federalidea.com

“Too Little , Too Late” considerations will not satisfy Tamils, Mano Ganesan speaks out in Swarnavahini TV show

“You are now considering provincial councils. These provincial councils law was made part of the constitution by 13th amendment in year 1987. You have taken 20 full years for just mere consideration. It is too sans police and land powers. Sinhala was made the only official language in 1956. You corrected this at least on paper in 1988 through the 16th amendment to the constitution. It has taken another 22 years in this case. This is your incredible history and bizarre political reality. Can you tell me how on earth the Tamils can have any confidence in the government of Sri Lanka?”; asked Western Peoples Front Leader Mano Ganesan during a recent popular Sinhala language ‘Rathu-Ira’ (Red Line) weekly political debate in Swarnavahini television hosted by Mr. Budhika Kulathunga.

Mano Ganesan MP was replying his co participant in the programme Rajitha Senaratne, who is the Sri Lankan Minister of construction and engineering services. Minister Senaratne referring to provincial council elections during the programme earlier told Ganesan that President Mahinda Rajapakse is able to do today what Sri Lankan leaders J.R.Jayawardena, R.Premadasa, D.B.Wijetunge, Chandrika Bandaranayake Kumarathunga and Ranil Wickramasinghe could not do during their respective tenures.

In his reply Ganesan said further as per the English translations released to media by Western People Front:

Tamil is also an official language since 1988 as according to the 16th amendment to the constitution. But it is only on paper. Even to make it to the paper you have taken some cool 22 years. You cannot go to any of the 19 police stations in the city and register a complaint in Tamil language right in this capitol city of Colombo. I know the reality in Colombo since I represent Colombo. You cannot conduct business in Colombo’s any government ministries and offices in Tamil language as prescribed in the constitution. So where is the official language law? What is use of the 16th amendment constitutional law? You threw the 13th amendment Provincial council law into dustbin. You are now bringing it out from dust. You need to project it as a great political exercise to the international community. Yet, it will never be implemented with police and land powers. You are only talking and making mere declarations. We are sick of these for last 60 years.

The LTTE engages in terrorism. I do not hesitate to condemn the Tiger terrorist activities. Similarly we have state terrorism in this country. But this is not new to this country. State terrorism prevailed in this country way back in 1989. When Sinhala youths were killed during the then UNP regime current president Rajapakse from within the opposition referred to it as state terrorism. When now Tamils are being abducted and extra-legally killed I am using the same terminology. We condemn both state and LTTE terrorism.

The presidential secretariat is situated opposite Galle face green. Formally our Parliament functioned in that building. When the ‘Sinhala only’ law was brought in the parliament Tamil leaders conducted a peaceful protest from the Galle face green. There were S.J.V.Chelvanayagam , Naganathan and Amirthalingam and many others. They were Parliamentarians. They did not resort to violence. They did not throw grenades. They did not even throw stones. It was a non-violent ’satyagraha’. But what happened to them? They were attacked by the state organized goon gang. It was merciless attack. It was the beginning of state terrorism against non violent Tamils. What is worse is when the bruised bloody Tamil leaders entered parliament they were ridiculed by the government leaders. That was the response of the state to Tamil peaceful parliamentary struggle. Tamil terrorists did not fall from the sky and created ethnic problem in this country. It is the conduct of the successive governments created Tamil ultra nationalism , transformed Tamil nationalism into extremism, transformed Tamil extremism into separatism and terrorism.

The current maneuvers are ‘too little and too late’. The national question here is deep rooted. It needed to be understood with historical perspective. It cannot be solved by political tantrums. I as a person wish to live in one united country with my Sinhala brothers and sisters. That is why I learned Sinhala. No Sinhala politician is learning Tamil. I wanted to talk to Sinhalese in Sinhala. I attempt to explain the aspirations of Tamils to Sinhalese in their own language. I do not wish to witness my attempts go waste. But it is not in my hands.

