Gusi Peace Prize for Major General Mahinda Hathurusinghe:

Honour for Sri Lanka

Text of the speech by Plantation Industries Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe at the felicitation ceremony of Gusi International Peace Prize Laureate 2010 (Major General Mahinda Hathurusinghe) on December 13, 2010 at Sri Lanka Foundation Institute

It is a pleasure and a privilege to be able to join you to felicitate Major General Mahinda Hathurusinghe who is one of the laureates of the Gusi Peace Prize for 2010. This award is not only a recognition of the role that the Sri Lankan Army has played in defeating terrorism and restoring normality in parts of the country that had seen nothing but conflict and strife for nearly three decades. It is not only an honour for an outstanding military leader and the officers and servicemen under his command, it is also a great honour for the Sri Lankan nation as a whole as we attempt to rebuild social, economic and political structures in those areas that will be of enduring service to the people.

Military operations

Accolades such as the prestigious Gusi Peace Prize are not bestowed by mere chance or accident. Major General Hathurusinghe is a shining exemplar of a disciplined, dedicated and honourable Sri Lankan Army which has, by its conduct in the battlefield and, perhaps more importantly in the post-conflict era, demonstrated that it is possible to combat a implacable foe and rescue the ordinary people held in thrall by that enemy as well as contribute to the unification of the nation in the aftermath of active military operations. The commitment of the Security Forces to rebuilding infrastructure, mine-clearing and restoring facilities such as schools and hospitals is a key component in the Government’s strategy to improve the lot of the people of the conflict-affected areas. The leadership he provides as Security Forces Commander-Jaffna has enabled great strides to be made in a relatively brief period of time.

As the President pointed out recently our efforts in the battlefield were always viewed as a humanitarian operation not solely one aimed at achievement of geostrategic objectives or purely gaining military mastery over an enemy. Our main objective was to rid the country of the scourge of terrorism and to enable those people who were held captive by the terrorists to breathe the air of freedom again. We have succeeded in the first part of this overall effort. We are now more than halfway on our journey together towards a better and brighter future.

Restore economic activity

Now we must dedicate ourselves to post conflict rehabilitation, reconciliation and accelerated development. This is the challenge that President Mahinda Rajapaksa has taken on and I am certain that with his leadership and the cooperation of all segments of the Sri Lankan populace-political, civilian and military-that we will triumph and reach our eventual goal.

What we have achieved already is remarkable. Anyone travelling in the Eastern Province will be able to witness breathtaking improvements in infrastructure. Similarly, with demining and the opening up of the main artery to the North-the A9 highway-as well as the restoration of the A32, railway links and the reconstruction of the harbour in Kankesanthurai, the North will soon be fully integrated with the rest of the country. This is very important and a working transportation system is essential to restore economic activity and enable people to resume their livelihoods within as short a period of time as possible. One aspect of reconciliation is the very important guaranteeing of human dignity. People of the conflict-affected areas are, just like the rest of the Sri Lankan people, proud and self-reliant. It goes against the grain for them to rely on relief or handouts indefinitely.

Self-esteem and dignity

As Major General Hathurusinghe has himself noted, restoring people’s economic self-sufficiency goes a long way towards guaranteeing the people’s self esteem and dignity.

As a former Disaster Management Minister it has been my experience that recovery from a disaster when, properly carried out according to a clear strategy, contributes to prevention of future disasters. This is also true of human-made disasters such as conflict. Effective recovery plans, policies and strategies, when implemented on the ground, are a means whereby further eruption of conflict can be forestalled.

Using the disaster management example still further, understanding the root causes of the disaster can help with designing plans not only to prevent future calamities but it also can help with preparedness, early warning and even mitigation of the impacts of future hazards. Thus, understanding the causes of the conflict and identifying factors that exacerbated the conflict are an important part of the recovery process. It is for this reason that the Lessons Learned and Rehabilitation Commission (LLRC) established by the President is of vital significance. The work of that Commission is key to devising strategies to prevent the conflict from ever recurring again. It will provide us with valuable information that we can use to build our reconciliation initiatives upon.

External actors

Some are of the view that such a post-conflict reckoning can only be carried out by external actors. However, I am of the view that no one is better placed than Sri Lankans who have experienced the conflict and have lived through the past 30 years, to assess the conflict and its concluding phases.

Those who would attempt to doubt the integrity and capability of the erudite and experienced Commissioners to make such an assessment, are being less than fair-minded themselves when they prejudge the outcome of the Commission’s work. Indeed, the Cabinet of Ministers recently endorsed a proposal to set up a high-powered sub-committee to implement the interim recommendations of the Commission. This indicates the seriousness with which the Government of President Rajapaksa views this important body.

There are other risks and hazards to which we must pay due attention. A vast pool of human resources was dedicated to the military effort. I have already noted that these persons are now engaged in civic reconstruction. However, we must exploit this resource more productively in the longer term bringing them within the development mainstream.

Training and education is essential to enable them to take up civilian occupations once demobilized and become active participants in the labour force and the economy.

We owe them this debt of gratitude as a nation and as a Sri Lankan people. Vocational training in traditional and non-traditional livelihoods is very important, therefore, in guaranteeing that their service and their sacrifice is valued and rewarded and their long-term welfare is ensured. We must also look after the ex-combatants undergoing rehabilitation at present. It is critical that they are empowered to contribute productively to their communities.

Measures must be continued to prevent the spread and proliferation of small arms. This is an initiative undertaken under the auspices of the President and the Defence Secretary and is key to ensuring peace, security and law and order throughout the country.

Socio-cultural aspect

Another aspect of reunification is the socio-cultural aspect. I note that General Hathurusinghe under the direction of the Army Commander has encouraged his troops to learn the Tamil language and to interact with civilians. This is of critical importance. National unity is born of mutual trust. Trust can only be built up through effective and direct communication.

One of the root causes of the conflict was, I believe, the lack of open dialogue between fellow Sri Lankan people.

Dialogue had to be conducted through interlocutors-politicians and others-whose own perceptions, aspirations and agendas coloured the content of those communications.

I believe that the younger generation at least must be able to communicate directly and share their fears, dreams and hopes. It is very likely that they will find much common ground and not much divergence of outlook or opinion.

For this reason the Government is encouraging education in Sinhala, Tamil and in the link language: English. For this reason I would place gaining bilingual skills very high on the list of national priorities.

Much has been written in academia of the role of the military in post-conflict scenarios. Post-conflict states are often categorized as 'weak'. Concerns are expressed over the degree of civilian control over the military-a cardinal principle of democratic governance. We, on the other hand, are strong and are growing in strength.

Peace, reconciliation and rehabilitation are already paying dividends in terms of investment and economic growth. Our President as Commander-in-Chief guided and led the country and her security establishment to overcome terrorism.

I am certain that he will lead us to a position of strength whereby we can fulfil our potential as a nation. Present day Sri Lanka is a living, empirical example of how a effective military force is now contributing to the reconstruction of conflict affected areas and rebuilding the lives of those who suffered under the yoke of ruthless terrorism.

In time to come, the world will come to realize, understand and appreciate the magnitude of what Sri Lanka under President Rajapaksa's leadership has achieved in ending this suffering of her people.

It only remains for me to congratulate General Hathurusinghe for bringing this honour to the Motherland, to convey our grateful thanks to him and those under him for their service and sacrifice, to remember the fallen and preserve and cherish their memory and to call on all Sri Lankans to join in the second half of this common journey towards harmony, lasting peace and prosperity for all.