The two day conference began yesterday under the theme 'Ensuring
National Security through Reconciliation and Sustainable Development'.
A number of eminent personalities, scholars, intellectuals and
military officers are participating at the event. Sessions will be held
under the themes of defense, medicine, law, engineering and technical
sciences, management , social sciences and humanities and education.
Delivering the keynote address Secretary Defense said that the
country is experiencing a national revival that will restore it to its
rightful place on the world stage and the challenge before the
Government is to facilitate this resurgence whilst taking necessary
steps to ensure long-term peace and stability by upholding national
security. He added that within a remarkably short period of time after
being liberated, the Eastern province emerged as a fast-developing,
vibrant part of Sri Lanka thanks to the government's development
initiatives. He explained that in order to affect a similar revival in
the Northern Province, His Excellency the President appointed a
Presidential Task Force for Reconstruction and Resettlement immediately
after the war ended.
Secretary Defense further said that a key concern of the government
was development of infrastructure facilities including roads, irrigation
tanks, public buildings, hospitals, schools in order to facilitate
speedy resettlement of the displaced civilians.
Given Below the full text of the keynote address delivered yesterday
by Secretary Defence Mr.Gotabaya Rajapakse yesterday at the at the
opening of the 'Annual Symposium 2012' of the General Sir John
Kotelawala Defense University:
It gives me great pleasure to address all of you at Opening Ceremony
of the 5th Annual Symposium organised by the Kotelawala Defence
University. The theme for this year’s symposium is “Ensuring National
Security Through Reconciliation and Sustainable Development”. At this
important moment in our nation’s history, this topic is a most
appropriate one. A little over three years ago, Sri Lanka emerged from a
three decades long terrorist conflict waged by the Liberation Tigers of
Tamil Eelam, better known as the LTTE. Today, the country is
experiencing a national revival that will restore it to its rightful
place on the world stage. The challenge before the Government is to
facilitate this resurgence whilst taking necessary steps to ensure
long-term peace and stability by upholding national security.
The Humanitarian Operation that liberated Sri Lanka from the LTTE’s
brutal terrorism was centred on restoring complete normalcy to the
nation. It was the intention of the Government to bring back peace and
stability for all our people. Now that this objective has been achieved,
it is vital that the country moves forward and fully exploits the many
opportunities afforded by peace. All Sri Lankans, irrespective of their
ethnicity, religion or affiliations, must gain the confidence that they
can lead lives of dignity, equality and fulfilment within a supportive,
dynamic and multicultural environment. To achieve this vision, the
Government is presently working hard to achieve national reconciliation
and sustainable development.
In this regard, it is important to fully appreciate the many
challenges that faced the Government in the post war situation. Nearly
three hundred thousand civilians had been taken out of their homes by
the LTTE for use as a human shield during its retreat towards its
strongholds. To prevent the advance of the military, the LTTE had
created obstacles by laying mines and Improvised Explosive Devices in
the towns and villages it left behind. Because of this, the displaced
civilians could not go back to their homes soon after the war. Looking
after the IDPs, demining and reconstructing their towns and villages,
and facilitating their speedy resettlement were all major challenges for
the state. Another very significant issue was dealing with the nearly
12,000 LTTE cadres who surrendered to Security Forces during the
Humanitarian Operation. Resolving these issues as quickly as possible
was essential to the restoration of normalcy.
Apart from appreciating the challenges faced, it is equally important
to understand the overall context in the North and East at that time.
The areas under LTTE control had been in virtual isolation from the rest
of Sri Lanka for decades. The democratic process had been subverted,
law & order had been undermined, the civil administration had been
under duress, and ordinary people had enjoyed little control over their
destinies. Although the LTTE had maintained the trappings of a state
apparatus in the areas it controlled, it was an illusion designed to
disguise territory held under gunpoint.
