http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2013/03/31/fin01.asp

Ex-Tigers turn successful entrepreneurs

By Gamini Warushamana

The Rehabilitation Authority (RA) has made successful entrepreneurs out of around 11,500 ex-LTTE cadres supporting them in vocational training and providing capital to start self-employment ventures.

Santhirasegaram Sivaraja of Kallappadu South, Mullaithivu, is a successful entrepreneur. He bought a fishing boat and set up a dry fish production venture.

“We have released over Rs. 255 million at 4 percent interest to over 1,500 rehabilitated ex-LTTE cadres to start livelihood ventures under phase one of the livelihood support project,” said Chairman of the Authority, E.A Samarasinghe. There were around 12,000 ex-LTTE cadres who were either arrested or surrendered to the security forces during the final phase of the war against terrorism.
They had undergone combat training and had been fighting for the LTTE after they had joined the LTTE willingly or unwillingly. Most of them did not have a proper education or any other skill to find a job or start an economic activity after reintegration with society.
Considering the social and economic issues these youth had to face, the office of the Commissioner General of Rehabilitation provided vocational training for them during the rehabilitation period. After rehabilitation, the RA had the responsibility of socially reintegrating these youth.
Minister of Rehabilitation and Prison Reforms, Chandrasiri Gajadeera proposed a soft loan scheme to provide initial capital. It financially supports them to launch livelihood projects and there are a large number of success stories under this scheme, Samarasinghe said.
RA has provided a maximum of Rs. 250,000 per person at 4 percent interest with a 10-year repayment period and a maximum grace period of one-year. The period depends on the nature of the project and if the project can generate revenue immediately, there is no grace period.
There are several stakeholders in this project. The three state banks, the Bank of Ceylon, People's Bank and the Sri Lanka Savings Bank provide funds and the Treasury provides 8 percent interest subsidy to the banks. Rs. 300 million has been allocated for phase one of the project and by the end of February 1,549 beneficiaries had received the loans.
Loan disbursement of phase one will be completed by the end of April and 2,000 beneficiaries will receive loans.
A Cabinet paper has already been submitted for phase 2 of the project and Rs. 550 million has been requested. RA hopes to support all rehabilitated youth who need financial support.
They have commenced projects in agriculture, fisheries, domestic industries and small businesses sectors. There are 262 beneficiaries in Jaffna, 312 in Kilinochchi, 357 in Mullaitivu, 41 in Trincomalee, 267 in Mannar, 294 in Vavunia, 10 in Batticaloa, 4 in Ampara.Deputy director of RA, Ananda Wijepala said that most of the projects were successful. “The RA provides enterprise development training programs for the beneficiaries and we closely monitor the livelihood projects.
These rehabilitated people too want to restart their lives with stable employment and integrate with society.” On the other hand there is a demand for some products and service they supply from these ventures in the domestic market.
For instance demand for masonry and carpentry work and services have high demand.The agriculture sub projects are vulnerable to market failures and we cannot meet these issues because these are small projects that are scattered in a large geographical area. However, we are attempting to form producer groups.RA successfully launched a similar credit scheme for displaced families who were resettled in 2010 and its loan repayment rate was over 97%, which was the highest among similar livelihood schemes, he said.

http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2013/03/31/sec100.pdf

http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2013/03/31/sec03.asp

Wanni's development goes on apace

By Dhaneshi Yatawara

*Village Citizen Committees to secure newly resettled areas

*Now there is no tension and fear of terrorism in the Wanni.

*There are no dark corners in the town, no more closed roads and no more barriers.

Maj. Gen. Boniface Perera Pic: Thilak Perera

The Medawchchiya road block, the entry-exit point to the Wanni region which never rested for many years, is beyond recognition today. People do not line up for security checks. Buses do not stop before the Medawachchiya Junction. There is no more line-up of lorries carrying flour, dry fish, vegetables and essential goods. People do not walk passing the junction to the other side, carrying heavy luggage and children, to get into another bus to their destination. There are no traces of the arduous past Sri Lankans went through before to enter the Wanni.

“People of the Wanni want peace and sustainable development,” said Major General Boniface Perera during an interview with the Sunday Observer. Maj. Gen. Boniface Perera is the Competent Authority for Welfare and Resettlement of Displaced Persons in the North and the current Security Forces Commander of the Wanni region. “In addition to assisting the Government initiated development activities, we conduct 5,000 social development projects with the local community,” Maj. Gen. Perera said.

Excerpts of the interview:

Q: It is the fourth year since the defeat of terrorism. Vavuniya, was a strategic location militarily and in civil administration. What is the situation there now?

A: After the humanitarian operation, we have maintained peace.

In the past four years there has been no major crime, robbery or any other activity to disrupt peace and harmony. Vavuniya is peaceful. People from the south and those living abroad must visit Vavuniya and see the development potentials in the area. There are many business opportunities and land is available. The railway track will be completed soon improving transportation connecting Vavuniya with the Northern peninsula as well as Talaimannar.

For long-term peace we have to pass through the short-term and mid-term peace. We are now in the mid-term. To have sustainable peace, we have to strategically plan the future. Although terrorism is over the ideology and ideologists still exist - abroad and locally. The Security Forces in the Vanni area of responsibility stretches from the east coast to the western coast – i.e. Mannar to Welioya. The only one check point still operates to assist administration work. People here need peace. They hate to see their day-to-day life being disrupted.

Q: The Government claims that all displaced persons in welfare centres are resettled. You are the Competent Authority on Resettlement and welfare of the displaced people of the North. This office was given a major role in resettlement as the Government gave special attention to the welfare of resettling communities. What is happening now?

A: I’m happy to say that all the people of the Tamil community who were displaced amounting to nearly to 300,00 have been re-settled. The final batch will be resettled by September 24, 2012. In Vavuniya and Mannar we are going to resettle all displaced people of all communities though it may be difficult. We have been able to abide by the timeframe set by government under the leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. The last batch of IDPs were resettled in Keppapilaavu and Manthuvil.

Though so many see that it’s mainly the Tamil community that is affected. Sinhala communities living in these areas are also affected to a great extent. They were also displaced. There are about 6,000 Sinhalese who are now resettling in their orignial lands.

The Indian housing scheme will provide 50 houses to the Bogawewa village which is one of the main areas where the Sinhala community of the Wanni region is returning. We are trying to find donors to build more houses.

All the resettling communities are poor and outsiders can make use of them to achieve petty targets.

When I visited Keppapilavu recently the people were happy about the prevailing situation and the development of the village. One child told me ‘May you live long’ and this statement made my day. Apart from other benefits we distributed jak trees to these families.

Q: Rehabilitated ex- LTTE cardres have retuned home and are living among the resettled communities. How many of them are there in the Vavuniya region?

A: In Vavuniya there are about 1400 ex LTTE cadres who have returned to their villages. They are re-settling and many are self-employed.

Q: What is their situation in the process of re-integrating in to society?

