UNHRC delegation briefed on post-conflict reconstruction

A delegation headed by Chief of the Asia Pacific, Middle East and South African branch of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights Hanny Megally representing United Nations Human Rights Council Secretary Navaneethan Pillai, recently visited Sri Lanka, and met a team of representatives led by Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development Minister Douglas Devananda at his Office recently.

Minister Devananda brought to the notice of the visiting delegation the atrocities committed for nearly three decades by the fascist LTTE.

Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development Minister Douglas Devananda in conversation with Chief of the Asia Pacific, Middle East and South African branch of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights Hanny Megall, at his Ministerial Office.

The LTTE murdered innocent Sri Lankans and always sabotaged any attempts at peace. The LTTE terrorists destroyed interracial peace in Sri Lanka.

The minister also briefed the delegation on how he partnered with the main political stream consequent to the signing of the Indo- Lanka Pact in 1987 and later on, as a prime stake holder of the Tamil speaking people in the capacity of a Cabinet Minister.

Minister Devananda further said the governments which were in power prior to the signing of the Indo - Lanka Pact had the habit of meting out a step-motherly treatment towards the Tamil people.

However, such discriminatory treatment gradually faded out and there wasn’t even a trace of it at present. In response to a question put by the Head of the visiting delegation, the minister said some LTTE sympathisers and certain sections of Diaspora, were engaged in highly worrisome and anti-human activities violating the laws of the land, leading to dangerous behaviour.

The minister, placed before the meeting the following challenges, the Sri Lankan government is presently called upon to face, in the reconciliation process:

* The necessity of the participation of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and the Opposition political parties at the Parliamentary Select Committee for arriving at an everlasting political solution.

* Requirement of funds for complete rehabilitation of the war affected regions and people.

* Firm positioning of the International Community and the UNO, so as not to widen the existing gap between the communities of the country.

* Fully understanding of the fact that the allegations levelled against the Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) by some political parties are nothing but a mudslinging manoeuvre, for gaining petty political mileage, and those by the Asylum Seekers (Diaspora) for gaining economic benefits.

* Proposals made by the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) for national reconciliation, are what the EPDP has been advocating for a long time.

Ministry Secretary V. Sivagnanasothy presented a detailed description of the development programmes implemented by the Ministry of Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development.