Tamil Diaspora won’t Invest in Sri Lanka until Admin. Structure Set Up in N&E

Swaminathan says

by Zacki Jabbar, The Island, Colombo, August 27, 2010

The Tamil Diaspora would not make economic investments in Sri Lanka until a proper independent administrative structure was established in the North and East, UNP parliamentarian D. M. Swaminathan said yesterday.

D.M. Swaminathan

He told a news conference in Colombo that the Tamil Diaspora had been helping Sri Lankans on humanitarian grounds, but they would not finance mega economic projects under the present political system that prevailed in the North and East of the country.

"Terminology does not matter. You can call it Provincial Councils, Regional Councils or any other name, but it has to be a truly independent administrative structure, where the Tamils can govern their day-to-day affairs. As it is, you have to run to some big shot at the centre to even purchase a fan. Jaffna today is worse than what it was 40 years ago," he said.

The education of thousands of Tamil youth was in jeopardy and that too, had to be addressed as a matter of priority, Swaminathan said.

India he said, could help in many ways to alleviate the sufferings of Sri Lankan Tamils, whose plight had been discussed for around forty years. However, there had been no progress whatsoever, he said.

The government had claimed that the resettlement of the war displaced in Killinochchi and Mullaitivu was proceeding smoothly, with Indian and UN assistance, but statistics indicated that over 12,000 had yet to be given a roof over their heads, Swaminathan said.

"Can the resettled and displaced live on dry rations? A stipend of Rs. 5,000 has been promised, but of what use is such a small amount in comparison to the unbearably high cost of living," he asked.