If IDP Muslims are willing to go to their native places and if all these people are demanding the peaceful resettlement of Muslim IDPs why then this Government does not honestly speeding up process of resettlement. Why is this sneaky manipulation in the resettlement of Muslims alone?
by Dr Rifai Naleemi
(October 22, London, Sri Lanka Guardian) The primary objective of this short article is neither to narrate pathetic stories and conditions of Northern Muslims who are still languishing in IDP camps nor to propose some strategies for future resettlement programmes rather it is to urge and persuade the Srilankan government to expedite the resettlement of Northern Muslims as it does with other communities: Moreover, to point out the complacency of this present government in resettling of these long tem IDPS. In a recent study international crisis groups strongly advocates that Srilankan Government should do more to resettle 80.000 Northern Muslims who were evicted forcibly by LTTE in 1990. It contends that “International advocacy should also not neglect the situation of the roughly 80,000 Muslims forcibly evicted from the Northern Province by the LTTE in 1990. Their right to return to their lands in the north must not be forgotten amid concerns about the more recently displaced” (Bitter peace P.40). International community and international human right commissions want to see Muslims are resettled in their native places like any other community: What is more important is that majority of Tamils in Northern Province welcome return of Muslim displaced people in their native places: In recent studies Tamil Intellectuals and human right groups openly regret for expulsion of Muslims. Jeveraj wrote a few years ago that “A greater and vigorous demand has to be made by the Tamils that all expelled Muslims be resettled in their former homes with full compensation and restoration of property. Above all a sincere and humble mass apology should be extended towards the Muslims for the mass expulsion fifteen years ago by the LTTE”“.
If IDP Muslims are willing to go to their native places and if all these people are demanding the peaceful resettlement of Muslim IDPs why then this Government does not honestly speeding up process of resettlement. Why is this sneaky manipulation in the resettlement of Muslims alone? International Crisis groups warn against such manipulation by crafty politicians. It further stresses in its study that “Local and national politicians must be prevented from manipulating the return of Muslims to sow the seeds of new conflicts between Tamils and Muslims.” (Bitter peace 40P. It seems that there is no strong political willingness to resettle these Muslims: there seems some kind of political heedlessness in this issue for some unobvious reasons. I do not claim that Present Srilankan Government is intentionally delaying the resettlement process yet it seems that there is no strong political will and determination to speed up these resettlements: it seems that impartially is not rightly maintained in this case. Consider for instance the issue of Singhalese IDP returnees who went to Jaffna last week: Minister for resettlement swiftly acted and even went to Jaffna and promised them to resettle them as soon as possible Daily Mirror 19/10/10 reports “as Resettlement minster Milroy Fernando has promised Sinhalese families temporarily taking shelter at the Jaffna Railway station that they will soon receive land …. These families will be given back the land which belonged to them within the Jaffna Peninsula upon the completion of the legal proceedings Daily Mirror 19/10/10”.
We should welcome such duty consciousness of this minister but why do not we see such duty consciousness and political willingness when it comes to problems of minorities communities particularly in case of Northern Muslim IDPs. They have been languishing in IDP camps nearly 20 years yet they no longer have resettlements in their legally owned lands.
The presidential commission for lessons learned and reconciliation should educate political leaderships of this country whichever party they belong to remove prejudice, discrimination and impartiality between community to community: Unconditional justice should be maintained in all public affairs between communities: This should be first lesson to learn and I wonder if Srilankan Political leadership has such courage and openness to learn this first lesson? We do not need international human rights groups to preach us if our politicians can show the world some shining examples of reconciliation and equal treatments. Because of the failure of Srilankan government to speed up resettlement of Northern Muslim IDPs International Crisis’s groups not only criticise but make some own proposals as well.
It proposes that “Donors should request the Sri Lankan government to clarify their plans for the return and resettlement of Muslims displaced from the north in 1990, their right of return should be clearly established,…… …. should be offered the resources necessary to do so, as well as assistance in rebuilding and developing their villages with community participation. Any returns by northern Muslims are likely to raise complicated property rights and political issues. A transparent and integrated process of return, in which Muslims and Tamils originating from the same areas return at the same time, is vital to reducing future conflicts. Muslims should be allowed to inspect their properties as soon as possible, prior to any new housing being built. Other mechanisms are also needed to resolve the inevitable land disputes”( Bitter peace p.40p) why does this group has to preach Srilankan Government about what to do in resettlement of Northern Muslim IDPs if our political acted swiftly in case of all IDPS without any impartiality.
