truth and reconciliation mechanism Sri Lanka, South Africa to set up joint working group

• South Africa agreed to provide technical support
• Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will also be signed

By Kelum Bandara

Sri Lanka will establish a joint working group with South Africa to work out the modalities of the proposed truth and reconciliation mechanism in Sri Lanka to address the ethnic question, a Minister said.

Foreign Affairs Minister Ali Sabry, along with Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, visited South Africa between March 21 and 25. 

The Minister told Daily Mirror that the South African authorities offered to provide technical assistance to Sri Lanka for the setting up of such a mechanism based on their experience after the end of Apartheid (The Apartheid between 1948 and 1994 in South Africa was the racial segregation under the all-white government).
Earlier, Sri Lanka informed the UNHRC that a Cabinet Sub-Committee had been established under the Chairmanship of the President to bring about reconciliation among the different ethnic communities and the development of a truth-seeking mechanism was among the measures to be taken in this direction.
Minister Sabry said the South African leaders shared with him about their approach to reconciliation through such a mechanism.

“A working group will be appointed to set up the mechanism in Sri Lanka based on insights from South Africa. The South African authorities shared with us their experience and challenges they faced,” he said.
Besides, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will also be signed. The Minister said any mechanism would be established according to the constitutional provisions of Sri Lanka.  

• A working group will be appointed to set up the mechanism in Sri Lanka  based on insights from South Africa. The South African authorities  shared with us their experience and challenges they faced