Pictures of a paradise in pain

In the 53 years since our in dependence, most books and learned articles on Sri Lanka have been written in the latter half.

By and large, the articles and books written in the first years were academic treatises, often the doctoral dissertations of Sri Lankan university teachers or historians such as Dr. Colvin R. de Silva whose unwilling stay as the guest of His Majesty the King of England during the last World War gave him the time to dwell on the country's colonial history.

Retired British civil servants and plantation periya dorais also contributed to the growing cornucopia of literature, putting down their recollections of Ceylon in the tranquil surroundings of an English countryside.

If writings on Ceylon proliferated from the early 1970s it was not only because the then government had begun to play a more prominent role on the world stage but also because a complacent world was awakened by the 1971 insurgency by a rag-tag band of youth who claimed to be even more radical than the leftists in power.

That was a turning point in the country's history. Shaken by the 1971 JVP uprising, the United Front government rushed through legislation, including land reform, a ceiling on house ownership and the 1972 Republican constitution, which codified Sinhala as the official language of the country and Buddhism as the predominant religion.

If all these socialist and nationalist measures were intended to contain, if not satisfy, a restless section of the population, it angered another section, a racial minority, strengthening its perception of discrimination.

It is historically significant that it was after the 1972 constitution under which the government of Sirima Bandaranaike extended the life of Parliament for five years from that date, that Velupillai Prabhakaran shot into political prominence.

In 1974 the Tamil New Tigers emerged under Prabhakaran which was renamed the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in May 1976.

The armed struggle which started with the Sinhala JVP and has continued in a much more virulent, organised, militaristic form under the LTTE, accounts largely for the increased writing-academic and journalistic - on Sri Lanka.

Moreover, the Tamil struggle for an independent state had an external dimension which the JVP movement did not.

That dimension was India and regional security. India's involvement in the Sri Lanka conflict began when it aided and abetted several Tamil militant movements ranged against Colombo. Secondly it became an enforcer of peace, and thirdly a direct participant in armed conflict with the Tamil Tigers.

Indian academics, journalists and even the military wrote profusely on Sri Lanka.

Western writing has been less prolific. Although journalists parachuting into Sri Lanka have written extensively on the conflict much of it has been superficial, peremptory and even patronising.

Unfortunately many journalistic assessments have been based on a three or four day visit to the country which foreign editors in London or New York think is sufficient time to turn a novice into an expert as Marie Colvin and Rupert Murdoch's The Sunday Times showed last April.

That is why I found Fractured Paradise by photo-journalist Paul Harris so refreshing. The book, due to be released in Colombo in August, is called "Images of Sri Lanka" and that is precisely what it is. The fundamental difference is that unlike most other foreign journalists who have turned or churned out material on Sri Lanka after a fleeting visit, his images have been gathered over a long period.

As the title Fractured Paradise suggests it is a book whose theme is the wounds of war suffered by the people of a country that has enchanted visitors from Marco Polo to Mark Twain.

Harris' introduction to Sri Lanka was shocking and terrifying. He might well have been caught up in the Central Bank bomb blast on January 31, 1996, being only a few hundred yards down the road.

Harris' pictures of that wanton destruction capture the story in all its vividness- the burning buildings, blood splattered and shocked victims, the search for survivors and the seemingly futile attempts to douse the fires.

While Harris does write about his days at the inimitable Galle Face Hotel, his encounter with Arthur Clarke, Prince Charles's visit to Colombo and the nostalgic remnants of empire, his real concern is elsewhere which he tells in pictures more than words.

He takes no sides in this political conflict. His sympathies are with the people everywhere caught up in a conflict that nobody really seems to want but which nobody wants to stop.

Trapped in that web of bloody-mindedness are the ordinary people-confused, weary, angry and trying to eke out a living because they have nowhere else to go even if they wanted to.

Paul Harris' concerns, his sympathies and dislikes are conveyed through the myriad images that his pictures evoke. It is good photography; but there is no joy in them. It reflects the mood of the writer-photographer as he views a paradise in pain.

Fighting fair

By Hiranthi Fernando

Faced with the pros- pect of a continuing conflict, the Sri Lanka Army has launched a major drive to instill in its fighting men an appreciation of human rights and fair conduct.

