By Easwaran Rutnam
Sri Lanka marks 10 years since the end of the brutal war this weekend, but the country is yet to fully recover.
The failure to ensure accountability for some of the incidents linked to the war has hampered Sri Lanka’s post-war progress.
However, there is general consensus that the country must move ahead as failure to do so will only make Sri Lanka stagnate and divide communities already on edge.
The bitter 30-year war saw thousands killed and injured, several more reported missing, and infrastructure destroyed.
Norway played a key role in attempting to mediate a truce between the LTTE and the Government.
Considered the main architect of those attempts was then Norwegian Special Envoy Erik Solheim.
Solheim went back and forth between LTTE-controlled areas and Colombo in attempts to negotiate a truce, which worked out for short periods before the war escalated and ended with the defeat of the rebels in May 2009.
A former Minister and former Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme, Solheim said that he had no regrets about the role he played in Sri Lanka, despite being accused by some politicians and others of being an LTTE supporter.
Speaking exclusively to The Sunday Morning, Solheim said that trying to bring peace to a country based on the request of the leaders of that land was honourable.
“Norway did nothing in Sri Lanka which was not based on requests from Chandrika (Bandaranaike Kumaratunga), Ranil (Wickremesinghe), or Mahinda (Rajapaksa). We had the support of the overwhelming majority of Sinhalese, Tamils, and Muslims at the time,” he said.
He said that since the end of the war, he’s had contact with the rank and file of the LTTE.
“As far as I am aware, all the top leaders of the LTTE are dead,” he said.
Solheim said that the end of the war was an enormous relief for the country after so much destruction and so many lives lost.
“With peace, Sri Lanka can focus on economic development and socially uplifting its people,” he said.
Solheim however said, while enjoying peace, one cannot forget that the war ended with huge suffering and pain.
“Tens of thousands of Sri Lankans died in the final phase of the war. It was a most brutal end to a most brutal war. Sri Lanka should focus on its future rather than its past. There is so much to be done. Creating jobs and prosperity, bringing people out of poverty and providing education, protecting the enormous beauty of the environment, implementing a new constitution with power-sharing and respect for all ethnic groups,” he said.
Seeking answers
The end of the war had not ended the search for answers.
This issue was part of the agenda of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) since 2009 and had affected attempts to fully reconcile the communities.
“The most important issue regarding the past is to give people answers. Widows want to know what happened to their husbands. Mothers and fathers want to know when and how their sons and daughters perished. They deserve answers. Providing these answers will help the reconciliation, and the future of Sri Lanka,” Solheim said.
The current Government had assured it would address the accountability issue while also developing the country.
The Office on Missing Persons (OMP) is a key institution established by the Government to address a part of the post-war reconciliation issue.
New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW), which had been pushing for justice for the victims of the war, said that more needed to be done to ensure a culture of human rights protection.
“The war in Sri Lanka ended 10 years ago, but the abuses persisted long after with human rights workers, journalists, and critics forded to self-censor, numerous illegal detentions, and torture in custody. A new administration was elected in 2015 with the promise of reform. While some steps were initiated, more needs to be done to ensure a culture of human rights protection.
“The Easter Sunday bombings were despicable and the perpetrators should be brought to justice. But the authorities must ensure that human rights remain key when ensuring justice, preventing communal hate,” Human Rights Watch South Asia Director Meenakshi Ganguly told The Sunday Morning.
Sri Lanka had secured assistance from several countries for infrastructure development in areas including the North and East.
“Norway should promote trade with Sri Lanka and help provide economic opportunities through investment. It should encourage tourists to visit the fabulous beaches and to see the marvellous cultural sights of Sri Lanka. That creates jobs and prosperity,” Solheim said, commenting on the way forward for Sri Lanka.
However, Sri Lanka’s post-war forward march was slowed down by the Tamil Diaspora, who has managed to convince some countries not to support Sri Lanka and cut aid for failing to address the accountability issue.
One section of the Diaspora, led by LTTE supporters, is also calling for a separate Tamil state in Sri Lanka.
Asked if he would mediate between the Tamil Diaspora and the Sri Lankan Government to settle the issue, Solheim said he was prepared to do so, if required.
“I am happy to help in any way if asked. A lasting solution to the underlying issue in Sri Lanka cannot be a separate state. It will involve power-sharing within Sri Lanka and mutual respect where all ethnic groups feel recognised as first class citizens of beautiful Sri Lanka. The most evil and horrendous terrorist attack on Easter has focused the minds of the international community. We all stand ready to help build a prosperous, secure, and peaceful Sri Lanka,” he said.