A: The Government rehabilitation program has a successful impact on society.

The rehabilitated cadres have returned home and have reintegrated in to society. Apart from the Government initiative, the Competent Authority on Resettlement is assisting them through donors and civilian organisations. One organization sends money and these funds are deposited in the bank and these rehabilitated youth are given loans.

May be Rs. 50,000, Rs. 100,000 up to Rs. 150,000. the Loan depends on the requirement and qualification and to start a self-employment project. So far we have given more than 200 loans.

Many are employed and less than 200 are unemployed. We are working even in our personal capacity to find steady employment for them. But certain political parties are trying to find ways to disrupt this harmony. It has no impact because people only want peace.

Q: The Sri Lanka Army is involved in development programs in these areas. What sort of programs are continuing to assist local communities?

A: We are organising almost 5,000 social, development programs for the people living in our areas. Projects like cleaning roads through shramadana, construction of minor irrigation canals, repairs of rural roads and even construction of houses comes under this. In that sense soldiers have done a tremendous job. We have given attention to the education of children in these areas.

It is assists parents trying to cope with the situation as well. We were able to organize donations for schools worth as 11 million with the help of well wishers. Soldiers have renovated and reconstructed 181 schools, pre schools and 16 play grounds.

On one occasion where we were distributing dictionaries and had a fun quiz for children where the winner got Rs. 500 for each correct answer. One child told me when he won the cash price that he was going to buy a dictionary to learn Sinhalease since he had an English dictionary. They express their hopes and satisfaction over the present situation.

With the help of donors we are assisting people to develop livelihood skills, specially for youth. Two vocational training centres will be opened soon in Mannar and Welioya.

We will set up 200 youth sports clubs in Vavuniya and Mannar . These clubs will enhance their sporting skills. Initially we are focusing on football, cricket, netball and other common sports popular among these communities. In the next three months these clubs will be set up. Youth is the spirit of the country.

It is important to create a common platform for youth in Tamil, Muslim and Sinhala communities. We hope that it will bring all of them together enabling them to shed any disparities.

Q: A section of Mannar was contributing to agriculture, particularly to paddy cultivation. These areas also come under the Wanni Security forces. Through community work by the Security forces what contribution is made to uplift agriculture?

A: The Silavathurai area is under cultivation. Mullikulam which in South Kondachchi and North of Puttalam, has potential for cashew cultivation. But it is not maintained and the yield is not upto the mark. It can produce about 35,000 tons of cashews in the 20 acre land. Now we are going to re-cultivate with the help of the Civil Defence Force. This cultivation was there but was neglected.

Q: Resettling communities live in a delicate social environment. At times their security is at risk. What steps have you taken to prevent this situation.

A: To keep the villages safe there are Village Citizen Committees. We and the VCC members meet once a week and hold discussions between civilians, the Police and the Army.

It covers security of the village, difficulties people face as well as development requirements. If they have problems with wild animals we provide them with crackers through the Wildlife Department officer of the area or if it’s a thief Police take action to send special patrol teams until the problem is solved.

However, there should be a long-term plan for development. No political party or army can survive without public support. People and communities cannot be held with an iron fist. They should experience the freedom and enjoy it.

http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2013/03/31/fea02.asp

Sri Lanka, one of the most peaceful and stable countries

by Gotabaya Rajapaksa - RWP RSP psc MSc

I am aware that many of the organisers of the Serendip Coast Festival were also responsible for the Galle Literary Festival that was held on an annual basis over the last few years, which brought many world-renowned authors, poets and other illustrious individuals to this historic city. I believe these events represent the continuation of their efforts to promote Galle as a hub for similar events.

Secretary of Defence and Urban Development Gotabaya Rajapaksa addresses the gathering at the Serendip Coast Festival 2013 in Galle.

This deserves encouragement and appreciation, because it provides an opportunity for a particularly discerning and influential segment of the international community to visit Sri Lanka and see the situation on the ground. As you will have noticed, the ground realities are rather different from what is often reported about this country internationally. Particularly in context of the fact that Sri Lanka only emerged from a vicious, three decades long terrorist conflict less than four years ago, I believe it is fair to say that the progress we have achieved is remarkable.
Just over a month ago, I had the opportunity to accompany President Mahinda Rajapaksa on his official visit to Jaffna. During this visit, he presided over the inauguration of a new power plant in Chunnakam, the opening of a new building complex for the Jaffna Hospital, and several other official functions. He also took the opportunity to travel throughout the peninsula and make a number of unscheduled stops to talk to the ordinary people in the area.
He did all of his travels by road. I particularly remember that on the last day of his visit, he opened the pier at Nagadeepa at about 6.30 p.m. then attended a ceremony at a kovil in Karainagar. This event ended at around 8pm. Afterwards, he travelled by road across the peninsula to Palaly, which is a journey that takes about an hour.
This is the President of Sri Lanka, travelling across the breadth of the Jaffna peninsula, by night, on road. A few years ago, I don’t think even a military convoy could have travelled from Karainagar to Palaly by road without being confronted by a terrorist attack. Yet today, the Head of State can make such a journey. This exemplifies the peace, stability and security that exist in every part of the country after the defeat of terrorism in May 2009.
Unfortunately, some people seem to have forgotten the situation Sri Lanka was in before the dawn of peace. They seem to have forgotten just how horrific the terrorism of the LTTE was. By the time President Rajapaksa assumed office in December 2005, Sri Lanka had suffered nearly 30 years of LTTE terror. Its atrocities had become part of our day-to-day lives. People in vulnerable villages near territory captured and held by the LTTE lived in constant fear of attacks. So too did civilians throughout the country, especially in Colombo, which was all too frequently rocked by bomb explosions.
Many of our leading politicians and public figures were assassinated, including President Premadasa, Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgarmar, Minister of State for Defence Ranjan Wijeratne, former Opposition Leader A. Amirthalingam, and illustrious leaders from all communities.

