Govt. in the process of creating a mechanism to implement UN proposals

The Sri Lankan government is in the process, with assistance from Japan and South Africa, of creating a mechanism to implement the proposals in the consensual UN resolution, to establish true reconciliation in the country, Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe said on Friday, in Jaffna.

He said action would be taken against those who committed war crimes during the war regardless of who they were, whether LTTE or security forces. The government is in the process of forming a compassionate council headed by religious leaders for the task, the PM added.

Addressing the Thai Pongal National Ceremony held in the Weerasingham Hall in Jaffna the Prime Minister said the existing Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) was outdated and a new bill will be drafted by the middle of this year to successfully face threats of international terrorism in future. The new bill will be drafted in line with the law already activated in the United Kingdom, he added.

The PM said a “new sun” was dawned in the country last year under the leadership of President Maithripala Sirisena. Therefore, this year’s Thai Pongal Festival is celebrated with much success and grandeur. The country is now experiencing a massive economic development and will become a high income country in future, the PM assured adding that people in the North and East will also receive the benefits of development.

The Prime Minister further said that 500 Tamil Translators will be appointed to provide efficient public service to the people in the North and East.

Speaking on the presence of the security forces in the North and East, Prime Minister Wickremesinghe said he had discussions with the chiefs of the tri-forces and measures will be taken to gradually reduce the number of troops in the area and deploy for duties in other areas.

Prime Minister Wickremesinghe pointed out that the security forces are responsible to protect the country and the territorial waters while the Police is responsible to maintain law and order. He said that Tamil youth will be made stakeholders of the national security, and accordingly, cadet teams will be set up in the schools in the North and East. He said 500 Tamil youth will be recruited to the police soon and Tamil youths will be recruited to the three armed forces as well.

The Prime Minister said discussions are now going on to take a decision on the future of detainees. He said that a truth commission will also be established to look into the injustices committed to people in the North and East. A major women’s ‘ Breadwinners Centre’ is to be set up in Kilinochchi to help the women heads of the households.

Speaking about the constitution, the Premier said discussions will be held with the participation of all members of Parliament regarding the new Constitution. Democracy will be protected by decentralising power, he added.

He said no constitutional draft had yet been prepared and it would only be done with the views collected from the people. The Prime Minister expressed confidence that more conducive society will be created by the time of the next Thai Pongal.

Former President Chandrika Kumaratunga, visiting UK Minister Hugo Swire, Chief Minister of the Northern Province C. V. Wigneswaran, Ministers D.M. Swaminathan and Sagala Ratnayake and many others participated in the Thai Pongal celebrations.

Wigneswaran slams Government at event attended by PM

Northern Province Chief Minister C V Wigneswaran today slammed the Government at an event attended by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. Speaking at the National Thai Pongal festival in Jaffna also attended by UK State Minister Hugo Swire, the Northern Chief Minister said that while the Tamils in the North recognise the change following the elections last year, they still live in fear and suspicion.

He slammed  the presence of a large number of soldiers in the North, the failure to free more land held by the military and the failure to abolish the Prevention of Terrorism Act. The Chief Minister claimed that over 150,000 soldiers still operate in the North and that this lays the foundation for violence.

Wigneswaran accused the Government of interfering in the work of the Northern Provincial Council and also raised his concerns over letters being sent to him from State institutions written in Sinhala.