[Full Text, Released by the office of Mano Ganesan MP]

Government officials barred photographers from entering hospitals where soldiers injured in battle are being treated, four photo journalists told the Free Media Movement (FMM) yesterday. Hitherto, photographers have had no problems in entering hospitals to report on the casualties of war. It is highly likely that these measures have been taken after heavy losses (numbering in the hundreds) faced by the Sri Lankan Army earlier this week after fighting intensified in the North.

All government appointed military spokespersons give watered down figures of war casualties and mainstream media are compelled to report these official statistics. Only some foreign wire services and few news websites operating from Colombo reported the battle front casualties independent of government press releases. According to government military statements that have been published by media, the Army has killed more than 3,000 LTTE fighters in 2008. 3,000 was the figure given by Army Commander as the strength of the LTTE military six months ago. In Sri Lanka today the saying that first casualty of war is truth is being proved almost every day.

The FMM believes that the right of the public to know information and news related to the on going war is severely undermined by the restrictions placed on journalists. Both the LTTE and the Government do not allow independent media to cover the war in a manner that accurately reports, amongst other things, the numbers dead and injured. The FMM has demanded both sides to allow media to cover the war independently for nearly 15 years.

We urge the government and the LTTE to respect the right to information. War propaganda is not a substitute for accurate, impartial and responsible journalism that can only be ensured by supporting and strengthening media freedom and the freedom of expression in Sri Lanka.

Intensified fighting in recent months in Sri Lanka’s restive northwestern Mannar District has forced more than 16,000 people to flee to safe areas within the region.

In light of this, A Nicholasspillai, the government agent for Mannar, told IRIN he had made contingency plans for up to 25,000 additional IDPs fleeing the clashes between government forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in the district, while government military spokesman Brig Udaya Nanayakkara also expected additional civilians to flee to government-controlled areas in the district.

“There are 40,000 people registered as living in the Manthai West division [an LTTE-controlled area] where fighting is intense,” Nicholasspillai told IRIN. “Most of them have already moved out of the [immediate] areas where the fighting is taking place, but if the clashes continue and they move further north, they will have no other option but to flee to government areas.”

[Displaced residents in Mannar district living in temporary shelters have had little assistance because of stringent security checks at government checkpoints-Pic: Rukshan Fernando]

Fighting has been continuous along the line of control in Mannar District since December 2007, with government forces trying to dislodge the Tamil Tigers from their frontline positions.

The conflict has also threatened Madhu church and its prominent 500-year-old statue, Our Lady of Madhu. Clashes close to the church prompted Catholic authorities to relocate the statue and key artifacts and documents. “Our Lady of Madhu [statue] has become a refugee in her own land for the first time,” the Catholic bishop for the district, Rev Rayappu Jospeh, said.

Access limited

According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), there were 23,000 IDPs in Mannar District by end-March. Most of the displaced – 16,700 – remained in the Manthai West division, under the control of the Tigers. No access is available to the division through government-controlled areas in Mannar due to the fighting. Humanitarian agencies have had to reach the displaced through the Tiger-controlled Kilinochchi District.

UN agencies have reported that security and access restrictions have affected their ability to provide medical assistance to those displaced in Manthai West.

“[The UN Children's Fund] UNICEF reports that due to ongoing military operations, Public Health Midwives (PHM) have returned to Mannar and only one [government] medical officer and three PHMs are covering the whole of Manthai West,” the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (ISAC) stated in its latest situation report released on 12 April.

“Approval for transportation of Tri-posa [a children's nutritional supplement] and Corn Soya Blend to Manthai West is pending. In 2007, only three of the 12 months’ supplies were transported,” it said.

Checkpoint delays

Nicholasspillai said strict security measures had also delayed supplies to government-controlled areas of the district. “Access continues to be problematic due to the checkpoints.”

All vehicles proceeding to Mannar undergo rigorous screening by government security forces at Madavachchiya, 90km from Mannar, where supplies are unloaded and reloaded into vehicles.

“That takes a considerable amount of time and there are other checkpoints on the road to Mannar,” Rukshan Fernando, coordinator for the human rights in conflict programme at the Law and Society Trust (LST), a Colombo-based rights advocacy group, told IRIN.

