Business chambers deplore international interference

Ramani KANGARAACHCHI and Anjana SAMARASINGHE

The business community in the country is up in arms against the US and western world interfering in Sri Lanka’s conflict, Immediate Past President, Federation of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce Sri Lanka and Vice President SAARC Chamber Nawaz Rajabdeen told Daily News Business.

He said that the business communities of leading chambers have met President Mahinda Rajapaksa and pledged support to free Sri Lanka from ruthless terrorists.

He said that President Rajapaksa is the only leader with a positive approach who had extended an invitation to the LTTE to find a solution to the problem but they did not cooperate. Now that we have come to the end of the war the pro LTTE western powers who are worried about innocent civilians can help in their resettlement, he said.

Rajabdeen said that the private sector is already supporting them by providing food, clothes and various other needs as a short term measure and as a long term measure the private sector will set up factories and agricultural projects in partnership with the Government.

He said it is necessary to settle Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in their own areas by providing employment and infrastructure facilities.

Vice Chairman, Construction Association, Saliya Kaluarachchi said that the Government has already decided to finish the war. Those who did not come to help earlier have no right to interfere now. If they really want to help they should invest here, he said.

Kaluarachchi said that the master plan must come from the Government to develop the north and east and settle the IDPs in the area, and the private sector can link with them and undertake responsibilities.

President, National Chamber of Exporters, Rohan Fernando said that the business community totally condemns the international interference in this scenario. We are a respected nation and can solve our own problems, he said..

Fernando said that the business community is already fully involved in attending to the immediate needs of displaced civilians and they will get more involved in long term settlement in their own places once the security forces clear the landmines.

Chairman of the Ceylon National Chamber of Industries Newton Wickramasuriya said that the root for the success of rehabilitating IDPs is to introduce a skills development project for them. They have suffered due to the war for nearly three decades and it is important to develop their skills to build a strong foundation for them.

There should be public private partnership for this project. Most of these people depend on agriculture and it is vital to rebuild the irrigation system in these areas to commence agricultural activities, he said.

The private sector together with the Government could create a viable marketing network for the products turned out by these people, he said.

We strongly condemn the international influence for the Government to go for a ceasefire. This was a bleeding problem for the county for many decades and no country should dictate policies for the country, he said.

Secretary General of the National Chamber of Commerce of Sri Lanka E.M Wijetilleke said that the chamber will provide assistance for micro and small-scale business for these people. It is important to find markets for their products. The chamber expects to find local and international markets for these products using its contacts the world over.

The business community needs to expand its operations in the North East areas to improve the livelihood of these people. The business community needs to have a solid market linkage with these people to source raw materials for their manufacturing process.

The members of our chamber are keen on expanding their business in these areas which will be a huge boost for the rehabilitation process, he said.