A9 closure – a way to win the hearts and minds of Jaffna people
The closure of the A9 highway, the issue discussed at the latest Geneva talks, the topic of an appeal from the Bishop of Jaffna to President Rajapake, and a topic of urgent reports by UN agencies and the ICRC among several others, has created shortage of food and medicine causing a humanitarian crisis.
Exploiting the shortage, retailers have hiked up the prices of food items beyond the means of 60% of the population. The term, starvation, is often used to describe the plight of daily wage earners whose earning opportunities are also lost in the depressed economy caused by the A9 closure. The Sri Lankan government in order to appease the international concern sends some food by ship. Even according to the Government Agent, what is sent by ship is starkly inadequate. GoSL has also air freighted some food items, a gesture that may impress those who cannot see the motive behind it. Most of what is sent by air are handed to the Sri Lankan military in Jaffna. The Sri Lankan military has opened retail outlets near its checkpoints and are selling these items at a price that is lower than the hiked up prices in the regular shops. Naturally the desperate people will go to these military shops to buy items and even feel some gratitude towards the military. It is a sure way to win the hearts and minds of the Jaffna people.
06 November 2006
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Europe which has a total population of 800 million is made up of 45 language based nation states. South Asia which has a total population of one billion, (1000 million) is comprised of four states. Who is preventing and therefore benefiting by limiting new nation-states in South Asia?
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