Government of Sri Lanka

“ Urges the Government of Sri Lanka to continue strengthening its activities to ensure that there is no discrimination against ethnic minorities in the enjoyment of the full range of human rights;
8. Welcomes the continued cooperation between the Government of Sri Lanka, relevant United Nations agencies and other humanitarian organizations in the provision of humanitarian assistance to the affected people, and encourages them to continue to cooperate with the Government of Sri Lanka ”

“ Encourages the Government of Sri Lanka to ensure that all Provincial Councils, including the Northern Provincial Council, are able to operate effectively, in accordance with the 13th amendment to the Constitution of Sri Lanka ”

“ The pattern has now become familiar, a comprehensive assault on the integrity of the government of Sri Lanka, delivered just in time for sessions of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. This means every three months for the very rich, every six for those with less support. ”

“ The Sri Lankan government recently invited the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to visit Sri Lanka. The poor lady is now here, and has found herself the focus of a series of articles in which she is presented as the potential saviour of the Sri Lankan people. ”

“ But we have seen in various countries, faced with national challenges, the main political parties come together with consensus to form alliance governments, casting aside their political differences. As soon as Apartheid was ended in South Africa, the main political parties of that country established a consensual government to eradicate the racist divisions and to achieve a rapid development for the country. I strongly believe that, the best time for Sri Lanka to enter a government of consensus was the very moment that the country entered a post-war era. ”

“ Where the Governor or any Provincial Council has failed to comply with, or give effect to, any directions given to such Governor or such Council under this Chapter of the Constitution, it shall be, lawful for the President to hold that a situation has arisen in which the administration of the Province cannot be carried on in accordance with the provisions of the constitution. ”

“ When considering all aspects, we understand that we have to fulfill our responsibilities by the people of Sri Lanka both today as well as tomorrow. The Government, within its policy, will be committed to carry out the reconciliation process similar to the way that the tri-forces, police and civil security force carried out their commitment in the war. ”

“ Such a description of countries like China and India and Japan, who were enormously supportive of Sri Lanka, along with a plethora of nations from the Americas and the Middle East and Africa and Europe too, only emphasizes the myopic world in which some Sri Lankan critics of the government live.
I mentioned Europe last because, in the minds of both terrorists and morally if never financially bankrupt Sri Lanka politicians, it was Europe that was to lead the charge against Sri Lanka. There were confident assertions that the European Union would present a resolution against Sri Lanka. ”

“ Charge those for whom there is sufficient evidence of serious crimes and release all others, allowing them to reintegrate into society without further hindrance. D. The Government of Sri Lanka should end state violence and other practices that limit freedoms of movement, assembly and expression, or otherwise contribute to a climate of fear. ”

“ No person shall, directly or indirectly, in or outside Sri Lanka, support, espouse, promote, finance, encourage or advocate the establishment of a separate State within the territory of Sri Lanka. (2) No political party or other association or organization shall have as one of its aims or objects the establishment of a separate State within the territory of Sri Lanka. ”

“ In addition, my country has been influenced by the core Buddhist values of non-violence, loving kindness, compassion, equanimity and mindfulness. With this sense of direction, our Government has committed itself “Towards a new Sri Lanka”, guided by a vision of peace, where every Sri Lankan citizen may live with dignity and self-respect, in freedom and without fear, free of want, and where every child may enjoy childhood and grow up with hope and expectation. ”

“ Despite its access to first-hand information regarding the size of the civilian population and its needs, the Government of Sri Lanka deliberately used greatly reduced estimates, as part of a strategy to limit the supplies going into the Vanni, thereby putting evergreater pressure on the civilian population. ”

“ In Sri Lanka for instance, whilst much appreciating the enormous assistance rendered over the last twenty years by successive Indian governments, we understand that, when there is a coalition government, there might be varying emphases which must be respected. Some countries however, more used to dealing with monolithic governments, fail to understand this, just as they fail to understand that Sri Lanka has independent courts which no government can take for granted. ”

“ Every person who immediately prior to the commencement of the Constitution was a citizen of Sri Lanka, whether by descent or by virtue of registration in accordance with any law relating to citizenship, shall be entitled to the status and to the rights of a citizen of Sri Lanka as provided in the preceding provisions of this Article. ”

