One-time Defence Secretary and former Secretary to President Maithripala Sirisena Austin Fernando says having repeatedly undermined previous efforts meant to reach consensus with civil society and Tamil Diaspora, the incumbent dispensation seems to be following the yahapalana strategy.
Fernando said that the current strategy should be examined against the backdrop of the Pohottuwa administration’s much touted pullout from the Geneva process several months after the last presidential election in Nov 2019.
Referring to front-page report titled ‘Prof. Peiris denies Geneva sessions influenced their Jaffna visit’, Fernando, who had also served as Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner in New Delhi has sent the following response: “On the basis of the report on visit to Jaffna undertaken by ministers, Prof. Peiris and Ali Sabry, PC, it appears the ministers are doing ‘needs assessments.’ According to some sections of the media, the President had not met the TNA and other Tamil parties or the Diaspora, (unless stealthily in Yugadanavi syle!!!) having promised such consultation at the UNGA and to UNSG. If the President meets them at least now he will hear the needs from one Tamil group. Therefore, the question is ‘why this ‘mighty indecent hurry’ of ministers, when the President has no hurry?’ No wonder people interpret at their will!
The OMP and RO were legalised by the Yahapalanaya. The credit goes to President Sirisena, PM Wickremesinghe, and late Minister Mangala Samaraweera. I cannot understand why the Yahapaalanaya does not react to statements by these Ministers. Piggybacking on them now by incumbent ministers looks as eyewash. I am disturbed as a team member who worked to establish these mechanisms. Now kudos are to Ministers Pieris and Sabry! Another Pieris- Saliya -Chirman of OMP- went to the people in the north and did what Prof. Pieris does now. Additionally, in 2020 Minister Dinesh Gunawardena withdrew from the UNHRC Resolution 30/1 on a Cabinet decision, and Ministers Pieris and Sabry of the same Cabinet now hang on to by-products of 30/1 – the OMP and RO, to which they cannot have allegiance after the quoted withdrawal. If they wish, they can tag all these as flowing from Mahinda Rajapaksha era 11/1 UNHRC Resolution of 26th May 2009!
We know that the Yahapalanaya wished to have a TRC. I was on a committee that worked on it. A Cabinet Memo for a TRC was submitted by PM Ranil Wickremesinghe on 18th October 2018, and the Constitutional Coup happened. Hence it was probably not considered by ‘the 52- Day, SC decided illegal government.’ and thrown away to the dustbin. For two years they slept over it, and suddenly after the deepest slumber now indicate the appropriateness of it! Are they joking or really do not know what happened in the past? One need not employ rocket science to restart the process. Ask Lalith Weeratunga and Gamini Senarath, I know for certain they have the capacity to prepare the papers for the next Cabinet. It will add more marks in Geneva too! The problem is the government needs the will only.
Non-recurrence was a separate “Pillar of reconciliation” to be achieved through constitutional means which was followed by a Parliamentary Select Committee. An Interim Report is available. There were six sub-committees. Bandula Gunawardane, Susil Premajayantha, and D Siddhaarthan did work on Finance, Public Administration, and centre-periphery relations respectively. What happened to those reports done by present Pohottuwa members, plus one TNA member? Politicians have bungled the relationships, and now they seem to be trying to repair- in technical terms ‘integrate’! That too is on a wrong footing, without continuity.
Mere eyewash! Let these people be serious about reconciliation. It matters to the total population, whole country, at a very difficult time. On top of the economic crisis, let us not be dragged into sanctions or other international crises.”