Economic development in these regions had also lagged far behind the
rest of the country while under LTTE control. Although successive
governments had continuously supplied services including healthcare,
education and utilities to these regions over the years, the LTTE did
not allow these resources to be used properly. The non-governmental
organisations supposed to be engaging in development work in these areas
were also ineffective. As a result, virtually no economic progress took
place. The infrastructure, including the transportation networks, power
supply, irrigation channels, and telecommunication services etc., were
badly underdeveloped.
Developing the regions formerly under LTTE control was the primary
challenge that the Government faced in the post-war situation. The
Eastern Province, which was liberated from the LTTE in July 2007, was
brought back to virtual normalcy even while the Humanitarian Operation
was continuing in the North. The various groups that had operated in the
East and carried arms for their protection against the LTTE were
speedily disarmed, and encouraged to join the political mainstream.
Elections were held in the Eastern Province as early as May 2008, giving
the people the ability to exercise their franchise without fear. This
restoration of their fundamental democratic rights was a significant
accomplishment in a country that was still at war.
In terms of economic development, the Government launched several
initiatives under the “Eastern Dawn” programme to restore infrastructure
such as roads, bridges, irrigation channels and power supply. It also
took several steps to revitalise productive sectors including crop
agriculture, livestock, fisheries and tourism in this province. Within a
remarkably short period of time after being liberated, the Eastern
province emerged as a fast-developing, vibrant part of Sri Lanka.
The newfound confidence that the people in this Province enjoyed was
shown in how quickly they resumed their normal activities and adopted
new pursuits. The revival of cultivation activities increased the
acreage of productive paddy fields in the Province and significantly
increased the quantities of paddy being brought to market in the
country. With the progressive removal of restrictions at sea, the
fisheries industry increased its productivity very quickly and is
presently thriving. The revival of tourism brought in large numbers of
tourists, and the Eastern Province has already attracted a lot of fresh
investment from various sectors. The status that the Province now enjoys
was virtually unimaginable when the East was liberated four years ago.
To affect a similar revival in the Northern Province, His Excellency
the President appointed a Presidential Task Force for Reconstruction and
Resettlement immediately after the war ended. However, it was
understood that the situation in the North was inherently more
complicated than that of the East. The LTTE had been in control over
much of the territory in the North for many years, thereby leading to
the suppression of its natural potential for a much longer period. This
impacted both the psyche of the people of the North, as well as the
degree to which the Province needed restoration. The problems caused by
the thousands of antipersonnel mines, antitank mines and improvised
explosive devices laid by the LTTE over large extents of land made this
already bad situation much worse.
In total, it was suspected that mines had been laid in approximately
5,000 square kilometres of land in total. Demining such a vast area was a
very difficult challenge that the Government undertook with the help of
many foreign organisations, including the Danish Demining Group, the UK
based Mines Advisory Group, the Indian Sarvatra Group and Horizon
Group, and several others. The Sri Lanka Army was given the
responsibility of demining the largest area of land, which comprised
almost 1,500 square kilometres, including 1,380 square kilometres in the
densely mined North.
The demining programme was carefully planned and executed. Priority
areas were chosen to maximise efficiency and to enable the speedy return
of the civilians to the homes they had been displaced from. As such,
the first priority was to demine the towns and villages. The second
priority was to demine the agricultural areas such as paddy fields and
plantations. The third priority was to clear the forested areas. I am
pleased to note that as of today, the two main priority areas have been
almost completely cleared. To date, 469,275 antipersonnel mines, 1,399
anti-tank mines, and 388,963 unexploded ordnance devices have been
recovered. It is because of the large number of mines and IEDs planted
by the LTTE that demining continues in some areas to this day. These are
places where heavy fighting took place during the last stages of the
war, and where the concentration of mines is at its highest. It is
expected that these areas too will be completely cleared in the very
near future.
With the completion of demining in each area, reconstruction was
expedited so that the infrastructure and facilities that had been long
neglected under LTTE occupation could be developed. The renovation of
houses and construction of new housing units was one of the Government’s
first priorities in terms of reconstruction since it enabled the
expediting of the resettlement programme. The Army has renovated over
6,000 houses and constructed nearly 7,000 new housing units in this
region . Under a grant sponsored by the Government of India, 43,000 new
houses will also be constructed. The pilot project for this programme
was launched in 2010, and 1,000 houses have already been built and
handed over to the beneficiaries. Through these on-going programmes, the
housing stock in the North will be greatly increased and improved over
the next few years.
