Long-term agenda
(April 15, Chennai, Sri Lanka Guardian) Sri Lanka’s long-term agenda has seen enough words; it urgently needs action. Last week, the Chief Justice of Sri Lanka Sarath N. Silva speaking at Anuradhapura spelled out the fundamentals of a new long term agenda for Sri Lanka: peace must be maintained in the North by enforcing the rule of law. “We must look into the causes of law breakdowns and the terrorism and find ways and means to rectify the situation,” the Chief Justice said. If justice had been meted out to all in the past, a faction of people would not have become terrorists, he added.
President Rajapaksa promised of equity to the Tamil population after the eliminating the LTTE in the eastern province However the eastern province has not been a real model of democracy in action. Its problems are not merely of devolution of powers but the basic issue of good governance. In playing politics there, a good opportunity to show Tamils everywhere that the government means what it says has been frittered away. Already the remnants of LTTE are showing their hand their hand and they could find increasing relevance if rule of law is not established and basic problems of security is not addressed there.
To make an impact in the long term, the overall aim of all actions relating to north and east should be at reduce the relevance of separatism to the Tamil people.
Promises of action are not enough. Large sections of Tamils had seen such political promises made in the past vanishing into thin air. With such a historical background, there is no doubt that the President has the tough task of disproving their ingrained suspicion of Sinhala politicians by his actions as the country is riding the crest of military victory.
So merely holding local body and provincial elections are not going to resolve the problems of the troubled provinces. Development and devolution are not a zero sum game. They are mutually reinforcing factors to be meaningful they have to be carried on together.
A starting point of the long-term agenda would be to transform the military operational mould of the environment in north and east to a normal civilian one. The government should not allow a military mindset to influence every action it takes in restoring normal life in the areas freed of the LTTE control. The sooner it is done, the better it would be. And militarily this should not be difficult as the security forces have proved their prowess in the battlefield and the population is tired of war. The security forces have grown large and powerful and undoubtedly their concurrence would be an important factor in any action relating to the military.
During the period of war, Jaffna was a town set amidst a military garrison. The military check posts should be progressively reduced and if required, handed over to the police. Of course, there might be a need for continued military patrolling. And at times the army might be required to carry out search operations. However, there is a requirement to reduce the military profile of such operations. Policemen have to be Tamil speaking to reduce the feeling of alienation.
Life in Jaffna peninsula had been severely affected due to the war. There had been shortages of fuel, medicines and food supplies. The A9 road linking Jaffna to the mainland should be opened for free public traffic. The railway has resumed the Yaal devi express which now runs up to only Vavuniya. The President has said the reconstruction of the railway line linking Jaffna destroyed during the insurgency would be rebuilt. This project should be undertaken on a priority basis. Presumably help of India, which has a record of successfully undertaking railway construction projects, could be sought for the expensive endeavour.
It is good to remember that one of the main reasons for the failure of the peace process 2002 was the failure to resolve the vexing issue of High Security Zones in populated areas. A participatory mechanism has to be created to resolve the issue not only in the north and east but elsewhere in Sri Lanka in the long term.
Public utilities and housing have suffered heavy damages in most of the towns and villages in Vanni area in the north. For the people living there life can be meaningful only if they enjoy at least the basic essential facilities. Easy credit to rebuild homes and restore business should be extended to the affected people and international financial resources could be made available if the international community feels confident of the outcome of such schemes.
International community can also help the government agencies in such work and enable rehabilitation of the affected people. However, that would require the easing of current restrictions on the operation of NGOs in northern province. There is no use flaying them at every opportunity.
Tamil agenda
By now it should be clear to Tamils that they also should take a relook at their priorities. Expounding the worn out rhetoric is not the way forward. They should take the leadership once again in order to ensure interests of Tamils are not paid adequate political attention in the aftermath of war. First thing is to restore normal life of the people, battered by three decades of extremism, insurgency, revenge and retribution. The politicians' agenda must focus on progressing both development and devolution in tandem. For this their own petty bickering should be deferred to evolve a common minimum programme of action. Use of collective political power rather than recounting historical blunders is the way to achieve results. That would constructively pressurize the government into action.
The Tamil National Alliance knows that the LTTE failed to deliver the goods for Tamils when it had the political opportunity and they had a role in this failure. However, it should forget about saving its face for its role in the past and get into some positive action. Unfortunately, the LTTE enigma appears to have prevented it from using the opportunity to talk about the gut issues of Tamils when the President offered the opportunity. But perhaps as the enigma is diffusing now TNA leaders should muster their courage and assert their position in their own rights. They owe it to the people in whose name they have been claiming their representation in parliament. Unfortunately, so far the TNA has not shown any unified to resolve to visit new pastures which is disappointing. The members are debating to decide on whether they should talk to the Indian Foreign Secretary! So there appears to be more inaction than positive action. I hope they prove me wrong.
International community
International community, despite its pious criticism of Sri Lanka on human rights and humanitarian issues, has helped Sri Lanka in preventing the LTTE’s global support network from coming into play during the war. Much has been written on their ability to set right the human rights records and sagging economy of Sri Lanka. One can only hope at least some of this turned into action.
However, they have a key role in ensuring that the LTTE is not allowed to use their soil to resurrect its war machine. The LTTE global network, despite some serious setbacks in the last three years, still exists. India, Britain, the US and Canada in particular have a major responsibility in this. The EU should ensure a little more coordination among member countries in curbing LTTE activities either directly or through front organisations.
In the changed environment after war, the LTTE would lose two key elements of international recognition accorded to it in the peace process 2002: status of parity with Sri Lanka and exclusive representation of Tamil interests in any dispensation. This would indicate that the peace process 2002 needs not only a change of name but in form and content. The peace process 2002 will have reincarnate as a peace and reconciliation process between communities rather than a peace process between the government and the LTTE.
Norway despite its good intentions has lost its credibility with the Sri Lanka government and sections of the people. So its usefulness in any future international effort in Sri Lanka is likely to be minimal.
The EU, Japan, and the US, the other three co-chairs of the peace process, should rework their strategies to constructively contribute to the twin processes of devolution and development.
India as a dominant neighbour can make immense contribution to restoration of lasting peace in Sri Lanka. Its role in Sri Lanka is different from other countries in form and content. However, India’s role can be analysed meaningfully only after the general elections set to be completed in May 2009. Even if the same ruling coalition returns to power the Sri Lanka dispensation may be different in form and content.
(Col. R Hariharan, a retired Military Intelligence specialist on South Asia, served as the head of intelligence of the Indian Peace Keeping Force in Sri Lanka 1987-90. He is associated with the South Asia Analysis Group and the Chennai Centre for China Studies.)
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