EXCERPTS from the address of US Ambassador Jaliya Wickramasuriya delivered at Los Angeles World Affairs Council, yesterday (30).
As the global economy struggles, and as a new American President takes charge of a Nation at war, let me be so bold as to tell you something about being resilient, about fighting back.
Sri Lanka is an island nation. It would fit easily into Southern California. We have 21 million people, just more than half of your State’s population.
Though small, we have learned some big lessons about adversity.
Tsunami catastrophe
When the tsunami devastated our coastline, we took a deep breath and then rebuilt it.
Where there were once thatch homes, we now have solid concrete houses that provide real shelter.
We suffered great losses — more than 31,000 Sri Lankans perished. But we are proud of this effort to rebuild our homes and our spirit.
We have also worked hard to re-develop Sri Lanka’s Eastern Province. That work began two years ago, after Government Security Forces liberated our civilians from Tiger terrorists.
This was not an easy task. The Eastern Province is the most diverse part of our country, and the one most affected by our long war against the Tigers, also known as the LTTE.
Since that fighting stopped, we have resettled 150,000 people — 80 percent of those force out by the war.
We have also cleared thousands of land mines.
Land mines, used exclusively by the LTTE, are just one of the challenges that we will soon face when reconstruction begins in Northern Sri Lanka.
While the conflict against the LTTE continues there, we are hopeful that it will end in the coming weeks.
There has been much press coverage of the fighting as it stands today, and much propaganda from the LTTE. Let me set the record straight. Sri Lankan Security Forces have pushed the LTTE militants into an area of about 12 square miles including the Safe Zone in the North.
The LTTE has refused to surrender, or to release the 70,000 civilians it forcibly holds in the conflict zone.
The United Nations, the International Committee of the Red Cross and Human Rights Watch all report that the LTTE is using Tamil civilians as human shields, which is a war crime.
On March 9, a United Nations International Crises Group Report noted that, “The LTTE must allow civilians to leave areas under its control. It has been defeated and must surrender.”
UNICEF has also noted the LTTE’s long-standing tactic of forcing Tamil children to bear arms. These child soldiers serve as symbols of the LTTE’s misguided cause.
Civilians in LTTE clutches
Several Non-Government Organizations have recently accused the Sri Lankan Army of shelling civilians in the confined combat zone. Let me assure you that these charges are false.
In fact, the Government has cleared Safety Zones for civilians to aid their escape from the LTTE. So far, about 54,000 civilians have escaped.
Unfortunately, those civilians who have escaped reported being shot at by the LTTE as they fled. Some of course do not make it. Such is the concern of the LTTE for the Tamil people.
It is because of such horrors that my Government is anxious to end this war. The terrorist nature of the LTTE means that every Sri Lankan has lived under constant fear. To these threats, I say enough is enough.
In short order, the Sri Lankan people, who thrive as Asia’s oldest democracy, will once again show the world how they rise from adversity.
We will rebuild the North by using a plan that worked well in our Eastern Province.
We call it the four Ds. That stands for: De-mining, De-militarization, Democracy and Development. We would love for Democracy to be at the top of that list. But the machinery of war must first be dismantled to make sure that the fighting never returns.
Post-war reconstruction
We have before us the hard work of removing mines and disarming. We will then begin the work of democracy, bringing the rule of law to places where violence was customary.
We did this already in the East. In that province, free and fair elections were held in May 2008.
Democracy restored
Five Council Ministers were elected — two Tamils, two Muslims, and one Sinhalese.
One former child soldier and former LTTE regional leader, who came forth for democracy was even chosen as the province’s Chief Minister.
The Government has also sought to include Tamil leaders — there are now 12 Tamil Ministers in office. Earlier this month, the Government even appointed a former top LTTE Deputy as a Minister.
The renewal efforts in the North will also include construction. We are implementing a rural development initiative and a national infrastructure development plan.
Another program, known as the President’s mission, is a 10-year plan to upgrade Education, Healthcare and other services.
For this work, we look to international donors for help to stabilize our country. We invite those of you here today to visit and to invest in Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka and the United States, after all, have had trade relations for two centuries, and diplomatic relations for 61 years.
We are an export nation, and our future depends on our friends around the world.
Two years ago, my President Mahinda Rajapaksa, appeared before this Council to report on the progress of our war against terrorism.
Despite that war, Sri Lanka has managed to thrive. The current literacy rate is 96 percent. Our unemployment rate is now just five percent, GDP is at six percent and poverty rates have declined sharply in both the rural areas and our cities.
Fresh start
It is my great pleasure to report to you today that peace is now within our grasp.
The day when Sri Lankan Tamils, Sinhalese and Muslims and others can live in harmony like they do in the rest of the country that unaffected by LTTE is drawing near. It is time for a fresh start.
For inspiration we of course look to the United States — history’s best example of a civil society that honours the rule of law and true freedom among its citizens. We can hope no less for Sri Lanka. (Courtesy: Daily News)