At a ceremony last month, sixty of the most senior non-commissioned officers (SNCOs) of the Sri Lanka Army solemnly pledged to abide by the rules of International Humanitarian Law in situations of armed conflict. This oath was taken at the conclusion of a ten-day residential course on International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and Human Rights conducted at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute (SLFI).

Major Gen. Lohan Goonewardena, Deputy Chief of Staff of the SL Army, said the pledge to observe the Rules of War taken by the NCOs last month would be introduced to the entire rank and file within two months. Every soldier and officer will take the oath before his commanding officer and a signed copy of the oath will go into his personal file. Recruits at the Army training schools will also have to take the oath before passing out.

The pledge is intended to instill in soldiers and officers an awareness of the rules of war and a sense of responsibility in their actions. The Army is striving to ensure that every single soldier will respect the rights, safety and fair treatment of others, be they combatants or civilians, and always observe the international rules of combat.

The course on human rights for Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs) was organized by the Directorate of Humanitarian Law of the SL Army, in association with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the University of Colombo and the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute (SLFI).

"To date, we have conducted courses mainly on humanitarian law," said Brig. A.S. de Alwis, Director of Humanitarian Law of the SL Army. "In this course, we introduced human rights as well." Brig. Alwis explained that humanitarian law is relevant to actions during arrest and detention of suspects and behaviour towards civilians in conflict areas while the human rights component focused on relevant Acts in the Constitution, such as those against torture, gender discrimination etc.

The HR programme was organized by the Centre for Study of Human Rights of the University of Colombo. Its Director Prof. Ravindra Fernando said the course emphasised how human rights could be violated and what steps should be taken to protect innocent civilians who are not part of the conflict.

Most participants are deployed in operational areas, explained Lt. Nirmali Kekulugoda, of the Army Directorate of Human Rights, who followed a course on IHL last year. "Through them it is aimed to create awareness among other soldiers in their units. Those who do exceptionally well at the course will serve as instructors."

The first part of the course, held from June 11 to 22, covered International Humanitarian Law, dealing with the law of armed conflict, conduct of operations, command responsibility, rules of engagement, behaviour in action and techniques of instruction. The second part dealt with the broader context of human rights.

"This is an area that is being emphasised in anticipation of an end to the conflict," says Major M. Fernando of the Directorate of Humanitarian Law. "The Army will have a role to play in establishing peace and harmony even after the fighting stops.

Environmental problems, biological and cultural issues, the plight of women and children in the forward areas, the role of NGOs and the ideals of human rights in a society are among the topics for this sector."

"We have had lectures by the ICRC before but we did not fully comprehend what they were trying to tell us," commented Sgt. Major Karunatilleke, who was deployed in Vavuniya. "However, during this course we gained a good awareness and understanding of their message.

"To a large extent, we work according to humanitarian laws but faults have occurred. We now have a complete understanding of how prisoners and civilians should be treated in a war situation which we can pass on to those who work with us."

Sgt. Major Karunatilleke was awarded a certificate as an instructor.

Sgt. Major Ajit Subasinghe of the Armoured Corps at Vavuniya said the subject had been new to him. "I did not know how it would be useful to us," he said.

"We learned that however hard we fight, we can still observe humanitarian laws. It will not affect our aims in the war, which is to destroy the enemy, but it will prevent unnecessary acts of violence or terror."

Rules of war

To be adhered to by all officers and soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army

*In situations of armed conflict, I will abide by the rules of International Humanitarian Law as contained in the Geneva Convention.

*I will fight only enemy combatants and attack only military objectives.

*I will employ methods of attack to achieve the military objectives with the least amount of harm to civilian life and property.

*I will not attack or harm enemy personnel who surrender. I will disarm them and treat them as prisoners of war.

*I will not alter weapons or ammunition for the deliberate purpose of increasing suffering.

I will collect and care for the wounded, shipwrecked and sick, whether friend or foe.

*I will treat all civilians humanely.

*I will not tolerate or engage in rape or looting.

*I will respect all cultural objects and places of worship.

*I will respect all persons and objects bearing the Red Cross, Red Crescent and other recognized symbols of humanitarian agencies.

*I understand that disobeying these rules is a crime. It dishonours military personnel and their country, and makes them liable to punishment as war criminals. I will therefore report any violations of the rules to my superiors.

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