Another Success : All IDPs resettled in North Sri Lanka
Posted on September 25th, 2012
Shenali Waduge
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s success story comes after suffering 3 decades of terrorism, loss of close to 80,000 lives, rejection of numerous local and international bids of ceasefires and peace talks, refusal to stop killings of innocent civilians, continuance of child conscription to finally decide on a military solution to ending the conflict. It took just 3 years to complete the military elimination of the LTTE including its ground leadership in May 2009 becoming the first nation to eliminate terrorism from its soil freeing the people from suicide attacks and indiscriminate LTTE bombings. It took just 3 year to achieve another feat ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” that of resettling all the 295,873 IDPs who were all rescued by the armed forces in a humanitarian rescue operation that left 5000 soldiers sacrificing their lives to bring Tamil civilians to safety. This last resettlement of 1186 persons from 361 Tamil families puts Sri Lanka on top of an exclusively single position of being the only country to resettle its IDPs given that there are 27.5m internally displaced people worldwide. The number of refugees is said to be over 62m more than half of whom have become refugees because of war.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ IDPs in Iraq, Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghantan ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦..differs from Sri Lanka
At the outset it is extremely important to understand that the IDP situations that arose in Iraq, Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan and a host of other nations throughout the world has been solely as a result of foreign invasion and foreign military intervention. The situation in Sri Lanka arose as a result of a terrorist organization functioning within Sri Lanka on a killing rampage that lasted 3 decades eliminating people of all ethnic groups and religions including their own.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ We do not need to tell the US or NATO since it has been involved in many foreign invasions of the need to plan how to proactively program for the issue of population displacement and refugees. That they have failed to look into this all important area even after every invasion foretells its lack of concern for these natives. The situation in Sri Lanka when it took the bold decision to militarily defeat came not suddenly but after 6 foreign backed peace negotiations and countless ceasefires which had been ignored or abused by the LTTE. Alongside the military onslaught using land, naval, air forces the military also designed an indigenous program to cater to the people who were likely to be displaced. That program incorporated the objectives of Reconstruction, Resettlement, Rehabilitation, Reintegration and Reconciliation. Despite being a Third World country the merits of that achievement in so far as detailing out what needed to be done must gain applause over lack of planning by First World nations in the countries they have invaded.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Too often we are mesmerized into thinking that all of the invasions have been solely to bring about democracy to nations demonized by dictators. Unfortunately, of the 18 regime changes US has advocated during the past few decades its success rate is less than 30% success to nations they have invaded ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” it is not a record to be proud of for a First World nation. The failure of successfully rebuilding Iraq and reforming it weighs heavily and is now used against the US and its allies by the Muslim world. A confidential UN report by the UN Commissioner for Refugees Rudd Lubbers warned that 5.4m IraqiƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s would require food and basic needs, 39% would need portable water in the first months of the war. The Center for Humanitarian Cooperation claimed that 100,000 IraqiƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s would need immediate food on day 1 of the invasion and the numbers would rise by the day ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” what NATO did was to bomb the railroads, bridges, ports, electricity and the water systems that Iraq depended upon. If a humanitarian crisis occurred in Iraq, US and NATO were solely responsible. This same type of infrastructure destroying was used by NATO in Libya most recently. It is poignant to know what timeslines the UN bodies have placed upon these nations to resettle the natives that they have unsettled due to the foreign invasion. This type of IDP resettlement has to take precedence over cases like Sri Lanka because most often the invasions have been without global or UN consent and purely as a result of corporate motives to plunder the natural wealth and resources of these nations.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Internally Displaced Person (IDP):
What is an IDP? An internally displaced person (IDP) is an individual who like a refugee is fleeing from persecution or violence, but the difference is they stay in their country of nationality.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ List of Countries with a considerable amount of IDPs:
- Africa has 11.8 million IDPs in 21 countries
- Sudan: 5-6 million
- Iraq: Over 2.5 million
- Colombia: 2-3 million
- The Democratic Republic of Congo: 1.5 million
- Pakistan: 1 Million
- Azerbaijan: 1,000,000
- Uganda: 869,000
- Cote dƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢Ivoire: 709,000
- India: 600,000
- Burma (Myanmar): 503,000
- Zimbabwe: 560,000-960,000
- The Philippines (US invaded in 1945): 300,000
- Kenya: 250,000-400,000
- Serbia: over 225,000
- Georgia: 220,000-300,000
- Cyprus: 210,000
- Indonesia: 200,000-350,000
- Ethiopia: 200,000
- Israel: 150,000-420,000
- Gaza and the West Bank: 2 million
- The Central African Republic: 197,000
- Chad: 178,000
- Afghanistan: 132,000-200,000
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s other achievements
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ While attempts to belittle Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s achievements continue through propaganda campaigns that finds its strength from the illicit funds raised by foreign LTTE representatives, it is important to sieve the lies by recognizing the achievements.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The success of Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s post-conflict includes the completion of demining 5000sq.km of land, rehabilitating and reintegrating 11,989 surrendered LTTE combatants. Only 636 LTTE combatants remain who are not ready to be reintegrated while 383 ex-combatants are likely to have formal charges filed against them for terrorist activity under Sri Lankan law. Of this number 594 were child combatants and a policy decision was taken by the Sri Lankan Government not to take legal action against them. Today these reintegrated children are continuing their education or following some vocational training ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” these were children who were taught nothing other than to hold a gun and nothing more than to kill. In another first, 53 LTTE couples were married in a mass wedding ceremony organized by the military.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Can anyone doubt there is normalcy in a country that knew nothing other than to expect bombs and suicide missions!