Economic targets

A section of the audience

Economic targets were attacked ruthlessly, including the oil refinery at Kolonnawa, power plants at Kelanitissa and Kerawalapitiya, and the international airport at Katunayake.
The attack on the Central Bank in 1996 killed close to a hundred people and injured more than a thousand. Even places of worship such as the Sri Maha Bodhi in Anuradhapura, the Temple of the Tooth Relic in Kandy, the Kaththankudy Mosque and churches were targeted. Other such attacks by the LTTE claimed thousands of lives and deeply affected hundreds of thousands more. No one was safe. All Sri Lankans lived in a state of constant tension, never knowing when a sudden terrorist attack would take their lives or kill their loved ones. A veil of fear hung over day-to-day life. Parents did not travel in the same vehicle together for fear of leaving their children orphaned. Many of our best and brightest left the country to seek better prospects abroad. Foreign and local investment halted. Tourist arrivals slowed to a trickle. Our economy, our people, our way of life suffered incalculable harm due to the LTTE’s acts of terror.
It is important to stress that the LTTE was not a small band of separatists, but a large, sophisticated terrorist organisation with a formidable fighting force and international reach. By 2005, the LTTE had 25,000 battle-hardened cadres in its ranks as well as a large auxiliary force comprising trained civilians which was known as Makkalaipadai.
It had access to large stockpiles of modern armaments, ammunition and equipment, including heavy artillery, medium artillery, mortars, machine guns and missiles. Most of these items were equivalent weapons to those possessed by the Sri Lanka Army. Uniquely amongst terrorist organisations the world over, it possessed a very sophisticated naval wing as well as a fledgling air wing.
At its height, the LTTE had influence over nearly two thirds of the country’s coastline and controlled most of the landmass in the Northern and Eastern Provinces.
In fact, the LTTE controlled virtually everything within that region, including the civil administration, through its military power. Although the Government provided funding for all administrative and public services, it did not have the power to monitor what was taking place. Neither the Armed Forces nor the Police could enter these areas. These areas were ruled by the LTTE at gunpoint.
Liberating the hundreds of thousands of people in the North and the East from the LTTE’s dominance was one of the President’s key objectives soon after he was elected. He had been given a very clear mandate by the people to solve the terrorist problem once and for all. One of his very first acts was to invite the LTTE for direct talks with the Government so that the stalled negotiations for peace could be restarted.
However, instead of accepting his invitation, the LTTE increased its provocations considerably. It launched brazen attacks against key military targets and killed dozens of innocent civilians. The Government bore these provocations with patience, but it was compelled to take action after the LTTE shut down a crucial sluice gate at Maavil Aru in July 2006, cutting off the water supply to more than 5,000 households and thousands of acres of agricultural land. This threatened a humanitarian disaster, and a limited operation was launched to reopen the sluice gate.
Almost immediately, the LTTE launched attacks on the key city of Trincomalee in the East and military targets in the North, making clear that its true intentions at Maavil Aru had been to restart a full-fledged war. The Government had no choice, but to widen the ongoing military operation into a humanitarian operation to liberate all of Sri Lanka from the LTTE’s terrorism.

Third parties

This was not an easy task. During the last three decades, successive presidents and governments had attempted to solve this issue through negotiations as well as military means. There were even third party interventions from time to time, notably the Indo-Lanka Accord and the arrival of an Indian Peace Keeping Force in 1987, and the ceasefire and peace process facilitated by Norway in 2002. However, the LTTE never had any genuine interest in peace, and used ceasefires only to strengthen itself. As a result of its growth and increasing sophistication over the years, it was a formidable military threat when the humanitarian operation began in August 2006.
Defeating the LTTE required many success factors to converge. The first and perhaps most important factor was the unshakeable determination of the President to fulfil his mandate and free Sri Lanka from terrorism. There had been many successful military operations in the past that could not be consolidated to a permanent victory because of the lack of sufficient political will. The clear, unambiguous aim of the President and his firm commitment to eradicating terrorism from Sri Lanka was critical throughout the humanitarian operation. This combined with committed personal leadership.
For the duration of the humanitarian operation, over three and a half years, the President chaired the weekly Security Council meetings, where the debrief for the past week and the plans for the coming week were discussed. By constantly keeping in touch with the unfolding situation, the President, as Commander-in-Chief, was fully aware of the progress being made. Whenever there were setbacks, as there can be in any military operation, he understood that they were only temporary.
Instead of being deterred, he gave the military the confidence to press ahead towards the ultimate goal.
The President’s decision to expand the Armed Forces was another critical factor in the success of the military. The strength of the LTTE, its military capability and armaments, the sheer extent of land it controlled and the guerilla tactics and diversionary tactics it used against the Armed Forces meant that a large military was essential in combatting the entirety of the LTTE threat. As a result of the expansion of the Army, we had enough troops to operate on a number of different axes and on a wider frontage, and to hold territory in strength once it had been captured. For the first time, we could create more battalions, brigades and divisions to progress with, and at the same time to cater for battle casualties while maintaining the required strength of all units.
By expanding the Navy and the Air Force and by using their personnel beyond their classic role to protect sensitive areas on ground, and by strengthening the Civil Defence Force and increasing the responsibilities of the Police, we were able to protect sensitive areas throughout the country while the war against terrorism was being waged. This meant that there were no reversals on the field of battle, nor any need to divert the military to protect against LTTE attacks elsewhere.

Essential factor

Another essential success factor behind the humanitarian operation was the ability of the President and the political leadership to maintain domestic political stability while resisting international pressures. It is important to remember that it was a coalition Government in power during the humanitarian operation. The President had to somehow keep his coalition partners together and even persuade key Opposition figures to support him to consolidate the Government’s position and ensure it did not collapse halfway through.
At the same time, essential subsidies had to be granted on fertiliser and other items to control food and commodity prices that would affect the populace. Infrastructure development also could not be ignored despite the large defence budget. By skilfully managing the economy as well as domestic politics, the Government could sustain its popularity and the country’s economic growth despite the hardships of the war against terrorism and the international economic downturn.
An even greater challenge, however, was resisting the various international pressures that were brought to bear on us to stop the battle.
As a result of its vast international network, its extremely effective propaganda machine, and the large number of expatriate Tamils in many powerful foreign capitals, the LTTE was able to influence the political leadership of many Western states to be critical of the Government’s success on the warfront. This led to numerous practical issues as well, including restrictions on the sale of weapons to Sri Lanka by certain countries. These issues had to be overcome through the skilful building of our diplomatic relationships with key regional allies as well as countries such as China and Russia.
Without doubt, the most important country that had to be managed was India. Because of the political pressures in Tamil Nadu, the Sri Lankan situation has always been sensitive in that country. In 1987, when the LTTE was on the brink of defeat during the Vadamarachchi Operation, India intervened and effectively forced the Government to stop its military campaign. To maintain the relationship with India and to prevent any such problem occurring this time around, the President went out of his way to keep New Delhi briefed on developments at all times. In addition, a special bilateral committee was set up at the highest level, including then Senior Presidential Advisor Basil Rajapaksa, Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga and myself as Defence Secretary from the Sri Lankan side, and former National Security Advisor M.K. Narayan, then Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon and then Defence Secretary Vijay Singh on the Indian side. This troika had continuous discussions and ensured that any sensitive issues were dealt with as soon as they arose.
With the confluence of all these strategies and factors, we concluded the humanitarian operation by defeating the LTTE on the field of battle in May 2009. It has to be acknowledged that this victory was not easy and did not come without a price. During the latter stages of the Northern operation, the LTTE withdrew from its entrenched positions and retreated towards its strongholds on the North Eastern coast. As it withdrew, it took three hundred thousand civilians out of their homes to serve as its human shield. During the last stage, the LTTE set up its artillery positions within civilian encampments and fought amidst the civilians, often dressed in civilian attire. This was a very challenging situation for the Armed Forces, which acted with great restraint and suffered considerable losses in their efforts to minimise civilian casualties. The use of heavy weaponry was curtailed and then stopped outright. The minimum amount of necessary force was used at all times to ensure that harm to civilians and civilian property was minimised. However, the LTTE had no compunctions about putting civilians deliberately in harm’s way, and its cadres mercilessly shot at all civilians who tried to escape into Government-controlled areas.

