Flexibility and understanding - need of the hour Political confrontation will not solve humanitarian issues – GTF Chairman, Rev Fr S. J. Emmanuel

By Ananth Palakidnar-JUL 15 2018

Chairperson of the Global Tamil Forum (GTF) Rev Fr. S.J. Emmanuel in a candid interview with Ceylon Today spelt out the shortcomings affecting the people in the North and East. He said as far as strengthening peace and reconciliation, apart from depending on politicians all right-thinking people must engage themselves in the peace building process. Religious leaders and intellectuals should not  leave room for extremist ideologies and must play their role with farsightedness to face the challenges in creating peace in the Island.

Despite the Government taking the initiative to deal with land issues and resettlement of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), humanitarian issues still remain on a large scale to be resolved. All efforts should be put in place to put the future generation on the right path, he emphasized and added that disunity in the TNA will strengthen chauvinist elements in the South.

Excerpts:
How do you see the post-war situation in the North and East from your position as chairperson of the Global Tamil Forum (GTF)?

A: Well,when the present Government was established in January 2015, the people in the North and East anticipated the new regime would fulfill their political aspirations and the post-war humanitarian issues would be resolved. But I hardly find anything moving constructively towards strengthening peace and reconciliation and implementing the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) resolutions co-sponsored by Sri Lanka in October 2015.

My intention is not to engage in politics. I met President Maithripala Sirisena and Minister Mangala Samaraweera in London and Geneva earlier and discussed on dealing with the post-war issues in the North and East. The post-war issues are multifaceted. Confrontational attitude in politics is not going to help at all in dealing with sensitive humanitarian issues.
Flexibility and greater understanding are the need of the hour. As far as strengthening peace and reconciliation, apart from depending on politicians, all right-thinking people must engage themselves in the peace building process. Religious leaders and intellectuals without leaving room for extremist ideologies must play their role with farsightedness to face the challenges in creating peace in the Island. Despite the Government taking the initiatives to deal with land issues and resettlement of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), humanitarian issues still remain on a large scale and remain to be resolved.

What is your observation on the present state of Tamil politics?

A: The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) emerged as a political force to voice political and humanitarian issues of the people in the North and East.
However, the present state of the TNA is saddening. They started off very well, with the combination of moderate politicians and former militant outfits which had entered the political mainstream. But now, the coordination and unity in the TNA remain shaky. Constituent parties in the TNA are critical of the leadership. This negative trend will lead to weakening the Tamil political scene. Disunity in the TNA will strengthen the chauvinist elements in the South. The people in the North and East have placed their confidence on the TNA. So the constituent parties in the TNA must respect the expectations of the people they respect and should not give room for petty differences. If the TNA allows its leadership to get weakened, the Tamil political scene will turn into a mockery. Therefore, the unity which existed before 2015 in the TNA should prevail again in the best interest of the people in the North and East.