CHATURANGA PRADEEP SAMARAWICKRAMA 
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We will take a tough message to SL Govt.-UK
The British government said that its’ delegation visiting Colombo to attend CHOGM “…will take a tough message to the Sri Lankan Government that they need to make concrete progress on human rights, reconciliation and political settlement.”“When visiting Sri Lanka for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) we will take a tough message to the Sri Lankan Government that they need to make concrete progress on human rights, reconciliation and political settlement. Ahead of the meeting we have been clear that we expect unrestricted access for media and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) attending CHOGM,” Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Hugo Swire told House of Commons.
He said during the question and answer session that his government continue to have serious concerns about the human rights situation in Sri Lanka.
“We have consistently and actively pressed, including at ministerial level, for progress on human rights, reconciliation and accountability through our engagement with the Sri Lankan Government, the Commonwealth, the UN Human Rights Council and in contact with other states,” he said.
He also stated that officials in the British High Commission in Colombo regularly discuss the political and security situation in Sri Lanka with civil society organisations in the Northern Province. They also frequently raise these issues with international organisations and humanitarian agencies as well as with Colombo based civil society organisations and the Sri Lankan authorities, he said.
“During the CHOGM the Prime Minister, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, and I will see the situation on the ground in Sri Lanka and deliver clear messages to the Sri Lanka Government that concrete progress is needed on human rights,” Swire said.
Answering to a question that was there any move to oppose Sri Lanka becoming Chair of the Commonwealth, Swire said that the decision that Sri Lanka should host CHOGM in 2013 and chair the organisation for two years thereafter was taken in 2009 in the Port of Spain.
“There has been no widespread support from Commonwealth members to change that decision. We have made clear to Sri Lanka, as CHOGM host and forthcoming Chair, that we expect it to live up to Commonwealth values,” he added.
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