Putting the country first

3 May 2011 10:56 am Views - 5380

Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe said in Parliament today that the present situation is perhaps the most difficult position the country has ever faced since the airdrops in 1987, and therefore his UNP, as a responsible party in the opposition , was committed to putting the country first.

Mr. Wickremesinghe told the House in a statement that he did not intend to make political debating points on a partisan basis at this hour.

“We need to be unified and dignified in our response to what is a major challenge to our nation. That is why I appointed a study group of balanced and competent professionals to evaluate the findings of the Panel and give me their considered views on the Advisory Report,” he said.

He said that, on April 20, 2011, even before the report was published, the UNP made a statement making it clear that the party would wholeheartedly co-operate with the government in respect of all genuine efforts to uphold the country’s sovereignty and democracy.

Mr. Wickremesinghe noted that Sri Lanka should maintain a dialogue with the UN, and international relations were no longer confined to discussions between foreign ministries.
“Many governments are influenced by public opinion in respect of human rights and humanitarian issues. Public opinion in turn is shaped by the global electronic and print media. The social media driven by web and mobile technologies is equally important,” he said.
He stressed that it is also necessary for Sri Lanka to respond, where appropriate with strong rebuttal to the Panel Report.

“Remaining silent is no longer an option. The Secretary General’s statement has left no room for that. The government of Sri Lanka and the UN Secretary General have divergent views on the report. Therefore, the Secretary General must ensure that the appropriate weightage is given to Sri Lanka’s response during the dialogue,” he said.

The Opposition Leader hailed the statements made by China and India in this regards, and said that the country should maintain good relations with its neighbors.

Also, he highlighted that Sri Lanka is a signatory to the Rome Convention of the International Criminal Court, and therefore citizens of this country cannot be prosecuted for war crimes.
 
“During my tenure as the Prime Minister, I declined to sign this Convention,” he said.
Besides, he said that the people of Wanni and the victims in other parts of the country should receive appropriate relief and their rights and dignity ensured.
 
“We must ensure that the death certificates to the families of those civilians who lost their lives in the war are issued. The government must bring to a close the suffering of a large number of people,” he said.
 
He said, “National reconciliation is the key to regain our prestige in the international community. All parties and all people must come together, understand the tragic and traumatic period we have gone through and commit ourselves to peace and reconciliation. (Kelum Bandara and Yohan Perera)