Jaffna hopes for the best

Jaffna’s streets were buzzing with jovial Thai Pongal celebrations as people crisscrossed the city to visit friends and relatives and attend ceremonies at various Kovils. Children played in the streets while their parents spoke and laughed together, and dogs barked after the loud pops of exploded firecrackers.

When discussing Pongal festivities, people beamed as they proudly described their revered traditions and explained for what they were thankful this year. These were scenes of a rebuilding community that is eagerly looking forward to a brighter future.

As I shifted my questions away from the subject of Pongal towards those of reconciliation, resettlement, and demilitarisation, however, the smiles and pride were largely replaced by blank stares and expressions of irritation.

A home built for resettled communities

While many expressed frustration with what they described as the slow pace of reconciliation measures, others did note that some marked progress has been made in the two years since the National Unity Government took over.

“My quality of life is better than it was in 2014. I obviously live a nicer life than I did during the war as well. I have access to a livelihood, live in a decent house, and don’t have to worry about the terrible aspects of war,” said R. Varagunam, a teacher at a local school.

“I am also very happy about the prospect of the return of the GSP+. I think the government needs to be commended on that achievement if it does come through,” she said, while adding that she would like to see the government undertake more economic development projects to open up industries beyond agriculture and fishing.

Several people also lauded the government for carrying out various resettlement projects but noted that there can be improvements in this regard.

“Many people who had lost their homes during the war have been resettled and are living on their own land. There is still some work to do in this regard, but the housing situation is improving here,” said A. Kaviraj, a security guard.

A complaint that many relayed, however, was that the government had enacted legislation but had not actually set up the offices and commissions that were promised two years ago.

“I think that the slowness and delayed action has really discouraged a lot of Tamils in the North. We are aware that these institutions are difficult to set up and that the government has to satisfy the Sinhalese Buddhists, but two years is too long to wait,” said N. Sivaram, a lawyer.

“The government knows that votes from the minority populations from communities like this allowed them to come to power in 2015. They should make every effort to keep the promises they made in the past,” he added.

Sivaram added that he and his friends and family are tired of hearing politicians say that they are making progress without providing any proof.

A way forward

“Every month there are reports of more progress towards establishing these institutions. But I want to see some action being taken. Hopefully the Consultation Task Force on Reconciliation Mechanisms Report (CTFRM) will provide a way forward,” he said.

T. Ganeshan, who told the Daily News that several of her friends and family members are still missing, complained about the delays in setting up the Office of Missing Persons.

“Every year that goes by makes it less likely that loved ones will be found. To me, this is not a political issue. I can understand delays in setting up the court process, but I just want to know the fates of my friends and relatives,” she said.

Perhaps the most contentious issue was the question of whether or not to include foreign judges, prosecutors, and investigators in the hybrid courts. Both the CTFRM and the UN Human Rights Council have recommended including foreigners in the special court.

Many prominent members of the government such as Justice and Buddha Sasana Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe have pointed out that the measure of including foreign personnel in the courts is a violation of Sri Lanka’s constitution.

Rajapakshe has also argued that the country’s judiciary is fully independent and completely able to carry out any and all transitional justice rulings.

Several opponents have also argued that foreign judges would be biased against those accused of human rights violations and make unjust rulings in favour of individuals from minority populations.

Despite the assurances of an independent judiciary, every Jaffna resident who spoke to the Daily News communicated his or her support for the presence of foreign judges in the hybrid court.

“I will have next to no trust in the special courts if foreigners are not allowed to participate in them. The judicial system we have has proven many times that it cannot be impartial when it comes to minority issues. Look at what just happened with the Raviraj case,” said V. Ramanathan, who works at an NGO.

“Many of the military figures who would stand trial are considered war heroes. I don’t think these people would be convicted by a fully Sri Lankan court,” he added.

S. Coomaraswamy concurred: “I know that most people living outside the Northern and Eastern Provinces will not agree with having international involvement in the courts, but I think that is the only way to ensure justice for those who suffered unjustly during the war,” she said.

Alongside the courts issue, people focused on continuing demilitarisation as an essential piece of the resettlement and rebuilding effort.

Need for extra aid and assistance

Resettled citizens

“There has been a lot of progress with demilitarisation over the past few years. Just after the conflict ended, there were military checkpoints everywhere, and everyone had to carry their government-issued identity card. But the continued presence of the military in places that they did not occupy before the war concerns me,” said P. Thiranagama, who works in advertising.

“I’m not saying the military needs to leave completely, since I don’t think that will ever happen. But they are still on lands that belonged to the people,” she added.

The frustration for most of those who spoke to the Daily News lies in being given promises that as of yet have not been kept.

“The government has changed, and it is now much better than the one Rajapaksa headed, but the mechanisms within the government seem not to have improved,” said Varagunam.

“The Tamils and Sinhalese remain divided. The fact that Parliament sings the National Anthem in Sinhala and Tamil is a nice symbolic gesture, but I think it finally does not do enough to bring the country together,” she said.

“I wish there were more of a Sri Lankan national identity, but perhaps the current government can help foster that if it is given more time,” Sivaram said. Though most people agreed on issues related to what the government has or has not done since it came to power, their views of how the Tamil population should be treated differed widely.

Some, like B. Ramachandran, argued that, because they experienced the worst of the civil conflict, Tamils should be given extra aid and assistance.

“We suffered greatly during the conflict, so I think it is only fair that we receive more economic support than those who were not as affected by the fighting,” he said.

“I think the Northern and Eastern communities could do with more help in order to level the playing field,” he added.

Others, however, pushed back against this idea of exceptional treatment, arguing that Sri Lanka can become a more unified country if people try to put aside their differences in order to get along.

“We as Sri Lankans need to try to fit in with one another. There is too much concentration on our differences. If we treat each other as Sri Lankans first and foremost, and the government follows suit by treating everybody the same way, I think that there is a lot of hope for the people of this island,” said A. Sathavisam, an employee at a bank.

Indeed, Sathavisam argued that the focus on politics could take away from the equally important building of understanding and brotherhood between not only Tamils and Sinhalese, but also Christians, Muslims, Hindus, and Buddhists.

“The glory and the curse of this island lies in its ethnic and religious diversity. If we can learn to accept each other’s differences and focus on our similarities and achieving shared goals, there is no doubt that we can build a unified and peaceful country,” he said.

Sathavisam maintained that some kind of route outside of the explicitly political realm could lead to improved ethno-religious relations: “Politics has not succeeded in smoothing over the differences of the people of Sri Lanka. I think we should look at different methods of reconciliation and building understanding.”

*names have been changed to protect their identity.