two countries. We suffered because of this - as you are doing today. Commentators from the outside world should realize it takes time, energy and commitment to achieve the ideals set out by the Sri Lankan Government," Lord Rogan observed.

The Government has spent around three billion US dollars for development of the North since the end of the conflict.

This is higher than what has been spent for the South. The type of modern health and hospital facilities provided to Jaffna are available only in few cities including Colombo in the rest of the country. Hence, the allegation that the people the North are a discriminated lot is not valid any more.

Lord Rogan has further said that the President, Government, and people must be given both space and patience by the outside world to fulfill their plans. The forthcoming CHOGM Conference is a golden opportunity for Sri Lanka to show the true picture of life and the country's progress after the terrorism was eradicated in May 2009. Dialogue and Diplomacy are fundamental to the way forward for lasting peace and prosperity. Lord Rogan has said that he has experienced many examples of this during his stay in Sri Lanka.

His observations are food for thought to Navi Pillai and all those who unreasonably level charges against Sri Lanka.