Expressive EU!

Saturday, 20 July 2013 00:42 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Welcomes Northern poll but wants it held in ‘civilian environment’
Says NPC election is a fulfilment of GoSL promises about implementation of 13A
Claims lack of EU monitors does not underestimate importance of Northern election
Concerned about military stifling civilian trade, industry and farmers growth with unfair competitiveness
Hails physical reconstruction in North as being “very, very visible” but insists deeper reconciliation issues still require more work

By Dharisha Bastians Having welcomed the upcoming polls, the European Union yesterday was explicit about the better path for democracy and prosperity in the post-war North. The six-member delegation of the European Union which concluded a visit to Sri Lanka yesterday said that the poll was an important step in moving the political process forward in the post-war context. “It is important too because it reflects the statements made by the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission and the Government of Sri Lanka with regard to implementing the 13th Amendment. The Northern provincial council election represents the fulfilment of those promises,” Chair of the visiting EU Delegation Jean Lambert told a news conference in Colombo.

She said the delegation wanted to make it clear that the EU decision not to send monitors for the election in no way underestimated the importance of the Northern poll. “The EU Parliament monitoring program generally observes national level elections but that in no way underestimates for one instant how important this election is,” she explained calling for a free and fair poll. Lambert expressed hope that the LLRC recommendations would be implemented fully and the Northern election scheduled for September would take place in a civilian environment “free from pressure or intimidation.” The EU official also called for a greater separation between military and civilian life and economy in the North and expressing hope that the Northern provincial council poll will bring a breakthrough in the political progress required in the post-war phase. She said that concerns had been raised about the continuing role of the military in many aspects of civilian life in the North. “There is a need to make sure the military doesn’t become part and parcel of the everyday economy while there is a real need for the development of a civilian economy in the North,” Lambert said. Raising issues regarding de-militarisation and the military role in civil administration post war, the Delegation Chair noted that the military’s economic role had a direct impact on the ability of a local economy to grow. “The military doesn’t have the same overheads as civilian entrepreneurs, their wages are already guaranteed,” she noted, expressing ‘slight surprise’ at posters advertising tourist resorts run by the Sri Lanka Air Force while the delegation was flying North. Concerns apart, Lambert also hailed the physical reconstruction in the North as being “very, very visible.” However the EU Delegation chair said there were deeper reconciliation issues that still required work. The delegation highlighted disappearances and closure for the families of the disappeared as a key part of this deeper healing process. “Part of peace-building is moving forward on issues like disappearances. There is a desire of people to know what happened to their family members,” Lambert said, underscoring the impact the lack of such information had on women in particular, whose civil and legal status were affected. During their four-day tour, the EU Parliamentary delegation met with Minister for External Affairs, G.L. Peiris, Social Integration Minister Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Minister of Energy and Renewable Energy Susil Premajayanth, Resettlement Minister Guneratne Weerakoon and were scheduled to meet with Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa last afternoon. The delegation travelled to the Northern and Central Provinces during their visit.