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to visit Wanni
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj
Paul Martin will be the first Prime Minister of any Country to visit Sri Lanka after the
massive Tsunami disaster of December 26th that killed more than 30, 000 and
affected over a million people. The Canadian Prime Minister heading a minority
Liberal Party Government is scheduled to be in Sri Lanka tonight (16th) and
tomorrow (Jan 17th) for a day as part of a five nation Asian trip. This is his first
official trip to this region after succeeding Jean Chretien as PM in late 2003 and
gaining his own mandate in May last year
Originally Martin had planned to visit India, Japan and China on what was essentially
an "economics" oriented tour. The Dec 26th disaster resulted in his amending the
itinerary to include additional whistle stop tours of tsunami affected Thailand and Sri
Lanka. The trip to Thailand, Sri Lanka, India, Japan and China will mix a tour of
tsunami-hit regions, Martin's desire to forge a partnership between the world's
richest states, and its fast developing future economic giants. As a result of this
improvised mixture Martin's tour cannot be classified being due to the tsunami
disaster alone.
"Asia is a dynamic region which holds tremendous opportunity, but which is being
challenged by the devastation wrought by the tsunami," Martin said. "My trip is an
opportunity to express solidarity with the governments and populations of the
region ... but also to revitalise bilateral relations with each country and advance
global issues," Martin said.
The Canadian PM will visit Phukhet in Thailand on Jan 16th. This resort area is
where four of six Canadians killed and twenty - nine of thirty Canadians declared
officially missing were located. One person was killed and another reported missing
in Sri Lanka. Another was killed in India. A further 134 Canadians are classified as
unaccounted for as information about these people were obtained through second -
hand sources.
The Sri Lankan itinerary though fixed is not final yet. Unlike his Thai trip Martin faces
tremendous pressure from Tamils with regard to Sri Lanka. Strong demands are
being made that he visit LTTE controlled areas and meet with the tiger hierarchy.
There is a possibility that his program may be amended at the last minute to
accommodate these pressures partially at least. So official circles in Ottawa say that
the program may be subject to change. Party Sources close to Martin however say
that the PM is quite firm about his objectives and will not relent to pressure.
As it stands Paul Martin's Sri Lankan itinerary envisages meetings in Colombo with
President Chadrika Kumaratunga, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and
opposition Leader Ranil Wickremasinghe. He will also meet a Tamil National Alliance
delegation led by the TULF's R. Sampanthan for 25 minutes. Martin will also meet
with the CIDA in Colombo and also a group of relief related NGO's in Sri Lanka. The
Tamil Rehabilitation Organization is likely to be part of this group. The Prime
Minister will also interact with a cross - section of Canadians in Sri Lanka at a
Colombo meeting. Canadian envoy Valerie Raymond will accompany the Prime
Minister at these meetings.
Paul Martin will also fly over tsunami affected areas in the West, South, South -
East, East, North - East and North in two helicopter tours and survey the damage.
The only ground based inspection will be in Amparai district where the Disaster
Assistance Response Team (DART) of the Canadian Forces is deployed. The
politically "correct" Canadian foreign ministry officials have seen to it that Martin
meets with Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim victims of tidal waves in multi - ethnic Amparai.
Canada was in the middle of the festive Christmas - New Year holiday season when
the tsunami struck in Asia. Martin himself was in North Africa. The Canadian
International Development Agency (CIDA) announced a million dollars emergency
assistance on Dec 26th and increased it to four on the 27th. Returning to Canada
Martin spoke to Kumaratunga over the telephone and conveyed his sympathies on
the tragedy.
On Dec 29th the Canadian PM announced that an assessment team has been sent
to the affected region to recommend areas where Canada could be of assistance.
He also increased the amount of tsunami assistance to 40 m . On Jan 3rd he
increased it further to 80 m. After establishing a debt moratorium for tsunami
affected Countries Canada also set up a domestic incentive scheme where the
government pledged to match every dollar raised by accredited charitable
organizations for tsunami relief. Canadian health minister Dossanjh visited India and
Sri Lanka and reported back to the Canadian PM.
On Jan 10th Martin increased the Canadian commitment from $80 m up to $425
million toward a comprehensive package of disaster relief measures and
rehabilitation assistance following the Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunamis.
Canada's commitment over the next five years comprises $265 million for
humanitarian and rehabilitation assistance, including an estimated $150 million to
match the generous contributions to eligible organizations by individual and groups
of Canadians by January 11 th and $160 million for ongoing reconstruction
assistance from 2005-09 to the affected region.
