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.