A senior United Nations (UN) official who visited Sri Lanka last week said that the Government has indicated that it is more interested in the ideas the UN can give the country more than it’s financing. “What was conveyed to us is that Sri Lanka will benefit from our ideas, the money is not that [...]

Feeds Editorials Times Online

News

Lanka will benefit from the UN and vice versa – UNDP Regional Director

By Chandani Kirinde, Pic by Nilan Maligaspe
While a lot has been done here, a lot more remains to be done
View(s):

A senior United Nations (UN) official who visited Sri Lanka last week said that the Government has indicated that it is more interested in the ideas the UN can give the country more than it’s financing.

“What was conveyed to us is that Sri Lanka will benefit from our ideas, the money is not that critical and that it doesn’t look to the UN as a source of finance,” Ajay Chhibber, Assistant Secretary –General and Regional Director of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) who was on a three -day visit to Sri Lankan said. Excerpts from an exclusive interview with the Sunday Times:

What is the purpose of your visit to Sri Lanka?

The last time I was in Sri Lanka was in 2009. With the war over, as Sri Lanka seeks to normalise the situation and refocus on growth and development like other middle income countries, I wanted to see how this transition is taking place. I also witnessed the signing of the United Nations Development Assistance (UNDA) Framework for 2013-2017, which is another signal how the UN-Sri Lanka relationship is going to change in the coming period. In the past, this relationship was heavily dominated by the conflict in the North, the provision of humanitarian assistance and the efforts at peace, recovery, reconciliation and re-establishment of livelihoods. Now is the time to continue some of that as well, because, while a lot has been done, a lot remains to be done. Also, we want to refocus on how Sri Lanka can achieve its goal of reaching upper and middle income levels, in a way that is more inclusive and carries people with it.

 The UN also launched the National Human Development report during your stay. How do you see its findings?

This report looked at the whole question of disparities within society. We want Sri Lanka to have fast growth, but we also want to see a process by which those being left behind, either by region or as people, are included in the process. It’s a very interesting report. I thought that the biggest problem in terms of economic development would be in the North, but there are parts of Sri Lanka not affected by the conflict, that are also lagging.

I had the impression that Sri Lanka does best in the region, for example, in gender, but the report points out that there are certain issues that need more attention such as participation of women in the political process. Sri Lankan women have done well in terms of education and health indicators, but the labour force participation is not as high as it should be. Women are better educated, but they are not employed. So there is something in the labour market that needs to be looked at. I think it’s very interesting, because it starts a debate within the country. Also, while unemployment is declining, youth unemployment is rising, and that could be explosive.

What was your impression of postwar developments in Jaffna, on your visit there?

The UN has helped start livelihoods of people in the North. Lately, we have started a very innovative programme there under the palmyrah cooperative societies. Earlier, palmyrah was used to make toddy and its high consumption led to a lot of violence. But, under a Canadian-funded UNDP programme, this has been transformed into making jaggery and very high value medicinal products that will enhance the income of the members. We are also marketing them through local supermarkets. This programme has potential beyond Jaffna and beyond Sri Lanka’s shores.

My impression is that there has been progress in the north. The emphasis on infrastructure is good. Roads, housing, restoring livelihoods, de-mining are all happening, but a lot still remains to be done. The land issue is still complex, because some of the lands have been taken over by the Army and the defence establishment for security reasons, and it is still not known when that land will return to civilian ownership. It’s also complicated, because titling of land is not very clear, and we are trying to help with that. Access to justice is also an issue. There is, what seems to be, an increase in crime, but what I was told is that, it maybe because there is greater willingness among the people to report crime now, which is encouraging. It’s a sign that people are more confident. More of confidence-building has to happen. The Government is making an effort to work in three different languages, but people feel more could be done. After so many years of conflict, people remain suspicious. While a lot of effort is being made, there are some members of civil society who feel not enough is being done. So, in some way, in order to convince people, perhaps, more independent surveys need to be conducted. Let’s find out from people on the ground, what benefits they have got and what more needs to be done, rather than everyone deciding what’s good for them. There is strong appreciation from civil society of what the UN is doing, and also from the government side and people. It’s a complex process.