“ The last few weeks have shown that the far more sensitive and principled approach of India, giving no quarter to terrorisim but consistently urging concern for the Tamils and political reform, has borne better fruit. Conversely, attempting to bludgeon Sri Lanka into submission will only lead to a strengthening of forces opposed to reform, since in defending the government against threats they will naturally expect a greater role for themselves. ”

“ The Republic of Sri Lanka is a Unitary State.
Sovereignty of the People.
3. In the Republic of Sri Lanka sovereignty is in the people and is inalienable. Sovereignty includes the powers of government, fundamental rights and the franchise.
Exercise of Sovereignty.
4. The Sovereignty of the People shall be exercised and enjoyed in the following manner :-
(a) the legislative power of the People shall be exercised by Parliament, consisting of elected representatives of the People and by the People at a Referendum ”

“ Certainly no government facing such power has as good a record as the Sri Lankan government and its armed forces, and the failure to appreciate the great regard shown for civilians, as compared with what occurs in conflicts elsewhere, it most regrettable. ”

“ With their encouragement, the private sector also participated actively, to make clear to youngsters in the North the development that would be available in those areas in a peaceful and prosperous Sri Lanka.
In such a context, when the government and the forces together were making clear their vision of a pluralistic democratic Sri Lanka, it was ironic that the United States was reported to have 'urged the Sri Lankan and Tamil Tigers to start negotiating over the "legitimate" demands of the Tamils after Colombo announced a key win over the rebels'. ”

“ Unless Parliament otherwise provides, the Republic of Sri Lanka shall continue to possess and exercise all powers, privileges, immunities and rights whatsoever possessed, exercised or exercisable immediately prior to the commencement of the Constitution. ”

“ It has been granted, by the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission amongst others, that the record of the army in this regard is much better than it was.
Certainly we are light years away from the eighties, when the then Sri Lankan government received almost unstinted support from nations and agencies that are now concerned, and it was only the Indian government that raised questions about the treatment of minorities.
However much more needs to be done, for instance with the police, who interact more often with the public, and whose training has been comparatively neglected. ”

“ I urge the Obama Administration to play a leading role in this effort by calling for an investigation at the United Nations and maintaining current restrictions on U.S. foreign assistance to Sri Lanka until the government has demonstrated credible progress toward meeting the international community’s demands.
If we do not act soon, this moment of opportunity for lasting peace, justice and reconciliation–which seemed so promising one year ago–may slip away forever. ”

“ In recent months there has been much criticism of the national Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka. This criticism has been a focal point of the determination of interested parties to establish a field office in Sri Lanka of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, answerable as she unequivocally put it, ‘to me’. Accompanying such claims are the myths that the deficiencies of the current HRC are entirely the fault of the current government, and that the government is unwilling to admit that there are problems.
Such myths need to be exploded. ”

“ Unfortunately for the LTTE, the democratic response of the people of Sri Lanka to such appeasement was a resounding rejection at the polls of the leadership that had eschewed discussion, tolerance and democracy. No Sri Lankan government will return to arbitrary authoritarianism, and it would be well if the international community as a whole, while promoting a negotiated settlement, also understood reality and did not suggest a continuing commitment to a quasi-fictional world of increasingly fiendish violence. ”

“ That is why we refused to compromise, though we were always prepared to, on our terms as laid out by our media. Unfortunately we lost those countries which had thought the special session was about human rights for the Tamils of Sri Lanka, not about punishment for the government.
But those who think positively for the future have no place in the culture of guilt that has served us so well. Our guilt, and the recompense we have made at the expense of others, has helped to keep everything under our own control. ”

“ Discussion, tolerance for all opinions and a democratic dispensation that allows people to exercise choice are essential if peace is to return to Sri Lanka. The last time the LTTE summarily withdrew from talks, its intransigence nearly proved successful, when the then government offered it an Interim Self-Governing Authority in which it would dominate two provinces and all Pradeshiya Sabhas within them without any opportunity for the people to vote. ”