Infrastructure development was another key concern. In a similar
initiative to the “Eastern Dawn” programme, the Government launched a
programme entitled the “Northern Spring” to undertake large development
projects in the North. Infrastructure development, electricity, water
supply and sanitation, agriculture, irrigation, livestock development,
inland fisheries, health, solid waste disposal, education, sports,
cultural affairs and transportation improvements were all envisaged
under this programme. A team of officials was appointed to each District
to identify and direct the necessary activities.
Essential infrastructure, including access roads, minor tanks, public
buildings, hospitals, schools, were upgraded quickly to facilitate
speedy resettlement. With the completion of these priority projects,
attention was turned to larger undertakings. Township development,
including improved administrative facilities for enhanced delivery of
state services, has been expedited in all districts. The development of
the road network throughout the North has also been expedited. Many
important bridges have been built. The restoration of the railways has
been undertaken, as the railways had ceased functioning in 1990 due to
LTTE action. The railway track from Omanthai to Pallai will be completed
by next September, and the rest from Pallai to Kankasanthurai will be
completed by June 2014. The track from Medawachchiya to Madhu will be
completion in March next year, and the track from Madhu to Talaimannar
is expected to be completed six months later.
Much of the irrigation infrastructure, including canals and tanks,
has been restored in order to revive agriculture and farming, and major
programmes to upgrade drinking water supply and sanitation are also
underway. Electrification has been expedited, and many regions that did
not have power supply before are gaining this benefit for the first
time. Provision of healthcare is being enhanced with the construction of
new facilities and the restoration of old infrastructure. Schools are
being restored and brought back to full functionality. I am also pleased
to note that many private sector organisations have set up operations
in the North, including financial institutions, supermarkets, boutiques
and shops.
With the completion of demining and the completion of reconstruction
in each area, the displaced civilians were resettled. By the middle of
August, just over three years after the liberation of the North, the
Government has successfully resettled 240,067 IDPs. As at today, only
3,054 individuals from 866 families remain in the last functioning
Welfare Village. These IDPs are from areas that have the highest
concentration of mines, which have taken a little longer than expected
to render safe. The Government intends to complete the resettlement of
all IDPs by the middle of this month. Resettling nearly three hundred
thousand internally displaced people in just over three years is a
significant and laudable achievement by any standard, and it has enabled
the long suffering people of the North to once again live their lives
under the conditions of normalcy experienced by everyone around Sri
Lanka.
Alongside resettlement of the IDPs, another significant challenge
before the Government was in dealing with the LTTE cadres who
surrendered or were detained during the Humanitarian Operation. It is
important to stress that the approach adopted by the Government has been
different from the usual approach adopted in these circumstances.
Instead of seeking to prosecute and punish all these ex-terrorists, the
Government placed the vast majority of them in rehabilitation programmes
from the first day onwards. This was because of His Excellency the
President’s vision that the former LTTE cadres had been misled, and
deserved an opportunity to see the error of their ways and reintegrate
with society. As such, they were placed in a comprehensive
rehabilitation programme, which was overseen by the Bureau of the
Commissioner General of Rehabilitation.
A special UNICEF supported rehabilitation programme was organised for
the 594 child soldiers who had surrendered. The focus was on providing
proper counselling as well as spiritual development activities and
positive values cultivation for these child beneficiaries. Formal
education was provided, with classes being conducted for more than 200
students between Grade 8 and Grade 11, and 65 students in the Advanced
Level sections. Several 6 month long vocational training programmes were
also conducted in subjects such as information technology, aesthetics,
carpentry, masonry, beauty culture etcetera. All the child beneficiaries
were reunited with their families within one year, although 74 chose to
come back to continue the education programmes they had been following
while under rehabilitation.
