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Minister
Martin visited many areas badly affected by the tsunami during his tour
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj
Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin along with spouse Sheila and official entourage breezed in
and out of Sri Lanka on January 16 and 17. The Canuck PM managed to pack in a significantly
useful programme within the limited 24 hour time duration.
In the process, Martin displayed tremendous political courage in signalling to the Liberation Tigers
of Tamil Eelam and their supporters that he was prepared to defy them if the situation warranted
it. Furthermore the Canadian Premier cannily turned the situation to his advantage by putting
pro-Tiger elements on the defensive and extracting important admissions from them.
Originally, Martin had planned to visit India, Japan and China on a trade and development
oriented tour. The December 26 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 is a mixed tour of tsunami-hit regions and Martin's desire to forge a
partnership between the world's richest states, and its fast developing future economic giants.
As far as Sri Lanka was concerned the object was solely tsunami related. The Canadian Premier
flew in from Thailand in a Canadian forces Airbus on Sunday January 16 evening at 6: 45 p.m.
The delegation was lodged at the Colombo Hilton.
Early start
Paul Martin started off early next day (17) to Ampara where the Canadian forces Disaster
Assistance Response Team (DART) was stationed. Apart from officials there were nine Canadian
Federal MPs from different parties in the delegation. Also included were Canadian Health Minister
Ujjal Dosanjh and Ottawa's Envoy in Colombo, Valerie Raymond. Dossanjh, a former British
Columbia provincial premier is of South Asian origin being formerly of India.
The Canadian VVIP took a different aerial course and flew along the tsunami affected coastline
surveying damage before alighting at coastal Kalmunai. Martin did not visit the DART
headquarters at Hingurana, but opted to see firsthand the impact on the community of services
rendered by DART.
After touching down at Kalmunai, the Premier made the mass grave near the Beach Road
Junction his first stop on foot. More than a thousand bodies are buried here. Most last rites were
done according to Islamic tenets, though the ethnic and religious identities of the dead are largely
unknown. The mass grave is not only symbolic of the gravity of the disaster, but also stands as
testimony of the universal nature of humanity and its oneness despite artificial distinctions created
by mankind.
Martin was visibly moved by the destruction he saw everywhere. He later told reporters that
nothing had prepared him for the sights he saw of tsunami ravage. After paying homage to the
victims at the grave, Martin, wife Sheila and chaplain Jim Rickett walked for a while along the
beach in a pensive mood, silently reflecting perhaps on the tragedy.
Independent assessment
An important reason for Martin's on the spot trip was to assess for himself the impact made by
DART in the east. There was much criticism that the DART had been deployed too late to be
effective and that the cost involved was not worth the results achieved. What Martin experienced
at close quarters about DART made him feel very proud as the Canadian Prime Minister. He saw
for himself the immense benefits accruing to the ordinary people through DART activity. It was
pointed out that apart from medicine and water supply, DART members were involved in clearing
debris and helping to repair roads and bridges.
The Martins were exhilarated by the sight of beaming faces and cheerful smiles in the face of
adversity. Numerous people flocked to them saying "Thank You Canada" through words, smiles
and gestures. The delighted Martin was also deeply moved by the pathetic plight of children.
One poignant moment for Martin was when a man with a child standing alongside had pointed to a
destroyed house and said that it had been his home. Assuming that the little boy was his son,
Martin knelt down and asked him whether the man was his father. He was taken aback when the
boy replied "no" and said that his father was killed by the tsunami.
The Prime Minister and party then boarded helicopters for the return flight at 11 a.m. Upon arrival
in Colombo, Martin met the press where a visibly moved Premier made it known that he had never
imagined the scale of damage would be anything like this. An emotional Martin said that "one had
to be a stone not to be moved by something like this." He perceived the whole crisis as a
humanitarian issue and snapped at questions from a political perspective.
Immediate needs
At 1.45 p.m. Paul Martin along with Minister Dosanjh, High Commissioner Raymond, visiting
Canadian MPs and senior officials met with heads of Canadian NGOs and UN agencies working in
Sri Lanka. Martin appraised for himself the immediate needs and identified problems. The
Kalmunai field trip seemed to have made a lasting impression and one NGO official said that he
seemed sincerely determined to commit Canada greatly towards the rehabilitation and
reconstruction effort.
The PM and delegation then met a joint delegation comprising Tamil National Alliance MPs and
Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation Executive Director, K.P. Reggie. This meeting was regarded as
the most controversial event of the trip, but Martin came out of it with flying colours, scoring well
politically. The TNA delegates were Rajavarothayam Sambandan, Joseph Pararajasingham and
Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam.
