Re-structure Lankan armed forces to enlist minorities, set up national planning & language commissions for Lanka to move forward - AT Editor to the Commission
By Joseph Thavaraja
Colombo, 10 September, (Asiantribune.com):
For the country to move forward from now onwards, a National Planning Commission (NPC) should be established. Also, food security should be guaranteed to all Sri Lankans, and separate language commissions for Sinhala and Tamil should be established.
But more importantly, the command structure of the Sri Lankan armed forces should be re-structured and opened to recruit members of all the ethnic groups in the country.
Also, the main reasons for the national conflict are ‘economic’ rather than other regularly mentioned factors such as the language and the ethnic identity.
These are the key recommendations made by Mr K.T.Rajasingham, Editor of Asiantribune.com to Sri Lanka’s Lessons Learnt & Reconciliation Commission session on Thursday 9.
Concluding his more than six hour long, two day lengthy presentation to Sri Lanka’s Lessons Learnt Commission session in Colombo yesterday evening, Mr Rajasingham said “Sri Lanka Army has to be reorganized to recruit members of all the ethnic groups. There has to be at least a Tamil as well as Muslim regiment similar to the present ‘Sinha Regiment’ in the army. These new regiments though should be trained to equally serve all Sri Lankans-not only the Tamil or the Muslim populace” he recommended.
Currently, only members of the majority Sinhalese community are allowed to join the armed forces in the country.
Mr Rajasingham, himself a member of Tamil community, added: “This measure is important to safeguard the equality of the ethnic groups and to fill the dangerous gaps of mistrust that persists between the ethnic cleavages in this country” he said. “In the case of many who contributed to victory of the 2009 humanitarian campaign, their substantive post of Brigadiers have been confirmed and they are in addition given temporary appointments as Major Generals with the view to circumvent the Army regulations to hold them in their substantive position for the next three years and permanently promote them as Major Generals so that they may continue in the Army for an additional three years before retiring compulsorily.”
“The armed forces re-structuring has to begin from the top – presently we have 42 Major Generals aspiring for the sole “Lieutenant General” position –and presently three stars ‘General Rank’ held by the Army Commander. Therefore to make way for the Major Generals to serve better in their careers, action has to be taken to promote the current Army Commander to a Four Star General rank.
Government has recently promoted the ex-Chief of Defence Staff as a ‘Four Star General’ but today this position remains vacant as the incumbent has been cashiered.
Therefore to begin with, the Army’s Chief of Staff who normally is the next in line for promotion as Army Commander has to be made the ‘Senior Lieutenant General.’ Also, the three star general position has to be considered for officers holding Army Administration and Core Security Forces Commands and for the Commander of the Volunteer Force” Mr Rajasingham said.
“At present there are 9 Core Commanders and they are all Major Generals. These nine Core Command regions may be brought into 3 zones and to these three zone commanders – Southern, Northern, Eastern - a new zone for Western Province can be added and for the rest of the country could be designated as the Central Zone, to be led by three star Generals. Once the reorganization structure is initiated from the top then it would be easy to continue to those in the other levels” he recommended.
Making his recommendations on the sensitive language issue of Sri Lanka, he said “As far as the Government is concerned I like to question the real validity of an “Official Languages Department”. What is needed is a Department for National Languages which will also undertake measures to develop the usage of the two main languages and to adapt them as the country progresses. A Sinhala Language Commission has to be established and be tasked with developing and preserving the Sinhala Language and also to identify how preservation of Sinhala culture and traditions could assist in preserving Sinhala language itself” he said.
Speaking about contentious issue of Tamil language use in Sri Lanka, he said: “A 2006 policy level scientific study on Official Language Policy undertaken by Social Indicator (SI) of Colombo 3 clearly showed that 77.5% of the surveyed Tamil speaking general public showing dissatisfaction with the lack of Tamil language skills of the public institution staff.
Does not this amount to not only discrimination of the Tamils, but even of the Muslim community that heavily uses this language? The SI survey also found that the capacity of the respective officials to handle administrative matters and assist the Tamil speaking public in the Tamil language was “greatly inadequate”.
Therefore I suggest appointing a Commission for the Tamil Language and it has to be tasked with developing and preserving the Tamil Language and also to identify how preservation of Tamil culture and traditions could assist in preserving Tamil language itself” he said.