The Canadian forces DART team was also to be deployed in Amparai district in
South - Eastern Sri Lanka. More importantly Paul Martin who describes himself as a
"man of faith" displayed deep emotion towards the tsunami tragedy. A national day
of mourning for the victims was declared on Jan 8th. Until then all flags flew at half -
mast. An official national memorial meeting was held in Ottawa on the 8th. Governor
- General Adrienne Clarkson along with the Prime Minister and Mrs. Sheila Martin
attended it. Addressing the memorial Martin revealed another facet of his
personality that helped explain the Canadian perspective. Excerpts from his address
are as follows:
" In Canada, such is the nature of our country that the impact of Asia's deadly
waves echoes here in the grief of those who lost family members, and in the anxiety
of many who still wait for word. In cities and communities across our country, South
Asia's pain is our own.
Thousands of Canadians from the 13 affected countries are shattered by the
devastation that has been visited upon nations they departed, but never left behind.
Others pray for friends, colleagues, loved ones who were on vacation or working in
the region. So many have experienced loss. This is a tragedy of a million griefs.
The tsunami rose in the Indian Ocean as many in Canada were sitting down to
Christmas dinner. Some describe the death and damage it wrought as the first truly
global disaster of a newly mature world. A world in which stark images of distant ruin
are brought instantly into our homes. A planet that daunted intrepid explorers of old,
a world once regarded as impossibly vast, has been transformed into an intimate
community. Oceans may separate us from South Asia, but we are a family.
Today, right now, we are connected by compassion. We must nurture that
connection. We must let those in distress, those who have so few earthly
possessions and so much unearthly pain “we must let them know that we will be
steadfast. We will help to raise them up. We will be there for them“ now, and
tomorrow as well. For all the tomorrows it takes."
The Canadian Prime Minister was very correct when he spoke of the positive
Canadian response to the tragedy. The Canadian people regardless of ethnicity or
religion had responded with magnificent generosity. Ordinary people and institutions
were donating lavishly to charities aiming at tsunami relief. Sri Lankan - Canadians
in Canada were touched by the numerous expressions of concern and sympathy
extended to them by fellow Countrymen from all walks of life in the days after the
tragedy that was given much publicity over the media.
Paul Martin also mentioned a particular incident in Sri Lanka during his address. He
went on to say - "Along the south coast of Sri Lanka, Our Lady of Matara Church
sits across a narrow road from the ocean. The church is known throughout the
country for its small statue of Mary and the Baby Jesus. The faithful have long made
pilgrimages to see the artifact, which was pulled from the sea by fishermen some
five centuries ago. On the morning of Dec. 26, communion was just beginning in the
church when the waves came. The parishioners were so close to the sea, they had
no warning. At least seventeen people died in the sanctuary, where they had come
to worship God.
The pastor survived. He struggled to save the statue, but a wall of water swept it
away. History has it that the statue was lost twice before, once when it was
misplaced for many years, and once in a shipwreck at sea. Both times it was
recovered. And it would be so again. Three days after the tsunami, the small statue
was discovered, undamaged, in a nearby garden. The pastor said of the likeness of
Mary: "She came from the sea. She knows how to swim."
As a human being, as a person of faith, I'm not sure exactly what to take from this.
It's heartbreaking to imagine the horror that must have been brought to that most
serene of places. And yet each time I think of it I find some hope, a renewed sense
that true faith is unshakable, eternal. That's the human instinct, of course is to
search for a flicker of hope in even the most dire and dark of circumstances. We
see it in the response within our borders".Along the south coast of Sri Lanka, Our
Lady of Matara Church sits across a narrow road from the ocean. The church is
known throughout the country for its small statue of Mary and the Baby Jesus. The
faithful have long made pilgrimages to see the artifact, which was pulled from the
sea by fishermen some five centuries ago".
Against this backdrop few will expect Martin to draw controversy by going to Sri
Lanka. Most Sri Lankans and those Canadians of Sri Lankan origin will certainly
welcome the event. One can be pretty sure that Sri Lankans whose hallmark is their
natural friendliness will give Martin a rousing welcome just as they gave the DART
force. The discordant notes in this instance come from a Canadian Tamil segment
sympathetic towards the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam .In typical style a
vociferous minority claiming to speak for all Canadian Tamils has hogged the
megaphone while the silent majority remains passive spectators.
There are 250, 000 plus Canadians of Sri Lankan Tamil origin in Canada. Of these
more than 200, 000 live in the Greater Toronto Area. Tamil - Canadians do not form
the majority in any riding or electorate in the Toronto region. But they form a
substantial minority bloc in about ten ridings. Moreover they are very active in the
ruling Liberal party and play a prominent role in inner - party politics. Tamils are a
crucial component in several party branches or riding associations. At the recent
leadership convention that formally elected Martin as party leader there were 84
Tamils in the 1100 delegates. In a Scarborough riding association 11 of the 12
delegates were Tamil Canadians.
