IDPs in Sri Lanka: The untold story - Part II

Major General Udaya Perera

Continued from Saturday

Operations progressed and two jungle areas were liberated last. The concept was to first separate the LTTE from the civilians and finally take them on in the jungle to prevent civilian casualties. We applied the famous 'Fish and Water' theory of Mao Tse Tung.

The Security Forces, without a single civilian casualty were able to liberate approximately 6,500 square kilometres stretching from Trincomalee to Batticaloa and 212,000 people from the clutches of the LTTE. Rs. One billion worth of military hardware was recovered from the Eastern Province during this humanitarian military operation.

After liberating 212,000 people in the East, they were temporarily sheltered in welfare camps for a period shorter than one year and they were later resettled in the original areas after completing the de-mining process and reconstruction of the basic infrastructure.

The Government thereafter conducted Urban Council and Provincial Council Elections in the Eastern Province where a Mayor and a Chief Minister were elected respectively by the people of the Province. The Chief Minister elected and appointed by the President was an erstwhile child soldier of the LTTE Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan. This certainly is a victory for democracy and testimony of the inclusive policy of the Government.

Humanitarian operation in North

After the successful completion of the humanitarian military operation and establishing democracy in the East. The Security Forces were employed to liberate the Northern Province. Liberation operations commenced in February 2007 and completed by May 19, 2009.

The same concept of operations was adopted in the North getting small groups to take on the LTTE to prevent civilian casualties. During the Northern operations, many safe corridors were ear-marked and people were informed them through NGOs and Government agencies as well as through leaflets dropped from air and that the people can use to move those from un-cleared areas to Government controlled areas. These corridors and no fire zones were progressively reviewed and revised to prevent civilian casualties. The humanitarian military operations progressed rapidly up to the liberation of strategically important townships of Mullaitivu, Kilinochchi, Paranthan and Elephant Pass.

Thereafter, the progress was deliberately slowed down due to the large number of civilians being held and prevented by LTTE to use the safe corridors and come into cleared areas. The Tempo of humanitarian military operations was reduced to minimise exposure to civilian casualties. This in turn resulted in a high number of casualties to Security Forces as the LTTE were on full assault. However, the Security Forces did not change the strategy and the posture as it wanted to avoid civilian casualties. The LTTE took the maximum advantage of this situation and held about 200,000 people as hostages. Due to this situation, the humanitarian military operation had to be converted into a rescue operation and the Security Forces successfully completed the rescue operation by liberating the people from the clutches of the LTTE.

This created nearly 280,000 Internally Displaced Persons. The Government took every effort to house them in welfare centres with basic facilities in Vavuniya. Having 280,000 Internally Displaced in welfare centres is a gigantic task for the Government and a huge responsibility.

There have been several allegations of abuses and ill-treatment of IDPs including violation of basic human rights, but the real situation needs to be understood. These are our citizens and we have to protect them. Today, the true story about the IDPs was told by Dr Shermal Perera, Chandran and DR Veronica who visited those camps. These respected and responsible citizens of Malaysia will not risk their credibility.

The Government intends to resettle all the internally displaced persons in their native places as early as possible after de-mining the entire area and reconstructing the basic infrastructure facilities.

My earnest request in the name of peace to the media and Diaspora to lend a helping hand to this humanitarian cause is let us all make a firm resolution from this moment that all our thoughts and deeds should be and would be directed to help these needy in the name of humanity leaving aside all differences.

(The writer is Deputy Sri Lankan High Commissioner in Malaysia)