Sri Lanka denounces being targeted by 'systematic denigration'

During a working visit in Paris, on October 12th and 13th Minister of External Affairs Prof G L Peiris denounced during an interview with Le Monde, "the systematic denigration" which has been targeting his country for the past two years.

"These accusations show a regrettable partiality against my country" Prof Peiris said. "The entire attention is focused on the last ten days of a war that lasted thirty years and nobody recalls that we were facing rebels that were protecting themselves behind civilians. Furthermore, contrary to what has been said, the work of the Reconciliation Commission that we created does cover the question of civilian losses."

"The reality", as he explained, "is that we are slowly returning to a normal situation after a state of emergency due to the war, and our country is today engaged in a real process of reconciliation." At the end of September, the Sri Lankan President, Mahinda Rajapaksa, presided at a reintegration ceremony of 1,800 ex-LTTE combatants, most of whom, according to Colombo, will return to their villages. "Things are moving", Prof. Peiris said, "we provide work for some and places in universities for others. The land matter is at the heart of their reintegration and they can play a role in the country's political life."

Prof Peiris admitted that his country remains vigilant in terms of security without however acknowledging what certain NGOs qualify as a "militarization" of the regime. We do not accept to be targeted by unfounded attacks and we believe that all threats have not vanished", he assured.