NPC also emphasises need for open skill development

Referring to the set of guidelines issued by the Mullaitivu District Secretariat to all non-governmental organisations working in the district asking them to focus on infrastructure development and not on soft skill training, the National Peace Council (NPC) said soft skill training was also essential.

Examples of soft skill training were women’s empowerment, child rights, youth training, human rights, land rights training and the formation and strengthening of self-help groups. The district secretariat has said action plans of organisations that contain “less than 70 per cent of physical infrastructure activities, such as construction of rural roads, wells and pre-schools, will not receive its approval”, which may be an indication of the district’s needs rather than a policy statement.  

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa reaffirmed the government’s commitment to basic democratic values and to the rights of all citizens by saying, “We will always ensure their right to think freely, hold independent opinions, and express themselves without any hindrance

We are aware that during the period of the war, the Mullaitivu District suffered great devastation. The National Peace Council (NPC) acknowledged that the District Secretariat’s commitment to economic and infrastructure development needs to be supported and it must ensure that this development is equitable and reach the widest possible population. However, not all NGOs are service delivery ones which engage in infrastructure development. Through their soft skills training, NGOs not only in Sri Lanka, but worldwide, seek to create awareness in the general population of their rights and responsibilities in relation to one another, the state and the larger community.  

In his Independence Day message, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa reaffirmed the government’s commitment to basic democratic values and to the rights of all citizens by saying, “We will always ensure their right to think freely, hold independent opinions, and express themselves without any hindrance. We will always respect the right of any citizen to follow the religion of his or her choice. Every citizen has the right of free association and of free assembly. We consider all these as rights of human beings that no one can challenge.”   

In Geneva, at the UN Human Rights Council session, Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena said, “The Government will also address other outstanding concerns and introduce institutional reforms where necessary, in a manner consistent with Sri Lanka’s commitments, including the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda (SDGs). We will implement policies rooted in the Government’s commitment to the people by advancing individual and collective rights and protections under the law, ensuring justice and reconciliation and addressing the concerns of vulnerable sections of society.”   

The NPC said the government is mindful of the ground realities as represented in the webpage of the Batticaloa District Secretariat in another former war zone that observes its, “foremost duty is ensuring harmonious relationship among the different communities in the District.” In this context, we affirm that soft skills programmes are also important and those organisations that wish to focus on them need to be provided with the space to do so unhindered in keeping with the president’s vision articulated in his Independence Day speech and the Foreign Minister statement in Geneva at the ongoing UNHRC session.