Some facts "From Conflict to Stability" - Northern Province of Sri Lanka
By Shenali Waduge
It is no understatement that Sri Lanka has been subject to
international condemnation from all corners for its decision to militarily
defeat the LTTE terrorists as well as its program of resettlement of Tamil
civilians, rehabilitation and reintegration of former LTTE combatants and the
spree of infrastructure development in the North and East.
Browsing through the 293page Report of the Presidential Task
Force for Resettlement, Development and Security - Northern Province (2009-2012)
the colourful pages of change certainly makes readers to debate as to the
authenticity of the tarnishing campaign spearheaded by foreign-based LTTE
supporters.
These Tamil civilians do not look as though they are been
subject to any type of harassments as is being promoted!
When millions remain as IDPs and refugees in all the countries
that invasions have taken place, no sooner the LTTE was defeated, calls came
from far and beyond demanding that the civilians be resettled. Did they
purposely ignore that the areas of the North were mined and demining was one of
the major challenges which was completed in August 2012.
Menik Farm where the IDPs were kept temporarily was
internationally publicized as an "internment" camp giving it the flavor of
Hitler's Germany though none came out alive unlike the Tamil civilians who have
all been resettled in areas that they can carry out normal living as well as
close to a place of livelihood, school and other such amenities. What they seek
is certainly not the wish lists that people overseas demand of the Government to
deliver.
Menika Farm was made out to be such a horrific place but little
did anyone know it was just 40minutes from Vavuniya. What is important to note
and which the report clearly reveals is that the planning of accommodating IDPs
was done far ahead of the actual final battle - therefore the Government was
prepared for taking care of its own people and given that Sri Lanka was a third
world country that was a commendable act. Of course nothing is without
shortcomings but the overall action is what needs to be lauded and not minor
deficiencies because let it not be forgotten that Sri Lanka was the only country
to defeat a terrorist organization and as such the only country to have also
taken on the challenge of actually forming an indigenous program which has done
remarkably well given the limitations which Third World nations suffer from.
Therefore, Sri Lanka needs to be evaluated not on benchmarks relevant to the
developed West.
All those making demands of the Government forgot to take note
of the fact that for 3 decades the region was under a militant rule which had
done pittance to provide for infrastructure or enhance the living conditions of
the very people it claimed to protect. The 180-day Action program was designed
to quickly address the basic infrastructure with $3.2billion at its disposal to
take care of water, sewerage, electricity, health and education sector with 900
schools now functioning with over 260,000 students and close to 14,000 teachers.
300,000 have so far benefitted from water supply in the Jaffna peninsula. Water
supply and sanitation alone has cost $164million.
294 Hindu temples in all 5 districts have been provided Rs.41.8m
in financial assistance from 2008-9 alone. Madhu Church was renovated at a cost
of Rs27.4m. Many Hindu temples have been renovated by Government troops
themselves.
Accusations that resettled civilians have had a bad deal are
nullified by looking at the Resettlement Package. 6months dry rations, total
shelter grant of Rs.25,000 per family, 40 perch land, non-food relief items that
include mosquito nets, kitchen sets, towels, plastic mats, bedsheets etc,
hygiene packs, tool kits including hurricane lamps, seed paddy (2 bushels per
acre per family for 2 acres), 12 nos roofing sheet per family and 8 nos. cement
bags per family. For people who were given nothing by the LTTE not even food
during the last stages of the war their appreciation shrouds that of those who
throw stones from afar.
The welfare centers was only an interim arrangement however care
was taken to ensure that the basic needs were met. Water and sanitation were key
issues and the heavy rains did not help either. Food and nutrition, health care
centers, referral hospitals, post traumatic stress disorder support,
psychosocial work and recreation, reunification of IDPs with their families,
opening banks inside relief centers so that the IDPs could place money and
jewellery, vocational training and preparation for self-employment, religious,
spiritual cultural activities, providing of national ID cards, birth and death
certificates were just some of the initiatives taken by the Task Force and
nothing of the nature that takes place in the "internment" camps being
publicized by people who have not set foot in the relief centers to observe the
lengths to which officials had gone.
There was also the question of how to deal with ex-combatants.
11,664 in total with 4167 married, 7375 single and 122 widowed included 594
children (above 12 and under 18years of age). The Government took a magnanimous
decision to pardon the 594 children internationally declaring that none would be
charged taking the stand that these combatants were viewed more as victims than
perpetrators. Many of these children have sat for O/L and A/L examinations, some
going on to university while others have found laudable ways to recommence their
lives as citizens of Sri Lanka.
Today, continuing with the Uthuru Wasanthaya program, Tamil
families are engaged in all types of livelihood from dairy farming, goat
farming, backyard poultry, fisheries and self-employment. Districts of
Kilinochchi, Mullaittivu, Vavuniya, Mannar have all seen tremendous economic and
social development and earmarked to have 1000 houses.
A drive to the areas of the North one scene that cannot escape
anyone's attention is the sight of a booming agricultural sector - paddy
cultivation, grams, chillies, gingerly, red onions, kurakkan, maize, cowpea,
dragonfruit and a variety of other fruits, palmyrah, coconut and cashew are just
some of the activities farmers are involved in.
The length of the Northern coastline is 480km (30% coastline of
Sri Lanka) and coastal habitats include lagoons, estuaries, mangroves, sea grass
beds, salt marshes, coral reefs and sandy beaches. The North also has 54 major
and medium tanks and 1500 minor tanks. Under the divineguma program for
fisheries sector a host of projects are on the pipeline.
Over 20 banks and over 10 financial services companies
functioning in the Northern province catering to all needs of the public. The
road network of the North has undergone tremendous improvement from the poor
condition it was in. The train service was one of the most important services
prior to LTTE terror. Lawyers boarded Colombo train bound for the North with
their car and used their own cars to finish of their duties and return home by
train. The LTTE has ruined what was once a key mode of logistics both for poor
and rich.
Numerous UN agencies and NGOs also partnered in the program and
their contribution needs to also be noted and mentioned especially in the sphere
of demining.
The 293page report compiled by the Presidential Task Force for
Resettlement, Development and Security is good for anyone to browse through to
find out details about the extent to which planning went to reach out to 5
districts that for 3 decades had functioned out of scope of the Government of
Sri Lanka and those criticizing need to first take note of this fact. These
areas were underdeveloped not because they were neglected by successful
governments but because LTTE were ruling these areas. The people of these areas
were still living in the 1980s in terms of needs and comforts because apart from
Jaffna main, all other areas were under total control of the LTTE. The
infrastructure was at a standstill for 3 decades because the LTTE preferred to
use US$300m profits for its own use rather than make a road, school, hospital or
house for the Tamil civilians. The people local and overseas need to be aware of
this fact even those that continue to chant of discrimination cannot hide the
changes visibly seen as compared to the barren and depleted conditions in which
the Tamil people lived - most of whom unable to leave for fear of being killed
by the LTTE.
Whatever the critics say - Sri Lanka remains the only nation to
have eliminated one of the world's ruthless terrorist organizations, to have
simultaneously carried out a humanitarian rescue operation and to within 3 years
while feeding, providing shelter and even taking care of the social and cultural
needs of the IDPs plan out a resettlement and reintegration program that
deserves bouquets rather than bricks!
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