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Can anyone visiting the North today deny that these towns and villages have been brought to a level on par with the rest of the country when during LTTE de facto rule not a single road, infrastructure, school or hospital was been built despite LTTE making $300m annual profits. LTTE lived off confiscating state provisions sent to the people of the North inflating population figures to ensure more provisions are sent. In the East too various programs for development has been launched with industries coming up and people slowly picking up the pieces.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Civil services as well as military involvement has enabled the restoration of irrigation infrastructure, canals, tanks and the revival of agriculture and farming. Over 1000 schools have been restored and healthcare facilities upgraded. The military personnel have together renovated and even built several new kovils and gifted them to the people of the North. The soldiers most of whom do not have proper homes themselves have built hundreds of houses for the Tamil civilians.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The number of checkpoints has reduced from 2000 in 2009 to hardly a handful. Despite calls to reduce the military in the North the people feel far safe having them stationed there visible by the popularity of the services in North especially in the Mullaitivu areas ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” the main hub of LTTE activity. In a sovereign country, no one has the right to dictate where it chooses to locate its military given that the security of the country remains a key concern until the full reconciliation process is over. These achievements for a developing country is something that should not be brushed aside based on the power of money that the LTTE proxies are extending.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The journey is not over ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦.we are talking about decades of distrust that needs to be rebuilt and that journey cannot be done according to time lines or be remote controlled be foreign Governments or international bodies. It must take place internally by society itself and even the Sri Lankan Government should not involve itself too much in this process because healing must take place slowly with people traveling North to South and South to North learning to re-appreciate the other and to change their perceptions on their own. It cannot be legislated and it cannot be dictated.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Therefore it is extremely important that the people of Sri Lanka be given time to heal on their own at their own pace. The world wanted the elimination of terrorism ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” Sri Lanka has achieved just that. Sri Lanka has moreover resettled all of the IDPs which should earn this small island nation the appreciation it deserves.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
September 25th, 2012 at 2:14 pm
my reply To Ananda and this article
answer to all including to prove someone is guilty of a crime is a global intelligent agency. we have talk enough. talks is only for knowledge but talk is not enough to counter
September 25th, 2012 at 4:22 pm
Jayt is inciting violence (Jihad) here.
This is unacceptable.
KEEP Sinhalese OUT of your dirty wars. You fight your wars among yourselves and LOSE. SL has NO part to play.
SL has strong diplomatic relations with both Israel and Saudi. That’s how it should REMAIN.
MIDDLE PATH.
MIDDLE PATH.
MIDDLE PATH.
Jayt is an example there are Jihadi elements in SL. Defence, please take note before it is too late.
(Thanks for expressing your opinion so we now know.)
September 25th, 2012 at 4:55 pm
Sorry for the diversion of topic – ‘Nearly 2,000 tri-service personnel of Sri Lankan Armed Forces and 40 foreign military representatives from China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, the Maldives and India (observers) took part in the event that began on Monday.’ This was an amphibious excercise.
This is the stuff the government defence dept. should concentrate instead of listening to these US and UK ungulates. Thanks to Gota – I think it’s time for Mahinda to step down and make way for Goatabaya Rajapakse as the President of Sri Lanka. (some will vehemently disagree) Probably he will do a better job until of course we find out the consequence after he assumes office. Gota should contest the next Presidential Election as he has a clear vision and executes things perfectly without fear – this is what we want in Sri Lanka. To take a clear stance against foreign domination of our country. We Sinhala+hela people never worked for British – they had to import crap from South India and other countries. We must keep our pride as ancient Sinha+hela people did.
Jayt – your English is very interesting – I wished I had your English masters instead of Lanerolle and Hoole.
September 25th, 2012 at 6:56 pm
I cannot recall ANY COUNTRY that has done a better, or faster, job of caring for and resettling such a great number (300,000) of war refugees in enemy territory, than Sri Lanka.
