Contribution of LTTE to development negligible, Kelaniya University survey on the North reveals
View(s):While a majority of those interviewed, in a recently released, 1,085-respondent research study conducted in the five major Northern Province administrative districts, felt there was development, many felt it was mostly on infrastructure type projects. Lacking was development focused on generation of employment and income, and even the supply of water.
Elaborating further, the study noted; “The main area of development that they could see was transportation … that is the construction of roads and railway. The other areas were schools, electricity and housing. In almost all the districts improvement in educational facilities and government officers could be seen. Development activities, apart from the development in infrastructural activities, the generation of employment and income was very low in all the districts. Supply of water and construction of houses were not so satisfactory as they perceived”.
Additionally, it also opined; “The major problem was high cost of living as the supply of money and generation of employment was not satisfactory. Generation of employment was slow in almost all the districts as more than one out of four could feel so. However, it was comparatively low in Mullaitivu, Vavuniya and Mannar”.
Titled “Post-War Attitudes and Opinions of People on Development – Northern Province”, by a team headed by Prof. Rohana Luxman Piyadasa, Head of the Department of Mass Communication, at the University of Kelaniya, the study also commented on its own research methodology, stating; “Altogether 1,085 respondents were interviewed of whom 55 per cent were males and 45 per cent were females. Their mean age was around 38 years. The age structures of the respondents indicate that all the respondents who responded to the interviewers were matured adults, increasing the quality of data”.
“A random sample of 1,000 households was selected limiting the research to the five districts of Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mannar, Mullaitivu and Vavuniya in the Northern Province. 20 Tamil undergraduates from the Universities of Jaffna and Kelaniya were trained and employed as enumerators. A small structured and pre-coded questionnaire was administered to the randomly selected 1,000 households by these trained enumerators. The activity of the respondents indicate that it nearly represents a cross section of the population as it included employees from government as well as from the private sector. Nearly 8 per cent of them were unemployed, while others consisted of farmers, businesspersons, those in the fisheries, students and housewives,” added the study.
The study also reported; “During the pre-war situation housing, schooling and water were not much problems. During the war, the population was displaced and most of them were taken as human shields by the LTTE. All the displaced population was taken to refugee camps in secured areas. Schooling and employment were major problems they faced. Once they were replaced/re-located during the post-war situation though most essentials were provided, it takes time to provide other facilities. During the post-war period construction of roads had taken precedence over others. Along with housing, water and electricity had [been] provided. The respondents had noticed this development in almost all the districts”.
On the other hand, the study also commented; “A very large proportion of the people in the North, 74 per cent, felt the impact of the development. Nearly one out of four denied. It is reasonable, as it is impossible for development to reach 100 per cent of the population in remote areas of the North. In Vavuniya, the proportion denied was as high as 43 per cent. In all the other districts, more than three out of four persons said that they could feel the post-war development”.
At the same time, the study also signalled an increasing perception regarding lack of safety in the province, stating; “Though the level of freedom of movement, education, religion and speech was satisfactory, the level of improvements in security at night, security of females and crimes was not that satisfactory. Security at night was very low in Mannar, but security of females in Mannar was better than in other districts. In Kilinochchi and in Vavuniya the rate of crimes was high. Freedom of speech was low in Mannar. Although religious freedom was high in almost all the districts, the level was somewhat low in Jaffna. Madhu is an area where the Catholic population was high and Hindu population was low. According to the observations of enumerators,the Hindu population was not satisfied with the activities of the Catholic population, especially in the field of education. They said that there was discrimination in Catholic schools. They said ‘the ethnic war is over, but there will be a religious war’”.
Meanwhile,the survey commenting on perception in the North with regard to longstanding calls for a separate state, said “Generally, there is a belief that majority of Tamils in North want a separate state and want to live separately. This seemed to be a myth that the Tamil politicians propagated. Contrary to this a very large majority, over 90 per cent of the population in North was willing to live together. Only in Mannar the proportion dropped to 85 per cent… Again, they were asked, clearly, whether they want to live separately as a separate community. [Out] of the total respondents interviewed a very small percentage, 11 per cent, that is around one out of 10 persons, preferred to live separately. We have to understand this considering the background, that nearly three decades, LTTE had propagated the idea of separatism and the Sinhalese and the government were enemies of Tamils. A child born in 1960s was brought up in this type of atmosphere. Naturally, the younger generation looks at the Sinhalese, the Army and the government suspiciously. It can take several years to eliminate this feeling and the government must take steps to propagate friendliness and communal harmony”.
In terms of which organisations could be credited for most of the development activities ongoing, it emerged that a “large majority in the North, three out of four, were of the opinion that government and the Army were responsible for the development activities.According to the observations carried out by the enumerators, in some areas Army was very popular as they helped to construct their houses and provide security, while in some areas the Police was popular. The contribution of the LTTE to the development in the North was negligible according to the population in the North”. (JH)