National unity cannot be imposed by force

May 7, 2012,

by Jehan Perera

The dominance of national security considerations in the actions of the government have been highlighted again in the hundreds of detentions that have taken place in recent days in the East, especially in the Trincomalee area. It is reported that most of those detained have been released after being screened by the security forces.  But the sudden search and detain operations have sent a wave of fear amongst the Tamil people living in those areas. It has served to revive bitter memory of the past. At this time when Sri Lanka is under special international scrutiny on account of alleged human rights violations that took place during the war, the government will be adding fuel to the fire regarding international doubts about its commitment to human rights and the Rule of Law.

The government has sought to justify this latest security operation on the grounds that those targeted were members of the LTTE or had some connections with it. The government is constantly on the alert to suppress any possible revival of the LTTE.  Those found to have had associations with it are detained and are to be subjected to rehabilitation.  The government has taken pride in its rehabilitation programme that was set up to deal with the approximately ten thousand LTTE cadre who surrendered in the final phase of the war in the North.  Some of the government’s rehabilitation activities have been models for other post-war societies, but others have been less so.

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