Co-operation with Sri Lankan expatriates:
SL missions to play greater role
Chaminda PERERA
Senior diplomat and one time Chief of the Peace Secretariat Bernard
Goonatilake yesterday said that offspring of Sri Lankans who left the
country have never come to their Motherland and they are in the
forefront of agitation against Sri Lanka.
According to Goonatilake, they have no idea of the history of the
conflict nor what is going on in Sri Lanka.
He was of the view that these younger members of the expatriate
community could be radicalized by the groups in such countries and Sri
Lanka will have to face the repercussions.
Goonatilake was of the opinion that Sri Lankan missions in foreign
countries have a greater role in enhancing co-operation with the Sri
Lankan expatriates in foreign countries.
Goonatilake was giving evidence before the Lessons Learnt and
Reconciliation Commission which started public hearings at the Lakshman
Kadirgamar Centre, Colombo.
The eight-member Commission will record evidence from diplomats,
intellectuals and prominent figures in society for seven days.
He stressed on a viable mechanism that ensures constant engagement
with Sri Lanka’s expatriates.
Goonatilake opined that there are countries where separate ministers
have been appointed to look into the welfare and make constant
engagement with their expatriates abroad.
He added that there are radicalized expatriates who cannot be won
over easily.
He said there are expatriates who are going after politicians and
making representations to organizations such as the World Bank and IMF
against Sri Lanka.
Goonatilake added that the Government should have more closer
co-ordination with foreign governments to deal with individuals who are
promoting the LTTE in their lands. He stressed that fund raising
activities are going on in such countries and the receipts are still
being signed under the name of Prabhakaran, though he was killed by Sri
Lankan forces 15 months ago.
Asked if the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) failed in their duty
by Commission, Chairman and Former Attorney General CR de Silva, PC,
Goonatilake said the SLMM had no power to take action against the
violations against the Ceasefire Agreement.
“They can only bark and they did not have authority to bite and the
LTTE ignored the bark,” he added.
Bernard Goonathilake did not attribute the North and East conflict to
a ethnic differences. He said that it was not a conflict based on
ethnicity but an attempt to gain the control of certain parts of the
country.
He added that the desire of Sri Lankan expatriates to return to their
country even for a brief period was evident after the Ceasefire
Agreement. Goonathilake said the hotels in Colombo and suburbs were
filled with Sri Lankan expatriates.
“There is an inherent desire of people who left Sri Lanka to visit
the country,” he added. He proposed that the High Security Zones in
Jaffna should be reduced gradually and the people who were living in the
area be returned their properties.
Goonathilake stated that the Government should provide more
infrstrastructure facilities to the Northern Province. He was of the
view that the authorities should ensure a return of the IDPs and
provision of livelihood to them.
The farmers and fishermen should receive assistance to uplift their
livelihood for a considerable time. He said the new mechanism such as
dual citizenship should be promoted to reconcile the people of different
communities.
He was of the view that getting dual citizenship is a cumbersome
process in Sri Lanka and this should be made more easier to win over the
Sri Lankan communities domiciled in foreign lands.
Commission Chairman C.R.De Silva PC. Members Dr. Amrith Rohan Perera
PC, Prof Karunaratne Hangahawatte, Chandripal Chanmugam, HMGS
Palihakkara, Manohari Ramanathan, Maxwell Parakrama Paranagama and
Commission Secretary S.M. Samarakoon were present.
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