Sri Lanka celebrated the fourth anniversary of the victory in the humanitarian operation with the Victory Day parade at Galle Face - in the capital of Colombo, this morning under the patronage of the President, Mahinda Rajapaksa. The massive Humanitarian Victory Day parade with the participation of the troops who actively took part during the final stages of the war against the rebels, took place following the president's speech. There was also a two-minute silence in memory of 24,000 security force personnel who died during the conflict, which ended in 2009.Addressing the event, President Rajapaksa said, "We will not allow a single inch of the land that you won by the sacrifice of your life to be taken away. There will be no room for separation".

Full text of the speech :

  

Sri Lanka's Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva Ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha has said, strong political will is needed to finalize the process of considering, revising, and ultimately endorsing the draft Right to Development criteria and operational sub-criteria, towards the elaboration of a coherent set of standards on this intrinsic right. Addressing the 14^th session of the U.N Open-ended Intergovernmental working group on the Right to Development at the UN in Geneva on 13 May 2013, he said with the world struggling through multiple crises, a renewed international commitment toward sustainable development at RIO+20, and the post-2015 development agenda upon us, the effective implementation of the right to development is required now, more than ever before.   

Full text of the Statement

Our experience demonstrates the vital role of local traditions and culture in moulding the practices of local government institutions. It also highlights the unique significance of the part played by these institutions in sustaining and strengthening the democratic way of life. This is especially so, because democratic governance impacts most directly on the people through these institutions which bring government literally to their doorstep, President Mahinda Rajapaksa said.   

"My vision of a new Sri Lanka is to interface development between cities and villages. We must bring the facilities of the city to the village, and the value system and environment of the village, to the city. This will ensure a livelihood of quality for all Sri Lankans. Sri Lanka’s local government system has been the main implementation body, giving effect to this process," President Rajapaksa said delivering the keynote address at the Commonwealth Local Government Conference in Kampala yesterday (14).

We in Sri Lanka are proud of our long history and the concept of local government has existed in Sri Lanka from ancient times, the President said adding that a system of village councils or Gam Sabhas had been in operation in the country prior to the colonial era.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni opened the new Sri Lankan High Commission in Kampala, Uganda yesterday (13).   

The new Sri Lankan High Commission in Uganda is the 62nd Sri Lankan diplomatic mission abroad and the 6th in the African continent. The last three were opened during President Rajapaksa’s tenure.

Both Presidents were received at the opening ceremony by the non-resident High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to Uganda Mr. T. Raveenthiran and Honorary Consul of Sri Lanka in Uganda Mr. V. Kananathan.

Minister of External Affairs, Prof. G. L. Peiris and Ugandan Foreign Minister Sam K. Kutesa spoke to the mainly Sri Lankan audience who had gathered for the occasion.

President Rajapaksa also launched the Sri Lankan funded project to upgrade the Masulita Vocational Training Center yesterday afternoon. In an agreement signed during President Musevni’s visit last year, Sri Lanka consented to provide $1.5 million to improve this facility.

Intervention made by the Ambassador P.M. Amza, Head of Mission to the European Union, at the Screening of the “No Fire Zone: The Killing Fields of Sri Lanka” at the Premises of the European Parliament on 14 May 2013.

The Government of Sri Lanka strongly protests the use of the premises of the European Parliament for screening of this film today. My presence here is to reject the contents of this film and to make a brief statement. I would like to stress that my presence is in no way meant to give credence to either the event or the documentary.

Participating in the High Level Segment of the ordinary and simultaneous extraordinary meetings of the Conferences of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions held on 9 - 10 May 2013 in Geneva, Minister of Environment and Renewable Energy Minister Susil Premajayantha has emphasized the necessity for international cooperation involving both developed and developing nations, to address the problems related to the management of man-made harmful chemicals in the environment. He also elaborated on the future activities planned in Sri Lanka to comply with the three conventions.

Full Statement of Hon. Minister and Media Release :

Mrs Beverly Antille, who was the winner of the second prize at the United Nations Womens’ Guild Bazaar (UNWG) in Geneva, which included 2 return air tickets to Sri Lanka and a 6 day stay at the luxurious Siddhalepa ayurveda spa, left Switzerland for the island this week.

Pictured here at the presentation ceremony, Mrs Antille is seen with Mr. Guy Ludwig, Manager Sales, Etihad Airways, Mr Ruvan de Alwis of the United Nations, Ms Kajori Masse Bassu, President of the UNWG, Ms. Ajkuna Thanati, President of the lottery and Ms. Laila Hilal, President of the Bazaar 2013.

Sri Lanka's Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva Ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha, has called for "a balanced approach" in addressing the objectives of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). Noting that "Sri Lanka remains fully committed to the nuclear non-proliferation commitments of the NPT and have steadfastly and consistently supported the global initiatives on non-proliferation", Ambassador Aryasinha noted that "nuclear non-proliferation however remains one of three pillars of the NPT, which requires equal attention along with the other two - promotion of safe and secure use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, and nuclear disarmament". He said "such an approach which includes the implementation of the 13 practical steps agreed on to meet the disarmament commitments during the 2000 Review Conference to advance progressively towards the total elimination of nuclear weapons, is a necessary step on the road map to achieving the ultimate goal of a world free of nuclear weapons."

