DHARSHAN WEERASEKERA
COLOMBO
Sri Lanka will be very much in the spotlight at the upcoming 49th session of the UN Human Rights Council starting in February 2022. Last year, the Council adopted resolution 46/1 which called on the Government to show tangible progress in accountability and reconciliation. The Government’s stated policy is that there are domestic mechanisms to address the concerns raised by the international community and they should be given the time to show results. However, the critics charge that the domestic mechanisms are one-sided and favours the Government without addressing the core issues of reconciliation.
Before one can pass judgment on an institution, one must know a little about it. Unfortunately, most Sri Lankans as well as foreigners do not even know how many domestic mechanisms there are, let alone what they do. In fact, there are six such mechanisms: The Office for National Unity and Reconciliation (ONUR), the Steering Committee on Sustainable Development Goals (SGD16); The Presidential Commission to inquire into the findings of the previous Commissions, The Office on Missing Persons, The Office of Reparations and The Human Rights Commission. In this article, on behalf of the Strategic Communications Unit at the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute, I spoke to Mr. Deepthi Lamahewa, Director General ONUR. The following are excerpts of the interview:
- What is the mandate of your institution and the background to its creation?
Office for National Unity and Reconciliation (ONUR) was established to help formulate the reconciliation policy framework of the country and ensure that all reconciliation related projects conducted by different institutions adhere to a single overall reconciliation policy. ONUR was established in 2015 by the previous government following a recommendation of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC).
- How do you define “reconciliation?” Do you have a criteria with which to measure “progress” in reconciliation?
Reconciliation is both a goal and a process. There are four key elements to a successful reconciliation: (i) an inclusive national dialogue; (ii) political will; (iii) security and freedom to speak and move; and (iv) a vision of the nation’s goals and aspirations as defined and articulated by its citizens.
To expand on this a bit further, reconciliation in Sri Lanka means transitioning from a past where Sri Lankans were often divided along ethnic, religious, linguistic and cultural lines to one where there is more mutual trust and harmony among these different groups and factions and they begin to develop a sense of a shared future in this country. The huge task that ONUR faces is to help formulate a National Action Plan to make this goal a reality.
- Can you briefly discuss comparative institutions in other countries?
ONUR continues to learn from the experience of other countries. For instance, we have looked at: a) Algeria, The Ad Hoc Inquiry Commission in Charge of Disappearances. Established in 2003, the Commission investigates human rights violations that occurred in the 1990s, b) Bangladesh, War Crimes Fact Finding Committee, set up to investigate the Human rights abuses carried out during the Bangladesh Liberation War, c) Nepal: Truth and Reconciliation Commission (1991) and also the new Commission to investigate disappearances (CIDP) formed in February 2015, c) New Zealand, Waitangi Tribunal. Established in 1975, the Tribunal makes recommendations on claims brought by Maoris relating to legislation, policy, actions or inactions by the Crown in breach of the 1840 Treaty of Waitangi. There are many others.
- What activities has the ONUR done so far?
ONUR is pursuing a number of programs:
- School and University Education: mainstreaming unity and reconciliation in the education system; in 2022 we expect to establish 20 Tri Lingual Schools and 17 Reconciliation Centers at all State Universities. Since access to education is a key to reconciliation, one of the initiatives that we have launched is to try and alleviate some of the disparities in access to education. For instance, under this program last year we built a three-storied building for a school in Kilinochchi. The building has classrooms equipped with the latest computers and other facilities. Some of this equipment is rarely found even in Colombo schools.
- Arts and Culture: multi-religious events in schools, tele-dramas, art, theater, music and festivals island-wide. Under this program, last year we initiated a program to bring together children from schools in different parts of the country to celebrate religious festivals together. For instance, on one occasion we had school-children from Weligama in the South travel to Jaffna and participate in singing carols with children in Jaffna. There are many other such initiatives we are pursuing.
- Conflict Transformation: ComprehensiveInterfaith & intercultural dialogues.
As part of this initiative, we are training “national integration officers” to be placed in each Division Secretariat. So far we have trained over 500 such officers.
- Comprehensive District Development Plans: Under this, we are gathering data on disparities between different groups of people in each district so that we can address these problems through a comprehensive development program.
- Securing Citizens’ Language Rights: under this, we are conducting language learning programs for youth and government officials in the various districts. So far we have offered programs in Sinhala and Tamil but in the near future also expect to offer English programs as well.
- Psycho-social Support: this is a program designed to address the psychological trauma and mental scars that persons may have sustained during the conflict years. Under this program we are training counselors who can be deployed at the grassroots level.
- Women for Reconciliation: Under this, we provide funding to selected candidates to develop various means of livelihood. So far, we have provided funds for poultry farms, chilli cultivation and so on.
- Support Livelihood initiatives: This is an extension of the program referred to above.
- Crosscutting Areas: Under this, ONUR has undertaken a consultative process with the many different parties and stakeholders involved or conserved with the reconciliation process, for instance, the government agents and divisional secretaries, grassroots organizations, development partners and donor organizations including the UN organs and also the local political parties. We are trying to avoid the mistakes of the past when consultative processes were undertaken.
- What do you see as the main problem or problems to reconciliation in this country and what are some of the ways that ONUR is addressing these problems?
After ending the armed conflict 22 year ago, ethnic harmony is still not fully achieved because of the lack of a holistic approach to solve some of the root causes of the conflict. So, the challenge for ONUR is to devise such a holistic approach and also identify the root causes of the conflict. ONUR has identified following areas to be addressed with immediate effect.
- Building a common understanding amongst the actors within the government regarding post conflict reconciliation,
- Creating meaningful dialogue among the relevant government officials, development partners, civil society organizations and members of the international community in regard to the concrete deliverables in regard to reconciliation in this country.
- Creating a consensus among the different stakeholders to ensure that there are no contradiction among the key policy makers in the reconciliation process and
- Fostering a continuous public dialogue on national security and restoration of normalcy in the post-conflict landscape in Sri Lanka.
- Gaining international credibility for the domestic mechanisms is one of the greatest challenges faced by the government. How do you address this in regard to the ONUR?
It is essential that our domestic mechanisms gain the trust of the international community. So, the question to start with is, how do foreign governments receive the information on which they eventually form their impressions about our domestic mechanisms? They do this primarily through two sources: the local embassies and also the civil society organizations that receive funding from them. ONUR is actively engaging with both these sources. We have begun an ongoing process to acquaint the embassies and the civil society organizations with what we are doing. So far, we have got very good feedback from them. This is an evolving process and we hope to improve it in the weeks and months ahead. (The writer is an Attorney-at-Law and also consultant to the Strategic Communications Unit (Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute)
