India welcomes LLRC

* India will remain with Lanka in reconciliation process

* LLRC has recommended constructive measures to address issues

India on Sunday welcomed the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) report which recommends measures to heal the wounds of the past, foster a process of lasting peace and reconciliation and ensure that there will be no internecine conflict in the future.

“The government of India welcomes the public release of the LLRC report and takes note of the assurance given by the government of Sri Lanka in Parliament about implementation of many of its recommendations,” the official spokesperson of India’s External Affairs Ministry said in a statement. India in the statement expressed hope that Sri Lanka would act decisively in this regard. The spokesperson said that the Indian government will remain engaged with the Sri Lankan government in the reconciliation process and offer their support “in the spirit of partnership”.

The spokesperson’s statement said that the LLRC report has underlined that the present situation provides a great window of opportunity to forge a consensual way forward towards reconciliation through a political settlement based on devolution of power. It recognises that a political solution is imperative to addressing the root cause of the conflict and notes that the government should provide leadership to a political process which must be pursued for the purpose of establishing a framework for ensuring sustainable peace and security in the post-conflict environment, the spokesperson noted.

He also noted that the LLRC has recommended various constructive measures for addressing issues related to healing the wounds of the conflict and fostering a process of lasting peace and reconciliation in Sri Lanka.

In particular, the statement referred to the proposed measures pertaining to information on missing persons and detainees, investigation of cases of disappearances and abductions, promotion of a trilingual policy, deployment of Tamil-speaking officers in all offices, curbing activities of illegal armed groups.

In addition it also mentioned measures recommended at reduction of high security zones, return of private lands by the military and demilitarization , including phasing out of the involvement of the security forces in civilian activities and restoration of civilian administration in the Northern Province.

Implementation of assurances to ensure speedy resettlement and genuine reconciliation, including early completion of the process of the return of Internally Displaced Persons and refugees to their respective homes, restoration of normal civilian life in affected areas would mark a major step forward in the process of reconciliation, the spokesperson added.

The spokesperson in his response also noted on the government’s intention to set up a mechanism to carry out further investigations relating to instances of alleged human rights violations and incidents involving loss of civilian life.

“It is important to ensure that an independent and credible mechanism is put in place to investigate allegations of human rights violations, as brought out the LLRC, in a time-bound manner”, he added.