Sri Lankan military authorities told IRIN they were not denying anyone entry into Mannar but were taking precautions to prevent attacks by the Tamil Tigers. “We have not restricted anyone, but the usual strict checking is in place,” Nanayakkara said. “We have to be responsible for the safety of everyone.”

[Some of the displaced people in Mannar District. Fleeing fighting, the majority of the 16,700 IDPs remain in the Manatai West division, under the control of the Tigers]

Nicholasspillai said humanitarian agencies were also awaiting clarification from security authorities regarding the status of a new IDP centre at Kalamoddai, which is sheltering about 200 people in temporary shelters. Nicholasspillai said more IDPs were expected to arrive there. So far, the humanitarian community had limited its assistance to the provision of emergency supplies, he said.

Nanayakkara said: “We plan to set up more sites as the number of people fleeing the Tiger areas increases.”

[Reported by United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs - Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN)]

Don Camp, the principal assistant secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs, visited Colombo this week and met with Sri Lankan Minister of Foreign Affairs Rohitha Bogollagama, SL Minister of Disaster Management and Human Rights Mahinda Samarasinghe, Secretary to the SL Ministry of Defense Gotabhaya Rajapaksa. “Many of the issues we discuss are difficult ones, particularly on human rights and the resolution of the conflict, but the U.S. will remain engaged in the hope of seeing progress.” Mr. Camp was quoted by the U.S. Embassy.

A press statement issued by the U.S. Embassy in Colombo on Mr. Camp’s visit, follows:

Senior U.S. State Department Official Visits Sri Lanka April 20-22

Colombo, April 22, 2008: Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs Don Camp visited Colombo April 20-22 as part of the U.S. Government’s regular, ongoing consultations with the Sri Lankan Government. During his visit, Mr. Camp met with senior Government of Sri Lanka officials, including Minister of Foreign Affairs Rohitha Bogollagama, Minister of Disaster Management and Human Rights Mahinda Samarasinghe, Secretary to the Ministry of Defense Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, and Secretary to the Ministry of Justice Suhada Gamalath. He also met with leading political figures, civil society leaders, and business representatives.

Characterizing his meetings as “useful and frank, in the way of long time friends” Mr. Camp also said, “We value the dialogue we continue to have with the government, as well as the lines of communication we maintain with Sri Lanka’s political, business, and civil society leaders. Many of the issues we discuss are difficult ones, particularly on human rights and the resolution of the conflict, but the U.S. will remain engaged in the hope of seeing progress.” Mr. Camp also welcomed initial measures to demobilize TMVP child soldiers, urged progress on human rights, and stressed the importance of free and fair elections in the East, without violence or intimidation.

Mr. Camp’s first Foreign Service posting was to the U.S. Embassy in Colombo in the late 1970s, and he served here again briefly as Charge d’Affaires in 2003.

Full text of the press release issued by National Peace Council of Sri Lanka

A Lamentable Loss to Civil Society and to the Country:

The killing of Fr Karunaratnam adds to the heavy toll of humanitarian, human rights and religious workers killed in the course of the ethnic conflict. The National Peace Council condemns this targeted killing of a senior Catholic priest and human rights worker. In addition to his many contributions to society, Fr Karunaratnam helped to facilitate some of NPCís own peace programmes and study tours in the Wanni and Jaffna.

As head of NESoHR which was set up in July 2004, as part of the 2002 Peace Process, Fr Karunaratnam worked tirelessly to strengthen the human rights protection mechanisms in the North East of Sri Lanka. He was active in highlighting recruitment of children by the LTTE and worked tirelessly for their release. Fr Karunaratnam also sought to publicise the human rights violations to which the people living in the north east, particularly the Wanni region, were subjected to. He publicly criticised the government for many of the sufferings inflicted upon the Tamil people and challenged the national human rights institutions to live up to their mandates.

Fr. Karunaratnam entered the priesthood relatively late in life having started his career with Bank of Ceylon before opting to become a priest. He had many friends among the majority Sinhala community. He was fluent in the Sinhala language and saw the whole country as his home.