Humanitarian operation

Despite all these challenges, it is important to note that by the end of the humanitarian operation, nearly 300,000 civilians were left in the Government’s care. In spite of the absurd claims made by various parties with vested interests, the Armed Forces did their best to keep civilian casualties to a minimum.
A comprehensive survey entitled an Enumeration of Vital Events undertaken in 2011 by the Department of Census and Statistics demonstrates this beyond doubt.
The Enumeration was conducted between June and August 2011, with field data being collected in July. The enumerators were Government school teachers attached to the Northern Province, all 2,500 of whom were Tamil. Apart from the gathering of usual census data, the enumerators paid attention to the deaths that had taken place in the North from 2005 to 2009, with particular emphasis on the deaths that took place in the last stages of battle.
The Enumeration Report states that 7,896 deaths occurred due to unnatural causes during this period. It is extremely important to stress that this figure includes all LTTE leaders and cadres who died in battle, all civilians killed by the LTTE, and all civilians who died as a result of crossfire or collateral damage.
The LTTE had 25,000 cadres at the start of the humanitarian operation. By its conclusion, nearly 12,000 had surrendered to the Armed Forces. Technical sources and the number of bodies of LTTE cadres recovered indicates that a large number of cadres died in battle. These numbers exclude civilians who were forced to fight by the LTTE during the last stages.
When considering these numbers, it is clear that the majority of the 7,896 deaths that occurred during the last stages of the battle were of LTTE cadres.This clearly demonstrates the falsity and quite likely malicious nature of the various civilian casualty figures that are alleged by various parties with vested interests. It should further be noted that the figures in the Enumeration of Vital Events tallies with the figures reported by the ICRC as well as UNICEF. Soon after, UNICEF started an independent effort to track missing persons in the North. By July 2011, it received 2,564 tracing applications, of which 1,888 were about adults and 676 were about children. It was also reported by 64 percent of parents that their children had been recruited by the LTTE. All these figures prove beyond doubt that the number of non-combatants who perished during the war against terrorism was, in fact, very small.
The success of the Government in the post-2009 era is as commendable as its defeat of terrorism during the humanitarian operation. As soon as victory was achieved, the Government faced a new set of challenges that it successfully overcame in a relatively short period. These challenges included:
*Accommodating and taking care of nearly 300,000 displaced persons
*Undertaking demining and reconstruction of infrastructure and facilities in the places they had been displaced from
*Resettling them at their original locations once they had been cleared of mines; and
*Rehabilitating and reintegrating nearly 12,000 ex-LTTE cadres who surrendered to the military as well as nearly 4,500 cadres who were in detention at that time.

First challenge

Accommodating and ensuring the welfare of the displaced was the first challenge. The Government had prepared for this challenge since late 2008, and had started to construct welfare villages to temporarily house the civilians it anticipated receiving. It was planned that the welfare villages would contain high quality infrastructure and facilities.
Accordingly, the Government established semi-permanent shelters at Lakshman Kadirgamar Village and Ananda Kumaraswamy Village in Menik Farm, as well as temporary shelters and huts provided by the funding organisations, to accommodate the people. The welfare villages were one of the many success stories of this period.
During the initial stages, cooked food packets were provided to the displaced. Dedicated medical teams were appointed to each welfare village and extensive healthcare facilities and medical supplies were provided. The vast majority of them soon recovered from the ill-health they had suffered while they were with the LTTE. Between May and June 2009, the crude mortality rate fell from 0.7 per 10,000 per day to 0.5 per 10,000 per day, which is the threshold rate for South East Asia. By July 2009, it had settled at 0.15 per 10,000 per day, which is the threshold rate for Sri Lanka. In addition to physical health, great care was also taken to provide psychological and psychosocial support to them.
After the early stages during which the people were settling down, life resumed a normal routine in the welfare villages. Instead of cooked meals, kitchen facilities were set up in each residential block and basic rations were issued free. Cooperative outlets and markets were established, and banks, post offices and communication centres were set up. Special public administration services were provided, including facilities to reconstruct legal documents and issue temporary identity cards.
‘Happiness Centres’ were established for children, and various activities including art, music, drama, yoga and sports were conducted. Many efforts were taken to promote religious, spiritual and cultural activities.
Places of worship were established through community consultation, with special facilities being provided for all clergy. Schools were established for students, and vocational training centres were established for the capacity building and empowerment of older individuals. Community centres and common areas were built for adults, and young adults were provided with career counselling.
While these efforts were taking place, the demining program was expedited in the former conflict areas. It was suspected that mines had been laid in more than 5,000 square kilometres of land. Demining such a vast area was a very difficult challenge, but the Government unhesitatingly undertook it immediately after terrorism ended. Many foreign organisations came forward to help, but the Sri Lanka Army took responsibility for demining 1,500 square kilometres, including most of the densely mined regions.
The entire demining program was carefully planned and executed. Nearly half a million antipersonnel mines, 1,400 antitank mines and close to 400,000 unexploded ordnance were recovered. This demonstrates the scope of the problem we faced, and clearly demonstrates just what an achievement it is that the two main priority areas could be demined successfully within three years.

