We need to refer back to our commitments - Wigneswaran

Chief Minister of the Northern Province C.V. Wigneswaran says that Tamil people are quite conscious of the urgency of addressing the impact of the war on them and on the environment and landscape around. 

“But at the same time they are concerned about the delay in addressing the questions of accountability and justice too,” he said, during the launch the Enterprise Based Village Development Project in Tellipalai.

Former President and Chairperson of the Office for National Unity and Reconciliation (ONUR), Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, also graced the event held this morning (25). 

“Some of us feel and here I reflect the views and concerns of a large section of our people that there are insufficient action so far reflecting a commitment towards reconciliation,” the chief minister said. 

While addressing the physical economic needs and other logistical necessities it is incumbent that the basic factors that gave rise to schism among us are also addressed, he said. 

Wigneswaran stated that discrimination and a hegemonic attitude on the part of the Centre led to the initial disagreements and unpleasantness. “It was the snowballing effect of such negative attitudes which led to violence.”

“It is not enough to say war is violent and brutal.” Even in war there are standards laid down internationally to be followed, he said, adding that not to have followed them requires adequate after action. 

“That is the accountability and justice our people are craving for,” he added.

“The reluctance of the powers that be to take adequate steps with regard to War Crimes committed and the attempt to shove the past under the carpet so to say leaves our people wondering whether the Good Governance Government is indeed interested in reconciliation and unity.” 

Wigneswaran stated that if the Government oblivious of who committed them and against whom, identified the criminal acts and took immediate action “we could have saved this Country from the impasse it went through.” 

That is why we have been agitating for our participation in the processes adopted for reconciliation. Reconciliation demands the participation of those affected freely and dignifiedly, he said.

“Our participation does not mean our officials. They are beholder to the Centre. The political representatives of our people should be made to participate right from the beginning.” 

“Merely to look into the physical needs of our people is inadequate. Their feelings need to be assuaged.”
 
We have been therefore critical about the preparation of the Peace Building Priority Plan Framework in that many matters that need to have been given adequate attention and importance have not been included therein, he said.

He stated that the hardship of the Tamil people and their aspirations have not been adequately understood and that there is a feeling of “serves them right” pervading the psyche of the powers that be.

The Chief Minister said that people fall at his feet and ask “Please find our dear ones, whom we ourselves handed over to the Military”, “Where are they?” and “What happened to them?” 

“What answer do I give them?” he asked. 

He charged that the Office of Missing Persons was designed but not given a lease of life to operate. The committees sat on constitutional reforms but their Reports were withheld, he said.

“Now that such deliberate delays have given a new lease of life to the Government at Geneva, let us sit down in earnest, despite the disappointments of the distressed, to seek solutions to many problems that beset us.” 

“Let there be a concerted effort at demilitarization. Let there be adequate projects addressing the special needs of the affected sections of our Society.” 

“There were many matters identified in the Consensus Resolution at Geneva in 2015. We need to refer back to our commitments,” Wigneswaran said.

He stated that the War crimes inquiry is necessary to bring out the truth of brutality and cruelty among human beings and that it is improper to shove it under the carpet just because those who committed belong to particular ethnic groups.