It is SAD that Sri Lanka does not get the CREDIT DUE for accomplishing this great task OUR Sri Lankan WAY without external compulsions, driven by our own compassion and an abiding sense of justice and fair play.
Levelling FALSE CHARGES of war crimes and ethnic discrimination, the propaganda of the Jaundiced West continues to HIDE this signal humanitarian accomplishment from the world. Indeed, there are none so blind as those who refuse to see.
They have also hidden that Sri Lanka is one of the few countries in the world that DID NOT USE FOOD as a weapon of war against the people of enemy occupied areas, feeding both the Tamil population and the LTTE terrorists at Sri Lankan taxpayer expense for over three decades of unremitting war!
As we celebrate this tremendous achievement, let us gratefully remember the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Policemen, dead and living, and the Sri Lanka Government as a whole that fashioned these policies, who strived with every sinew to make that possible.
We echo, with gratitude, the immortal words of Abraham Lincoln at Gettysburg:
“The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.
It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us — that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion — that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth”
September 25th, 2012 at 7:54 pm
Shenali has forgotten to mention that Sri Lanka has done a better job than USA in resettling her IDPs.
According to Wikipedia, 5 years after Katrina, still families had been living in shelters.
Another wonderful sighting in Wikipedia about hurricane Katrina: “Countries like Sri Lanka, which was still recovering from the Indian Ocean Tsunami, also offered to help.”
Shouldn’t we be proud of ourselves?
September 25th, 2012 at 7:57 pm
lorenzo,
What I mean in my above comment is to build Sinhalese global spy agency to counter global conspiracy with vast private funding and not to wait for government. I mentioned this many time before. Government do not have international experience with global spies. This government itself and fast government and general sinhalese are target of foreign spies. they infiltrated too prez Rajapakze family and many other sinhalese families to degrade Sinhalese
Sinhalese has to change to meet today world and must not depend on foreigners on any field. if sinhalese build an agency, they can be the world powerful agency in the world
September 25th, 2012 at 8:02 pm
Lorezo,
your comment about me is hilarious
September 25th, 2012 at 8:54 pm
What I mentioned about 2001 is that there are Jihadists anywhere in the world. promoted and process by west.
Latest insult to Islam is typical work of cunning westerners to provoked Muslim and then go for a war which bring billion dollars annually to the west.
Do not forget that hating any religion is a crime. Muslim love their religion same as you do toward Judaism. Buddists love their region same as others.
Hindus do same as others
Do not try to twist what I said about.
some section of sl Muslim like to have a septate province which was told by you and sl media. it is not my creation.
use your common-sense. West have been supporting a tiger state in the north, and tigers was demanding and then
Muslim do not have same right too?
if sl accept Israel is fine. but they can’t play same role in sl as they do in us and Europe.
you know sinhalese in the west do not have any rights as Jews and tigers do in the west.
We are nothing more than just passport holders.
wherever, we go, we have to come back to sl to exercise our full rights.
again if sl govt make friendship with Israel and it is their business. And i am not planing to stop it and I wish everybody make genuine peace but not the way Hippocratic west want.
September 25th, 2012 at 9:04 pm
Even after so many years, Katrina storm affected Americans are still languishing in Trailer parks in Louisiana and New Orleans. But in 11 months 240,000 Tamil speaking Sri Lankans from their refugee camps were able to settle in their land mines infested original homes which were ravaged from a 27 year war. Wow!!
Now every body is settled !!!!!
BRAVO !!!
WELL DONE!!!!
September 25th, 2012 at 9:12 pm
lorenzo.
All sl Muslim were and had excellent relationship with sinhalese. and all this Mosque problems and an idea of a province inserted to them by Western spies who want to invade sl.
India too, Indian Muslim enjoyed peace with Hindus before Western spies enter india in 1990s and engineered Ayodya mosque destruction and Gujarat massacre in order to attract Hindu extremest as their allies.
September 25th, 2012 at 9:29 pm
Jayt,
Stop your Jihadi dirt.
STICK TO THE TOPIC of discussion.
“What I mean in my above comment is to build Sinhalese global spy agency to counter global conspiracy with vast private funding and not to wait for government.”
Private funding spy agency? What rubbish!
No need. We only need a DOMESTIC GOVERNMENT agency which we have. That’s enough.
September 25th, 2012 at 10:00 pm
Lorenzo,
why so scared of Sinhalese going global
You are not the master of sinhalese, you are just a writer in this web
I am not proposing bad thing to sinhalese, also, I can do it my own when I am able too and do not need your permission or permit from foreign countries
September 25th, 2012 at 10:17 pm
Lorenzo,
you said a global agency is rubbish? Is that not rubbish for Israel? there are and US and European the only ones can station spies on all corner on the globe? We are only bush men as British said? or we are third world rubbish that takes everything what west say without verifying it by a global intelligent agency?
