http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20120301_04

High Commissioner for Sri Lanka & Prof. Rohan Gunaratna briefs
Australian Parliamentarians
H E Admiral Thisara
Samarasinghe, High Commissioner for Sri Lanka addressing the gathering at the
event held at Australian Federal Parliament Wednesday
(29/02/2012)
Sri Lanka's High Commissioner for Australia, Thisara
Samarasinghe addressed a gathering of Federal Parliamentarians, Australian
Government officials and Australian Print and Electronic Media yesterday(Feb 29)
at an event co-organized by the High Commission and the Australia- Sri Lanka
Parliamentary Group titled " A Nation Moves On: Sri Lanka's journey from
conflict to reconciliation".
Guest Speaker at the occasion was Prof Rohan Gunaratna, Head of
Singapore's International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research
and Professor of Security Studies, Nanyang Technological University. Prof
Gunaratna also serves on the Advisory Board of International Centre for
Counter-Terrorism in The Hague.
Hon Chris Hayes, Chair of the Group and Hon Don Randall, Vice
Chair of the Australia-Sri Lanka Parliamentary Group hosted the event.
Introducing the speakers Hon Randall spoke of his visits to Sri
Lanka over the years most recently in 2011 and said that the Tamil citizens of
the North he met during the visit were keen to move forward with their lives in
an atmosphere in which they could further their own culture and follow their
religion freely. He added that they wanted their children to get back to studies
and basically get on with day to day life.
Prof Gunaratna, began proceedings by explaining the magnitude of
the terrorist threat that Sri Lanka had to face and the sophistication and
brutality of the LTTE which was finally defeated militarily in 2009. He
explained the circumstances of the humanitarian rescue operation undertaken by
the Sri Lanka Government to rescue 300,000 civilians who were being held hostage
as human shields. Speaking of his involvement in developing a programme for the
rehabilitation of LTTE ex-combatants, he said that the programme had
successfully rehabilitated and reintegrated most of those that surrendered
(11,600) save a few hundred who have been heavily involved in terrorist
activities against whom judicial action would be taken depending on evidence
available.
Prof. Gunaratne also gave details of fund raising and arms
procurement that was done by the LTTE in Australia over the years through front
organizations and requested members of parliament not to let front organizations
continue to do the same in the future. Although the
LTTE has been defeated militarily Prof Gunaratna stated that
LTTE supporters overseas continue to agitate to revive the group. On the issue
of reconciliation, he said that the Lakshman Kadiragamar Institute of
International Relations and Strategic Studies, an institution created in memory
of the former Foreign Minister of Sri Lanka of Tamil ethnicity who was
assassinated by the LTTE, has held several rounds of discussions with
stakeholders to address various aspects of reconciliation. He requested that
Australia consider supporting an international conference on reconciliation in
Sri Lanka.
High Commissioner Samarasinghe in his presentation highlighted
Sri Lanka's achievements in the post conflict phase including the resettlement
of over 90% of Internally Displaced Persons, rehabilitation of ex-combatants,
reduction of HSZs, withdrawal of Emergency Regulations, de-mining, holding of
elections in the North and East etc.
He also explained the steps being taken by the Government with
regard to reconciliation including the launch of the Trilingual Policy
initiative, large infrastructure projects undertaken in the North, the large
amount to funds allocated and delivered to develop the North and East and the
steps taken to recruit over 600 Tamil speaking police officers to ensure that
persons of Tamil ethnicity would be able to obtain assistance in their own
language.
The High Commissioner also drew to the attention to those
present that the North was growing at a rate of 22% in comparison to the rest of
the country which is growing at a rate of over 8%. He underscored the emphasis
placed by the Government of Sri Lanka in ensuring that economic development is
delivered to the people of the North and East quickly as they were the ones most
affected by the conflict.
The High Commissioner briefed those present on the LLRC report
and said that the Government was going ahead with the implementation of these
recommendations and would be announcing a roadmap for same soon. He sought the
understanding of the international community and friends such as Australia as
Sri Lanka moves towards this process. He stated that Sri Lanka should be given
adequate time and space to undertake its internal reconciliation process. As a
case in point he said that following the LLRC recommendations the Sri Lanka Army
and Sri Lanka Navy have established their own inquiries to investigate any
wrongdoings by service personnel during the conflict.
The High Commissioner said further that he was deeply concerned
about certain elements in the diaspora in Australia who were intent on
destroying the processes of reconciliation and economic development taking place
in Sri Lanka by continuing a campaign of separatism. He highlighted the
involvement of these diaspora members in LTTE and LTTE front activities and said
that they have already begun fundraising campaigns for the cause of creating a
separate state of Tamil Eelam in Sri Lanka. He added that these front
organisations were similar to those set up by the LTTE in 80's through which
they raised funds and procured arms and ammunition to unleash terrorism in Sri
Lanka. He explained to those present how the LTTE flag was used at the Australia
Vs Sri Lanka cricket match held in Sydney on 17th of February and said that it
was regrettable that an international sporting encounter was used by the
pro-LTTE lobby to agitate for their cause. The High Commissioner concluded his
presentation with a photograph depicting a recent marriage which had taken place
between a Sri Lankan soldier and a former LTTE combatant. He said that
reconciliation was happening in Sri Lanka between the two communities and the
pro-LTTE diaspora should not be allowed to derail that process.
The event was well attended with the participation Federal
Members of Parliament from the ruling Labour Party and the Opposition including
the Speaker of the House of Representatives The Hon Peter Slipper, Chair and
Deputy Chair of the Australia- Sri Lanka Parliamentary Group, Hon Maria
Vamvakinou, Hon Senator Catryna Bilyk, and Hon Rowan Ramsey. Representatives of
the Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Immigration and Citizenship,
AusAID, advisors to Members of Parliament, Parliament Staff and representatives
of the Australian Print and Electronic media were also present at the event.
During the event the High Commissioner and Prof. Gunaratna
responded to queries raised by Members of Parliament on the LLRC Report and the
reconciliation efforts.
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(from L to R) H E Admiral Thisara Samarasinghe, High Commissioner
for Sri Lanka seated with The Hon Peter Slipper, Speaker of the House of
Representatives, Hon Don Randall, Vice Chair of the Australia- Sri Lanka
Parliamentary Group, Hon Chris Hayes Chair of the Group at the event.
(from L to R) Prof. Rohan Gunaratna, Head of Singapore's
International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research, Hon Don
Randall Vice Chair of the Australia- Sri Lanka Parliamentary Group, and Hon
Maria Vamvakinou and representatives of Australian Government agencies that
attended the event.
Prof Rohan
Gunaratne, Head of Singapore's International Centre for Political Violence and
Terrorism Research addressing the gathering.
Courtesy: Sri Lanka High Commission - Canberra