COIMBATORE: Sri Lanka must be conscious of human rights issues in the country and the reconstruction of Sri Lanka will not be easy if they do not accept the conditions, said Armugum Parsuramen, a former education minister of Mauritius who was also a representative of UNESCO in India, Bhutan, Maldives and Sri Lanka. He was talking to the press after attending a function at the Camford International School in the city on Monday.

“The reconstruction of the country will not be easy if there is no situation of self-acceptance in the country. This is necessary to ensure peace,” he said. On the possible measures the UN would take against Sri Lanka if it did not pay heed to their demands, he said this would depend on the political equations. “The UN can take actions. But it is a fact that this will be dependent on the political maneuverings of the countries,” he said.

Armugum Parsuramen

Parasuramen said that as a representative of the UNESCO he was involved in some projects in Sri Lanka. “We were involved in the reconstruction of the Jaffna library. Though we did not face problems in our projects, we had to intervene in circumstances when the press faced problems,” he said.

On his opinion whether Vijay Nambiar, the then UN representative, took the situation seriously, he said if it was found that a UN staff erred in his duties, action would be initiated by the global agency. “This could have been an error in judgment. He may not have had the information on the issue. However, if it is found that there was a deliberate failure in his duty, the UN will take swift action,” he said.

Parasuramen said that India must invest more in the field of education. “India inherited a colonial system and had to face several problems associated with this. Even Gandhiji had to face several challenges in starting schools here,” he said.

Parasuramen said that he will be visiting some schools founded by Gandhiji in Bihar. He appreciated TOI’s efforts in the field of education. “The Times of India is an active supporter in several of UNESCO’s efforts. I wish we will have more such partnerships in the future,” he said.