Sri Lanka: “People will be fo rced to make more sacrifices”

[Harold Schiffman]

"People will be forced to make more sacrifices"

Constitutional Affairs Minister D.E.W. Gunasekera is perhaps the only
southern minister who has strived to implement the official language
policy. His dedication to find a solution to the ethnic conflict has
propelled the introduction of a bilingual system to the public
service. His proposal was accepted by the cabinet in June 2006. The
determined minister has vowed to correct what has gone wrong in the
past, especially with regard to the language policy. Today, under his
direction, some 7,000 Sinhalese are learning Tamil and more Tamils are
beginning to learn Sinhala. "With this, I hope the government will
simply implement the 13th Amendment fully. Then we do not need to find
any other solutions," the Minister told The Nation in an interview

Following are excerpts:

By Wilson Gnanadass

Q: Now that the 2008 Budget has been passed, what is the government's
next priority?
A: In my view, it goes without saying – a political solution to the
ethnic conflict. I feel it is the best time to offer a political
solution. In that context I want to emphasise that the government must
immediately implement the 13th Amendment fully. For that, no talks
with the LTTE or any other party are required. It all depends on pure
will on the part of the government.

Q: However the government, while placing much emphasis on war, has so
far not delivered the message of peace. Why is this?
A: Well, maybe the government has not made any special announcement
about peace but nobody can deny the fact that the APRC that is
assigned with the task to find a solution is working on it. You see,
past leaders took upon themselves the responsibility to make several
proposals and then they saw to it that they were implemented. But none
of them turned out successful. However, President Rajapaksa has
entrusted this task to Parliament and the APRC is now working on it.
We are trying to reach a consensus and this will give added courage to
the President to go before the people.

Q: What is the progress in relation to the implementation of the
Official Language Policy?
A: As far as my Ministry is concerned, I am doing this in relation to
the Language Policy. The Official Language Policy was given to my
Ministry only one and a half years ago and we are now trying to
implement it. In 2008 I hope to take it forward.

Similarly, as far as the north east is concerned, the 13th Amendment
must be implemented. In the meantime, the APRC must come out with a
political solution. Some people talk of a negotiated settlement with
the LTTE but I strongly feel the time is not ripe because the LTTE has
not given up its struggle for Eelam. But if we pursue the 13th
Amendment, then the environment for a solution can be created.

Q: Have you encountered any blocks in trying to implement the Language Policy?
A: So far I have not faced any resistance.  Language is the root cause
of the ethnic conflict. Neglecting the Language Policy has resulted in
a wide gap between the Sinhalese and Tamils. Tamils in Sinhala areas
suffer due to lack of knowledge in the Sinhala language and vice
versa. This is why I introduced bilingualisation of the public service
and it was accepted by the cabinet in June 2006.

Following that, I have taken several steps. The first was to get
public servants to acquire knowledge of both Tamil and Sinhala.
Already about 7,000 Sinhalese are learning Tamil under my Ministry.

Secondly, recruitment from the Tamil media itself to the public
service. The next recruitment in the Grama Niladhari Division and you
will see more Tamils coming in, in the assistant management services.

Thirdly, we have to make it compulsory for all new recruits to the
Public Service to know both languages. I have also set up an institute
of language training. It will be functioning from January 2008.  It is
called the Institute of Language Training and is located in
Agalawatta. It is a residential training course.

I have also introduced a multimedia distance learning education system
through radio and TV to cater to the needs of the public. This will be
a UNDP project. I have already submitted my proposal to the cabinet.

In the sphere of national integration, I have taken steps to
strengthen the cultural, education, religion and language bonds
between communities. For example, my Ministry is teaching the Tamil
language to 59 Pirivenas in the island. There is a demand from other
places as well. This includes the Malwatte and Asgiriya Chapters as
well.

Q: The 2008 Budget saw the government allocating the largest portion
of its money for war. How do you look at it from a communist point of
view?
A: We certainly cannot justify this because war is not the answer to
the problem. But for the past 50 years, the ethnic conflict has gone
on and for the past 25 years the war has been raging. But still we
have not found a solution. The fundamental reason is, the LTTE is
intransigent and is unwilling to give up separatism. Under those
circumstances what can a responsible government do?

There is no end to it. Logically, the demand to fight arises from the
south. That does not solve the problem. History shows that when the
LTTE becomes militarily stronger, it will not accept a solution. This
is what happened at the Oslo talks. The President took oaths on
November 19 and on December 3, the violence started. There were
attempts on many lives. But there was no war until the Mavil Aaru
sabotage took place in July 2006. It was only then that the government
reacted.

We cannot justify the war but circumstances have compelled the
government to resort to war. But this is the best time to put forward
a political solution – because most Tamils are waiting for a political
package.  Every LTTEer may be a Tamil but every Tamil is not an
LTTEer.

Q: The APRC, which was created to carve out a solution, is today
defunct. So how can you propose to end the conflict through a
political package?
A: The President has sent a directive to expedite the whole process.
The parties that have deliberated so far have come to some consensus
on larger areas. Probably in a month or so the APRC will plan to put
forward a solution to the government.

Q: However, the JVP and the UNP have not shown any interest in the
APRC deliberations?
A: Let the APRC produce something. There are four Tamil and four
Muslim parties in the APRC. All the constituent partners of the
government are there. Let them produce something.

Q: As the government has already decided to give priority to the war
in the coming year, a major economic disaster is expected soon. Do you
think the people will have to make many more sacrifices?
A: The only disturbing trend is the rate of inflation. The government
is taking measures to contain this as well. The other economic
fundamentals are intact. Our foreign reserves are good. The GDP is
good. The only problem is inflation. The war is unproductive but
cannot be helped. We are spending a lot of money on production as
well. For the first time in Ampara and Trincomalee, there may be a
bumper harvest this time. External determining factors like the fuel
price hike are disturbing. On the whole, I think the people will be
forced to make more sacrifices.

Q: Will the people be able to handle any more price hikes?
A: No. But despite the price hike in oil, consumption of petrol has
not dwindled. That shows the people can still go on though the main
grievance is the price hike. This has to be contained.

Q: In the backdrop of serious human rights violations, the government
has shown reluctance to let the UN open an office here. Why is this?
A: I would not like the question of the ethnic crisis to go before the
UN. If the UN steps in, that would lead to a division of the country.
We are capable of solving our own problems. The UN will step in, in
the guise of settling the problem, but later we will face more
problems. We have our own institutions to fight against human rights
violations.

Q: However, aren't human rights violations increasing?
A: In a country where there is a war, human rights violations are
unavoidable. It is as simple as that. An erosion of democracy will
take place. We have to be mindful of the fact that these things are
the by-products of war.

Q: Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa says he can identify LTTE
leaders and kill them. Is this the stance of the government?
A: No. I want the officers in the uniform to act and not talk. Killing
is unavoidable during war but a responsible government cannot make
predictions over killings and then take up a confrontation. I don't
think this statement is in the best interests of the country.
Officials are there to carry out the orders of the government and not
to talk out of turn.

http://www.nation.lk/2007/12/23/inter1.htm


-- 
**************************************
N.b.: Listing on the lgpolicy-list is merely intended as a service to
its members
and implies neither approval, confirmation nor agreement by the owner
or sponsor of
the list as to the veracity of a message's contents. Members who
disagree with a
message are encouraged to post a rebuttal. (H. Schiffman, Moderator)
*******************************************