The visiting Indian Parliamentary delegation today called for the
urgent implementation of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation
Commission (LLRC).
Ms Sushma Swaraj, Leader of Oppostion who headed the delegation in a
statement made a joint press conference by the delegation said the
LLRC report has made a number ofconstructive recommendations for
addressing issues related to healing thewounds of the conflict and
fostering a process of lasting peace andreconciliation in Sri Lanka.
"It is important that these are pursued with asense of urgency.
This is the message wehave conveyed to our Sri Lankan friends during
the course of this visit", she said.
The statement said :
2. The purpose of ourvisit was to see for ourselves the
progress made in Sri Lanka since the end of thearmed conflict in May
2009. We wanted to interact with a wide cross-section ofpolitical
parties, members of civil society and the public at large, and get
asense of the situation, especially with regard to rehabilitation,
resettlementand the way forward to achieving a lasting and broad-based
peace in Sri Lanka.
3. As you are aware,India has been unstinting in its
assistance in supporting efforts to resettleand rehabilitate
internally displaced persons in Sri Lanka and to reconstructthe
infrastructure and facilities of northern Sri Lanka. In this context,
we also wanted to get afirst-hand glimpse of the status of the
development projects being implementedwith India's assistance in
different parts of Sri Lanka, and the impact theywere having on the
ground.
4. My delegation and Ihad the opportunity to call on His
Excellency President Mahinda Rajapaksa thismorning. We had extensive
discussions with several Ministers, the Leader of theOpposition, key
leaders of major political parties, Members of Parliament
andrepresentatives of civil society. We travelled to different parts
of Sri Lanka,a fact that testifies to the pan-Island footprint of our
engagement with thiscountry. Our immediate focus, however, was on the
North and the East, as theyrecover from the trauma of nearly three
decades of armed conflict.
5. We have noted theimproved situation regarding the
resettlement of IDPs. However, a significantnumber of them continue to
be in transit situations or with host families. Our task will not be
complete until theyreturn to their original homes. Similarly, while
there has been substantial progress in the area ofrehabilitation and
reconstruction, a lot remains to be done. We are prepared to assist
in whatever waypossible, in a spirit of partnership and cooperation.
6. The end of the armedconflict has provided a historic
opportunity for moving towards nationalreconciliation and political
settlement. The report of the Lessons Learnt andReconciliation
Commission (LLRC) has underlined this and has made a number
ofconstructive recommendations for addressing issues related to
healing thewounds of the conflict and fostering a process of lasting
peace andreconciliation in Sri Lanka. It is important that these are
pursued with asense of urgency. This is the message wehave conveyed
to our Sri Lankan friends during the course of this visit.
7. Our discussions overthe last four days have brought out
clearly the need for expeditiousimplementation of the measures
proposed by the LLRC with regard to informationon missing persons and
detainees, investigation of cases of disappearances andabductions,
promotion of a trilingual policy, reduction of high security
zones,return of private lands by the military and demilitarization,
including phasingout of the involvement of the security forces in
civilian activities andrestoration of civilian administration in the
Northern Province. We have notedthe assurance given by the Government
of Sri Lanka in Parliament that it willensure the withdrawal of
security forces from community life and confine theirrole to security
matters.
8. Above all, it is oursincere hope that the Government of
Sri Lanka will seize this window ofopportunity and follow an
enlightened approach to reach a genuine politicalreconciliation, based
on a meaningful devolution of powers, which takes intoaccount the
legitimate needs of the Tamil people for equality, dignity, justiceand
self-respect. We have been assured in the past that this will be
donewithin the framework of “Thirteenth Amendment – Plus”. We would
urge the Governmentof Sri Lanka and other stakeholders, including the
Tamil National Alliance, toresume dialogue and move towards an early
political settlement. We would earnestlysuggest urgent consultations
to create conditions for launching of theParliamentary Select
Committee.
9. During our stay inSri Lanka, we were able to visit
several of sites of Indian-aided projects,including railway projects
in the North and the South, the housing project,Kankesanthurai
Harbour, and some of the schools, hospitals and vocationaltraining
centres being revived with our assistance. We were happy to witness
the handover of someof the completed projects. Several others are on
track to be completed in thecoming months. These projects gave ussome
satisfaction that India's assistance, especially in the areas
ofhumanitarian assistance, temporary shelter, housing, de-mining,
education andvocational training, public health, connectivity, and
revival of agricultureand other livelihood activities, has been able
to make a difference to thelives of the people.
10. These projects serveto underline India's commitment, as a
stakeholder in peace, stability andharmony in Sri Lanka, to addressing
the pressing needs of the war-affectedpeople and the restoration of
normalcy to their lives.
11. We are happy to notethat our relations are moving ahead in
a comprehensive manner. It is arelationship based on deep
civilizational and cultural bonds and sharedinterests. As a close and
friendly neighbour, we have strong stakes in the unityand territorial
integrity of Sri Lanka and in the preservation of peace,harmony and
prosperity of this country. We are committed to taking therelationship
forward.
12. As India and Sri Lanka are immediate neighbours withan
extensive interface, there are naturally some bilateral issues that
need tobe addressed, for example, the issue of fishermen. I would like
to emphasize thatthis is an emotive issue which must be handled with
care on both sides. As weexplore possible solutions, both sides must
ensure that there is no use offorce against the fishermen and that
they are treated in a humane manner. Wewere happy to learn that the
Joint Working Group on Fisheries which met inJanuary this year was
able to look at various options to address this issue ina larger
framework. We hope the fishermen on both sides can meet again and
talkdirectly to each other.
13. India and Sri Lanka are bound by ties of history,geography
and culture. Our partnership must therefore progress in the spirit
ofbeing the closest of neighbours and friends whose destinies are
intertwined. Asdemocracies, we understand that we may occasionally
have differences but thesewill be dealt with through dialogue and on
the basis of mutual respect. I amconfident that our shared heritage
and common interests will take us forwardtogether.
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