No intention of staging protests; SL

28 April 2011 01:14 pm

The Government said earlier today that it has no intention of creating a situation of ‘mass protests’ and agitation relating to the report by the advisory Panel appointed by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

“It is not the Government’s intention to create any ‘mass protests’ and agitation relating to the ‘Darusman Report’ as alleged by some. We are not instigating hysteria nor violence or embarrassment to the UN community and to foreign Missions. Such allegations have been levelled by those with political agendas to blacken the image of the country at this sensitive moment,” Minister of External Affairs Prof. G.L Peiris had said.

He made this statement during his briefing of the Diplomatic Community in Colombo, according to a release by the Ministry of External Affairs.

The Minister of External Affairs made the following points during his briefing :
 
The Government of Sri Lanka does not consider the Darusman Report as a UN document, as it has not been mandated by any inter-governmental or multilateral forum.  The document is the product of a personal initiative taken by the Secretary-General.  Furthermore, the mandate of the Panel is purely advisory in nature, as stated in its Terms of Reference.
 
Since the end of conflict, the Government of Sri Lanka is engaged in the delicate task of forging national unity and progress through reconciliation, rehabilitation and reconstruction.  After almost three decades, the Government has been successful in restoring peace, stability and security in all parts of the country.  The Government is dealing with critical post-conflict issues, with a view to erasing the pain and anguish of the past, while at the same time consolidating national unity and future progress.  We have made significant progress relating to resettlement of internally displaced persons, restoring livelihood in conflict- affected areas, reintegration of former child soldiers as productive citizens, rehabilitation of detainees, de-mining, restoring democratic processes in the North and East as well as reconstruction of housing and infrastructure.  We are moving gradually and confidently forward.   None of these positive developments have been reflected in the Report.
 
Furthermore, the controversial contents of the Darusman Report and its public release at this stage obstruct and retard this positive momentum, and it creates divisions.  At the same time, the Report will feed into the political agendas of those who wish to destabilize the country.