Refused visas
It was only last September that Pararajasingham and Ponnambalam were denied visas to Canada
to attend the Pongu Thamil (Tamil upsurge) rally. Sambandan himself had visited Canada earlier
through a special ministers' permit arrangement. TRO's Reggie too had been refused a visa. The
TNA was seen in Ottawa as the political adjunct of the LTTE.
It was against this backdrop that Martin met the TNA. Martin requested the Tamil parliamentarians
to present their case. When responding, the Canadian Premier had an ace up his sleeve. This
was his Parliamentary Secretary for Transport, Jim Karygiannis. The Federal MP for the ethnically
diverse Scarborough - Agincourt riding (electorate) has 19% Tamils in his constituency.
Karygiannis is considered quite close to the pro-Tiger elements in his constituency. Karygiannis
with the approval of Martin had undertaken a private trip to the north east some days ago. He
joined the Prime Minister in Colombo.
Karygiannis had a positive message. Despite a few bottlenecks here and there aid was in fact
getting through fully to the north east. Initially there had been some problems due to official
machinery not being efficient. Even now there were a few problems but these were isolated
instances and not part of a grand conspiracy as depicted by pro-Tiger elements. Moreover, LTTE
leaders in the Wanni were satisfied at the progress too. In one stroke, the mainspring of Tiger
propaganda in Canada that the north and east were being deliberately deprived of aid,was
rendered impotent.
Martin then turned the tables on the TNA -TRO. He referred to charges in the Canadian media
that the LTTE was hijacking food and aid meant for the people. This had the TNA representatives
on the defensive. These charges were not true they said. Aid was getting through to the Tamil
people without mishap they said and further assured the PM on behalf of the LTTE that aid would
not be hijacked.
Role reversal
With the accuser-accused roles being reversed Martin then pressed further. What about the
issue of child soldiers ? he queried. Moved by the plight of tsunami afflicted child victims and
orphans, Martin drew attention to charges by responsible international organisations about
alleged abductions by the LTTE. This had the 'moderates' in a fix. They protested against
charges made and said that they too were opposed to child soldiers. They defended the LTTE
with a peculiarly facetious argument. The Tigers were charitable enough to take some poor and
orphaned children under their protection and provide care. This good Samaritanism may be
leading to misunderstandings. All problems however would cease when a political settlement was
reached, the TNA said.
Martin then assured the TNA of Canada's commitment to a peaceful settlement. He bemoaned the
lack of progress and urged the TNA to use their good offices to persuade the LTTE to participate
more fully in the process. The Canadian Premier however listened attentively to allegations made
by the TNA about the negative role played by Chandrika Kumaratunga and the JVP in thwarting
progress on the peace front.
The TNA also told the Canadian Premier that tsunami rehabilitation in Tamil areas should be done
after consulting people of the area. The parallel drawn was that Ottawa should not determine what
Quebec wants. The necessity for a special mechanism to oversee and coordinate reconstruction
in the north east too was stressed upon. The centralisation in relief and rehabilitation was
deplored. Martin was raptly attentive but non-committal.
History lesson
At 3 p.m. Martin called on President Kumaratunga. Also at this meeting was Foreign Minister
Lakshman Kadirgamar. The meeting went well and both Martin and Kumaratunga struck a good
rapport. The Sri Lankan first lady monopolised the conversation giving Martin a history lesson
about LTTE atrocities in the past and also a litany of complaints about Tiger allegations about
Colombo discriminating against north east tsunami victims, whereas the government was acting
impartially.
Despite being a good listener, Martin did manage to reiterate the necessity to revive the dormant
peace process. While appreciating Kumaratunga's position about the LTTE track record, Martin
implored her to continue engaging the LTTE politically. He promised Ottawa's full support in that
endeavour. Striking a personal note, Martin observed that his visit to Kalmunai had made an
indelible impression. He promised Canada's full commitment and help to Sri Lanka in rehabilitation
and reconstruction.
Thereafter, Paul Martin and entourage concluded a hectic and constructive Sri Lankan visit and
flew off at 4. 30 p.m. on the next leg of their tour to India. The plus factor was that despite intense
pressure from all sides the Prime Minister had not caved in or compromised. Furthermore he
demonstrated to the LTTE that he could not be coerced and that he was prepared to stand up to
domestic pressure. The highlight however was his deft maneuvering by which the 'other' side was
compelled to be on the defensive.
