Parliamentarians for Global Action:

Annual Forum on Oct 28

Ridma Dissanayake

Irrigation and Water Resources Management Minister Nimal Siripala De Silva announced that the Annual Forum of the “Parliamentarians for Global Action” will be held from October 28 to 30 in Colombo,for the 33rd time under the theme “The Impact of Armed Violence on Development-Issues, Challenges and Parliamentary Solutions”.

Parliamentarians for Global Action, a non-profit,non-partisan international network of over 1000 legislators in 131 elected Parliaments around the globe,aims to promote peace,democracy,the rule of law, human rights,sustainable development and population issues by informing,convening and mobilizing parliamentarians to realize these goals.

Irrigation and Water Resources Management Minister and chairman of the PGA chapter of the Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA) Nimal Siripala De Silva briefing the media at the Information Department yesterday on the arrangements with regard to the conference. Plantation Industries Deputy Minister Earl Gunasekara, PGA Sri Lanka Chapter Secretary, MP Thilanga Sumathipala and Vice Chairman. MP John Amarathunga also participated.

The minister briefed the media at the Information Department yesterday on the arrangements with regard to the conference.

According to Minister Siripala de Silva this three day forum is to be inaugurated by Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa and he will also make the key note address at the inauguration ceremony on October 28 evening at the Hilton Hotel,Colombo.

The different sectors impacted by Armed Violence, in the overall “Development equation” will be the main subjects area of discussion and deliberation. It will also include Education and Health, Gender, Security and Trade and Investment.

A Forum on this subject matter will also, among other objectives, make an important contribution vis-a-vis Parliamentary input into the ongoing negotiations of an Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). While many States have repeatedly said that the impact on sustainable development should be taken into consideration when arms transfers are being considered to a particular State or region, other States continue to dispute that view and believe that the linkages between violence on the one hand and delayed or suppressed development on the other, are less than compelling.

According to the PGA Assistant Secretary General Jennifer McCarthy this forum was established in 1978 by concerned legislators from around the world to take joint action on global problems which could not be solved by one government of Parliament. The PGA currently works under three sectors and they are Peace and Democracy, International Law and Human Rights, and Sustainable Development, Health and Population.

A action plan named “Colombo Action Plan” also to be adopted at the end of this annual forum and this document will support and empower participating MPs in identifying various practical steps and measures that they can take to reduce the harmful effects in this area,upon return to their respective Parliaments and countries.

Plantation Industries Deputy Minister Earl Gunasekara, PGA Sri Lanka Chapter Secretary, MP Thilanga Sumathipala, Vice Chairman. MP John Amarathunga, Peter Barcroft, Director of Projects and Senior Program Officer International Law and Human Rights Programme, Monica Aolame Programme Officer, Sustainable Development Health and population programme also participated.