Given this intra - party strength there is a strong Tamil lobby exerting pressure on
Paul Martin that he should visit "Tamil administered areas , assess the tsunami
damage and meet with Tamil leaders". Though couched in appropriate euphemism
this is simply a demand that Martin should visit the Wanni. Inspect Mullaitheevu and
meet LTTE leader Velupillai Pirapakaran in person. It is presumed that the LTTE
leader whose reported absence from the public eye in a post - tsunami scenario has
caused speculation will surface dramatically to meet the Canadian Prime Minister in
person.
When a TV station conducted a telephone poll as to whether Martin should go to
LTTE controlled areas or not the local Tamil lobby became active. The Tamil media
asked people to vote on the telephone in favour of the PM going to the LTTE
controlled areas. The poll soon became a farce thanks to the manipulated voting
that inundated the telephone lines. The result was a foregone conclusion. 93 %
Wanted Paul Martin to visit the Wanni.
Strengthening this request/demand is the argument that a large number of
Tamils are living in Canada and therefore the Canadian Prime Minister MUST visit
the Wanni. It is being projected that Martin not going to the Wanni will amount to a
snubbing of Tamil sentiment, A parallel is being drawn with the Kofi Annan trip
where the Colombo government debarred the UN Secretary - General from going to
the Wanni or for that matter any major Tamil area affected by tsunami. Martin is
being asked not to emulate Annan. There is also a veiled threat that Tamil
Canadians will withdraw their support from the Liberal party in the future. The pro -
tiger efforts are spearheaded by Tamil youth and student organizations.
This threat may have an impact on some Liberal MP's from the GTA region. Already
Scarborough - Agincourt MP and Parliamentary Secretary for Transport Jim
Karygiannis is on a visit to Tamil areas in the North. He is reportedly meeting LTTE
leaders. This particular riding is ethnically diverse and has 15 to 20 % Tamil voters.
Being a Martin loyalist there is little doubt that Karygiannis is acting with the Prime
Ministers support in this exercise of appeasing pro - tiger Tamil sentiment.
Karygiannis has met a lot of LTTE leaders including Thamilselvan who formally
conveyed an invitation that the Canadian PM should visit Mullaitheevu and
Vadamaratchy east.
Karygiannis promised to convey the invitation dutifully to Martin. He also stated that
Canadian aid will neither be given directly to the SL government or LTTE. It would
be disbursed through Canadian organizations equitably. It would be ensured that
aid reached the Tamil areas without discrimination. Though Karygiannis' s trip was
criticised by some of his colleagues it certainly has helped douse some of the Tamil
resentment. It has been of utility value to Martin and compensates to some extent
the Prime Ministers "non - presence" in LTTE areas. It has however been adversely
commented upon by Sri Lankan deputy foreign minister Wiswa Warnapala in the
Canadian daily "Globe and Mail" who charged that some Canadian MP's were
cosying up with the tigers.
There is genuine Tamil anxiety that Canadian aid will not reach affected Tamil
areas. There is also no doubt that Mullaitheevu and the Vadamaratchy - East -
Pachilaipally areas under LTTE control have been severely affected. When Tamils
raised these concerns at a meeting with Martin the Prime Minister assured them that
Canadian aid will definitely reach affected areas on the basis of need . Sections of
the Canadian media have said that an important part of Martin's mission to Sri
Lanka is to ensure that Canadian aid reached Tamil areas.
Martin also guaranteed that Canadian officials will personally ensure the fair
allocation and execution of Canadian aid. For years Canada has been funding
several projects in the Tamil areas both within and outside LTTE control. Canada
has also refrained in recent times from giving aid directly to the government. Ottawa
has a number of projects in Sri Lanka executed by CIDA and also other reputed
NGO's. These are monitored on an on going basis. So chances of Canadian aid
reaching wrong hands or deserving areas being deprived are highly unlikely.
There are other dimensions too. It is noteworthy that Paul Martin got into a lot of
"trouble" a few years ago on account of the LTTE in Canada. The now defunct
LTTE front organization FACT (Federation of Associations of Canadian Tamils)
invited Martin for a dinner some years ago when he was finance minister. A CSIS
(Canadian Security Intelligence Service) advisory that he should not attend a FACT
dinner reached him on the same day that a right - wing newspaper "National Post"
carried a lead story that Martin was attending a fund - raising dinner for the tigers.
The ultra - right opposition party Canadian Alliance criticised him strongly. Yet
Martin did attend the dinner on a matter of principle as he had given his word and
not to give in to political blackmail.