Promises and more promises
A very influential Tamil Diaspora group, which struck a deal with the current Government after 2015, now feel let down.
The Global Tamil Forum (GTF) agreed to work with the current Government to address issues faced by the Tamils.
However, President Maithripala Sirisena’s sudden change of track over the past year seriously affected any chances of reconciliation between the Tamil Diaspora and Sri Lanka.
“Victimised Tamils who supported this Government unconditionally are still left weeping and suffering. These years have been years of protests by victims. Promises made by the Government to the Tamils had not been fulfilled. Even promises made to the UNHRC in Geneva had not been met. Priority is only given to make accusations between the current Government and former Government; that to us is just for show because no one from the former Government had really been punished for anything,” GTF Head Fr. S.J. Emmanuel told The Sunday Morning.
Fr. Emmanuel also noted that the continued militarisation of the North and East with a large number of troops being stationed in those areas, showed the intention of the current Government.
Fr. Emmanuel said that Tamils were being kept under surveillance for fear of another insurgency.
In his opinion, Sinhala-Buddhist nationalism built up by monks and politicians was not helping the country move forward.
“If the majority had been magnanimous without suspicion, much could have been achieved. The majority lacked the magnanimity to accommodate others into peaceful coexistence. Though the majority, they feel threatened,” he added.
He asserts the minorities in Sri Lanka are not against primary importance being given to Buddhism, but noted that other religions must also be protected.
The GTF was a banned organisation in Sri Lanka but the current Government, in 2015, took steps to lift the ban in order to work with the Diaspora to address the issues faced by the Tamils.
However, the relationship between the GTF and the Government became strained after President Maithripala Sirisena refused to include foreign judges in the post-war accountability process – a key demand of the GTF.
“The Tamils fought a defensive war under the LTTE leadership against state terrorism. That had been crushed with a genocidal end. Now, we have to continue the struggle non-violently and democratically and with the help of the international community.
“But this internationalised phase of the Tamil struggle is not understood and accepted by all Tamils. They are frustrated and have given up the struggle on the grounds that selfish politicians are using victimised people only for their electoral gain and thereby oppose participation in the internationalised phase of the struggle,” he added.
Learning lessons
Dr. Palitha Kohona was the Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka during the war. He was also the Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations in New York from 2009 to 2015.
Dr. Kohona had to face international criticism on the way Sri Lanka handled the final stages of the war and post-war issues.
Speaking to The Sunday Morning, Dr. Kohona said that the confidence and faith of all Sri Lankans, irrespective of ethnicity and faith, must be restored.
"The LTTE terrorist threat was defeated on Sri Lankan soil in May 2009. It certainly was not eliminated completely, as its backers overseas and sympathisers within Sri Lanka kept the terrorist memory and goal alive,” he said.
Dr. Kohona also noted that after the war, Sri Lanka did not learn lessons from other countries that experienced terrorist attacks themselves.
“We did not learn the lessons that were so clearly demonstrated by countries that experienced terrorist attacks themselves, such as the US, UK, Russia, Australia, and France. Following their terrorist experiences, these countries strengthened their intelligence-gathering capabilities, surveillance of suspected individuals, equipment levels, monitoring of the cross-border movement of funds, exit and entry procedures, coordination among the different services and the diplomatic service, and intel links between the different countries and international organisations.
“According to reports, these countries thwarted numerous terrorist plots due to the vigilance of their security establishments,” Dr. Kohona said.
He noted that Sri Lanka had been alerted to the fact that its nationals were leaving for ISIS-controlled territories and then returning, and that dozens of militant Islamic religious teachers were entering the country, yet nothing was done.
“Acts of intolerance perpetrated against Buddhist places of worship were beginning to make headlines. While the warning signs were becoming clear and red flags were being raised, not much seemed to have been done to strengthen the security establishment and the gathering of intel.
“Instead, a vicious campaign based on largely unfounded allegations targeted members of the security establishment, weakening their commitment and morale. From being the victors of a war that many considered was unwinnable, they were hounded as common war criminals.
“All these factors combined to produce the deadly results of Easter Sunday. Over 250 died to pay for the indifference and negligence of others. The economy has plummeted and the tourism industry has collapsed, leaving thousands without employment,” he said.
Dr. Kohona said that Sri Lanka can recover as the country must; appropriate lessons must be learnt and appropriate remedial measures must be taken without delay.
“The leaders must demonstrate leadership. The security establishment must be strengthened, including with modern equipment. How an inconsequential George Bush assumed the role of a leader of steel with purpose and determination after 9/11 should serve as a model for us. The country's interests must be supreme at this difficult moment,” he said.