What is the secret that you so offend from my proposal?
September 25th, 2012 at 10:31 pm
lorenso,
Why don’t you hate Lankaweb and ask them and dictate them not publish articles like the one below?
is it freedom of expression?
Must Watch–Iran Bashing, Terrorism and Who Chose The Chosen People, Anyway?
theuglytruth
Zionism, Jewish extremism and a few other nasty items making our world uninhabitable today The Ugly Truth THE 10 DEADLY truthing SINS Muslim Woman Beaten to Death in Possible (!!!) Hate Crime » Must Watch–Iran Bashing, Terrorism and Who Chose The Chosen People, Anyway? 140 Votes Of the many excellent videos produced by the very gifted Anthony Lawson, this one has to be one of the very best. Please pass this around as much as possible… -Full Story- (theuglytruth.wordpress.com – 26/09/12)
Do you blame me what people around the world tells about jews?
Do you blame me for Hitler war?
September 25th, 2012 at 11:02 pm
i did not come here to hate anybody nor to dictate anybody. we have to respect everybody’s writing. whoever write, he or she has right to own opinion. we can’t called anybody by unfair name.
i could have called lorenzo, with very unfair name but i did not.
September 25th, 2012 at 11:40 pm
It is time that sensible Tamils like NT, form a global front to support the GOSL to counter the expat Tiger terrorist outfit in Canada, Australia and rest of the countries in the west. Apparently this is not seen still. They can embark on this endeavour as they are safe from reprisals back in Jaffna and Baticalo now, to counter the propaganda of Tiger outfit and Anglo Saxon propaganda machine, which is the menace in this world. (smelling the filth of others and hiding their filth through mass media) People like Hanson woman the Tamil vote gatherer (of Greens/Australia) can be silenced for ever. She is now lost for words and concocting stories after the return of potential refugees to Sri Lanka. Australia should not only send back Tamils who come now but also those who came on Refugee card, who have settled down in Australia. These people go for holidays to SL and make a mockery of the system in this country.
September 26th, 2012 at 4:16 am
To : Lorenzo(Parangiya?)
I have noticed,from every comment of you,that there is no comment without offending Muslims.why so much Islamophobia?
And commentable job been done by our officials,thank you keep itup.
But there are more than 200000 people left to re-settle in the north.(LTTE expelled 20000 Sinhalese and 90000 Muslims in 90’s it’s almost double now).if we don’t re-settle them,the ealam claim will not be stopped.as tamils are more than 95 % of current population of the north.If we re-settle all earlier IDP’s,even a secular party can win the election of the northern province.(it’s vital).if we fail to do so,the Ealam and Tamil only country will remain in the western agenda.
September 26th, 2012 at 1:39 pm
These comments show very high Jihadi activity in SL. Some possibly have Sinhala fathers (hence Sinhala surnames). Highly dangerous.
Defence, please take note before it is too late.
September 26th, 2012 at 1:56 pm
lorenzo,
Non of us need to have any problem for no reason but have to be careful not heart anyone just because not agree with something.
I always wished everybody have friendship with sl especially Britain, US, and of course Israel
But things did not work out because their own fault. However, I hope especially, Britain and US remove their own obstacle and put foundation for a faithful friendship and things automatically will work with Israel too. We can forgive fast if they do not try that is no good for Sinhalese.
again UK and US have to work to repair friendship. Sinhalese are not unfriendly to them. they never were threat to them.
September 26th, 2012 at 2:29 pm
lorenzo,
i do not know what kind of threat you have, i am here in canada. i do not know who you are referring to but be careful not create any problem that do not exit.
i do know Asoka from Ottawa and some community leaders as well as a Buddhism clergy.
also, I am planing to visit SL in few months and then I hope to see MPs from govt and other parties
Best thing is to avoid personal hatred and go ahead for civilised debate and do not agree, we just leave it.
September 27th, 2012 at 7:51 am
Jayt !!! I can see this deliberation is going at a tangent. It is OKI DOKI about your English. You should be able to brush up in Canada. Try to move with those Sri Lanka bashers. Their English is good, but their thoughts stink to high heaven.
Iam sure you must be still telling your friends:-~~~~~~~~Marcharng, tuuday I ate HUT DHAARL, BRINJAARL, SUMBAARL, THUTS AARL. Your accent will change in time. Keep it up.
September 27th, 2012 at 8:16 am
“Another Success : All IDPs resettled in North Sri Lanka” – fantastic !
Well done, Lanka ! Our heartfelt thanks to all those who brings about Healing Sri Lankans. Let’s do more of that good stuff !