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UN Coverage: Sri Lanka's Challenges

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Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake speaks at Asia Society, Sept 24, 2009. (Elsa Ruiz/Asia Society)
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Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake speaks at Asia Society, Sept 24, 2009. (Elsa Ruiz/Asia Society)

NEW YORK, September 24, 2009 – Rebuilding Sri Lanka after 25 years of civil war will require resettling thousands, encouraging foreign investment, and preventing a resurgence of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), said Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayake.

The war between the government and the LTTE ended in May 2009 after the military reportedly killed Tamil leader Velupillai Prabhakaran. “Sri Lanka suffered for almost three decades of destruction from terrorism by the LTTE,” said Wickramanayake. Despite victory, he said, “residual effects and related problems remain.”

Speaking at Asia Society headquarters in New York, the prime minister said resettling internally displaced persons (IDPs) is the country’s largest post-war challenge. However, he made clear that a full resettlement will take time. “You cannot have a solution overnight,” he stressed. Wickramanayake said an estimated 280,000 still remain in internment camps, as a result of the conflict.

“It is not an easy task to provide welfare to these people all at once... yet we accepted this challenge," he said. "Today, the [displaced] are being resettled systematically and efficiently.”

In an effort to expedite the recovery of the war-torn north and east, Wickramanayake called on the international community to boost investment in the island nation. “We need the support and cooperation from nations that can afford to,” he said. The prime minister stated that the government has already begun substantial reconstruction projects in the two regions.

Wickramanayake also called on nations to help Sri Lanka clear the large number of mines scattered throughout the country’s north. “Terrorists have planted landmines in playgrounds, holy sites, farm fields, and roads,” he said. “We are not ready to push our people onto these death traps.”

“Accept that we have a big problem,” the prime minister urged, “ and help us.”

In a question-and-answer session moderated by Asia Society’s Executive Vice President Jamie Metzl, Wickramanayake addressed allegations of human rights abuses by the military and criticism of the government’s treatment of displaced Tamils. The Sri Lankan government and the LTTE have both been criticized by the United Nations over alleged human rights abuses during the conflict. Wickramanayake bluntly denied allegations of human rights abuses, saying “no crimes were committed by the army.”

When pressed by Metzl to clarify under what conditions the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) would be allowed access to internment camps, Wickramanayake would only say that he supported the ICRC's work "to the extent that [they] will not disturb the normal peace and tranquility that remains within the camps." However, he would not provide any specifics.