In an unusual conclusion of his life’s experience in Sri Lanka, he said that he personally decided that the national issue is due to economic reasons rather than host of other usually mentioned factors. “I have personally concluded that the problems this country is faced with are due to economic, than any other issues- but this is not to say that no other factors are contributory-they are. I simply stress that the economic factors supersede as the main reason in comparison to other causal factors of the ethnic conflict” he said. Recommending economic points for the overall ethnic problem, Mr Rajasingham insisted that of the 323 DS divisions in Sri Lanka, no less than 94, (almost 30%) of DS divisions are classified as ‘Most Vulnerable in Food Security’ by the World Food Programme. “I wonder-if this is so, did we really need a three decade’s long ethnic war to ruin ourselves?” he asked. “Ensuring Food Security for citizens is an important duty of this country’s Government. In fact, there should never be a death due to starvation” he added.
“The Government has to allocate its resources with forecasts and projections for the next five years. These projections should be included in the National Development Plan of the National Planning Commission proposed herewith. The said National Planning Commission has to oversee the allocation of required funds annually or on any other periodical basis to the nine Provincial Councils, as well as to the line ministries” he said.
Mr Rajasingham’s recommendations also concerned the national flag and human rights in the country. His recommendations are given below:
“Learned Commissioners, Up to now I have drawn your attention to factors that negatively influenced the unity between the Tamil and Sinhalese ethnicities in the country. Therefore, I appeal to the Sri Lankan Government and the people of this proud country to address the issues pointed out by me carefully and seriously to come to terms - in that, the Sinhalese have to come to terms with the Tamils and vice versa, so that another fratricidal bloodshed will not recur in this country.In conclusion, I wish to make the following recommendations for a sustainable and effective reconciliation amongst the ethnic groups in the country.
My Rcommendations :
1.The Government has to establish a ‘National Planning Commission’ that takes into account the ethnic plurality of this country: I have concluded that the problems this country is faced with are due to economic, than any other issues- but this is not to say that no other factors are contributory-they are. I simply stress that the economic factors supersede as the main reason in comparison to other causal factors of the ethnic conflict.
When the country was granted Independence, our leaders concentrated mostly on issues such as democracy and freedom of a human being than on the citizens’ basic requirements such as security in food, housing and opportunities for earning one’s livelihood.
A renowned South Indian Tamil Poet Barathai declared that when food is not available for an individual, then the world stands decimated.
Ensuring Food Security for citizens is an important duty of this country’s Government. In fact, there should never be a death due to starvation. Therefore it is important for the Government to ensure –and even to enshrine in the constitution-that food security as a basic fundamental right of the peoples and a duty of the government. Our food security is so week, I wonder: “do we really need a three decade’s long ethnic war to ruin ourselves?” According to the World Food Program Sri Lanka, as recently as 2009, of the 323 DS divisions in Sri Lanka by June 2001, no less than 94-this is an astounding 30% of - DS divisions are classified as ‘Most Vulnerable in Food Security.’ Do I need say more?
Therefore, the Government has to allocate its resources with forecasts and projections for the next five years. These projections should be included in the National Development Plan of the National Planning Commission proposed herewith.
The said National Planning Commission has to oversee the allocation of required funds annually or on any other periodical basis to the nine Provincial Councils, as well as to the line ministries.
The National Planning Commission has also to device ways of obtaining funds for national development.
2. Set up a National Languages Department – as far as the Government is concerned, I like to question the real validity of an “Official Languages Department”. What is needed is a Department for National Languages which will also undertake measures to develop the usage of the two main languages and to adapt them as the country progresses.
Therefore, there should be two separate permanent commissions set up for the Languages such as –
(i) A permanent Commission for the Sinhala Language. This Commission has to be tasked with developing and preserving the Sinhala Language and also to identify how preservation of Sinhala culture and traditions could assist in preserving Sinhala language itself.
Find, develop and integrate new international words for the language so that new terms along with new developments such as IT & scientific words will be assimilated to the language to keep abreast with the current developments.
The permanent Commission should conduct an International Sinhala language Conference to propagate the language internationally at least meet once every two years (or so).
(ii) A permanent Commission for the Tamil Language.
Learned Commissioners: The constitution clearly specifies that Tamil is an official language of Sri Lanka. A 2006 policy level scientific study on Official Language Policy implementation in institutions of public administration, health and the judiciary in some selected geographical locations undertaken by Social Indicator (SI) of Colombo clearly showed that 77.5% of the surveyed Tamil speaking general public showing dissatisfaction with the lack of Tamil language skills of the public institution staff.
Does not this amount to, not only discrimination of the Tamils, but even of the Muslim community that heavily uses this language?
The survey also found that the capacity of the respective officials to handle administrative matters and assist the Tamil speaking public in the Tamil language was “greatly inadequate”.
Therefore, I suggest to appoint a Commission for the Tamil Language and it has to be tasked
with developing and preserving the Tamil Language and also to identify how preservation of Tamil culture and traditions could assist in preserving Tamil language itself.
