Seeking Diaspora help

The war drove out a massive pool of talent at a time the country was set on the path of development in the post liberalisation boom. This exodus which began post July ‘83 started to snowball as the intensity of the war escalated. Not only the Tamil professionals, who were naturally bitter at the turn of events, but even their counterparts from the majority community too joined the exodus, leaving the country all the more poorer by their exit. Their combined talents and professional expertise were lost to the country at a crucial time in its post independence history.

Now with the end to the war and the reconciliation process set in motion, all steps should be taken to woo back these professionals whose services and contribution would be most welcome in this new era of development. They should be prevailed upon to accept that they will be returning to a new country which had at last achieved true independence with the defeat of separatist terrorism. It is not only the professionals but we also need to invite those Lankans who left our shores and made it good in foreign countries to invest in their Motherland now that the ideal climate has been created for trade and business to flourish.

This is more so because despite the passage of a significant period following the end to the war there is still a feeling that we are not moving fast enough to capitalize on this positive factor. No less a person than the Chairman of blue chip company John Keells, Susantha Ratnayake, a leading entrepreneur in the country giving evidence before the Lessons Learns and Reconciliation Commission said he was puzzled as to why even after 18 months since the end to terrorism there is still a lack of private sector investment in the country.

This is more so since the country has not only seen an end to the war but has also achieved political stability a sine quo non for any investor. He has also said that the public and private sector should make a concerted effort to lure the Tamil Diaspora to make investments in the country particularly in the North and East. He has urged the Government to introduce an investment scheme for Diaspora members who are willing to invest.

A similar appeal also went out from President Mahinda Rajapaksa to the Lankan Diaspora community. Hopefully they will respond positively to these requests. The end of the war has opened vast areas for investment, particularly in the leisure industry. The Tamil Diaspora may be keen to explore possibilities in the North and East where they are familiar with the landscape. A majority of those who constitute the Tamil Diaspora did not flee the country out of choice but were compelled to do so under the circumstances that prevailed. They should be assured that all divisions based on ethnicity are a thing of the past and the country is today moving in a single direction driven by the spirit of all communities.

A majority of them may want to seize on the opportunities that have opened up in the land of their birth. They may entertain notions of returning to their roots and once again settle down in their familiar surroundings and invest in productive ventures that would bring them sufficient returns. This opportunity the government should avail them by providing all the incentives and the necessary investment climate. It should create all the ingredients that would facilitate their speedy return to the country of their birth.

It would be ideal if the present security presence though much lower in scale would be gradually done away with, with the passage of time. This while creating the ideal atmosphere for prospective Diaspora investors would also make them get more closer to the State which they considered an enemy not so long ago. State sector collaboration with Diaspora investors too would go a long way towards reinforcing fresh ties.

While conceding that terrorism is no more it has to be borne in mind that there is always the possibility of a residual threat and as such the present security measures cannot be compromised willy nilly.

What is suggested is a gradual scaling down so that the Tamil Diaspora may be more inclined and encouraged to seize on the investment opportunities that beckon in post war Sri Lanka. Hopefully with the passage of time the remaining Emergency laws too would be lifted providing the ideal backdrop for a heavy inflow of Diaspora investors into the country.