Reconstruction expedited

Reconstruction was expedited in each area that was cleared of mines and rendered safe. As a result of LTTE action and long neglect, many of the facilities and infrastructure were in need of significant repair and improvement. The renovation of houses and construction of new housing units was one of the Government’s priorities in terms of reconstruction.
The Government extended direct assistance for the establishment of houses. The Army has been involved in several programs in this regard and has renovated more than 6,000 houses and constructed close to 7,000 new permanent or semi-permanent houses. Other countries have also assisted; the most notable being India, which provided a grant for the construction of about 40,000 new houses. In addition to housing stock, infrastructure was built up rapidly under the Northern Spring and Eastern Dawn programs. Under them, electricity, water supply and sanitation, irrigation, solid waste disposal, transportation and improved agriculture, livestock development, fisheries and facilities for trading activity were developed in these areas.
Resettlement was also expedited. Under the rapid resettlement program, all displaced persons were resettled within three and a half years. With the exception of a very few, they were resettled in their places of origin, including areas such as Vellamullavaikkal where the last battles took place. The Government has also taken great care to ensure that the former displaced have gained improved prospects in life. Vocational training was provided to young adults, and financial and other forms of assistance were provided for people to resume their livelihoods. The Government has provided tools, equipment, seeds and livestock for farming, donated fishing gear and fishing boats to help fishermen return to the sea, and provided concessionary financing and training for those hoping to start up small businesses. Through these measures, the Government has ensured that the former displaced have ample opportunity to return to normal life.
A similar approach was adopted to the LTTE cadres who surrendered or were detained during the humanitarian operation. All of them were categorised according to their level of involvement in LTTE atrocities, and the majority were sent for rehabilitation. All the child soldiers were rehabilitated within one year, and the adult ex-combatants were rehabilitated in stages and reintegrated with society. All beneficiaries of rehabilitation underwent extensive programs designed to equip them with the ability to return to normal life in society.
They were provided counselling, spiritual, religious and cultural rehabilitation, and psychosocial support including creative therapy. They were provided catch up education, given vocational training in various sectors, and even assisted in setting up their own businesses through provision of specialised training and concessionary financing. Many of the beneficiaries have also been absorbed into the Civil Defence Force. According to independent studies conducted by American academics, the rehabilitation process has been extremely successful in reducing the support for violence among the beneficiaries.
In the long term, the primary challenge and responsibility of the Government is to restore stability to Sri Lanka. In this regard, ensuring that the problems that led to the conflict in the first place do not arise again is critically important. Keeping some degree of security measures in place is essential.
At the same time, the Government was very keen to remove whatever restrictions had to be in place during terrorism so that the people could feel the benefit of peace as fast as possible. All the restrictions on travel, restrictions on transport of certain items, restrictions on fishing and restrictions on ground in terms of high security zones were gradually removed. Elections have been restored and political plurality has returned. The visible presence of the military has been minimised, and the maintenance of law and order has been handed over to the Police. New police stations have been built and Tamil-speaking policemen have been recruited and trained to serve in the North and the East.

Peace restored

The rest of the country, too, has benefited tremendously from the restoration of peace and stability. Tourist arrivals are on the rise, with more and more internationally recognised travel magazines selecting Sri Lanka as one of the top-rated holiday destinations in the world. In keeping with this trend, more than a million tourist arrivals were recorded in the country during 2012.
Sri Lanka has also been chosen to host several significant international events, including the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting later this year. Last year, it hosted the 58th annual Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Conference and the ICC’s Twenty20 Cricket World Cup. Many leading international companies have decided to invest in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka companies too are investing in these sectors, with several planning to construct many new mixed developments, hotels and office buildings.
The Government is undertaking a large-scale development drive to improve infrastructure such as roads, railways, electricity, water supply and sanitation and disposal of solid waste. Several flagship projects have been undertaken. A few days ago, President Rajapaksa opened Sri Lanka’s second international airport at Mattala. The Hambantota Port is also now operational, and has the capacity to tap the vast potential afforded by the sea lines of communication that pass within a few nautical miles to the south of Sri Lanka.
A concerted effort is under way to develop the quality of our urban spaces. Cities are being beautified and public facilities are being upgraded in dozens of locations. There are a number of urban development projects taking place in Colombo as well as smaller cities throughout the rest of the country. The private sector has started to exploit the opportunities that are being created by the Government, and more investment in various sectors is flowing into the country. Sri Lanka is on the brink of an economic resurgence that will benefit all our citizens and residents.
However, despite all these positive accomplishments and the country’s great potential, Sri Lanka still faces several challenges both domestically as well as from overseas. Despite the military defeat of the LTTE, its propaganda machine remains fully operational in a number of countries around the world.
By influencing foreign governments through the large number of expatriate Tamils who comprise an important voting bloc in many western democracies, the rump of the LTTE is still causing problems for Sri Lanka. There are also many so called champions of human rights in the international media and in international NGOs who continue to attack the country. Some of them have publicly accepted donations from LTTE-linked groups; many of them have been misled by LTTE propaganda and others are desperately trying to cling to causes to secure funding.
The efforts of the rump of the LTTE and other parties with vested interests is compounded by the strategic interest that certain states have in Sri Lanka because of its unique geographical position. Even in international fora such as the United Nations Human Rights Council, we can see that certain powerful countries and their allies are blatantly employing double standards when dealing with Sri Lanka. They have completely ignored our achievements.

LTTE ideology

Even in Sri Lanka, some politicians who used to work under the LTTE still believe in its ideology, and continue to try and create problems among the Tamil population so that they can cling on to power. Instead of looking at the bigger picture and seeing the benefits that flow from a unitary state, their agenda is to divide our people for selfish gain. There are also unscrupulous politicians in the mainstream parties who disregard the national interest and resort to false propaganda to get into power.
In addition, there are also civil society stalwarts with a distinct anti-national agenda, who do their best to discredit the Government and portray a bleak picture about Sri Lanka to the world. They are aided and abetted by sections of the media that have vested interests.
This is extremely unfortunate. People should not forget the last 30 years. We must remember the many sacrifices that were made for peace to be achieved. During the time nearly 30,000 military personnel made the ultimate sacrifice; 20,000 more are permanently disabled. Apart from these war heroes, about 10,000 civilians including political leaders and community leaders lost their lives. We must be careful not to do anything that will create such a situation in this country again. While we must deal with whatever domestic issues that remain, we must not do so in a way that will threaten our present peace and stability.
If you think back to the era before 2005 and how things were then, and compare that to the present era, you will see for yourselves just how much better things are now. Everyone has benefited from the defeat of terrorism. The achievement of peace after so many years of conflict, the return of freedom to all our citizens, the successful meeting of all the post-conflict challenges, the revival of democracy and the ongoing rapid economic development are all remarkable achievements. We must not let those with vested interests mislead us.
Sri Lanka is one of the most peaceful and stable countries in the world, and if we stand united as Sri Lankans and as friends of Sri Lanka, we will together unleash the immense potential that this country has. In fact, the best riposte to those who stand in doubt of Sri Lanka is to show them what we as a nation are capable of achieving. If all of us commit ourselves to this task and stand united, I have every confidence that we will take this country forward into a bright new era of unparalleled opportunity and success.

Excerpts of the speech delivered by Secretary Defence and Urban Development at the Serendip Coast Festival 2013 at the Lighthouse Hotel in Galle last week

‘Sri Lanka should not overreact to Tamil Nadu protests’

by Manjula Fernando

Sri Lanka should not overreact to the current wave of protests or the politically instigated actions in Tamil Nadu, said Human Resources Senior Minister and Chairman of the Parliamentary Watchdog, COPE D.E.W. Gunasekera.
He said, “My own personal feeling is that the DMK and AIADMK, are playing a political game in the wake of the impending Lok Sabha elections, not that they have a special soft corner for the Lankan Tamils.”
Referring to the Hindu newspaper where the DMK party has said, “Our main slogan in the next Lok Sabha election is going to be Sri Lanka issue”. He said that the parties were competing with each other to woo the Tamil voters and strengthen their bases.
“This is a domestic issue for Indians. We must not overreact to these domestic political compulsions.”
There are extremist politicians in both countries. When the DMK or Vaiko shouts, there are corresponding shouts at this end. “I don’t want to name the people or the parties,” he said.
He said extremism is always mutually nurtured, just like the LTTE and the JVP in days gone by. The LTTE thrived on extremism in the South. “We should not fall into their traps.”
“The LTTE and JVP nourished each other, that is why the LTTE never attacked the JVP. The LTTE killed leaders of all other parties except the JVP. They killed members of the SLFP, UNP, the Communist Party, Sama Samaja Party and other left party members but they never touched the JVP,” he said.

