The Secretary of Defence Gotabhaya Rajapaksa speaking yesterday said that reconciliation in its true sense within Sri Lanka defers from other countries. “Re conciliation is important but reconciliation in Sri Lanka is different from other countries. A dictator did not govern Sri Lanka and we had a fully-fledged democracy even during the war. Presidents and governments changed despite the war,” he said.

The secretary went on to point out that the commercial capital, Colombo was a “shining example of multiculturalism” with the majority community not dominating sectors within it. “We want to replicate this system throughout the country and it will only be a matter of time before other provinces follow,” he said.

The secretary went on to point out that, the reconciliation that is required in Sri Lanka is not what people living abroad talk of. “The government appointed the LLRC which was given the mandate to study the conflict. They commented and made recommendations on important aspects of the conflict which was comprehensive,” he said.
 
The secretary said that the government and the defence establishments are in the process of studying the report. “We are studying the report as to how we have to implement it, once the contents have been assimilated we will decide how best to implement the commission’s recommendations,” Rajapaksa said that allegations that there is no reconciliation is “premature and inaccurate”.

The secretary commenting on the rehabilitation stated that the process was an example of sincere efforts toward reconciliation “Such generosity has hardly been shown to detainees of conflicts in other parts of the world,” Rajapakshe also stated that major infrastructure development projects in the North and East resembles the government’s commitment towards the people residing in the areas. “We have given concessionary financing to the people, equipment for fishing, agriculture and business, we have developed all aspects of infrastructure and are taking all steps to help the people get back to normal,” he said.

Rajapaksa pointed out that the government is sincerely committed to reconciliation in its true sense in a manner applicable to the country. (Supul Dias and Hafeel Farisz)