All adult beneficiaries underwent extensive programmes that were
designed to de-radicalise them and equip them with the ability to return
to normal life in society. It is very important to stress the fact that
several International agencies and Non Governmental Organisations such
as the IOM and UNICEF were given free and unfettered access to the
rehabilitation centres. So too were diplomats, media personnel, lawyers,
and the family members of the beneficiaries.
Counselling was a major component of the rehabilitation programme.
Special training and periodic refresher training was provided to centre
administrators on how to provide psychological first aid and
counselling. The counselling programme was designed in partnership with
the Ministry of Healthcare and Nutrition, Ministry of Social Services
and Social Welfare, and many Non Governmental Organisations engaged in
the field. This was intended to correct the mind-set of the
ex-combatants and affect attitudinal change. Much effort was taken to
enable them to develop their personalities as individuals.
Spiritual, religious and cultural rehabilitation programmes were
conducted for the beneficiaries, with the intention of reacquainting
them with the cultural and family norms they had left behind when with
the LTTE. Psychological and creative therapy rehabilitation was
provided, including group counselling and therapy sessions, aesthetics
and drama therapy programmes. Beneficiaries were also encouraged to take
part in various sports activities.
A lot of attention was paid to the reunification of families, with
married ex-combatants being given the opportunity to re-join their
spouses, children and parents at special rehabilitation centres called
‘Peace Villages’. Special leave was also granted to many of the
beneficiaries to visit their families, and attend religious and cultural
activities at home from time to time. This enabled many beneficiaries
to continue their rehabilitation without any disruption to their family
life. A special Protective Accommodation and Rehabilitation Centre was
established at Kaithady in Jaffna to cater to the reunification of
married beneficiaries as well.
A special programme for ‘catch up education’ was provided in
collaboration with the Education Ministry for young adults in
rehabilitation. 46 different vocational training courses were also
provided to the beneficiaries. These courses were centred on many
different fields, including agriculture, industry, services and
entrepreneurship. Substantial opportunities were provided for training
information technology, with assistance from private sector
implementation partners, and a computer lab was set up with the capacity
to train approximately 100 persons at a given time.
The reintegration of the rehabilitees to society took place only
after trained counsellors assessed their preparedness to adapt to
society and resume normal lives. Reintegration programmes were conducted
at various stages, including a large ceremony that was held at Temple
Trees in September 2011 in the presence of His Excellency the President.
In all, 10,973 rehabilitees have been reintegrated to society as of
today. 121 were released in 2009; 5,227 were reintegrated in 2010; 5,027
were integrated last year and 598 have been reintegrated so far this
year. Only 636 beneficiaries remain in rehabilitation, and this is
because they require more time to recover from LTTE indoctrination and
regain full capability to lead a normal life.
The effectiveness of the rehabilitation programme is indicated in
research that is being conducted by Dr. Kruglanski and Dr. Gelfland of
the University of Maryland, College Park, in the USA. This research,
which is based on a study of more than 550 individuals, has indicated
that there has been a significant decline in the beneficiaries support
for violence. The decline in support for violence has been strongest in
those beneficiaries who were deeply invested in the terrorist agenda,
therefore implying that the rehabilitation programme has been effective
even for the most hard-core LTTE cadres.
In addition to the LTTE cadres who surrendered at the end of the
Humanitarian Operation, nearly 4,500 more had been detained previously.
Only about 560 cadres have been identified for prosecution and are being
dealt with through the legal system, and because of their high level
involvement in LTTE activities. Action has been taken to expedite the
hearing of their cases in the courts. All the others were sent for
rehabilitation and reintegrated to society.
All reintegrated beneficiaries of the rehabilitation programme have
been given an unparalleled opportunity to resume normal lives in
society. Programmes were created to support those who wished to set up
their own businesses, including a special loan scheme for
self-employment. Many have found jobs at various private institutions
such as garment factories and other industrial facilities. Some have
even managed to go abroad for foreign employment as a result of the
skills they had acquired during the rehabilitation programme. A
significant number of reintegrated beneficiaries are also being
recruited to the Civil Defence Force. They will be paid a monthly
salary, and used mainly in farming and in development activities.
