‘LLRC report in House as early as possible’

Nadira GUNATILLEKE

The Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) report will be tabled in Parliament as early as possible, Cabinet Spokesman and Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said.

Addressing the weekly Cabinet press briefing at the Government Information Department Auditorium yesterday, Minister Rambukwella said that the report had been handed over to the President by the Commission and it will be tabled in Parliament as early as possible.

Minister Rambukwella spoke about the incident that took place in Parliament during President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s 2012 budget presentation.

Minister Rambukwella said that the accepted tradition of the Sri Lankan Parliament is for all members to stand up when the Finance Minister enters Parliament with the budget proposals. This tradition was continuously followed without any interruption in the past. But this year this long standing tradition was broken by the Opposition. Therefore, it is not justifiable to blame the government MPs only.

According to Minister Rambukwella, conflicts are not something new to the Sri Lankan Parliament and similar things had happened in the past. The same type of incidents take place in Parliaments around the world. It is not something unusual. The Sri Lankan Parliament never allowed unnecessary items to be taken into Parliament. Files named ‘Shame’, posters etc are not required for the budget. They are required for a parade. The Speaker is the authority in Parliament. He has already commenced a full investigation into the incidents. Such incidents cannot be accepted on any round.

Responding to some questions posed by journalists, Minister Rambukwella said that two persons had been taken into custody in connection with the Lasantha Wickramatunge murder.

‘A full investigation is proceeding in connection with the disappearance of journalist Prageeth Ekneligoda and details cannot be revealed yet. There are some journalists who tell utter lies at international conferences. Everything reported in newspapers is not true. Therefore nobody can accuse government officials and say that they tell lies. They are responsible government officials who represent the government, he said.