Tamils safer at home than sea
Kilinochchi may not be the Paris end of Sri Lanka, but it has come a long way since its days as the levelled terrorist capital of the Tamil Tigers just four years ago. In the Kilinochchi district, malnutrition has been dramatically reduced, 99 schools have been reopened, 26,000ha of landmines have been cleared, 10,000 homes have been built and 40,000 displaced families have been resettled.
 Kilinochchi town |
Road construction is everywhere; there is a new electricity substation and agricultural production is up fivefold. Across the country per capita incomes are up by more than 50 percent or about $US1000 ($973). If the same transformation after a war had been achieved in Iraq or Afghanistan, they would be handing out Nobel prizes. Yet much of this achievement in Sri Lanka is going unacknowledged by the international community.
Journey to Cocos Island
Of course more needs to be done, the stalled reconciliation agenda needs to move forward, the military is still too involved in civilian matters, but the checkpoints are gone, the draw-down has commenced and soldiers are no longer on street corners with guns. Elections in the Northern province will be held in September.
Of critical importance is the fact that when the Tamil National Alliance took me on a tour of resettlements and displaced persons camps in the North, those living there did not complain about physical security but the need for jobs, access to their lands and increased local control. These are fair grievances.
Of particular interest is the fact that 5,700 Tamils who fled to India have returned to Sri Lanka. Of even greater significance was confirmation by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, the International Organisation for Migration and the TNA that these returnees have not been violated. I am not suggesting people living in the North do not want or deserve greater liberty.
But to suggest today's Sri Lanka is like Robert Mugabe's Zimbabwe is ridiculous, and impedes a country trying to get back on its feet. The greatest threat to life for Tamils is not in Sri Lanka but getting on boats to come to Australia.
Furthermore, it is economic and lifestyle factors that are principally motivating Sri Lankans to come to Australia rather than go elsewhere.
If someone in the North is concerned for their safety, why would they take the 3000km, one million rupee ($763) journey to Cocos Island when India is 30km away?
 Road construction work in Kilinochchi |
India has provided genuine safe haven for Tamils for decades. Only recently the UNHCR praised India as a model for its treatment of refugees.
The most reliable way to stop people getting on boats is to send back people who try, whether at our border or theirs.
I am not surprised that the government's recent send-back policy, reluctantly adopted by Labor after again being forced by the Coalition, has had success.
Illegal boat arrivals
A policy of universal interception and return beyond our sea border for all illegal boat arrivals from Sri Lanka is required. Labor has already forcibly returned 100 Tamils to Sri Lanka.The Sri Lankan Navy is stopping one in three people trying to get to Australia by boat.
We need to lift this strike rate threefold.
To achieve this we must increase the capacity of Sri Lanka's Navy, Police and Security Forces for maritime patrol and interceptions, aerial surveillance and land-based intelligence. Sri Lanka will certainly have to find its own way of coming to terms with its past, just as South Africa and Rwanda have done.
It is not for Australian politicians to publicly take sides in its domestic political debate or for others to attempt to drive a Sri Lankan wedge into Australian domestic politics in an election year.
While differing on border protection policy, Australia has a bipartisan position on the rehabilitation of Sri Lanka and engagement with the Sri Lankan government. It should remain so. Sri Lanka's challenges should not be needlessly internationalised. If the international community wants to get involved in Sri Lanka it should start by taking Australia's lead in clearing landmines, building schools, roads and houses, and investing in Sri Lanka's future.
Scott Morrison is opposition spokesman for immigration and citizenship.
Courtesy:The
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