SL invites diaspora to make submissions for reconciliation

Sri Lanka has invited the diaspora groups, including Tamils, to make submissions for advancing the task of reconciliation following the country's three-decade-long civil war that ended in 2009, PTI reported today.

The Consultation Task Force on Reconciliation Mechanisms (CTF) through the Sri Lankan embassy in Washington has called for submissions from diaspora organisations on the design of structures, processes and measures for truth, accountability, reparations and non-recurrence.

The diaspora can make submissions on Office on Missing Persons, an Office on Reparations, a Judicial Mechanism with a Special Counsel, a Truth, Justice, Reconciliation and Non-Recurrence Commission and any other mechanisms, processes or measures for advancing reconciliation.

The submissions can be made until July 28.

These mechanisms will be evolved through a process of wide consultations involving all stakeholders, including victims, the notice said.

The Tamil diaspora groups in the West were generally regarded as sympathisers of the LTTE during the armed separatist conflict.

The report of the CTF will be handed over to the government at the conclusion of the consultation process.

"It is expected that the Report, upon conclusion of consultations in August 2016, will be handed over in September 2016,” the notice said.

The government has already noticed parliament on the Office of Missing Persons which has been criticised by the Sinhala majority nationalists as a move to betray the government troops who defeated the LTTE.