Find, develop and integrate new international words for the language so that new terms along with new developments such as IT & scientific words will be assimilated to the language to keep abreast with the current developments.
The permanent Commission should conduct an International Tamil Language Conference to propagate the language internationally, at least meet once every two years (or so).
Find and develop new words for the language so that new terms along with new developments in Computers and scientific words have to be updated to keep abreast with the current developments. The permanent Commission has to hold once in every two years (or so) an International Tamil language Conference propagating the language internationally. To this end, the commission can request assistance from other international Tamil language and cultural centers including India.
(iii) Arrangement has to be made for another 9 universities –even private-at least one in each province to intake the growing student population for higher education.
Ministry in charge of higher education can grant permission for private sector organizations to set up such fully fledged universities one in each province.
The higher education Ministry has to provide the necessary guidelines for the private sector operators for starting such Universities.
3. National Integration and Forging a common identity: The Country received its independence in 1948. To date the country is divided mainly on language & religious lines.
Internationally the citizens of Sri Lanka are known as Sri Lankans – also, it is now widely understood that as of now, “Sri Lankan” has to be the common national identity that stresses the pluralistic nature of the country.
Also, administratively and politically within the country, as well. However, still citizens are called as Sinhala Buddhist, Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims. This anti-national situation of course, has to be brought to an end everyone has to be told firstly that they are Sri Lankan Nationals. Therefore there has to be a move to promote patriotism and National Unity and integration in a pluralistic way rather than emphasizing any particular ethnic group for the long term development of the country.
To this end, my suggestion again is setting up of a permanent National Integration Commission that would function under the Executive President who is directly elected by a public mandate, to promote unity in this country.
4. The National Flag:
I have observed that the National flag of Sri Lanka is not regarded in an acceptable manner that evokes patriotism and national feelings equally from all the citizens in this country. It is a controversial issue and since independence Tamils have rejected the national flag as “Fraud” flag.
Leaders of this country have to come with acceptable proposals and design a new flag. This is a must to bring about a national reconciliation in this country. If anybody thinks that this is an unwanted suggestion, then I believe that it will not be possible to unite the Tamils and bring them under a common national flag of the country.
In the meantime, as a temporarily measure, it has to be pointed out that national flags of the country are not flying in the government buildings.
Therefore, arrangements have to be made to hoist the national flag daily at a particular time in the government offices. I suggest at 8am, as the time to hoist the flag.
To this end, a siren has to go exactly at 8 am in the morning and the head of department has to hoist the national flag before commencing their day’s work.
Similarly, at 6pm in the evening, a siren must go and an appointed officer or the security guards in the building has to bring ceremoniously the flag down, fold and deposit it at the safest place.
Sri Lanka Security Forces in their headquarters, as well in their regional or divisional and in their other camps must do this exercise all seven days of the week.
Furthermore, the Army, Navy, Air force, and Police have to select locations where students and people could attend and witness these patriotic acts.
Locations should be selected in the capital city as well as in the provincial capitals.
Also all the three security forces as well as the Police jointly must have flag hoisting and flag folding ceremony in a location presumably considered ‘Lanka Gate.’
This daily event has to be considered a national ceremony lasting daily 30 minutes in the morning as well as in the evening and this ceremony has to be one of the tourist attractions.
5. Restructuring of the Armed Force:
The Sri Lankan Army which played a vital role in liberating the country under the courageous leadership of its Commander in Chief , Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa has to be reorganized to suit the modern and future needs of the country and the necessary laws and the legislations have to be in place.
This suggestion also applies to the Navy, Air force and the Police.
Our security forces have to be reorganized according to our own needs and requirements as we are in a post war period and have to be prepared to prevent recurrence of any ethnic conflict in future-
Accordingly, for the best protection of the country, the Sri Lanka Army has to be reorganized to recruit members of all the ethnic groups. There has to be at least a Tamil as well as Muslim regiment similar to the present ‘Sinha Regiment’ in the army.
These new regiments though should be trained to equally serve all Sri Lankans-not only the Tamil or the Muslim populace. This measure is important to safeguard the equality of the ethnic groups and to fill the dangerous gaps of mistrust that persists between the ethnic cleavages in this country.
As far as I am aware that there are 210,000 permanent Army personnel in the Sri Lankan Army plus 75,000 members in the Volunteer force.
Today any Sinhalese ethnic member can join the Army beginning as a private soldier or as a commissioned officer – as a second lieutenant.
But once someone completes three years as a Major General, that person has to leave the army as there is no legal way of retaining them beyond that period.
