[lg policy] Sri Lanka: This President can forge unity and harmony-

[Harold Schiffman]

This President can forge unity and harmony-

Lessons Learnt & Reconciliation Commission (LLRC)

Govt. has unprecedented majority community support to implement bold
political and administrative reforms for a united Sri Lanka

Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police (retired) and President-
Colombo Plan International Society, B. Anton Jeyanathan told the
Lessons Learnt & Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) that the present
government, under the leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, has
the political strength and power to bring in the necessary political,
administrative and legal reforms to remove all injustices and
discriminations for each and every citizen from Dondra to Point Pedro
to live as one united family.

“Bold steps need to be taken to remove all irritants, which have
plagued our country. It is this Government which has unprecedented
support from the major community, which can convince the citizens that
bold political reforms are necessary and should be implemented, so
that our country can emerge as a country of peace and harmony and
economic growth, and will never face any threat from the LTTE or any
other terrorist groups, Mr. Jeyanathan told the LLRC, which wound up
end January.
Mr. Jeyanathan said that all citizens of Sri Lanka want to live with
dignity, honour and self respect, with no fear of discrimination, of
terror, of political victimisation, of human rights violations and of
economic oppression.

Mr. Jeyanathan also expressed confidence that, unlike other
Commissions and Conferences, which sat, deliberated, but produced
nothing, the LLRC will, in the interests of our country, “conclude
your deliberations to rectify the maladies which have plagued Sri
Lanka for many years, so that peace and harmony will prevail once
again.”

While stating that one single or a particular reason cannot be
attributed for the violence unleashed by the LTTE, Mr. Jeyanathan said
that due to the atrocities of the LTTE, the entire nation suffered
irrevocable economic, social and political hardship, loss of lives,
peace and harmony. Our progress forward has been put back by 30 to 40
years. On the whole, the entire country suffered, but as a separate
community, it is the Tamil community which suffered the most, from the
violence unleashed by the LTTE. Loss of intellectuals, moderate
politicians, youths, wealth, land, dignity and self respect. Brain
drain of qualified professionals from the Tamil community is
irrevocable and irreplaceable.

He said that, “as a retired Law Enforcement Officer, I consider
Terrorism a criminal act. An armed struggle, challenging the
established democratic Government, for whatever cause, is nothing but
Terrorism.”

He said that terrorism should have been dealt with and should be dealt
with by the Armed forces supported by the Law Enforcement Agency the
Police, without any political consideration, agendas and compulsion.
Initially, the Armed forces and the Police, were not allowed to
perform their duties by the Governments in power, whenever criminal
acts were committed by the members of the LTTE. Political
consideration was uppermost in the minds of the political leaders who
failed to support the Armed forces and the Police by way of men and
material to meet the challenge posed by the LTTE.

“I am aware of the threat faced by Police officers who were engaged in
investigating the activities of the LTTE. Police officers from the
Tamil community were their prime targets, Bastiampillai, Pathmanathan,
Rajeswaran, Theophilus are some of the names that come to mind.”

He also recalled the surrender of over 400 odd Police Officers to the
LTTE , one of them being ASP Ivan Botejue, who was a batch mate of
his. “They were rearing to meet the challenge of the terrorists, even
by sacrificing their lives, pleading with their superiors to permit
them to break out and confront the terrorists, to uphold the dignity
of the Police. The political masters, through the Police hierarchy,
directed the entire group of officers to lay down their arms and
surrender to the terrorists, who had surrounded the Police Station, on
the promise that they will be released. They obeyed their superiors.
The entire group of officers was murdered.”

He also spoke on the introduction of the ‘Sinhala Only’ policy to the
country. “The language policy fortified with the standardisation
scheme for admission into the University, ignited the Tamil youths,
which was used by the Tamil political parties, especially the Federal
party and the TULF, to grab power in the North and the East, which
could be attributed as one of the reasons which resulted in the birth
of the LTTE.”

He also spoke of his personal experiences with regards to the language
issue. “I joined the Police service in 1957 as a Sub-Inspector (SI) of
Police. At the time of my recruitment, there was no requirement to
pass examinations in the Sinhala language. Qualifications required to
join the service as an SI, to every applicant, were one and the same.”
However, consequent to completing his third year, and due for
confirmation, he, along with the other Tamil SIs, were informed that
their confirmation would not be granted unless they sat and passed a
written examination in Sinhala, held by the Education Department.

“I commenced studying Sinhala under a Ven. Buddhist Monk at
Maligawatte and passed the examination conducted by the Education
Department. In the meantime, some of my colleagues who were of the
majority community, went ahead of me without any language proficiency
in the Tamil language. “

He also spoke of the need to raise the standard of professionalism
within the Police Department. “Professionalism in all aspects of
Police work, honesty, integrity and efficiency should be the criteria
considered for the selection of postings and promotions, not political
loyalty. It is no secret as to what criteria prevails within the
Police Department today.”

The Commission is due to present its report by May.

http://www.sundaytimes.lk/110213/News/nws_12.html

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