Ambassador Aryasinha made these observations when he addressed the Second Session of the Preparatory Committee for the 2015 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) on its opening day on Monday 22 April 2013.

Full text of Statement…

Sri Lanka's Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva Ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha addressing a Briefing on Migration and Health held at the International Organization on Migration (IOM) on 19^th April 2013 has said the Government has readily recognized that migrants and their families left behind in Sri Lanka are vulnerable to migration related health challenges. Joint initiatives between the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE), the Ministry of Health and IOM, have been established  to ensure that the health-abuse of migrants is effectively addressed. Following a series of public consultations the draft 'Migration Health Policy for Sri Lanka' is to be formalized through its submission to the Cabinet of Ministers for final approval. 

Full text of statement :

Contact and interaction between Sri Lanka and India has continued since time immemorial.  Civilisational ties and cultural links between all parts of India and Sri Lanka have been substantial.  Since Independence, both nations have followed an unbroken tradition of democracy.  The Governments of India and Sri Lanka have worked closely to combat terrorism and extremism, safeguarding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka and the right of all Sri Lankans to live in peace with dignity and justice.

For nearly 30 years, Sri Lanka suffered as a result of the violent campaign conducted by the LTTE whose objective was to create a mono-ethnic, mono-linguistic separate State in Sri Lanka. Since the comprehensive defeat of the LTTE, Sri Lankans of all communities enjoy peace and tranquillity throughout the Island.  Following the conclusion of the conflict, the Government appointed the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) with a view to providing equity and justice for all Sri Lankans, in particular for those living in the Northern and Eastern Provinces. Its comprehensive set of recommendations is now being implemented, step by step, in a structured and methodical manner.

In this context, it is regrettable that sections of Tamil communities living abroad have resorted to sustained protests and calls for unfriendly measures against Sri Lanka, ostensibly to obtain political rights for Tamils in Sri Lanka.  These groups and parties have recommended solutions and demands that have no relevance to the ground realities in Sri Lanka but can militate against the efforts taken by the Government of Sri Lanka to provide justice and to arrive at arrangements for reconciliation.

The Resolution before the Council today is premised upon Resolution 19/2 of 2012 which was not recognized by Sri Lanka.

Despite our dissociation with that initiative, I must point out the salient features of that Resolution which called for Sri Lanka to implement the recommendations of its domestic mechanism, the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) and to formulate an action plan for implementation. Since its adoption, Sri Lanka has shown clear progress towards comprehensive reconciliation including by the preparation and implementation of the action plan called for by the Resolution.

We wish to express our strongest reservations as to the content of the report on Sri Lanka as well as the procedure followed in formulating this document which bears numberA/HRC/22/38. This report purports to be pursuant to Resolution L. 19/2 which we have rejected. We also question how a technical mission, after a visit of just over a week, could have produced such a document purporting to be a comprehensive report pursuant to L.19/2.

We have already placed on record the numerous inaccuracies and misconceptions which mark the report in an Addendum numbered A/HRC/22/38/Add.1. 

Full text of Media Release

In letters addressed to Foreign Ministers of Human Rights Council (HRC) member countries, External Affairs Minister G.L.Peiris has said, “the Government of Sri Lanka believes that drawing disproportionate attention to Sri Lanka’s situation and introducing a resolution that seek to discredit, single out the country and name and shame are unhelpful and counter productive to Sri Lanka’s current reconciliation process. The beneficiaries of such action would be none other than the divisive forces that seek to destabilize the hard won peace in the country. Moreover, the precedent created by intrusive, biased and politicized actions such as the US sponsored resolution on Sri Lanka would pose a danger for all nations”.

In his letter Minister Peiris added, “just as the Government of Sri Lanka did not recognize the last HRC resolution, it rejects the new resolution. Sri Lanka intends to request a vote when the draft resolution is taken up at the Human Rights Council on 21^st March 2013. Sri Lanka seeks the understanding and the support of HRC member states at the vote on this resolution.”

Sri Lanka made this statement under the agenda item 07 of the General Debate, on 18 March 2013.

Full text of the Statement

Sri Lanka today insisted that the impeachment of Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake was constitutional. Addressing the on-going session of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva, the Sri Lankan delegation at the session said that as a founding member of the Commonwealth, Sri Lanka is firmly committed to the values and principles of the organisation. “Due process and constitutional requirements have been followed in relation to the impeachment of the former Chief Justice,” the Sri Lankan delegation said at the 22nd session of the Council today. The comments were made by the Sri Lankan delegation as a right to reply to views expressed by Canada, Sweden and Slovakia.

Sri Lanka made an intervention at the Interactive Dialogue with the Independent Expert on Minorities held today, 12^th March 2013. The Statement was delivered by Ms. Priyanga Wickremasinghe, Counsellor of the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka.

Full text of the Statement