The Sri Lankan high commissioner to the United Kingdom, Chris Nonis, has presented Sri Lanka’s controversial LLRC report to selected British Parliamentarians at the houses of parliament on Tuesday.
According to the official government news portal, www.news.lk, Chris Nonis explained ‘that the holistic approach of the LLRC is entirely consistent with restorative justice embedded with accountability.’
Several MPs and Lords attended the meeting, but unlike the US state department and human rights organisation like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, no criticism of the LLRC was reported.
An official statement by the British foreign office regarding the LLRC is yet to be made, however parliamentarians and others who spoke at the event, displayed incredible ignorance about Sri Lanka and its history of inquiries into itself.
Following are some of the comments that were made,
Conservative MP James Wharton said:
“This is an extremely welcome opportunity to discuss the way forward for Sri Lanka after what has been a very difficult period of its history. The High Commissioner gave us a very thorough overview of the (LLRC) Report including answers to a wide range of questions. I know that a number of my Parliamentarian colleagues look forward with the intent to seeing Sri Lanka progress over the coming months and years”.
Sir Harold Walker KCMG, President, British Society for Middle Eastern Studies and former Chairman, Royal Society for Asian Affairs said:
“It is commendable that the Sri Lankan Government released such a comprehensive and hard-hitting report; of course. The world will be watching to see that the report is followed through.
"However, so far, the signs are clear that the Government of Sri Lanka do intend to follow the Report through. They must however be allowed time for this process, in particular since it follows such a long period of conflict, and these issues cannot be settled overnight”.
President of the Friends of Sri Lanka, Sir Peter Heap said:
“This was a very valuable meeting, well attended by Members of Parliament and representatives from many other organisations. The Sri Lankan High Commissioner gave a superb account of the Report of the LLRC and of the government’s response. It was a very useful reminder for everyone present that Sri Lanka was doing a great deal to bring together the different communities and to restore prosperity in the conflict-affected areas”.
See related articles about the LLRC:
Editorial: No more excuses, it is time to act (18 Dec 2011)
Human rights organisations slam report, urge world to act (18 Dec 2011)
US has ‘concerns’ over LLRC (20 Dec 2011)
