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Facilitating North-East development

The mention of subjects such as community development, women and children, in a White Paper which is expected to be submitted by Sri Lanka to the upcoming mini donor consortium in Oslo, is a heartening reminder that the human dimension in development is not being forgotten. Human beings need to be brought back to the heart of the development process in Sri Lanka and it could be said with a degree of certainty that the failure to do this over the past years, contributed quite substantially towards the alienation of communities from the State.

So, while we welcome the prominent re-positioning of human development in the current efforts at materially rejuvenating the North-East, we would like to caution that every effort must be made at translating plans on paper into reality. For, there is no development without human development.

Rapid infrastructure development, the building of hospitals, schools, factories and even houses would come to naught, if important human needs go unmet. Among the latter are emotional stability, intellectual and moral growth, nourishment, skills development and employability. It would be relevant to point out here that "houses" are not synonymous with homes. The former is a mere material appendage whereas the latter is the seat of love, kindness and emotional security. The latter factors could only be fostered through peace and reconciliation.

It could now be seen that a difficult multi-dimensional mission awaits the whole of Sri Lanka. This is the reason why all parties to the conflict - resolution exercise need to remember that they would be only dangerously compromising the country's interests by attempting to jeopardise the peace process and by being led by narrow partisan interests.

It is our fervent hope that the month-end mini donor summit would provide an opportunity for a thoroughgoing assessment of Lanka's numerous development needs, on the part of the international community. Once these evaluations and studies are made, concrete moves need to be made towards providing us with the required development assistance.

While this should happen in double quick time, the Lankan State should be in a position to assure the development community that all forms of assistance would be put to their intended uses. We need to particularly guard against the occurrence of corruption and bureaucratic bungling in the disbursement and use of funds. For, such deficiencies and distortions are not impossible in a massive development effort.

It is vitally important that the joint, Government-LTTE committee overseeing the reconstruction and rehabilitation drive in the North-East takes cognizance of these needs. It needs to put in place a procedures of accountability among the personnel operating the rehabilitation drive, to ensure that every dollar which is siphoned to the rejuvenation process is well spent.

It must also be borne in mind that private sector investment should supplement the State's rehabilitation effort. The Government should not only spur local private sector enterprise in the affected areas but enlist foreign private sector participation in the process. The news is that already Australian and Maldivian investors are evincing an interest in Sri Lanka. This interest should be further developed. Ministries pertaining to Foreign Affairs, Tourism and Enterprise Development, need to coordinate efforts to attract the needed quantum of direct foreign investment.

Needless to say, all this needs to translate into material benefits, if the people are to enjoy the much spoken of peace dividend. This consideration leads to the realisation that the interests of the foreign investor community need to be balanced with those of the local people, if the conceived development drive is to prove meaningful for Sri Lanka.

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