Since 1990 Northern Muslims in Srilanka have been suffering and languishing in IDP camps in various places in Srilanka: yet no any successive Srilankan government has taken any constructive measures and strategies to resettle them in their native places. No doubt that there has been some resettlement projects done in recent years: Some of them are voluntary resettlements. After nearly 20 years of waiting some people voluntarily went to Northern province without any Governmental or any institutional help and assistance: Some others went to Northern province because they did not have any support or permanent places to live in the other parts of country: How long they could wait? Some others went with little bit support of some internal and external charities and help? Thanks to support and help of UNHCR. Even little bit of help and support will be greatly appreciated by these people. The big question is why Srilankan Government can not settle these people in their native places? Why officials in the ministry of resettlement do not have any interest in resettling these people? Why Srilankan government is silent on this particular internal problem? Why there is no any resolution about this in Srilankan parliament? Why can not the minister of resettlement debate this issue in the parliament? Why do we need to beg foreign countries to resettle these people?
It is reported that Minister Rishad Bathiudeen recently invited some ambassadors of some Muslim countries to request them financial supports through their respective governments. I do not think that Srilankan government is now in any financial difficulties as during war with LTTE: It is not beyond its financial capacities to resettle these people. If Srilanka could engage in Multi-billions developments projects throughout the country why this government can not resettle these people? These Northern Muslims are Srilankan nationals by birth and they have been living for hundreds year in the Northern district. Unfortunately they were chased out of Northern district by LTTE for wrong reasons. These people did not do any wrong and still they have done nothing wrong. They are Srilankan nationals as any other Srilankan. They do have all rights as others do? Yet they still are languishing in IDP camps. They do not deserve to live in IDP camps and they are equal Srilankan citizens like all others. What wrong they have done to successive Srilankan governments to let them live in appalling pathetic conditions? It is no one else’s responsibility but sole responsibility of this government now to resettle them as soon as possible.
One could say that successive Srilankan governments were facing financial constrains before because of war machinery. Now war is over and country is gearing towards rapid developments and progress: That is what we all need now and that is what we all wish for in this beautiful country. Now there is no any logical reason to delay resettlement of these Northern Muslims by Srilankan Government on its own money and through a special Bill in Parliaments: Expulsion of Northern Muslims is a historical incident. This happened beyond their control. Majority of Tamils in North still regret this incident. They are happy to welcome Muslims back in the Northern Province. Now it is a genuine duty and responsibility of this government to give them moral and financial support for their resettlement. If there is a political will this could have already happened many months ago. That is what minister of commerce and industry Rishad bathiudeen said when he was asked if you do not see any positive financial help from Arab and Islamic countries what would you do? He said that he would expect 100% help and support from our President? Will the president offer such generous help for this humanitarian work? This is the question many Northern Muslims in Srilanka eagerly ask.
It is sad that since expulsion of Muslims from the Northern District Muslim political, social and religious leadership have failed to persuade successive Srilankan governments to do something positively for these peoples’ resettlement: It was true that initially no one wanted to go to Northern district for obvious reasons of prevailing conditions of fighting. Now as war is over people are willing to go back and there is no reason for delaying these people’s resettlement. Now it is moral duty of Political Leadership of Muslim community irrespective of their political affiliation to support these IDP to resettle in their native places: It is true that some of these people are already settled in various parts of Srilanka. Yet many of them are still willing to go if proper resettlement arrangements are made for them: It is appalling to note unlike other IDPs these people are not offered any official support properly; why is this discriminative attitude and why is this demarcation? Why is this apartheid attitude to some people over others? Our politicians have really let down these people in the past? They could not request the successive governments to provide decent facilities for these people in IDPs camps. It should be noted here that unlike all other Muslim politicians, Minister of commerce and industries dedicates most of time and energies for Northern Muslim issue. His hard work and dedication day and night to resettle these people should be appreciated. It is true that some local and International Medias did try to highlight the plights of these people yet, this problem did not get proper attention of our political leadership and international community:
A very little has been done by international charitable and welfare organizations to alleviate pathetic conditions of these people: It is true UNHCR has done some works and it has provided some financial support and help. These are meagre and minimal supports. These charitable organizations should do something to resettle these people in their native places: It is not enough to provide them some basic needs they all have to be resettled and these people needs some capitals and financial grants to start some small industries and business enterprises. Rather than offering support for basic needs what UNHCR should do is to support these people to their business enterprise. From my personal experience, I can say that Northern Muslims in Srilanka are very talented and skilful people: Before 1990 they were a thriving business community in Northern Province: They are naturally talented people in business enterprises and what they really need is some sort of financial backing to settle down:
Dr Hasbullah, Senior Lecturer in Geography has done extensive researches on Northern Muslim displacements: He has contributed greatly for the local and international conferences on this issue: He has suggested many strategies and proposals for the gradual resettlement of these IDPs therefore; it is up to Srilankan Government to implement these proposals in order to integrate IDPS with Northern province and It is moral and religious duty of Muslim politicians to urge and persuade this Government to help Muslims IDPs. It is religious duties of our religious leadership to engage in these types of social works: it is not merely enough to engage in personal religious rites totally neglecting these social duties. Working for social justice and equality and human welfare is part of prophetic missions. Alleviating human suffering is a part of parcel of Islamic faith and belief: Therefore, it is a collective duty of Srilankan Muslim community to engage in this issue: unfortunately we have failed to do this collective duty locally and internationally.
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