Tamil Parties meet President
Discuss resettlement, compensation:
President Mahinda Rajapaksa had a landmark meeting with members of
the Tamil Parties’ Forum (TPF) comprising representatives of a majority
of Tamil political parties of the country to discuss aspects of
post-conflict reconciliation at Temple Trees yesterday.
The meeting was significant in that those present comprised Tamil
politicians who had strongly opposite views in dealing with the problems
of the LTTE and a solution to the ethnic conflict.
Key figures among them were Minister Douglas Devananda, V
Anandasangaree, T Siddarthan and Chelvanayakam Chandrahasan, son of the
former Federal Party and TULF leader, S J V Chelvanayakam, now active in
relief work of Sri Lankan refugees in Tamil Nadu.
TPF members appreciated the President’s work in easing the IDPs’
problems.
They were of the view that having won a massive mandate in both the
Presidential and Parliamentary elections and enjoying a two thirds
majority in Parliament, the President had an unprecedented opportunity
to solve the Tamil people’s problems. They informed the President that
these political parties have come to an understanding and constituted a
common forum to strive for a permanent political solution to the ethnic
problem and also work towards solving the immediate issues faced by the
Tamil people.
They believed that a political solution to the ethnic problem should
be found within the framework of a united Sri Lanka, thus enabling the
Tamil people to participate fully in their own governance in the North
and East.
They said that TPF had initiated discussions with other political
parties to forge a consensus on the question of a political solution.
Among the matters discussed were relief for the resettled IDPs who have
been returned to their former places of habitation, adequate
compensation for those who had lost their limbs, breadwinners, family
members and properties. The issue of Tamil persons detained for long
under the Emergency Regulation or the Prevention of Terrorism Act
without being indicted was discussed and a request was made for speedy
settlement of this matter. They also discussed the issue of missing
persons, some of whom it is believed are in State custody.
President Rajapaksa assured the TPF that the government would
continue with its policy of humane resettlement of IDPs and would take
into consideration the matter of providing adequate compensation by way
of services and not necessarily by way of cash which may be used
unwisely or wasted. He said that the government already gives subsidies
to these people by way of a financial grant of Rs 25,000, agricultural
utensils, housing material, seed paddy and tractors and the ploughing of
fields. With regard to the financial status of IDPs, the President
explained that a considerable number of those who came to IDP centres
had substantial amounts of money deposited in State Banks. He said that
the Bank of Ceylon had Rs. 973 million of deposits from 35,000 in Menik
Farm accounts. Similarly, in Mullaitivu there was Rs 838 million in
26,580 accounts. Quoting figures from the Bank of Ceylon, the President
said that Rs 7.7 billion had been given as loans to the people in the
North from the Bank of Ceylon only. In further discussions with members
of the TPF, President Rajapaksa explained that the government will look
into the case of missing persons if a proper list of such persons is
provided. However, he cautioned that it would be difficult or impossible
to find persons killed in combat especially in a battle that involved a
terrorist organization such as the LTTE. There would hardly be a trace
of such persons and the parents would rarely admit that the missing
children had fought with the LTTE. The President did not accept the
position made by some, that people of the North and East were being
ignored in the many government development that was done there.
He said he had visited these places and found work on construction
projects were carried out by local Tamil speaking residents.
He assured the TPF that with regard to detainees there were a large
number of hardcore LTTE elements. Some were silent for very long and had
begun to speak only now. All those against whom there was no evidence of
offences and those involving minor offences would be released, he said.
Some of them had already been released and prosecutions will be
initiated against others where there was evidence of serious crime. C.
Chandrahasan expressed his appreciation of the work being done by the
President for reconciliation and nation-building. He said that there was
a unique example of this when the Deputy High Commissioner for Sri Lanka
in Chennai had personally issued Sri Lankan birth certificates to the
children of Sri Lankan Tamil refugees at the Madurai Collectorate in
Tamil Nadu.
He emphasised that such understanding had never been seen anywhere
else in the world. He recalled a similar initative by President
Rajapaksa in the conduct of GCE O-L examination for the children of
Tamil refugees while in Tamil Nadu. Chandrahasan said the process of
reconciliation introduced should continue with new impetus and the
cooperation of all to achieve the goal of national unity. It was decided
to appoint a committee comprising members of TPF and other Tamil
political parties to review the situation regarding the IDPs and with
affected Tamil persons, and have regular interaction with the government
on their needs. Minister Devananda said this committee could play a
major role in the process of reconciliation.
Anandasankari drew the President’s attention to the special
conditions in the two districts of Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu that have
been almost totally destroyed. The President assured them that all these
representations would be attended to and thanked them for being united
in making these representations.
He also assured them that he would live up to his promises to the
Tamil people as he has to all other communities.
Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development Minister
Douglas Devananda, Veerasingam Anandasankari (TULF), Tharmalingam
Sithadthan (PLOTE), Subramaniyam Sathanantham (PLOTE), Thirunavukarasu
Sritharan (EPRLF), Peachimuthu Kumar (EPRLF), Nallathamby Srikantha (TNLA),
Kanagalingam Sivajilingam (TNLA), Chelvanayagam Chandrahasan (TPF),
Selvathurai Perinpanayakam (TPF), Pararajasingam Uthayarajah (Sri Telo),
Kuruswamy Surendran (Sri Telo), Dr. Nalliah Kumaraguruparan MMC-C (DPF),
Alagiah Rajamanickam (EPDP), Murugesu Chandrakumar (EPDP), Kathiramalai
Dayaline (TPF) and Ganeshamoorthy Rajakumar (TFP) were among those
present. |