TNA disputes Govt. claim on implementing LLRC recommendations

Colombo Page: The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) says that contrary to Government statements, there’s no progress in the implementation of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) recommendation.

TNA Parliamentarian Attorney-at-Law M.A. Sumanthiran said the National Action Plan doesn’t even deal with half the constructive recommendations of the LLRC. He observed that the most important recommendations have been studiously left out.

“Even the ones dealt by the National Action Plan have not been implemented except teaching Sinhala and Tamil in schools, which has already commenced in some of the schools,” he said.

As for the impact of resolutions adopted on Sri Lanka at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), Sumanthiran explained that it will be determined by how the Government reacts to this.

He observed that if the Government “Acts responsibly at least at this stage and engages constructively with the international community, we can do ourselves a favour and deal with all outstanding issues that hinder genuine reconciliation with the help and assistance of the international community.”

He further said that “The people of this country will have to ask themselves the question as to why the very countries that banned the LTTE and helped the Government win the war, are now applying pressure to settle the six-decade long ethnic issue by peaceful means.”

He also added: “The President acknowledged that there were serious allegations of violations of human rights that needed to be inquired into as early as 26 May 2009, when he undertook the task in the joint communiqué, he issued the Secretary General of the UN along. At the same time several undertakings were given in Geneva at the UNHRC by Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe. It is precisely those undertakings and promises that need to be fulfilled.”

According to the Government 50% of the recommendations made by the LLRC are implemented. All the IDPs have been resettled as the demining comes to a completion. Further, the military presence has been considerably reduced in the North and East, while the Government is in the process in handing over the land it had taken from the Tamil civilians or paying compensation for the land it needs for security purposes.

The Government said out of 12,000 ex-combatants only 396 are remaining in rehabilitation camps and another 225 are under legal proceedings.

President’s Special Human Rights Envoy Plantation Industries Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe in his address to the UNHRC said: “The LLRC recommendations are being implemented by the corresponding implementing agencies under the short, medium and long term goals based on priority considerations within specified time frames.”

He said the Government has allocated a budget line of Rs. 763 million for 2013, to fund a substantial number of LLRC recommendations.