The colonization canard

In a welcome pronouncement, Minister Basil Rajapaksa has made it abundantly clear that colonization of what are considered Tamil majority areas of the country by the state is by no means taking place. The government has no such intention, it was pointed out by the minister. What is occurring is that original inhabitants of the North, who were displaced by the conflict, are being resettled in their former areas of habitation. No 'outsiders' are being settled by the state in the areas in question.

This clarification, we hope, will help in defusing apprehensions in some quarters that state-aided colonization of Northern lands, with 'outsiders', is occurring currently. Apparently, there has been some misunderstanding among the relevant parties about what has been happening 'on the ground', and we hope there will be closer consultation among them on these land-linked issues, so as to avoiding any tensions. The government has taken a principled position on the relevant questions and it's up to those with issues to approach the state for clarifications.

Recently it was reported that some Tamil political parties had be handled discreetly, lest sensitivities are roused. These considerations need to be borne in mind by those who see themselves as being aggrieved. Resorting to demonstrations is not an advisable course of action, in view of the potentially explosive nature launched a protest in Vavuniya on these questions. The concerns of these groups could be appreciated, but it needs to be remembered that land-linked issues have always proved to be divisive in the context of the grievances of the minorities. Accordingly, they need to of the problems at issue.

Therefore, we call for closer consultation and dialogue among the parties concerned over any apprehensions on the land issues front. The seemingly aggrieved should not blunder into a course of action which would precipitate needless confrontations between them and the state. But what is amply clear is that the state is committed to the principle that Northern lands would not be 'colonized' in any way.

There's more than meets the eye in these developments relating to land. While the Parliamentary Select Committee process needs to not only get off the ground but get into top gear to enable the lingering issues in the conflict to be resolved comprehensively and fairly, there is also a clear need for those Tamil groups with grievances to re-examine their mindsets and attitudes on particularly sensitive issues, in these post-conflict times. We do not think issues of crucial significance could be sought to be resolved through an adherence to the traditional points of view and attitudes of these groups which have projected themselves as championing the issues of the Tamil community. The LTTE's 'traditional homelands' concept, for instance, proved a storm centre in the conflict and generated some explosive tensions. We need to move forward from these inflammatory positions which are part of the language of separatism and division.

At bottom, it is the lack of equitable economic growth over the decades, which has helped fuel our conflict. It is the perception among some sections of our people that they were left out of the development process, which precipitated ethnic tensions. Therefore, it is to equitable growth that we must turn to, to put an end completely to the grievances of our communities.

While the state has launched a dynamic development drive in most regions of the country, including the North-East, it must be ensured that the material dividends from this process percolate to all sections of the people in a fair manner. This is one of the soundest answers to the perception among some that they have not been part of the development process. The state is obliged to ensure that there are no rumblings in any quarter on these questions. In other words, inclusive growth needs to be single-mindedly aimed at by all stake-holders to the current development effort.

On the other hand, groups that see themselves as aggrieved need to think more in terms of how they could contribute towards inclusive and equitable growth. If they co-operate wholeheartedly with the state in taking development forward, the possibility is great that the language of division and discord would cease to circulate because there would be no basis for the persistence of this language of separatism and dissension. This is because equitable or fair growth would help in integrating all communities into the national mainstream.