Kilonochchi may not be the Paris end of Sri Lanka, but it has come a long way since its days as the levelled terrorist capital of the Tamil Tigers just four years ago.
In the Kilinochchi district, malnutrition has been dramatically reduced, 99 schools have been reopened, 26,000ha of landmines have been cleared, 10,000 homes have been built and 40,000 displaced families have been resettled.
Road construction is everywhere; there is a new electricity substation and agricultural production is up fivefold. Across the country per capita incomes are up by more than 50 per cent or about $US1000 ($973). If the same transformation after a war had been achieved in Iraq or Afghanistan, they would be handing out Nobel prizes. Yet much of this achievement in Sri Lanka is going unacknowledged by the international community. Of course more needs to be done, the stalled reconciliation agenda needs to move forward, the military is still too involved in civilian matters, but the checkpoints are gone, the drawdown has commenced and soldiers are no longer on street corners with guns.
Elections in the northern province will be held in September. Of critical importance is the fact that when the Tamil National Alliance took me on a tour of resettlements and displaced persons camps in the north, those living there did not complain about physical security but the need for jobs, access to their lands and increased local control. These are fair grievances.
Of particular interest is the fact that 5700 Tamils who fled to India have returned to Sri Lanka. Of even greater significance was confirmation by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, the International Organisation for Migration and the TNA that these returnees have not been violated.
I am not suggesting people living in the north do not want or deserve greater liberty. But to suggest today's Sri Lanka is like Robert Mugabe's Zimbabwe is ridiculous, and impedes a country trying to get back on its feet. The greatest threat to life for Tamils is not in Sri Lanka but getting on boats to come to Australia. Furthermore, it is economic and lifestyle factors that are principally motivating Sri Lankans to come to Australia rather than go elsewhere.
