Australia urges Sri Lanka to speed up reconciliation ahead of CHOGM

Saturday, 4 May 2013 00:17 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Says Lankans with links to smuggling cartels prosecuted in Aussie
Wants LLRC recommendations implemented
Reiterates support and cooperation on boat people issue
Praises drop in arrival of illegal immigrants from Sri Lanka

By Uditha Jayasinghe

The Australian Government has called on its Sri Lankan counterpart to push ahead with reconciliation measures and promote human rights ahead of a powerful Commonwealth meeting to be held later this year, a top official said yesterday.

Sri Lanka will host the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in November, which is the highest decision making body of the grouping of countries but this has been shadowed by the island’s sketchy human rights record.

Australia has been supportive of the Sri Lankan Government and has called on Colombo to make good on its promises to implement a key accountability report released by the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC).

“We have made very clear that we want to see progress on the recommendations of the LLRC report. We have made very clear to the Sri Lankan Government that we think is it very important that they fulfil the own obligations they have set themselves to ensure that there is true reconciliation and the only way that can happen is if they respond and ensure they fulfil those obligations arising out of that report,” Australian Minister for Immigration Brendan O’Connor told reporters.

He went on to add that Australia was keen to see Sri Lanka achieve sustainable peace and economic growth.

“We would like to see progress to that end as we head towards the time when CHOGM will be convened. So I think it is a very important time between now and CHOGM for it to be clear that the Sri Lankan government is serious about responding to those concerns and responding in a practical way to see that people are being afforded rights in this country,” he added, referring to multiple concerns on minority rights, media freedom and judicial independence concerns that have been raised by activists.

The Immigration Minister kicked off a three-day visit on Wednesday to strengthen ongoing collaboration with the Sri Lankan Government to detain illegal maritime arrivals or boat people.

“The discussions that I have had have been frank and candid. We made very clear that we are appreciative of the efforts of the Sri Lankan Government and other agencies in dealing with irregular maritime arrivals. We thank them for the cooperation that has gone on over many years. And we will continue to work with Sri Lanka to deal with this very complex regional challenge of asylum seekers and irregular maritime arrivals.”

Over 1,000 people have been returned to Sri Lanka after attempting to illegally migrate to Australia.

O’Connor stressed that it was important to deal with human smuggling cartels and noted that several people with such links have been prosecuted in Australia, including Sri Lankans, but declined to give any details other than to say that the numbers were “significant”.

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