Thumbs-up for 'Joint Mechanism'

BY a correspondent

A cross section of society including experts in different fields reiterated the importance of implementing the Post Tsunami Operational Management Structure (P-TOMS) or Joint Mechanism (JM) for country rebuilding.

They said the Government needs the cooperation of the LTTE to ensure a smooth process of reconstruction and rehabilitation work in the tsunami affected North and East.

The proposed JM will be an administrative structure that will decide where and how aid money should be spent.

There will be no direct handling of finances under the JM. President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga had made a statement to the effect that she would go ahead with the implementation of the JM despite protests.

Asoka Handagama, a renowned film director says there is a necessity for a mechanism to ensure the smooth distribution and sharing of aid among the tsunami affected people in the North, East and the South.

However, the North/East case is different from the South as the Government mechanism alone would not be sufficient to handle this task. There are certain areas which come under the LTTE administration and there are already a high LTTE presence there.

"Apart from that, their culture is different and you cannot serve both Southern and Northern people from the same spoon. Their needs in the reconstruction process could be much different from the South," he said.

In the South alone, Handagama said, the tsunami aid distribution network is inefficient. Then, how could we expect it to be efficient in the North and East under the present circumstances?

"Therefore, it is important for the Government to have an agreement to share the pledged aid by the international donors. Through such an agreement, the reconstruction and rehabilitation process becomes more transparent and recognisable," he said.

Handagama added that he would always support any Government which would make a genuine effort to settle the North/East issue through a political answer.

War is not the ultimate answer to this prolonged issue. We need to get the LTTE out of the war mentality. An initiative such as the JM would be an ideal opportunity to focus their attention on a democratic administrative system, he said.

Referring to protests against the JM by certain groups he said, when the previous Government signed the Ceasefire Agreement with the LTTE in 2002 also there was a similar protest. But after the signing of the agreement the majority of our people not only realised the importance of lasting peace, they also enjoyed the peaceful environment following the agreement.

A business leader and former Chamber chief Rangith Hettiarachchy said that the country's administration has delayed taking crucial decisions in the past. "Politicians have to take bold decisions which are futuristic. We have to see what we are going to gain in the long-term. We are a nation, infamous for delaying decisions. We have to do what we have to do today. And the decision may not be 100% accurate.

But if it benefits the majority of the people in this country, the decision has to be made," he said. However, he added it is important to table the proposed JM documents and decide on that as a Government. "People have elected a Government with much confidence and the Government should be able to deliver efficient services to the tsunami affected people," he said.

Market Analyst, Hasitha Premaratne said that this country needs to take decisions which would bring fruitful results on the long-term. "In the short-term the proposed JM would not be the ideal solution. But it will bring long-term benefits to the country."

He said the President's stand on the JM should be commended at this hour, because the country needs strong leaders to take crucial decisions. Such decisions will definitely bring long-term benefits although people would protest considering short-term benefits.

"We also commend Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe for assuring the President of his party's support in this regard," he said.

He reiterated the importance of unity between the two main political parties of the country.

"If we need permanent peace in this country, LTTE should not be considered as a terrorist group alone. They should be brought into the democratic process, by ironing out the differences.

"Therefore, I think, we should support the JM," Premaratne said.

"This is an ideal opportunity to promote communal harmony and share the aid pledged by the donors in a proper manner," he said.

He added that the Government should have created an awareness program to educate the public about the JM to prevent unnecessary protests by various groups.

Mangalika Hathurusinghe, a private sector employee said she would not support the JM as LTTE would use it as a stepping stone to reach their ultimate goal of a separate territory. "This country has made a lot of sacrifices to bring LTTE to a democratic political system. But they have not been able to prove their honesty in its dealings with the Government in the past," she said.

Meanwhile the international aid donors led by Japan, the United States, the European Union and Norway, in a joint statement had urged the Government to sign the aid-sharing deal with the rebels to speed up reconstruction work.

The JVP, announced that it will leave the Government last Thursday, if the President decided to sign the proposed agreement.

Political analysts said that the Government (President) should not revert its decision in fear of a collapse of the Government at this hour.