The LTTE has accused the deep penetration unit of the Sri Lankan military for the killing of Fr Karunaratnam. Whoever perpetrated this evil act has taken away yet another bridge builder who loved the whole country. While it may never be known who was responsible for his assassination we are convinced that another moderate voice has been stilled. Fr Kili, as he was popularly known, had a deep love and commitment to build bridges between ethnic and religious communities in Sri Lanka. The National Peace Council laments his loss.

Executive Director
On behalf of Governing Council

by Dr. Vickramabahu Karunaratne

The rise in rice prices is not favourable for the agricultural sector. Those who claim that it is so, point to the rise in value of agricultural products. In fact, strong claims are being made of rising prices not only of rice but also, of rubber, coconut and tea. It is true that small producers of all these and other commercial agricultural products are to some extent enjoying the boom. However, the actual situation does not justify the claims of the Government.

Parallel to the rise in price of the end product, the prices of all intakes have also risen. Fertiliser, weeding and transport costs are also running high. I participated at the Avurudu festival at Mangalagama, Yatinuwara. It was well attended. I felt that all those present were well-dressed and reasonably happy. Piyadasa, the chairman of the village cooperative store, explained to me that the wages of electricians, masons, carpenters etc, had all risen beyond Rs.700 per day, and that there was work. In addition, several youth had joined the security forces and their families were getting a substantial income. This village consists of traditional technical workers, with the tradition going back to ancient times. They however do not own much land.

Desperate looks

I can’t take what Piyadasa says that seriously, as he was and still is, a loyal SLFP man! But I did not see the desperate looks in people that I witness in the suburbs of Colombo. The war industry is a complete menace to the cosmopolitan suburbs, but it is an income generator for the Sinhala village. Already around half a million are employed directly or indirectly in war-related activities. In spite of deaths and tragedies, this is a very good source of income. If one believes in all the rubbish dished out by chauvinists of the Government and heals oneself of all bereavements with the thought that brave sacrifices were made for the defence of the country, then one can bear up the loss!

Though technical workers can earn anything above Rs.700 per day, it is not the same for the agricultural worker. In rice production, many activities are now taken over by machines, displacing workers. Hence the demand, even during the season has gone down tremendously. In the wet zone, particularly at higher elevations, there is a demand for agricultural workers.

Labour

Tea and rubber small holders are looking for labour and the claim is that there is a shortage of those who are familiar with the work involved. Obviously, the youth are drifting away from such activities and they are looking for office or factory jobs with fixed incomes. Industrial growth, whether related to agriculture or otherwise, is so damn slow that there is a large section of unemployed educated youth eternally looking for jobs. Already two insurrections have been carried out by these Sinhala youth, with the ideal of changing society that promises a lot but gives nothing. So, the village in general is pressed on two sides. On the one hand, the shortage of agricultural workers who could be employed by small holders; and on the other, angry, educated youth demanding jobs to satisfy their expectations created by the system.

Surplus of labour

There is a claim that there is a surplus of labour in the plantation sector. But in reality there is a shortage of workers who are inclined to engage in agricultural work. Most of the plantation youth drift into the suburbs of Colombo and Kandy looking for jobs in services and industries.

Even those who have retired from plantation work do not want to continue their trade in the small holdings sector. What do they get? A maximum of Rs.7000 per month with food and lodging. But if one gets a job in the service or maintenance sector one can easily save Rs.400 each day, and with 20 working days it will come to Rs.8000. This means they only mark time while working in the petty bourgeoisie agricultural sector, until they find a job in the city.

Many rural workers, especially women, take up foreign employment in the Middle East or in the West. With one person, with such an employment, there is assumed satisfaction in the family and except for a fixed income job, none of the family members will want to work for the private sector. It is true that many families face disaster when a member is employed in foreign lands, but those who survive move out of the rural job market, thus reducing the availability of agricultural labour. All this means that agriculture is facing problems in spite of the rise in price for their goods. The village administration is weak and collapsing. This means that the petty farmer finds it difficult to protect his produce from illicit plucking and local thieves. This is not a matter that can be solved by the police or by a court of law in the city.