Rapid progress in resettlement

The Security Forces recently liberated the East in one of the most significant victories over the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. The East has traditionally been a fine example for unity among the Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim communities.

However, the civilians who lived in uncleared areas under the LTTE suffered untold hardships for over two decades.

Poverty was rampant, development was unheard of and health and education facilities were minimal. Even the bare necessities of life became luxuries.

Moreover, the civilians had to provide at least one family member to the LTTE fighting units including the baby brigades, and whenever military clashes occurred, they were used a human shield.

The main objective of the Government’s military drive in the East has been misinterpreted by some elements as a mere conquest of territory.

Although Tiger territory was regained, the most important outcome was the liberation of the civilians from the grip of the ruthless LTTE. That is indeed why the military operations were described as a humanitarian mission.

The Government has identified the resettlement of the displaced civilians in their original villages as a priority. It was revealed yesterday that it had already resettled over 95,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the East. Only 37,000 more persons are awaiting resettlement.

This is a considerable achievement, given the logistics and the expenditure involved. There is another aspect which has to be considered - landmines. De-mining must be expedited in all areas to facilitate swift resettlement.

It is heartening to note that the international community is actively cooperating with the Government in the sphere of de-mining. Japan recently provided Rs.360 million for the de-mining programme implemented by the Nation Building Ministry.

Civil administration, elections and development must necessarily follow for the Eastern province to regain its old glory.

The establishment of around 15 Police Stations has been announced as an initial step and local/provincial polls are being planned. These local bodies will be an ideal launching pad for the Eastern Resurgence programme, which began on July 19.

People’s representatives elected at grassroots level will have a clearer idea of their respective areas’ development needs than the bureaucrats in Colombo.

Even though a military presence will be inevitable in the East, a firmly entrenched civil administration will make the Security Forces’ task easier and pave the way for a brighter future for the East’s next generation.

Man’s (new) best friend

New research suggests that cats have a much longer history than previously thought. The direct descendants of today’s domestic felines have been traced back 100,000 years.

Genetic material has demonstrated that all domestic cats are descended from five females from the Near East who lived around that time.

This is rather interesting, in the sense that not even man’s best friend - the dog - can probably claim such a lineage. Today, domestic cats are fast becoming the number one pet worldwide, eclipsing dogs.

The relationship between cat and man began in earnest when the latter turned to agriculture and cats stepped in to wipe out the rodents which attacked the harvest. Since then, many cultures worshipped cats as gods and in a sense, we still do.

Why ? Cats are fiercely independent, proud animals who love humans, but they would never consider humans as their masters. It is rather the other way around. They love to be pampered, but only when they want to. They will not come when you call them, unless they really want to.

Why humans really love cats remains a mystery, but their wild streak may have something to do with it. They may cuddle up on your bed, but once in the garden, their wild instincts take over.

A fluttering butterfly will trigger a reflex reaction that is a joy to watch. They will crawl silently, take aim and pounce on the hapless victim. Their relationship with the other best friend is, well, a cat and dog story.

Some cats love dogs, others don’t. But no dog, however powerful, will stay unruffled once they hear that hiss and see the puffed tail. It is time to leave the scene. So when you cat settles on your lap next time and looks adoringly into your eyes, think of it as a special moment that was written in history 100,000 years ago.