Enhanced cooperation with international partners

Rasika Somarathna

The Sri Lankan Government has always accepted complete responsibility for ensuring the safety and welfare of displaced persons living in the Wanni including those in uncleared areas. Legally, constitutionally and geographically they are people of Sri Lanka entitled to the full spectrum of rights enjoyed by the rest of the country.

After repeated attempts for a negotiated settlement failed and having been faced with numerous serious provocations, as a responsible Government, we had no other option but to resort to a military campaign in a bid to liberate a section of our people whose legitimate rights have been denied them for over two decades.

From a humanitarian perspective, we are acutely aware of the plight of civilians - both ordinary residents and IDPs - in the area as they have been denied safe passage into Government controlled areas by the LTTE. We fully appreciate that it is our fundamental duty to provide for the conflict-affected and we have done so to the best of our ability.

People have to understand that the present predicament is temporary. All arrangements will be made for them to resume their normal lives with the real prospect of an enhanced future prosperity as the State fully re-asserts its lawful authority over all parts of the Sri Lankan nation’s territory.

Against this backdrop, with Government Security Forces poised to capture Kilinochchi we had to ask the Aid Agencies working in the area to re-locate to Vavuniya.

The reason the Secretary to the Ministry of defense took this decision, at a meeting convened with relevant agencies on September 8, was purely based on considerations of safety and security of aid workers in the area.

Since the current environment was not conducive for them to continue with their work from Kilinochchi, we were compelled to ask them to re-locate and base their operations in Vavuniya.

Unfortunately the pass system imposed by the LTTE has prevented some of the local workers attached to some of these organizations from coming to Vavuniya. As far as the Government of Sri Lanka is concerned, we were willing to facilitate and receive everyone in Vavuniya.

Response by aid agencies

This does not mean that we have abandoned the safety and wellbeing of civilians living in uncleared areas of the Wanni. In fact, we have redoubled our efforts to send them assistance through the respective Government Agents complemented by other UN agencies and non-governmental organisations acting as facilitators.

The UN agencies, NGO and INGOs have complied with the government’s request to relocate their operations. In fact I must say that when we put forward the issue to relevant agencies on the 08th they did not come up with a contrary view, but only asked for 21 days time to re-locate.

Also they started moving on the 09th - the next day. As a result, by the 21st, the UN agencies were fully re-located in Vavuniya.
 

The response shown by these parties heeding the Government’s request in re-locating their personnel and assets has been very encouraging.

They also have provided me with a comprehensive report with regard to their movement of assets which we will check against an inventory that we possess.

I must say, however, that the preliminary reports have been very encouraging. They have clearly mentioned the items that they have brought to Vavuniya and the ones they have left behind.

The ones which has been left behind have been categorised as having been either given to the GA to use for humanitarian assistance purposes or disabled so that they cannot be used for military purposes.

At the outset we told them that we expected them to bring back all assets, because these were allowed in purely to help the people. If they had left them behind, the possibility exists that the LTTE could use them for military purposes. This would not be consistent with the understanding we have with these organisations.

However, we are encouraged by and appreciative of their response. Nevertheless we will conduct a thorough study of the movement of materials, any shortcomings detected will be pointed out and necessary action would follow if required.

The main role of these aid agencies is to complement the Government’s efforts. The Sri Lankan Government takes the bulk of responsibility even in uncleared areas of the Wanni through respective Government Agents.

Role of aid groups

The responsibility of these organizations is to act in a transparent and accountable manner. The understanding we have with these organizations is that they should use both human and material resources purely to facilitate the humanitarian needs of civilians in an impartial manner.

The request by the Secretary to the Ministry of Defence for a comprehensive report with regards to their work in uncleared areas is intended to help us arrive at a better understanding of their operations in order to facilitate continuity of these services.

We will also be able to understand and appreciate what they were doing there. This can only lead to enhanced cooperation with our international partners.

This whole exercise was done in a very systematic and professional manner and I am sure it would act as a catalyst to strengthen existing ties.

Assistance to Wanni civilians

The Government Agents have been the ones who have been at the core of the humanitarian assistance process. We have taken adequate steps to further strengthen the GAs to ensure that they would be able to perform their appointed task.

Although we are aware that some of the consignments we send for civilian benefit is being diverted by the LTTE, we still continue with the provision of supplies.