Sri Lanka marks 10 years since the end of the brutal war this weekend, but the country is yet to fully recover.
The failure to ensure accountability for some of the incidents linked to the war has hampered Sri Lanka’s post-war progress.
However, there is general consensus that the country must move ahead as failure to do so will only make Sri Lanka stagnate and divide communities already on edge.
The bitter 30-year war saw thousands killed and injured, several more reported missing, and infrastructure destroyed.
Norway played a key role in attempting to mediate a truce between the LTTE and the Government.
Considered the main architect of those attempts was then Norwegian Special Envoy Erik Solheim.
Solheim went back and forth between LTTE-controlled areas and Colombo in attempts to negotiate a truce, which worked out for short periods before the war escalated and ended with the defeat of the rebels in May 2009.
A former Minister and former Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme, Solheim said that he had no regrets about the role he played in Sri Lanka, despite being accused by some politicians and others of being an LTTE supporter.
Speaking exclusively to The Sunday Morning, Solheim said that trying to bring peace to a country based on the request of the leaders of that land was honourable.
“Norway did nothing in Sri Lanka which was not based on requests from Chandrika (Bandaranaike Kumaratunga), Ranil (Wickremesinghe), or Mahinda (Rajapaksa). We had the support of the overwhelming majority of Sinhalese, Tamils, and Muslims at the time,” he said.
He said that since the end of the war, he’s had contact with the rank and file of the LTTE.
“As far as I am aware, all the top leaders of the LTTE are dead,” he said.
Solheim said that the end of the war was an enormous relief for the country after so much destruction and so many lives lost.
“With peace, Sri Lanka can focus on economic development and socially uplifting its people,” he said.
Solheim however said, while enjoying peace, one cannot forget that the war ended with huge suffering and pain.
“Tens of thousands of Sri Lankans died in the final phase of the war. It was a most brutal end to a most brutal war. Sri Lanka should focus on its future rather than its past. There is so much to be done. Creating jobs and prosperity, bringing people out of poverty and providing education, protecting the enormous beauty of the environment, implementing a new constitution with power-sharing and respect for all ethnic groups,” he said.
Seeking answers
The end of the war had not ended the search for answers.
This issue was part of the agenda of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) since 2009 and had affected attempts to fully reconcile the communities.
“The most important issue regarding the past is to give people answers. Widows want to know what happened to their husbands. Mothers and fathers want to know when and how their sons and daughters perished. They deserve answers. Providing these answers will help the reconciliation, and the future of Sri Lanka,” Solheim said.
The current Government had assured it would address the accountability issue while also developing the country.
The Office on Missing Persons (OMP) is a key institution established by the Government to address a part of the post-war reconciliation issue.
New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW), which had been pushing for justice for the victims of the war, said that more needed to be done to ensure a culture of human rights protection.
“The war in Sri Lanka ended 10 years ago, but the abuses persisted long after with human rights workers, journalists, and critics forded to self-censor, numerous illegal detentions, and torture in custody. A new administration was elected in 2015 with the promise of reform. While some steps were initiated, more needs to be done to ensure a culture of human rights protection.
“The Easter Sunday bombings were despicable and the perpetrators should be brought to justice. But the authorities must ensure that human rights remain key when ensuring justice, preventing communal hate,” Human Rights Watch South Asia Director Meenakshi Ganguly told The Sunday Morning.
Sri Lanka had secured assistance from several countries for infrastructure development in areas including the North and East.
“Norway should promote trade with Sri Lanka and help provide economic opportunities through investment. It should encourage tourists to visit the fabulous beaches and to see the marvellous cultural sights of Sri Lanka. That creates jobs and prosperity,” Solheim said, commenting on the way forward for Sri Lanka.
However, Sri Lanka’s post-war forward march was slowed down by the Tamil Diaspora, who has managed to convince some countries not to support Sri Lanka and cut aid for failing to address the accountability issue.
One section of the Diaspora, led by LTTE supporters, is also calling for a separate Tamil state in Sri Lanka.
Asked if he would mediate between the Tamil Diaspora and the Sri Lankan Government to settle the issue, Solheim said he was prepared to do so, if required.
“I am happy to help in any way if asked. A lasting solution to the underlying issue in Sri Lanka cannot be a separate state. It will involve power-sharing within Sri Lanka and mutual respect where all ethnic groups feel recognised as first class citizens of beautiful Sri Lanka. The most evil and horrendous terrorist attack on Easter has focused the minds of the international community. We all stand ready to help build a prosperous, secure, and peaceful Sri Lanka,” he said.
