Ways and means of tackling Tamil Diaspora

Jayanthi Liyanage

The following article is based on an interview with Sri Lanka Ambassador to Italy, Greece and Albania and High Commissioner to Cyprus and Malta Hemantha Warnakulasuriya P.C.

Finding a lasting solution based on constitutional amendments to address the grievances of the Tamil people and drawing more investments into the country will strengthen the military victory over terrorism and rooting out any possibilities of resurfacing of the LTTE terrorism, the High Commissioner said.

His remarks came in response to a news item that the Tamil Diaspora has formed an International Tamil Association, as a long term plan. “As far as they are concerned, there is no time limit. Their main focus is to ensure that the Sri Lankan economy is at a down turn.” The problem is how can the Sri Lankan Government tackle the Tamil Diaspora and root out suspicions between Sinhala and Tamil communities that lead to terrorism, Ambassador Warnakulasuriya said.

“The answer lies in the willingness of the Sri Lankan Government to address the grievances of the Tamil people. The European Union, America and Canada believe that the Sri Lankan Government will come out with a devolution package that will address those grievances.

The message given to the Western countries by the Tamil Diaspora is that the Tamils had no alternative but to take up arms when the Government crushed the movement initiated by people like SJV Chelvanayagam for the equality of languages and rights of minorities. To understand why that Europe believes this, one should understand the background of the European Union which was created in the aftermath of the Holocaust.

We must win over the sympathies of Western countries and all the power blocs,” he said.

Thanks to the efforts of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Senior Presidential Advisor Basil Rajapaksa MP and Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga, Sri Lanka maintains an excellent relationship with India.

The Indian Government genuinely accepts that our President will definitely deliver what he promises and the grievances of Tamil people will be addressed. The 13th Amendment is a creation by the Indian Government, based on the Indo-Lanka package.

These Constitutional amendments have been passed by Parliament and the Supreme Court. “People alleged that Norway was involved in supporting LTTE terrorism but Eric Solheim has categorically stated that Norway is not for Eelam or dividing Sri Lanka. What he asks is to find a just solution within the unitary concept of the Constitution. This is exactly what our President says”.

“What is essential for the moment is to understand that though we have won a military victory, the roots of terrorism are still there and can sprout to become a shrub jungle. Uncertainty, insincerity, inability to prosper and denial of rights form a fertile ground for terrorism.

If you feel that people are part of the process of decision-making, then all the problems are solved. Then there is no reason why any terrorist element would creep into the minds of people and our President understands that.

Now once the LTTE is eliminated, the question of giving a solution based on the 13th Amendment will be hailed by the Sinhalese. The President is in the peak of popularity. I believe he will win the Nobel Prize for peace as a person who ushered peace in the entire country to the satisfaction of all communities,” Ambassador Warnakulasuriya commented.

“We had two wars in Sri Lanka. One was waged by Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and Security Forces’ Commanders and the other, the international war of correcting misinformation. After I went to Italy, we started a campaign and now the foreign exchange inflow has grown by 600 percent,” Warnakulasuriya added.

Briefing on the plans to attract more foreign investment into the country, the Ambassador said monthly 14 million Euros is sent by the Sri Lankan expatriate community to Sri Lanka and it will be helpful to promote investment.

“It does not come direct to the banks. With the help of the Central Bank Governor and Deputy Governor we are trying to establish an exchange to get at least the bulk of this money for investment.

If we get 10 million Euros a month, it will be 1.2 billion in a year. That equals to the IMF loan. We must reassure the expatriate community that we help them and all kinds of packages are in store for them.

In terms of foreign exchange flowing from Italy, I expect it will increase by 10 fold. Other important stock exchanges failed elsewhere might reach Sri Lanka as a fine place to invest,” he observed.