http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2013/03/31/new02.asp

To complement reconciliation and development efforts:

http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2013/03/31/new04.asp

Tamil Nadu should take Lanka’s steady progress into account

Political and other elements in Tamil Nadu should take the cue by obtaining a first-hand account of the steady progress Sri Lanka has made since 2009 to complement reconciliation and development efforts, an External Affairs Ministry of Sri Lanka spokesman said referring to the flat and outright rejection by New Delhi of Tamil Nadu’s demand to “stop treating Sri Lanka as a friendly nation”.
The Indian Government on Friday rejected in toto the resolution passed by the Tamil Nadu Assembly that called upon the Centre to stop treating Sri Lanka as a friendly nation and slap sanctions on it while demanding a referendum for a separate Tamil Eelam.
“There is no question of accepting them. That is not the only state that has a stake in this.”
What about the others? There are many other states. There are many other Assemblies. The rest of India is not supporting this,” India’s External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid told Karan Thapar in the Devil’s Advocate program on CNN-IBN, regarding the TN Assembly’s request.
He was asked if the Centre was rejecting the three crucial aspects of the resolution adopted by the Tamil Nadu Assembly on March 27. To each of the three demands, Khurshid said a firm “no”.
“If all of India were to support it, it was then another matter. But if one state supports something, we are sensitive to its concerns but we do not necessarily have to,” he said. The Assembly had adopted a resolution, moved by Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, calling upon the Centre to take firm steps against Colombo.
Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu State Assembly’s request has come in for harsh criticism in the Indian mainstream media.
In a hard-hitting editorial, the Hindustan Times said, ”At the end of most wars, the worst sufferers are often the first who need to move on from the past.
By entirely disregarding such efforts in a ravaged Sri Lanka, Tamil Nadu’s Assembly and its politicians are seeking to render a simplistic conflict, which apart from civilians, has also claimed the lives of Sri Lanka’s third President Ranasinghe Premadasa, and closer home, that of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.
Even in her ban of Sri Lankan cricketers, the AIADMK chief has set an artificial moral standard that India’s other seemingly accommodating states will not be able to match. And even if they were so inclined, they should not follow suit", he said.

http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6863206389258294382#editor/target=post;postID=8760663048176946751. 

MURALI'S STATEMENT, FOOD FOR THOUGHT

The recent statement by the world's best bowler, Muttiah Muralitharan is indeed food for thought, not only for racist politicians in Tamil Nadu, but also for the international community. It sends a clear signal to India's central government and others who show undue concern for Tamils in Sri Lanka.
Some Western countries and certain key officials in international organisations invariably attempt to project a dismal picture on Sri Lanka, thereby undermining the country's progress since terrorism was laid to rest. A section of the Tamil diaspora and LTTE cohorts are also projecting a gloomy picture on Sri Lanka, that the Tamils are being discriminated against.
Nevertheless, Muralitharan, one of the most celebrated Sri Lankans and himself a Tamil, has told the world in no uncertain terms, the stark fact about the prevailing situation here, contrary to the concocted stories spread by a section of the Tamil diaspora and LTTE cohorts. The international community should give serious thought to Muralitharan's observation as it comes straight from the horse's mouth.
Some Tamil Nadu politicians are conducting themselves in the most unbecoming manner, jeopardising the foreign policy of the central government of India. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa Jeyaram has 'decreed' that Sri Lankan players should not be entertained for the forthcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket tournament and banned them playing matches in the state capital, Chennai. Chennai Super Kings, which represents the Tamil Nadu state at the IPL, has decided against playing their two contracted Sri Lankan players, Nuwan Kulasekera and Akila Dananjaya due to mounting political pressure from Jayalalithaa.
However, Muralitharan's emblazoned statement should wake up Jayalalithaa and opportunist politicians in Tamil Nadu who are dragging unwarranted political issues into sports to gain petty political mileage. It goes without saying that Muralitharan is very close to the hearts and minds of Tamils, in both Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu. Moreover, the world record-holder, who played for Tamil Nadu's Chennai Super Kings at the IPL, is warmly cherished by all Sri Lankans, irrespective of ethnic affiliations.
On the other hand, Muralitharan has a soft corner for Tamil Nadu as his better half hails from a renowned Tamil family from the South Indian state. Hence, he has the right to analyse the situation and speak on behalf of his community and his countrymen.
The Lankan spin wizard, in an interview with the Indian media last week, had expressed his displeasure over the recent unsavoury developments in Tamil Nadu. "It's sad that the Tamil Nadu government doesn't want us there. It's always unfortunate when people in power start mixing politics with sports. Hence, if they don't want me in Chennai, then I won't go. I can't do anything else about it," Muralitharan was quoted as saying to the Indian Express on Tuesday.
Muralitharan's down-to-earth statement on the prevailing peaceful coexistence among all communities in Sri Lanka is ample testimony to the country's achievements since terrorism was defeated almost four years ago. The world's most successful bowler in international cricket has said that his Sri Lankan nationality takes precedence over his Tamil ethnicity. He has dismissed baseless claims about discrimination against Tamils in the country.
Muralitharan said; "I am a Tamil. But I'm a Sri Lankan first. And the ban means, I'm not wanted there either. I can assure you that there has been immense peace all around Sri Lanka since May 2009 and the Tamils are living very happily here. They are treated equally well".
Does anybody in the international community need further proof to understand the true ground situation in Sri Lanka? It is also a fitting reply to those who had voiced against Sri Lanka during the recent US-led Resolution at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC).
It is deplorable, to say the least, that Tamil Nadu politicians are dragging politics into the sports arena as well. That is precisely why Muralitharan had said that it is disappointing for them since cricketers entertain sports fans regardless of nationality, race or religious considerations.
Renowned cricketers such as Muralitharan, Sanath Jayasuriya and Arjuna Ranatunga are held in high esteem by people in India and they care less for their nationality or ethnicity in supporting the Sri Lanka cricket team in the past. Most people in Tamil Nadu do not hold anything against Sri Lanka or its people. But it is deplorable that power-hungry politicians in Tamil Nadu are moving heaven and earth to gain petty political mileage by marketing Sri Lankan Tamils.
Muralitharan, a highly respected, non-political and moderate person, always speaks the truth while upholding the ideals of justice. In the event there had been any discrimination, whatsoever, against ethnic Tamils, he would have certainly exposed it. He articulated to the Indian Express his forthright views and the true ground situation in Sri Lanka. Hence, those who shed crocodile tears on the plight of Tamils in Sri Lanka should first and foremost take the cue from what Muralitharan has disclosed.
Muralitharan, who has no political leanings, would never make sweeping statements to pamper politicians. He is a man of sterling qualities and would always voice against injustice and discrimination. Hence, we fail to perceive as to why the international community, especially politicians in Tamil Nadu and the Tamil diaspora, should not see things in its correct perspective after Muralitharan's unbiased statement.
A section of the Tamil diaspora and LTTE cohorts are spreading false propaganda saying that Tamils are being discriminated against in Sri Lanka. This had been the same strategy adopted by the LTTE to woo international sympathy and seek a short cut towards its dream of creating a separate state in Sri Lanka. Many Western politicians and top officials of international organisations fell prey to this ploy and held negative views on Sri Lanka.
The LTTE indoctrinated people in the North and the East that they could not win their rights under a united Sri Lanka. Ruthless Velupillai Prabhakaran and his blood-thirsty goons did their damnedest to drive a wedge between the Tamils and the Sinhalese so that he could capitalise on it to capture power.
Thanks to the supreme sacrifices by the true sons of our soil who liberated over half a million people in the North and the East from the jaws of LTTE terror, all communities in Sri Lanka are now enjoying the dividends of peace. People in these two provinces have now begun a new lease of life as the Tamils are living in peace in a spirit of camaraderie with their Sinhalese and Muslim brethren.
The dawn of peace has opened new horizons to Sri Lanka and the country is developing rapidly in every sphere. The mega development projects launched in the North and the East had provided better living conditions for Tamils in the Northern and the Eastern Provinces. Muralitharan has brought these facts into sharp focus, which regrettably, have not been understood by some politicians in Tamil Nadu.
Western politicians who depend heavily on the Tamil diaspora vote for their survival continue to pamper LTTE cohorts. They openly disregard the true ground situation in Sri Lanka and don't acknowledge the peaceful coexistence among all communities in Sri Lanka. Thanks to the misguided efforts of these Western politicians, the US-led Resolution against Sri Lanka was passed by a mere 12 votes while eight countries abstained from voting.
Some world leaders and UNHRC officials who seem to be more concerned about the human rights of LTTE terrorists killed in action than those of civilians who were brutally massacred by the Tigers, should at least now try to understand what Muralitharan has told the world on Sri Lanka's progress.
The resolutions passed at the UNHRC in successive years would only help hamper the peaceful coexistence of all ethnic groups and the country's progress since LTTE terrorism was eradicated. If the West is really concerned about the well-being of Tamils, they must take Muralitharan's message seriously.
Tamil Nadu politicians should desist from stoking racism for petty political gain and intimidating the central government. The long-standing cordial ties between the two countries should be fostered at all times, despite the petty statements by Tamil Nadu's political opportunists.

