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Healing a rankling ulcer

Priceless though human life may be, the Government's gesture of providing financial compensation to the victims of the ethnic violence in this country from 1981 to 1984 and their dependants or heirs, should be considered an act of magnanimity which would ease somewhat the suffering and sense of loss of those affected.

The Treasury has thus allocated Rs. 72.3 million for compensation payments to these victims of Lanka's ethnic violence and there is no doubt that this money is well spent in consideration of the grave harm the violence engendered in the past.

As is well known, these compensation payments are based on the recommendations of the Truth Commission on Ethnic Violence which was established by President Kumaratunga to inquire into acts of ethnic violence unleashed between 1981 and 1984, with special reference to the July 1983 ethnic riots. We consider it extremely important that the Commission has emphasized the need to compensate these victims as a matter of right and not merely as a matter of charity.

Whether they belong to the majority community or the minority communities, all citizens of this country enjoy parity of status with each other. In other words, they relate to each other, on terms of equality. Accordingly, they enjoy the same rights and privileges, while being obliged to discharge the same duties towards the State.

This is the reason why every citizen of this country, regardless of ethnic group, economic class or religion - is entitled to compensatory measures for acts of victimization visited on them, particularly with State collusion.

It is now taken as indisputable that the UNP government of those times in the Eighties, was the orchestrating force behind the July violence. Providing financial compensation to the victims of ethnic violence is therefore no act of condescending charity. The measure is carried out in recognition of the fact that the fundamental rights of the affected citizens have been violated.

The provision of compensation amounts to righting a grave wrong. It is no surprise that the measure is being initiated by an administration headed by President Kumaratunga, because she took on herself the awesome responsibility of resolving the ethnic conflict by political means, way back in 1994. Besides, she took the courageous step of recognizing that the problem at hand was an ethnic conflict and not one of a terroristic nature.

Accordingly, the Government has taken an important step towards bringing healing to this land by deciding on financial compensation for those affected by ethnic violence.

While nothing can make up for lost lives, the provision of material relief signifies that the State is a caring one which wants to unite all its children within its fold.

Milk for all

Milk powder prices, which have skyrocketed over the last few years, are prohibitive for most families. Except for one brand, all other brands of milk powder are imported. A massive amount of foreign exchange thus goes for milk powder imports every month.

One answer would be having more milk and milk powder processing plants in the country, which obviates the need for foreign exchange. Import duties too do not come into the equation.

There is good news in this regard, as the United People's Freedom Alliance Government in collaboration with the Indian Government has finalised arrangements to set up a new milk powder factory.

Amul Dairies, one of the leading Indian milk products companies, has pledged to establish this new milk powder factory in Sri Lanka, according to Agriculture and Livestock Minister Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

Amul has revolutionised the dairy industry in India under the dynamic leadership of dairy expert Dr. V. Kurier. He is due to come to Sri Lanka soon to lend a helping hand to our dairy industry.

This is a splendid example for heightened Indo-Lanka cooperation, which received a further boost this week with the official visit there of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse. India, being our closest neighbour and a developing country itself, is well positioned to offer advice on developing our local industries, including the dairy industry.

Unlike most other foreign investments and joint ventures, Amul has agreed to vest the ownership of this factory in the Sri Lankan Government after one year. The Government will therefore be able to control the rise in milk powder prices and provide milk powder at concessionary rates after this factory begins operations.

In most countries where the dairy industry flourishes, people have almost totally shifted to liquid milk as opposed to milk powder. It is fresh and nutritious and requires no further preparation. Liquid milk sales directly benefit the dairy farmer.

On the other hand, we know little about the conditions in which spray dried milk powder is processed and packed abroad. The recent revelation that the previous management of MILCO had imported 1,100 metric tonnes of low-quality milk powder manufactured by an English company is a case in point.

It is essential to establish more milk collecting and chilling centres throughout the country for promoting the consumption of fresh liquid milk. The Government must assist dairy farmer organisations in this endeavour. Such a measure will help save foreign exchange and create more employment opportunities for the rural masses in the long term.

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