SRI LANKA  

The coasts less travelled 

Until recently, the north and east parts of Sri Lanka were off-limits to tourists, and under the occupation of the Tamil Tigers. Going anywhere vaguely remote, other than the most popular spots, was ill-advised and meant tedious journeys bogged down by military checks. 

But now the country is Tiger-free, and for the first time in a long time travellers are being encouraged to return. 

As a consequence, the north and east coasts are undeveloped, their natural beauty unspoiled. You can find yourself the only tourist in the traditional villages, and the only person on some of the country's most beautiful beaches. Indeed, those beaches on the east coast have fine sand and calm, clear waters, unlike the surf destinations on the west.

Even as the world focussed on what the LLRC (Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission) would produce after months of hearings, President Mahinda Rajapaksa set up a ‘National Reconciliation Unit’ to facilitate the work of his Adviser on Reconciliation. All these in addition to the natural processes of reconciliation that the end of conflict engenders, boosted of course by concrete policies to put in place necessary infrastructure, resettle the displaced, clear landmines and reinvigorate economic activity, not to mention the rehabilitation and reintegration of thousands of ex-combatants – a practice unheard of in many parts of the world when it comes to people affiliated with terrorist organisations. The Advisor’s terms of reference included monitoring and reporting to the President on progress with regard to the Interim Recommendations of the LLRC, and promoting appropriate activities for this purpose through the relevant Ministries.

The US State Department was unfair in the observations made about the government's response to the report of Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) said President Mahinda Rajapaksa addressing editors at Temple Trees this morning.

President Rajapaksa said that on the matter of accountability a clear statement on how the government intends acting on LLRC recommendations was made by the Leader of the House when the report was tabled in Parliament.

The Report of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission in Sri Lanka was tabled in Parliament today, 16 December 2011, by the Leader of the House Hon Nimal Siripala de Silva.

The eight-member Commission, which was appointed by His Excellency the President Mahinda Rajapaksa on 15 May 2010 held its first sitting on August 11, 2010, which was followed by regular public hearings in Colombo and in the former conflict affected areas. This included field visits to meet people directly affected by the conflict. It received over 1,000 oral submissions and over 5,000 written submissions.

The statement made by the Leader of the House Hon Nimal Siripala de Silva in Parliament, setting out the government’s initial response to the major recommendations contained in the Report is annexed hereto.

http://www.priu.gov.lk/news_update/Current_Affairs/ca201112/FINAL%20LLRC%20REPORT.pdf

The Government of Sri Lanka with the support of IOM will launch a web-portal on "Migration, Health and Development" on Monday 19th December at the Ministry of Health auditorium in Colombo.  

The website will act as an information hub for the public, policy makers, researchers and industry groups to better understand the health, social and economic impacts migration has on migrant flows, outbound labour migration, internal migration, inbound migration and the impacts on families and children left behind.  

The web-portal will also contain technical fact sheets on the key findings of five research studies on migration health commissioned by the Inter-Ministerial Taskforce on Migration Health, in collaboration with IOM. These will appear in English, Singhalese and Tamil.

More supportive Approach to Sri Lanka needed says MEP 

Mr Geoffrey Van Orden MBE MEP 

Chairman of the Friends of Sri Lanka Group in the European Parliament

Following a recent visit to Sri Lanka, the Chairman of the European Parliament's informal 'Friends of Sri Lanka' Group has called for supportive engagement with Sri Lanka as it recovers from 30 years of conflict.

Conservative MEP and Defence Spokesman Geoffrey Van Orden has just returned from Sri Lanka where he met the President and senior Ministers, as well as MPs from a range of government and opposition political parties including the Tamil National Alliance. He met the Northern and Eastern Regional Governors, and on his visit to the former conflict areas in the North and East of the country, the Bishop of Jaffna, military commanders and many local people. He also visited the Detention Camp at  Boosa and a post-Tsunami village at Weligama.

Mr Van Orden commented:

If democracy is to be meaningful and command their respect, it must have a direct impact on their everyday lives. This necessarily calls for the closest possible interaction between government and the community. The mechanisms of government must have effective application at the grassroots level, in order to address issues and to provide relief, President Mahinda Rajapaksa said addressing the Bali Democracy Forum IV in Bali, Indonesia this morning.

It has always been important to us to ensure that the forms and institutions of democracy, far from being an ideal remote from the people, should be part and parcel of their experience, President added.   

It is worthy of note that Sri Lanka is the first country in Asia to have accorded women the right to vote, and they secured this right just two years after the en-franchise-ment of women in the United Kingdom.  

The diversity of Sri Lanka’s experience of constitutional and electoral systems is probably unique in the annals of political history. Our country has been governed under both the Westminster style Cabinet system and the Executive Presidential system which was introduced into our public law in 1978, he said at the inaugural session of the Forum.

Statement by the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka:Special Session of the Human Rights Council, 02^nd December 2011 Human Rights Situation in the Syrian Arab Republic

Delivered by: H.E. Tamara Kunanayakam, Amabassador/Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations and other International Organizations

Madam President, 

Sri Lanka wishes to reiterate its position articulated at the 17^th Special Session of the Council on the Human Rights Situation in the Syrian Arab Republic, that no action be initiated by the Council in contravention of the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter and the Declaration of Principles of International Law Concerning Friendly Relations and Co-operation Among States in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, adopted by the UN General Assembly resolution 2625 (XXV) of 24 October 1970.   

Any action initiated in the promotion and protection of human rights in a member country must have the consent of that country and be based on the principles of cooperation and genuine dialogue, aimed at strengthening its domestic capacity to comply with its human rights obligations, as stipulated in UNGA Resolution 60/251.  Such action should be aimed at bringing about a genuine and sustainable resolution to the current crisis.

Secretary to the Ministry of Defence and Urban Development Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa today (24 Nov), delivering the key note speech at the Inaugural National Conference on Reconciliation: "The Way Forward for Post Conflict Sri Lanka" said "Sri Lanka today is not only one of the most secure and stable countries in Asia but in the entire world."  

The Secretary briefly explained how the LTTE unleashed its terror on the citizens of this country, starting from the assignation of Mr. Alfred Duraiappa, the Mayor of Jaffna, in 1975 to the end of Humanitarian Operation concluded in May 2009.  

Further the Secretary Defence went on to explain that how the countrymen irrespective of ethnicity, religion or political affiliation, are reaping the rewards of peace, and he said that freedom of movement, restoration of democracy and improvement of the country's economy are significant achievements with the return peace. "The return of peace, the restoration of freedom and democracy, and the prospect of a resurgent economy have all been made possible by the success of the Humanitarian Operation that put an end to the terrorist activities of the LTTE" he said.