Afterwards Martin slowly distanced himself from the pro - tiger Tamil elements. A
clear example of his new approach was visible on Sep 25th last year when the
"Pongu Thamil" (Tamil Upsurge) demonstration was held in Toronto. None of the
Liberal Party Parliamentarians or Liberal Provincial Parliamentarians or Liberal
municipal Councillors attended the meeting. Not even the darling of the Tamils Jim
Karygiannis. Though not acknowledged openly it was well known that the Liberal
absence at the pro - tiger rally was due to a directive issued by Paul Martin himself.
Canadian officials have also blacklisted several pro - LTTE persons including Sri
Lankan MP's from entering Canada.
The LTTE is also cited as a terrorist organization under the UN sponsored
suppression of terrorism financing laws in Canada. It received a reprieve from being
banned under the draconian Anti - Terrorism Act or C - 36 in Canada because of
former Foreign affairs minister Bill Graham. Though CSIS recommended
proscription of LTTE Graham convinced his cabinet colleagues that LTTE should
not be banned in Canada because it was involved in a peace process. There is a
strong possibility of the LTTE being banned under C - 36 if it were to pull out of the
peace process and resume war again.
The tricky situation that Canada and many other Western nations face is this. All
these countries have a substantial Tamil population due to the ethnic crisis. They
are becoming an integral component of their "new" Countries and cannot be
ignored. At the same time the only organized articulate supposedly representing
them are fiercely pro - LTTE. In the changed world of post - Sep 11th 2001 the
LTTE is perceived as terrorist by the West. Also the Sri Lankan state is ruled by the
Sinhala majority. This creates a peculiar problem where governments have to
charter a difficult course amid conflicting necessities such as an international drive
against terrorism, domestic political compulsions and maintenance of satisfactory
inter - state relations. The dilemma is particularly prickly for Canada which has the
largest Sri Lankan diaspora in the world.
Under these circumstances it would be too much to expect the Canadian Prime
Minister visit tiger - controlled areas personally. Meeting with the LTTE leader is
also out of the question at the present juncture. The situation may change if and
when a peaceful political settlement is achieved and the LTTE gains permanent
legitimacy and respectability. The LTTE and its supporters will not accept the status
quo. They want a visit and meeting to enhance their claims of de - facto statehood.
Though pious proclamations are made about the plight of tsunami afflicted there is
no denying the underlying political objective too.
Moves are afoot therefore for LTTE political wing chief SP Thamilselvan to visit
Amparai by Government helicopter to coincide with Martin's visit and meet the
Canadian PM there. It is not known at this point of time whether the move will be
successful. Sources in Ottawa close to the Prime Minister feel that Martin will not
agree to subterfuges like this and that he has already made his mind up on the
subject firmly. It may be recalled that even former foreign minister Bill Graham
declined an invitation to the Wanni by the LTTE a few years ago. Graham made
amends by going to Jaffna.
What is necessary now is for a symbolic visit by Martin to an affected Tamil area in
the North - East. Thereafter Canadian officials could visit affected areas, identify
needs. Allocate aid, supervise execution and monitor progress. Despite the
strictures in Canadian solid officials including High Commissioner Raymond have
frequently visited the Wanni and met LTTE leaders. The PM is not needed to make
on the spot assessments. His officials can do it. The need here is for symbolic optics.
Canadian Tamils will be deeply disappointed only if Martin excludes Tamil areas
completely. It is not necessary that Martin should go personally to a tiger -
controlled area. Unlike Kofi Annan he must definitely visit affected Tamil areas.
Since he is only going to Amparai the Canadian PM will do well to see and meet with
affected Tamils in addition to Muslims and Sinhalese.
Despite pressure exerted by pro - tiger elements most right thinking Tamil
Canadians are uncomfortable about the high - pressure tactics adopted to coerce
Martin into visiting the Wanni. As Canadian citizens pro - LTTE elements are well
within their rights to request a Martin visit to tiger territory. They can also lobby
democratically for that the same time those abrasively vociferous Tamils
pressurising the Canadian Prime Minister should realise their limits.
Boundaries of good taste and decency decrees that demands should not be
pushed beyond a certain point. Canada both the people and Government have
responded magnanimously to the tsunami tragedy. The deployment of DART in Sri
Lanka as opposed to Indonesia which suffered greater losses suggests that
Canadian aid will substantially reach Sri Lanka. It is also clear that an equitable
portion of it will definitely help needy Tamil areas. The Canadian Prime Minister
has given his word. It is time to respect that and stop pressuring Paul Martin
unnecessarily.
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