Reported by Jamal Afridi, Asia Society Online

Y.Ariyaratne | 09:26:09 01:39pm
Its a disgrace that six monthe after the elimination of LTTE the govenrment of Sri Lanka is holding ethnic Tamils in concentration camps which are equal to that of Nazis, under various pretexts. The government have never thought about or addressed issues that led to the ethnic suppression of Tamils, which in turn lead to terrorist activity. Which is policies by the ruling majority. It is still following the same path. The only action that the goverment is taking is countering truth that finds its way out to the International media. If there was transparency, human rights and democracy in Sri Lanka as claimed: then the free press, journalists would be allowed to travel and report from any part of the country. Politicions of opposition and those representing Forcibly Displaced Tamils, NGOs, UN and international agencies representatives will be allosed free access to the detainees held in prison camps. The SL govenment are using this human misery ( shield )to collect money to buy more weapons for genocide of Tamils.
Anonymous | 10:01:09 05:36pm
Amazed that your name is Ariyaratne, and not Ariyaratnam! As for the reference to Nazis, ethnic cleansing & fascist ideology belonged to the manifesto of the Tamil tigers! The only mistake made by previous governments is to be too tolerant to the nonsensical claims made by certain factions of the Tamil community. If any minority behaved like this in the West, they would have been obliterated. Interestingly enough, the Tamils here in England, are happy enough to learn the language of the majority English., without claiming that is it is oppression!
you | 09:26:09 04:52pm
They were held for 30+ years by their pathetic leader with out any development, education(salaries paid by SL gov. to their teachers) or medical facilities(all the medicine & equipment supplied by SL gov.) & within how many hours, weeks or months do you expect the SL government to resolve this issue??? It's a well known fact that many of these LTTE supporters cannot take the defeat & the only satisfaction they can get is attack the SL gov. with so called "Human Rights Abuse" when they them self know that there's no such thing happening in that country..... so please keep trying....at least it'll relieve some of your stress level.....
Me | 09:25:09 09:28pm
These people are trained you say Mr/Ms.Anonymous when the 7/8 year olds get back to the routine of school/play/food/candy they will forget what they got trained for even if that is a fact. People are/were forced into picking up arms you would have done the same taking sides just for survival as a human being that is the human instinct. Don't imprison them just because they were one time under LTTE, I believe they were looked after well by the LTTE and felt safer picking up arms for their own security. Kids are kids they behave like the ones they hang out with, parents uncles/aunties/grand parents all in the camp too once they are released when they see the kids happy getting on with lives they wouldn't dare going back into the fighting mode again Mr Anonymous is speaking without any compassion what so ever.
SLFireBall | 09:25:09 11:06pm
ME, "I believe they were looked after well by the LTTE and felt safer picking up arms for their own security" Were you joking. LTTE kept them as a human shield and forcibly recruited for cannon-fodder. Haven't you read news from international media in the last stages of the assault? Anyway, sometimes ignorance of a bliss.
Anonymous | 09:25:09 06:53pm
Though the LTTE leadership has been wiped out from Sri Lanka, why can't the international community & everyone else understand that there still remains a large number of their cadres hidden behind the innocent people, mingling in the IDP camps?. It's not rocket science to realize that a responsible government cannot just open the gates & let them all out. They have to screen every single one of them(including kids that are even 7 or 8 years since, as we all know LTTE had trained these minors as well) before they let them go, for the sake of every citizen of the country be it Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims or any other race that's willing to live peacefully. If this process takes a year or two it's still better than letting all the terrorists let loose who're hiding in these camps. Moreover, as the prime minister had mentioned the whole area has to be cleared from mines before they can release any innocent civillian & if not still the finger will be pointed out at the government. Instead of the international community & the expatriates getting together & helping SL gov. to overcome these obstacles they are just accusing & palying the finger pointing game. This will not take anyone anywhere other than make the IDP's suffer more. So, please let's STOP this mud slinging & help all Sri Lankans get back on their feet and carry the name that she once carried "Sri Lanka- The Paradise" since she had suffered enough for the past 30yrs unlike you and me who barking, living on a foreign soil. Before I sum up, please let me tell you'll, I was in Sri Lanka this summer with my family & one thing we noticed, everywhere that we travelled, water park, shopping centers, parks & religious places there were more more tamil people than anyother times hanging out freely which was a good sign. I know for a fact, no matter who says what, in NO time, Sri Lanka will be shining once agian.....
Me | 09:25:09 05:37pm
Ratnasiri Wickramanayake seems a nice old gentleman tried his best to put back the past where in belongs, eager to move forward into the future. Everytime after a pogrom that is what Sri Lanka did and expected the Tamils to do just that they are the Tamils now living all over the world after forgetting the past as to how they left the country fleeing for life. The Priminister talked of Bhuddhism and how they practice so seriously, surely his concience knows the fact his lips were disconnected from his thoughts and feelings unless he is not a true Bhuddhist. Good Luck Sri Lanka in the path it takes with such confidence while upsetting every humanitarian along the way pointing fingure at other countries forgetting to respect fellow human beings and their stands when it comes to human suffering within the barbed wires and in all of the Tamil prisons around the country. There were three near incidences today CNN reported, thawted in the US by homeland security dept should they put all the people of the three states behind barbed wire? not allow any independent monitors if they are to go by Sri Lanka's beliefs/standards and actions. We would need barbed wire to go round the Globe!!!! Sri Lanka, please let the 300,000 Tamils go free they are innocent civilians got into such an inevitable situation due to your own doing. Thank you Asia Society for giving the opportunity and freedom to speak. Shame on Sri Lanka people are fearful to speak the truth!
Anonymous | 09:25:09 05:18pm
I am a Tamil from Eelam. None of you, including the singalese recognize the fact that there is a militant struggle for equality by the Tamils due state terrorism. The government did not expect the international media/ingo to remain concerned about the plight of the Tamils. The singalese majority dominated government is known to fail on their promises. Come january, there will be more excuses -- it is diabolical that in this present day, we allow the government to get away with this. ....it is sad, but it is just a matter of time before there is another rebellion in the island. at that time, china, india, russia and pakistan will not know which side to support...this country is a disaster waiting to happen and follow along the path of zimbabwe, sudan and myanmar
SLFireBall | 09:25:09 11:20pm
FYI, the meaning Eelam in Tamil is Sinhala Country. Equality should be both ways, but your writing gives away your subconscious racist attitudes against the Sinhalese. Who thought you English? and who thought you to used lower-case for Sinhalse and upper case for Tamils? Before pointing figures at other try to find the fault with in yourself, you racist idiot................ "I am a Tamil from Eelam. None of you, including the singalese recognize the fact that there is a militant struggle for equality by the Tamils due state terrorism. The government did not expect the international media/ingo to remain concerned about the plight of the Tamils. The singalese majority dominated government is known to fail on their promises. Come january, there will be more excuses -- it is diabolical that in this present day, we allow the government to get away with this. ....it is sad, but it is just a matter of time before there is another rebellion in the island. at that time, china, india, russia and pakistan will not know which side to support...this country is a disaster waiting to happen and follow along the path of zimbabwe, sudan and myanmar"
Anzari Ahmed | 09:25:09 04:36pm
In late 80's, there was a ruthless armed struggle staged by the Sinhalese youths known as JVP. During that time, why weren’t the Sinhalese people put into mass concentration camps to weed out the JVP fighters? Now you are doing this to Tamils because you have deep hatred against them and now they don’t have the Tamil Tigers to protect them. Wind doesn’t always blow in one direction. Tamils will pay back to Sinhalese when the time comes.

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