SAARC! What does it mean to those in Kompañaveediya? Life in the “Slave” Island they would say. No permanent housing for decades, but permanently in slums for many decades and taken for granted till the arrival of the 15th SAARC Summit that should have actually gone to Maldives Islands and left them alone, they think for sure. “Suddenly”, they say they were termed illegal squatters on railway reservations and thrown out. The Colombo Municipal Council says they were issued with quit notices a year ago and was provided with transit homes in Colombo 15, Mattakkuliya till permanent shelter was provided. The Defense Ministry wanted the slums removed immediately for security reasons and the Urban Development Authority with the Police went about demolishing them. It was mayhem in and around Glennie Street on Thursday morning in which the Daily Mirror journalist and photographer got caught and some UDA goons are accused of assaulting the two.   

SAARC isn’t that alone for them and those who would have to come and go each day to Colombo. The Supreme Court halted the demolishing of Slave Island slums and served notice on the Police. But then the security of SAARC is more worth than those slums, without question. So the people were removed by the government to Mattakkuliya on Friday and left in transit homes that turned out be small, single square wooden packs, even after one year, going by the CMC notice that was said to have been served on them. They probably would have to wait for their permanent shelter that would come some day with sanitary facilities and pipe borne water. Not just yet, anyway.

The rest who come to that part of Colombo declared a HSZ every day will have to under go thorough body and vehicle checks for 06 days from 25th July according to the Police Media Spokesman and the Education Ministry wants 34 schools to be closed till August 05th. Private banks, companies and shops in the Fort and Pettah areas are contemplating closing down their establishments. “True, we can come after all the body searches and vehicle searches as we work and own the place. But what use in keeping this open, if the public wouldn’t come?” asked a tea kiosk owner, when Azadek walked in for a cuppa tea from one in front of the Fort Railway Station. “Oh, the pavement hawkers? Well, they can afford to take leave. Who would punish them for not coming?”, he added. “Then private buses?” asked Azadek. “May not come. People can get in at checkpoints, can’t they? Checks will take a long time and there will be enough buses to choose”. Well, if trains also don’t come to Fort, it’s good for security, thought Azadek. But will all those 400 odd SAARC visitors be holed up in Fort – Pettah area during their stay here?  

Who knows? All arrangements cannot be divulged in public for security reasons. Nevertheless, there are 04 HSZ declared said the Police Media Spokesman on Wednesday. All SAARC visitors would definitely land in Katunayake and around that would be one HSZ. The Summit would be held at the BMICH and that area would be another and the other would be the parliamentary complex within the Diyawanna Wild Life Sanctuary. No poaching is allowed in there and every one would be safe in the parliamentary complex, no doubt.  

There was also this talk of Indians asking for the Colombo city for them to organize their own security for their Prime Minister. The JVP was accusing the government of giving into India and the government said they wouldn’t. But any Head of Sate could bring his or her own personal security said the President while in Thripura and Dr. Man Mohan Singh may bring over 1,500 Indian soldiers to take responsibility for his person, while in Colombo, said a media report. The Afghan President Karzhai is also billed to have extremely high security while in Colombo. Pakistan President Musharaf will not be outdone in any way, with all the suicide attacks in Islamabad and Karachchi.  

The whole fuss is about terrorism and President Rajapaksa is said to be waiting for all Heads of States to assemble to tell them that SAARC needs a Common Fund to fight terrorism in the region. There would have to be exchange of intelligence information in any case and perhaps Gota could help with the project, while the other bro could represent the President as an advisor to see that all’s well.  

All such huge issues and over 200 foreign journalists covering the Summit, the people should have to bear the brunt of it said the Opposition, at a terrific cost in time to come. Not so said the Media Minister Anura P Yapa, who told a media briefing on Thursday, “A little bit of inconvenience may be caused to the people, but it will be limited only to two days,” Probably he didn’t know the Police Media spokesman had said it was 06 days, the schools will be closed for 10 days and the Foreign Minister is going to ask for more funds through a supplementary budget, with 3.2 billion rupees already allocated, not being sufficient.

So it was all SAARC during the week, although duty free items that could be bought at the BIA had been limited for those expats and migrant workers coming into SL after long stays. That would do for now thinks Azadek. What more in a country that’s waiting for the patriotic security bosses to finish off terrorism in conveniently extended time schedules? Oh, pray to God, Azadek will not have to write about all these stupid things next time too.  

Kusal Perera