Economic revival in full swing in North: Kohona

The economic imperatives were recognised immediately by the Government once the conflict ended and the economic revival is in full swing in the north, stated Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Dr. Palitha Kohona at a discussion on Sri Lanka’s post-conflict rebuilding at Asia Society, New York on 14 March.

He said that resettling the displaced was the immediate priority and today over 95% of the original 294,000 IDPs have returned to their villages. The remaining 17,000 have been permitted to leave, but have chosen to remain because of the facilities available in the camps, he said.

Ex-LTTE combatants

With regard to reintegrating ex-LTTE combatants into civilian society, Ambassador Kohona said that the Government has adopted an extremely conciliatory attitude towards former combatants.

“The Government decided to treat most of them as victims rather than as criminals.”

He pointed out that in less than 15 months since the end of the conflict over 6,000 ex-combatants out of the 11,700 identified have been reintegrated after providing vocational and other trainings.

The Ambassador added that the Government has implemented a clear policy to return child combatants to their own families, communities and schools after providing them with catch-up education, counselling as well as English and IT training.

He also stated that the Ambepussa rehabilitation centre set up for child combatants, which received high praise from visitors, will be closed this year.

All those at the Ratmalana rehabilitation centre have now been returned to their own communities and parents, he said.

Post-conflict recovery efforts

A remarkable level of confidence has returned to the country contributing to the reconstruction effort, he said and explained the post-conflict recovery efforts.

Over 850 schools and all the hospitals and clinics have been rehabilitated and hundreds of miles of roads and power lines have been restored. Agricultural and fisheries production in the former LTTE-controlled areas has continued to surge.

A total of 200,000 acres of rice have come under the plough.

An additional 75,000 tonnes of fish from the north and the east are now added to the market monthly. The Government has committed $ 360 million to the development of the north, he said.

Business opportunities

He also illustrated the business opportunities now available with the end of the conflict.

“The revival of business confidence has been largely independent of Government involvement,” although it “firmly encouraged these economic trends”. The Ambassador pointed out the record upward movement in the stock market (over 180% increase) and steady inward investment flows which reflect this confidence.

Inward tourism has rebounded by over 50% since January 2010 and there is interest from foreign investors, including large hotel chains such as Shangri-la.

Minorities

Ambassador Kohona added that minorities have continued to prosper in majority Sinhala areas of the country, including Colombo where many of the leading professionals in Colombo come from the minority communities and no restrictions exist on their lives, socially or economically.  With reference to the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) he pointed out that it included representatives from the minorities as well and it is hoped that the LLRC will address the concerns expressed by interested persons, primarily with a view to facilitating the return to normalcy and helping the country to recover from its 27-year nightmare of terrorism.

He added that the LLRC has, through a public notification, made it possible even for the SG’s Panel of Experts to make submissions before it.