Chaminda Perera
Russia yesterday said that the Sri Lankan government has been making serious efforts in the fields of rehabilitation of former LTTE combatants, their reintegration into society and reconciliation.
According to visiting Russian Foreign Ministry Commissioner for Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of Law ambassador-at-large Konstantin Dolgov, the Human Rights situation in the country is improving rapidly in the aftermath of eradicating terrorism.
Ambassador Dolgov who was Russian Permanent Representative of the UN, said that situation in terms of Human Rights, democracy is progressing and serious efforts are being made promote reconciliation.
Addressing a press conference in Colombo yesterday he said that he visited the Boosa rehabilitation centre where the former LTTE combatants are being rehabilitated.
He was of the view that rehabilitation process is being carried out on a par with international standards. There has been serious efforts to promote national reconciliation. Very successful effort to return the Internally Displaces Persons. 'Serious efforts are being made by the government to promote reconciliation" , he added. He said that the resettlement of all IDPs within a very short span of time is the biggest achievement. "It is a significant achievement", he said.Dolgov said Sri Lanka's Human Rights situation is not shocking and every country is having more or less issues with regard to Human Rights.
The Russian official said that certain Western countries is exerting tremendous pressure against Sri Lanka's development when serious attempts are being made in the field of Human Rights. He stressed that Russia would not support any type of politicized attempts against soverign states.
He emphasized that Russia does not believe that UN Human Rights Council or any other UN body should aim at soverign states with vested political interests and such acts are inconsistent with the mandate of such bodies.
The Russian official commended the government initiative to recruit the members of other ethnic groups to Police and other security services. He said that the government and the people of Sri Lanka are responsible to address the outstanding issues and no other country can dictate terms to her. He said that his specific task was to gather information on the present situation in Sri Lanka.
'The main conclusion which I drew from all these discussions and field trips are the situation in terms of Human Rights and democracy is progressing since the end of terrorism. Serious efforts are being made to promote reconciliation." the Russian official said.
Source: Daily News (20th September 2012)
