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Reconciliation and Peace building in the North:
Govt seeks partnership with Diaspora
The Government is committed towards developing a partnership with the
Sri Lankan Diaspora in promoting a new era of peace through
reconciliation among the different communities and implementing an
economic plan to reconstruct the war ravaged North said Foreign Minister
Rohitha Bogollagama at the inauguration of a two day Sri Lankan Diaspora
Dialogue in Colombo organized by the Foreign Ministry.
The Minister pointed out this dialogue that the Government has now
initiated as being the first opportunity for the diverse views of the
Tamil community of Sri Lankan origin living abroad to be freely
articulated. Hitherto, their voices have been stifled by the oppressive
control of the LTTE on the Sri Lankan Tamil Diaspora.
Minister Bogollagama emphasized the Government's paramount concern
for the safety and well-being of the entrapped civilians. Sri Lanka is
now on the verge of defeating terrorism and the time has arrived to look
towards the future to re-establish democracy in the North and rebuild
the infrastructure and facilities which have been destroyed.
Constitutional Affairs and National Integration Minister D.E.W.
Gunasekera, highlighted the important measures undertaken by the
Government to implement the Official Languages Policy, including the
mandatory requirement for all new entrants joining the public service
with effect from July 1, 2007, to acquire proficiency in the two
official languages within five years, in order to be eligible for
confirmation in the service, as well as the financial incentives granted
to encourage the drive to make the public service bilingual in the
shortest possible time.
He also said that the Government was endeavouring to develop a
tri-lingual public service at the management level.
Science and Technology Minister and All Party Representatives
Committee Chairman Prof. Tissa Vitharana described the political process
under way to identify the areas for wider devolution of powers to the
provinces, and expressed his confidence that President Mahinda Rajapaksa
will be able to see through this difficult and challenging task. |