In this regard the Sri Lankan Government could be the only one in the world which feeds a terrorist organisation which attacks them.

We continue to deliver medical supplies despite some of the supplies not reaching the intended beneficiaries. We have already supplied hospitals in these areas with enough medicines and other medical supplies to last until the end of the year.

In relation to education, we pay the salaries of teachers and send free books and other educational materials. This is not a mere propaganda exercise but a result of our genuine commitment towards looking after civilians who are undergoing untold hardships.

When I mention these details at international forums they are amazed and question me as to why we are doing this. I explain that we have to go through this entire exercise because we are genuinely committed to the wellbeing of all our citizens throughout the country. A few days ago 51 lorries consisting of 650 tons of dry rations reached uncleared areas of the Wanni safely with seven UN officials acting as observers of the delivery.

The Government Agents has already started distributing these among IDPs. The consignment has been unloaded at warehouses in four locations namely Mulliyavalai, Puthukudiyiruppu, Dharmapuram and Kandaveli where IDPs are located at present.

Another consignment of around 1,000 tons of essentials would be sent during the coming week with the assistance of the WFP.

These consignments are in addition to the 15-20 lorries which provide essentials to Wanni traders every day and the food convoys sponsored by the WFP and the Government also would continue to provide essentials every week.

Concurrently, a contingency plan is in operation with over 5,000 tons of food been stored in Vavuniya for emergency use. In addition non food items categorized as essentials would be delivered in the coming weeks to help the IDPs after the second convoy carrying food items is sent to uncleared areas.

In addition the support extended to IDPs in the region would continue. The Ministry of Resettlement and Disaster Relief Services has provided 49,413 families from three districts namely Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu and Vavuniya, with essentials worth Rs.112 million over the past few months. Plans are underway to provide these families with enough stocks within the next two weeks to last them until December.

A humanitarian corridor is being prepared to ensure the safe passage of IDPs seeking to enter cleared areas. Vavuniya is identified as a humanitarian assistance hub in order to cater to the expected exodus from uncleared areas.

Furthermore, newly displaced people are to be provided with cooked food for one week until they find alternative shelter at a cost of Rs. 48 million.

Response of international community

The international community when it has shown concern has always emphasized the safety of civilians which has been our concern as well.

No one has supported terrorism or the concept of a separate state. Sri Lanka has stood by its international commitments and honoured them to the best of its ability. The conflict has affected the economy, political stability and development in this country. In addition, the democratic rights of the people guaranteed by the Constitution and the laws of our country have suffered over the years.

This is what we are trying to restore throughout the length and breath of our nation. President Mahinda Rajapaksa has clearly articulated the Government’s position that this conflict is not one against a segment of the people but one against terrorism and separatism.

Finally the solution must bear a Sri Lankan character and should not be an imported one. Our intention is to put a whole new administrative structure in the area in order to enable people in these areas to enjoy the benefits that the rest of the country enjoys at present.

We also have to engage in confidence building efforts and in this regard we are re-focusing on the implementation of Sri Lanka’s official language policy founded on Chapter IV of the 1978 Constitution which accords full parity status to both Sinhala and Tamil languages is of paramount importance.

As a Government committed to unity we have to send the right signals to instil confidence among the IDPs so they feel that they are part of this country as equal citizens.

Our Government headed by President Mahinda Rajapaksa is fully committed to such an approach where rights are not only respected by words but by deeds as well.

Despite the many challenges the country faces at present, the Government stays committed to ensuring a lasting solution which would enable conflict-affected people to move from a culture of dependency to one of self reliance. from humanitarian assistance to early recovery and development.

In addition ensuring factors such as livelihoods, basic services such as health, water, sanitation, education and access to markets is of prime importance.

Stress should also be placed on addressing the needs of all conflict affected communities, enabling IDP’s to successfully integrate upon resettlement and relocation and thereby contributing to peace building among communities.

We recently held an international forum in Colombo with the assistance of UNHCR with the intention of finding durable solutions to the question of protracted displacement.

As a direct outcome of this engagement, we expect a comprehensive National Policy and an action plan which we hope would be available in the near future. This will, we expect, address the needs of IDPs in situations of protracted displacement and will assist in ending their state of displacement.