http://www.np.gov.lk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2273:president-declared-open-7th-deyata-kirula-exhibition-23-march-2013&catid=18:others

President declared open 7th Deyata Kirula Exhibition- 23 March 2013

Monday, 25 March 2013 15:40 | | |

His Excellency the President Mahinda Rajapaksa declared open the Dayata Kirula National Development Exhibition 2013 at Ampara Hardy Advanced Technical College premises on 23rd March 2013. Deyata Kirula is considered that the Sri Lanka's biggest public exhibition and is being held in rural areas to develop these areas. The exhibition brings massive infrastructure development, especially roads and public facilities to the area slated to hold the Deyata Kirula exhibition.
Deyata Kirula is not merely an exhibition or display, but an occasion that brings massive overall development to rural areas of the country as part of the national development drive, President Mahinda Rajapaksa said.
President Rajapaksa was addressing the opening ceremony of the 7th Deyata Kirula National Development Exhibition at Ampara Hardy Higher Technology Institute on Saturday.
The President said the government has taken measures to develop the country by developing the village.
“In line with the Mahinda Chinthana policy statement of the government, special attention has been paid to develop the country, allocating around Rs 60,000 million annually from the budget. The Deyata Kirula exhibition is being held annually to bring rapid development to the country,” he said. The President said all should experience development.
“That is why it was brought to Ampara bringing all communities together,” he said noting that not only Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim communities, but other communities such as the Adi Vasis also live in the region in a friendly manner.
The exhibition gives an idea of development to the children to accept the responsibility of the future since there is no peace without development and no development without peace, the President said. Apart from infrastructure development that comes with Deyata Kirula , all other sectors including health, education, transportation, farming, living standards and many more are developed parallel to the exhibition,
The exhibition is organized for 7th consecutive year. This time it is hosted at Ampara Hardy Advanced Technical Institute.
The public has the opportunity to visit over 200 stalls at the exhibition grounds, showcasing progress by government departments, corporations and private sector organizations. The exhibition covers an area in extent of 200 acres with all facilities provided for those visiting and working in the exhibition grounds. There are about 400 exhibition stalls maintained by the state and private sector.
Governor of Northern Province GA Chandrasiri visited Northern Province section and declared open the stalls. Mrs.G N Chandrasiri also participated at this event.
This year Northern Province has scheduled to display the development activities undertaken thorough out the province.
Background
Meanwhile, President Mahinda Rajapaksa handed over 30 ambulances to state hospitals in the Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Ampara districts on 23rd March , the opening day of Deyata Kirula 2013 National Development Exhibition, a Health Ministry spokesman said.
He said the state hospital network at present needs 400 new ambulances at present. The Health Ministry has already made arrangements to meet this requirement, under the directions of Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena.
“At the moment 374 new ambulances are ready for distribution. The Japan International Corporation Agency (JICA) has provided 124 ambulances while the Government will supply the rest. The ambulances will be allocated among state hospitals countrywide,” he said.
The Media and Information Ministry spent Rs 8 million to uplift Ampara Bandaraduwa Maha Vidyalaya which lacked facilities in line with the Deyata Kirula - 2013 national exhibition.
The school’s newly built building will be vested in the students on Sunday. President Mahinda Rajapaksa advised ministries and institutions to launch at least one public welfare project in the Ampara district in line with the Deyata Kirula exhibition. The Media and Information Ministry decided to develop Ampara Bandaraduwa Maha Vidyalaya under the guidance of Media and Information Minister Keheliya Rambukwella and the direction of ministry Secretary Dr Charitha Herath.
Work on the new building commenced on January 5. Work was completed with the dedication of officials of the Media and Information Ministry and affiliated institutions in the government and private sectors.

Last Updated (Monday, 25 March 2013 16:05)

 

http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=Sri_Lanka_expects_unstinting_support_from_all_Sri_Lankans_living_abroad_20130327_03

Sri Lanka expects unstinting support from all Sri Lankans living abroad - President

Sri Lanka is expecting the unstinted support from all Sri Lankans living abroad to overcome the challenges before the nation, President Mahinda Rajapaksa said.