After the successful completion of the humanitarian operations to rid the terrorists out of the country and liberate the people from the scourge of terrorism, presently there are nearly 42 Major Generals in the Sri Lanka Army.
In the case of many who contributed to victory of the 2009 humanitarian campaign, their substantive post of Brigadiers have been confirmed and they are in addition given temporary appointments as Major Generals with the view to circumvent the Army regulations to hold them in their substantive position for the next three years and permanently promote them as Major Generals so that they may continue in the Army for an additional three years before retiring compulsorily.
Therefore, action has to be taken to amend the Army Act and the service regulations as appropriate to the present situation and to make the Sri Lankan Army to play a key role in serving the nation.
The Army re-structuring has to begin from the top – presently we have 42 Major Generals aspiring for the sole “Lieutenant General” position –presently three stars ‘General’ rank held by the Army Commander.
Therefore to make way for the Major Generals to serve better in their careers, action has to be taken to promote the current Army Commander to a Four Star General rank.
Government has last year promoted the ex-Chief of Defence Staff as a ‘Four Star General,’ but today this position remains vacant as the incumbent has been cashiered.
Therefore to begin with, the Army’s Chief of Staff who normally is the next in line for promotion as Army Commander has to be made the ‘Senior Lieutenant General.’ Also, the three star general position has to be considered for officers holding Army Administration and Core Security Forces Commands and for the Commander of the Volunteer Force.
At present there are 9 Core Commanders and they are all Major Generals. These nine Core Command regions may be brought into 3 zones and to these three zone commanders – Southern, Northern, Eastern - a new zone for Western Province can be added and for the rest of the country one more zone may be designated as the Central Zone, to be led by a three star Generals.
Once the reorganization structure is initiated from the top, then it would be easy to continue to those in the other levels.
A retired Army General has to be rewarded for his service as an Ambassador representing the country for three years and in case he request for an extension of his diplomatic services, a period of another one year extension may be considered.
When making the new Army lawn replacing the old Army Act, it has to be clearly provided that a person who held the position as an Army Commander, or, as well as other commissioned officers after retirement or after tendering their resignation shall not enter into active politics and contest in any elections, such as Presidential, Parliamentary, Provincial, or Local Government elections for a period of five years, to safeguard the national security secrets of the country.
The same process as of above has to be followed in the case of Navy and the Air Force and the Police, as well.
As far as the Police are concerned, the Department has to be restructured so that the Head of the Police will become the Director General of Police and will have two deputies called Directors of Police, and they will be in charge of Administration and Police Affairs.
Thereafter, a Commissioner of Police with equal status as Director of Police to run the Colombo City and the Western Provincial Administration and General Police Affairs. Leaving aside Western Province, there are 8 more Provincial Councils to come under the Inspector General of Police. And in the 25 Administrative Districts, Deputy IGPs to oversee District-wise Police Affairs.
6. Human Rights:
A national Human Rights Commission has to be set up under the serving judge –preferably the Supreme Courts Judge, with serving judges of appeal courts as Commissioners. There has to be provincial national human rights commission offices under a serving high Court judge.
The Commission should be empowered to send warrants against any alleged violators of human rights, arrest, try and sentenced anyone and the verdict delivered by a National Human Rights Commission can only be reviewed by the Supreme Court of the land. (Recommendations by K.T.Rajasingham concluded).
- Asian Tribune -
Comments
Some good constructive
Some good constructive suggestions by Mr. Rajasingham in this second segment of his presentation.
There was a time when there were Five-Year Plans, but all of that went by the board after the conflict took over the national mindset. It is time to revive some clear lines and goals with the forward thinking that is now essential as Sri Lanka takes off on its new track of nation building and economic development.
One way of getting the Parliament to address these matters constructively will be to have a Committee System as in the US where each MP will belong to a Committee(s) and will participate in discussing, recommending and overseeing the tracks that each sector of Government follows, and will serve to ascertain the implementation of the recommendations and will be part of the process.
More, these persons will then learn and become EDUCATED at least on those particular matters pertaining to each Committee (e.g., Education, Judicial, Health, etc.), and not simply sit in Parliament as observers or as persons who are there through having enjoyed the public's confidence via the ballot which they consider to have only authorized them to attend Parliament and vote with their respective Parties. This will nurture responsibility.
A National Planning Commission
Mr Rajasingham's suggestion for establishment of a national planning commission is well founded and timely. This body however should have some teeth and not become an ineffectual agency. It should also have at least a semblance of independence, and should be responsible for determining, if not, at least recommending, funding allocations for provincial administrations based on a formula that could be worked out by the political establishment comprising of the Executive, the national Parliament and provincial parliaments.