Through all these measures, the Government has worked very hard to
enable the former LTTE cadres to resume lives of normalcy within a
peaceful and stable Sri Lanka.
In restoring normalcy throughout the North, the progressive removal
of the various restrictions that used to be in place as a result of the
conflict has been a very significant step taken over the last few years.
Restrictions used to be in place on travel to the North, including
restrictions on foreigners, media personnel and staff of both foreign
and local Non Governmental Organisations. With the removal of all these
restrictions, there is complete freedom of movement in the North today.
Large numbers of local tourists travel from the North to the South and
from the South to the North on a daily basis. Large numbers of visitors
from abroad have also come to Sri Lanka over the past three years. Since
July 2011, more than 51,400 foreign passport holders from over 100
countries have visited Sri Lanka and travelled to the North, including
nearly 31,500 this year alone . A considerable number of them were
expatriates visiting their ancestral homes and properties and their
relatives in Sri Lanka. The complete removal of restrictions that had
been imposed on various items was also important. During the war, the
transport of certain items was restricted for fear that they would be
used by the LTTE in offensive operations. As of today, these
restrictions no longer exist.
Many restrictions that used to be in place at sea due to the grave
threat posed by the LTTE’s Sea Tiger wing have also been removed.
Limitations on the times and the locations in which fishermen could put
to sea as well as the restrictions on the size of their fishing craft
and the power of their outboard motors were removed in phases by October
2010. Restrictions on the times at which fishing could take place were
gradually phased out between June 2009 and February 2010. Restrictions
on fishing near critical harbours have also been greatly reduced.
The reduction in the numbers of security barricades, roadblocks and
checkpoints in the North and East is also significant. There were large
numbers of such security measures in place during the course of the
conflict and immediately after, but these were gradually withdrawn after
the dawn of peace. In 2009, there were approximately 2,000 checkpoints,
sentry points and roadblocks in these two Provinces. Today, there are
hardly any.
The presence of Security Forces personnel in the North has been
greatly reduced, with 28 battalions being relocated to the East and the
South. The overall number of troops has been reduced by more than 21,000
since 2009. More importantly, Security Forces personnel have been
relieved of all duties in terms of law enforcement, and the maintenance
of law and order has been completely handed over to the police. While
military camps will remain in strategic positions to uphold national
security, the presence of military personnel will be unobtrusive.
In this context, it is important to underscore that military camps
exist in various locations throughout Sri Lanka. It is the duty of the
Government to ensure that there is adequate security for the entire
nation, and it is only logical to place military encampments in
strategic locations. The establishment of camps in locations such as
Mannar, Palaly, Elephant Pass, Poonery, Thalladi, Karainagar, and
Mullaitivu began in 1951. They were set up to enhance internal security
and minimise the smuggling of persons, drugs and materials between Sri
Lanka and India, which was rampant at the time. When the LTTE emerged as
a significant military threat and intensified its attacks on military
camps, successive Governments extended the territories around the camps
into High Security Zones. This enabled the military to exercise greater
control in these areas, which would otherwise have been infiltrated by
the LTTE. With the defeat of the military arm of the LTTE, these High
Security Zones are no longer needed. They were dismantled in stages and
the land has been handed back to the civilians.
The camps themselves will remain for purposes of national security,
but the remaining security restrictions that exist are limited to the
Palaly Cantonment. However, even within the Cantonment, civilians have
free access to the airport and the Kankasanthurai harbour. While it is
true that there are still some civilian properties within the
Cantonment, it must be stressed that civilians have not occupied these
properties for the last twenty to twenty-five years. The Government has
taken measures to pay compensation to the owners of these properties and
to provide alternate lands to them. It should also be noted that lands
that had been forcefully taken from the people and occupied by the LTTE
for many years have also been released to their legal owners.