 The UN has spoken of giving assistance to strengthen the rule of law within the country. What form would such assistance take?

We are working with the Human Rights Commission to strengthen its work. I met with the Minister in charge of implementing the language policy. If people want access to justice in their own language, it is very difficult for them. We are working with them on very practical matters. What we are trying to do is reduce too much reliance on the part of the system and make transparent people’s rights and how they can access those rights. That is what the UN system is aiming as a whole, but particularly the UNDP, not only for the conflict areas, but all over the country.

That would entail working with many government agencies, wouldn’t it?

We will of course work with government agencies, but instead of just conducting training programmes, I advised my team that we should start, in terms of access to justice, some support to establish a capacity within the legal community, to prepare writs, take legal action etc. Sri Lanka has constitutional and other framework to access justice, it’s the physical capacity to do it that is going to be our focus of attention.

The UN, in Sri Lanka, had been criticised by the UNSG’s Panel of Experts and others, for not doing enough to protect civilians during the last days of the war. What is your reaction to this criticism?

The role of the UN on the ground is to be a source of information to people back at Headquarters, and do whatever it can on the ground to assist people. The issue of taking a position in some of these matters is more a job for the Human Rights Commission in Genève etc., and there has been such action. It is unfair to say the UN was not vocal enough. I think it has been fairly vocal, as far as I can remember, and it continues to be vocal. The issue is being debated in the UNHRC.

I don’t accept the criticism that the UN was not strong enough. The job of those on the ground is to get access to people and help them, and be aware of what is going on and report. I think the UN team there was able to do that. I don’t think anybody could feel there was not sufficient information available. It was always fighting for entry into areas it could not access, as its main aim was to provide as much humanitarian assistance as possible to the people.

Will UN engagement with Sri Lanka continue at the same level or be scaled down?

The UNDP is going to continue at the same level, but there are sections of the UN system that will go down, particularly those related to humanitarian assistance. That is also partly because, as Sri Lanka makes more economic progress, many donors feel that this country can handle many more things on its own, and it’s better to shift this money to poorer countries. What we heard from the Sri Lanka Government, when we signed the UNDA agreement, was that, while it is interested in some of our financing, it is more interested in our ideas on how we can help think through more inclusive development such as relationship between climate change, environment and growth, the remaining issues on gender issues, access to justice etc. What was conveyed to us is that, Sri Lanka will benefit from our ideas, the money is not that critical, and that it doesn’t look to the UN as a source of finance.

In the past, Sri Lanka was a provider of ideas, but for some years, got distracted with its own conflict. But increasingly, we see for the future, Sri Lanka reemerging as a leader in the region, in a range of issues from which others can learn. For example, Sri Lanka has achieved its Millennium Development goals. So, when the UN is thinking what should follow in post-2015, Sri Lanka as one that has already achieved these goals, is a good source of ideas. Increasingly, I see Sri Lanka as resuming its role in the region as a provider of ideas. So what you achieve for 20 million people will benefit billions of people in the region, because everybody will look to you as a role model, like the Sri Lanka we used to have in the past.

When you visited Sri Lankan in 2009, there was some hostility towards the UN from the Government, and in general? Do you feel things have changed since then in this regard?

There is a very big change. Times were very tough at that time, and everybody was very tense and people were more suspicious of one another. We don’t mean any harm to anybody, we are just sharing our views based on our experience around the world. The UN is here for the good of Sri Lanka. We are not here to lecture Sri Lanka.

It is a recognized member of the UN and we are here to help Sri Lanka, but we will be forthright on issues, when we feel it is the right thing to do. That does not mean we are anti-Sri Lanka. That is the relationship that is evolving now more and more. I feel that Sri Lanka now values this kind of relationship. It’s developing into a normal, healthy relationship. Sri Lanka will benefit from the UN and vice versa. This is the relationship we are developing.




Share This Post

DeliciousDiggGoogleStumbleuponRedditTechnoratiYahooBloggerMyspace
comments powered by Disqus

Advertising Rates

Please contact the advertising office on 011 - 2479521 for the advertising rates.