By Shamindra Ferdinando

Foreign Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris during a three-day visit to Jaffna that ended up with a pow-wow with civil society activists at the Jaffna District Secretariat on Monday (31) repeatedly urged the Northern community to integrate with the South.

Twice Foreign Minister Prof. Peiris who is also the Chairman of the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) emphasised the responsibility on the part of the government as well as all communities to achieve genuine post-war national reconciliation.

Jaffna District SLFP MP Angajan Ramanathan and Tamil National Alliance (TNA) heavyweight M.A. Sumanthiran, too, associated with the government’s latest initiative, ‘Access to Justice’ in Jaffna spearheaded by Justice Minister Ali Sabry, PC.

Ministers Peiris, Douglas Devananda and Sabry launched the ‘Access to Justice’ project at the Jaffna Central College on Saturday (29) morning. The programme was meant to educate the northerners of the government initiatives, promote reconciliation and pay compensation to families of those who had been reported missing during the conflict.

Sri Lanka brought the war to a successful conclusion in May 2009.

Addressing a gathering at the Jaffna University soon after the event at the Jaffna Central College, Prof. Peiris explained the work undertaken by the Justice Ministry.

Prof. Peiris was flanked by Minister Sabry and Vice Chancellor of the Jaffna University Professor Sivakolundu Srisatkunarajah.

Minister Peiris pointed out that compensation amounting to Rs 100 mn had been so far paid through the Office for Reparations for missing persons’ families.

The Office for Reparations is one of the four mechanisms Sri Lanka promised to establish in terms of the 30/1, 34/1 and 40/1.The other mechanisms are Office on Missing Persons, Judicial Mechanism with a Special Counsel and Commission for Truth, Justice, Reconciliation and Non-Recurrence.

Recalling a visit to the Jaffna University during his tenure as the Vice Chancellor of the University of Colombo and subsequent visits as a politician, Prof. Peiris urged the academics and the undergraduates therein to seek closer ties with the South.

Referring to the forthcoming sessions of the Geneva-based United Nations Human Rights Commission (UNHRC), Prof. Peiris stressed that a section of the media had misinterpreted their visit to the North. Prof. Peiris stressed that their programme was not related whatsoever to the Geneva sessions

The next Geneva session is scheduled to commence later this month.

Prof. Peiris said that the failure on the part of the communities to resolve their differences was nothing but a national tragedy. The minister said that the communities had been sharply divided and engaged in disruptive strategies for decades.

Pointing out how the Jaffna University accommodated students from all communities, Prof. Peiris discussed how that environment could be used to encourage closer relationships among the people.

Before his meet with Jaffna-based civil society groups, Prof. Peiris addressed the media at the Jaffna Divisional Secretariat where the Foreign Minister focused on the allocation of a substantial amount of funding for northern development.

Referring to his visits to the South and Batticaloa, Prof. Peiris said that the government was keen to know about the needs and priorities of the people. The problems faced by those living in one province could be different from another region, Prof. Peiris said, explaining the efforts made by the government to meet high profile UN initiative-Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).

Declaring that he felt comfortable and didn’t experience hostility at all, the foreign minister said that the youth whether Sinhala, Tamil or Muslim wanted to do well in life. As their objectives were common, all communities could work together to achieve national objectives, Prof. Peiris said.

Responding to queries, Prof. Peiris explained ongoing efforts to secure assistance of friendly countries to overcome the financial crisis. Reference was also made to the ongoing talks with China to secure 1 mn tonnes of rice before the Sinhala and Tamil New Year.

Other issues addressed by Prof Peiris were the closure of the Palaly Airport at the height of Covid-19 and Indian fishers poaching in Sri Lankan territorial waters.