Perhaps the most significant undertaking in restoring normalcy in the
North was the restoration of the democratic process. His Excellency the
President was very keen to ensure that the people who had lived under
the virtual dictatorship of the LTTE for so many years should feel the
full benefit of living in a democratic nation. As such, he was very keen
to have elections in this Province as soon as possible.
Local authority elections were held for the Jaffna Municipal Council
and the Vavuniya Urban Council as early as August 2009, and the
Presidential Election and General Election followed not long after in
2010. These elections were the first in which people throughout the
entire country could vote freely and without fear of LTTE reprisals.
Local authority elections held island-wide last year saw free and fair
elections being throughout the North and East. The Tamil National
Alliance emerged first in most electorates, but the main Government
party also came close in several of them. The fact that political
plurality has returned to these areas is clear from the results of these
elections. The swift restoration of democracy and the right to vote has
returned to the people their voice in governance. It is an incredibly
significant achievement.
The sustenance of national security in Sri Lanka depends on the
inclusiveness of our democracy, and the equality of all our citizens. In
the past, there was a certain degree of mistrust between communities
that led to certain unfortunate incidents. It is our duty as Sri Lankans
to put this past behind us and build a bright future for our nation. In
this regard, it is essential that there is no longer any suspicion of
discrimination or unequal treatment that might encourage people to
follow an undemocratic path and bring back the divisions of the past.
The confidence the people have in their leaders, and their confidence in
the proper functioning of the electoral process is one aspect of this.
Another very important aspect is the ability people have to build better
futures for themselves. That is why, as was described before, the
Government has focused so much attention on restoring the infrastructure
and services needed to facilitate the return of economic life in these
areas.
It is also extremely important that all our citizens have equal
access to the services provided by the state as well as state
institutions. In this regard, I am particularly pleased to note that the
actions taken by the Government to increase the numbers of Tamil
speaking policemen have been extremely successful. 789 Tamil policemen
have been recruited between 2009 and 2011, and they have been trained
and posted to these police stations. In 2012 alone, a further 425 have
been recruited. Training in Tamil language has also been provided to
additional numbers of police personnel. Eleven new police stations have
also been established in the North, and all the people who live in that
region now have equal access to the state’s mechanisms for law and
order.
The remewed evonomic opportunities and freedoms that the people of
the North now enjoy are vastly different from what they were when much
of the Province was under the LTTE. Children are free to go to school
and have the chance to improve their prospects in life. Employment
opportunities for adults are increasing day by day, and a great deal of
support has been given to those individuals who are interested in
starting up businesses or finding other means of self employment.
Farmers in the North have been greatly benefitted by the many
initiatives taken to upgrade irrigation; support has also been given to
them through programmes to provide seeds, fertiliser and machinery.
Fishermen have benefitted from the removal of restrictions and
programmes to help them obtain fishing craft. As a result of these
initiatives, the economy of the Northern Province is undergoing a
significant revival.
In this context it is important to stress that all of the
Government’s actions with regard to the North has been aimed restoring
vibrancy to this long depressed region of Sri Lanka. Unlike in the past,
the residents of the North have all their democratic rights and have
equal and unrestricted access to the services offered by the state.
While there are still a few pro-LTTE elements amongst the residents of
the North as well as within certain ethnicity based political parties,
and while they may still try to destabilise the peace if given the
opportunity, the fact is that the people of the North no longer have any
reason to feel isolated or disfavoured.
All of the issues that the Province and its residents suffered from
have been resolved in a remarkably short period of time through the
Government’s genuine efforts to expedite demining, reconstruction and
new developments in the towns and villages, to resettle the IDPs, and
rehabilitate the former LTTE cadres. Democracy has returned to the
region, the civil administration is fully functional, and the people
have unrestricted opportunities to make better futures for themselves. I
have every confidence that they will make full use of these
opportunities, and that it will not be long before the Northern Province
is a flourishing and vibrant region of our nation. That is why I am
certain that the path the Government is presently on is the best way in
which to ensure long-term peace, stability and national security.
- Asian Tribune -