Promises and more promises
A very influential Tamil Diaspora group, which struck a deal with the current Government after 2015, now feel let down.
The Global Tamil Forum (GTF) agreed to work with the current Government to address issues faced by the Tamils.
However, President Maithripala Sirisena’s sudden change of track over the past year seriously affected any chances of reconciliation between the Tamil Diaspora and Sri Lanka.
“Victimised Tamils who supported this Government unconditionally are still left weeping and suffering. These years have been years of protests by victims. Promises made by the Government to the Tamils had not been fulfilled. Even promises made to the UNHRC in Geneva had not been met. Priority is only given to make accusations between the current Government and former Government; that to us is just for show because no one from the former Government had really been punished for anything,” GTF Head Fr. S.J. Emmanuel told The Sunday Morning.
Fr. Emmanuel also noted that the continued militarisation of the North and East with a large number of troops being stationed in those areas, showed the intention of the current Government.
Fr. Emmanuel said that Tamils were being kept under surveillance for fear of another insurgency.
In his opinion, Sinhala-Buddhist nationalism built up by monks and politicians was not helping the country move forward.
“If the majority had been magnanimous without suspicion, much could have been achieved. The majority lacked the magnanimity to accommodate others into peaceful coexistence. Though the majority, they feel threatened,” he added.
He asserts the minorities in Sri Lanka are not against primary importance being given to Buddhism, but noted that other religions must also be protected.
The GTF was a banned organisation in Sri Lanka but the current Government, in 2015, took steps to lift the ban in order to work with the Diaspora to address the issues faced by the Tamils.
However, the relationship between the GTF and the Government became strained after President Maithripala Sirisena refused to include foreign judges in the post-war accountability process – a key demand of the GTF.
“The Tamils fought a defensive war under the LTTE leadership against state terrorism. That had been crushed with a genocidal end. Now, we have to continue the struggle non-violently and democratically and with the help of the international community.
“But this internationalised phase of the Tamil struggle is not understood and accepted by all Tamils. They are frustrated and have given up the struggle on the grounds that selfish politicians are using victimised people only for their electoral gain and thereby oppose participation in the internationalised phase of the struggle,” he added.
Learning lessons
Dr. Palitha Kohona was the Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka during the war. He was also the Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations in New York from 2009 to 2015.
Dr. Kohona had to face international criticism on the way Sri Lanka handled the final stages of the war and post-war issues.
Speaking to The Sunday Morning, Dr. Kohona said that the confidence and faith of all Sri Lankans, irrespective of ethnicity and faith, must be restored.
"The LTTE terrorist threat was defeated on Sri Lankan soil in May 2009. It certainly was not eliminated completely, as its backers overseas and sympathisers within Sri Lanka kept the terrorist memory and goal alive,” he said.
Dr. Kohona also noted that after the war, Sri Lanka did not learn lessons from other countries that experienced terrorist attacks themselves.
“We did not learn the lessons that were so clearly demonstrated by countries that experienced terrorist attacks themselves, such as the US, UK, Russia, Australia, and France. Following their terrorist experiences, these countries strengthened their intelligence-gathering capabilities, surveillance of suspected individuals, equipment levels, monitoring of the cross-border movement of funds, exit and entry procedures, coordination among the different services and the diplomatic service, and intel links between the different countries and international organisations.
“According to reports, these countries thwarted numerous terrorist plots due to the vigilance of their security establishments,” Dr. Kohona said.
He noted that Sri Lanka had been alerted to the fact that its nationals were leaving for ISIS-controlled territories and then returning, and that dozens of militant Islamic religious teachers were entering the country, yet nothing was done.
“Acts of intolerance perpetrated against Buddhist places of worship were beginning to make headlines. While the warning signs were becoming clear and red flags were being raised, not much seemed to have been done to strengthen the security establishment and the gathering of intel.
“Instead, a vicious campaign based on largely unfounded allegations targeted members of the security establishment, weakening their commitment and morale. From being the victors of a war that many considered was unwinnable, they were hounded as common war criminals.
“All these factors combined to produce the deadly results of Easter Sunday. Over 250 died to pay for the indifference and negligence of others. The economy has plummeted and the tourism industry has collapsed, leaving thousands without employment,” he said.
Dr. Kohona said that Sri Lanka can recover as the country must; appropriate lessons must be learnt and appropriate remedial measures must be taken without delay.
“The leaders must demonstrate leadership. The security establishment must be strengthened, including with modern equipment. How an inconsequential George Bush assumed the role of a leader of steel with purpose and determination after 9/11 should serve as a model for us. The country's interests must be supreme at this difficult moment,” he said.