During a meeting with a group of visiting Sri Lankan - American community leaders at Temple Trees on March 26th, President further said Sri Lanka needs not only the support of the expatriate community but also of the diaspora community to overcome the anti-Sri Lankan forces in the international arena. He emphasized that their involvement in investment projects and business developments are vital for the country's progress.

The group comprising prominent Sri Lankan academics, business leaders and professionals in the United States thanked the President for leading the way toward a rapid development in the country after ending thirty years of terrorism. They further expressed appreciation for the country's ability to retain its cultural identity, notwithstanding the fast-paced development projects being accomplished under the President's visionary leadership.

The group led by Ambassador Jaliya Wickramasuriya, Sri Lanka 's Ambassador to the United States , landed in Sri Lanka on the first international flight to the Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport ceremonial opening on May 18th.The tour was organized by the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Washington DC as part of its dynamic country promotion program. Over 100 travelers including Sri Lankan American community leaders, business leaders, US investors, academics, travel writers and media personnel from 30 major cities of the United States joined the special flight at their own cost to witness the historic inauguration of Sri Lanka 's second International Airport.

Courtesy : President Media Unit

http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=During_the_last_stage_of_the_war_the_LTTE_set_up_its_artillery_positions_within_civilian_encampments_and_fought_amidst_the_civilians_often_dressed_in_civilian_attire_20130325_05

'During the last stage of the war, the LTTE set up its artillery positions within civilian encampments and fought amidst the civilians, often dressed in civilian attire'- Secretary Defence

'During the last stage of the war, the LTTE set up its artillery positions within civilian encampments and fought amidst the civilians, often dressed in civilian attire. This was a very challenging situation for the Armed Forces, which acted with great restraint and suffered considerable losses in their efforts to minimize civilian casualties. The use of heavy weaponry was curtailed and then stopped outright. The minimum amount of necessary force was used at all times to ensure that harm to civilians and civilian property was minimized. However, the LTTE had no compunctions about putting civilians deliberately in harm's way, and its cadres mercilessly shot at all civilians who tried to escape into Government controlled areas' said Secretary Defence and Urban Development Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa making the keynote address at a function of Serendip Coast Festival 2013 yesterday morning (25th March 2013) at Hotel Lighthouse in Galle.

The book 'Gota's War', authored by veteran journalist C.A. Chandraprema was the main theme of the function in order to bestow a comprehensive inspiration of the book and thirty years of LTTE terror to the entire world. The book is a completion of introspective events that led to the crushing of Tamil Tiger Terrorism in Sri Lanka.

The event was organized by the founder of Galle literary festival Mr. Geoffrey Dobbs.

Addressing the gathering Secretary Defence emphasized the importance of organizing such events in order to show the ground reality of Sri Lanka to the international communities and it's rather different from what is often reported about this country. He also said that the progress is being achieved by the country after the war is remarkable.

Describing his recent visit to Jaffna peninsula Mr. Rajapaksa stated that His Excellency the President Mahinda Rajapaksa and he could able to move freely in the peninsula and that exemplifies the peace, stability and security that exist in every part of the country after the defeat of terrorism in May 2009.

Recalling the atrocities done by LTTE he stated that unfortunately, some people seem to have forgotten the situation Sri Lanka was in before the dawn of peace. He also stressed the Economic targets which were attacked ruthlessly, including the Oil Refinery at Kolonnawa, power plants at Kelanitissa and Kerwalapitiya, International Air Port at Katunayake and the Central Bank in 1996.

Explaining the beginning of the humanitarian operation which launched to liberate the hundreds of thousands of people in the North and East from the LTTE's dominance he expressed the causes for the Maavilaru operation in 2006.

"Paramount reason behind the elimination of terrorism was His Excellency the President's unshakeable determination to fulfill his mandate and free Sri Lanka from terrorism once and for all", secretary Defence elaborated. He also stressed the way that the Sri Lankan government overcome the international interferences during the period of war.

Describing the present scenario of the former theater he explained the demining process, resettlement process of the IDPs and ex LTTE combatants, housing projects and other development programmes in the area. He also said that the rest of the country too, has benefited tremendously from the restoration of peace and stability.

Summing up his speech he said that everyone has benefited from the defeat of terrorism and Sri Lanka is one of the most peaceful and stable countries in the world, and if we stand united as Sri Lankans and as friends of Sri Lanka, we will together unleash the immense potential that this country has.

The Secretary also took part in a question and answer session and responded to queries raised by the participants.

Office bearers of the Serendip Coast Festival and a large number of foreign and local delegates were present at the occasion.

Full Text of the Speech delivered by Secretary Defence at the Serendip coast Festival 2013 at the Light house hotel in Galle >>

http://www.dailynews.lk/2013/03/28/news02.asp

 

Murali, Chennai’s son-in-law, says ‘not end of the world’

The city of Chennai, in many ways, has been a second home for Muttiah Muralitharan. Besides being a Tamil, the former Sri Lankan off-spinner is married to an Indian who belongs to the city. Moreover, Muralitharan represented the Chennai Super Kings during the first three seasons of the Indian Premier League (IPL). But with the Tamil Nadu government having declared the state capital a ‘no-Sri-Lankan-zone’, Muralitharan will in all likelihood be forced to give Chennai a miss during the sixth edition of IPL starting next month.

And the 40-year-old Sri Lankan spin legend expressed his disappointment at the unsavoury developments.

“It’s sad that the Tamil Nadu government doesn’t want us there. It’s always unfortunate when people in power start mixing politics with sports. So if they don’t want me in Chennai then I won’t go. I can’t do anything else about it,” Muralitharan told The Indian Express on Tuesday.

Muralitharan, who now represents Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), however, confirmed his participation in IPL-6 and said that he will be very much a part of RCB’s campaign.

“The IPL is a great tournament. And I love being a part of it. I now play for Bangalore and I’m sure our fans there will be looking forward to seeing us in action. So what if Chennai doesn’t want us. It’s not the end of the world. I’ll still be a part of the team in all other cities and enjoy their support,” he added.

In the aftermath of the TN government’s move, many former Sri Lankan cricketers such as Arjuna Ranatunga have asked the 13 Sri Lankan players, including Muralitharan, to boycott IPL-6 as a whole.

But Muralitharan urged his compatriots to take a more pragmatic stand.

“It’s disappointing for sure but we are entertainers after all and should not get involved with the politics. Our job is to go out there and perform. The worst case is that we will be left out of the team for that one match. Eventually the decision will be left to the individual but I’m sure the IPL as a whole will not be affected by this,” said Muralitharan.

Muralitharan added that the ban also affected him at a personal level considering the deep-rooted links he shares with Chennai. And also because he is a Tamil.

“I am a Tamil. But I’m a Sri Lankan first. And the ban means, I’m not wanted there either. I can assure you that there has been immense peace all around Sri Lanka since the war ended and the Tamils are living very happily here. They are treated equally well,” he said. Courtesy: The Indian Express