Statement by Hon. Mangala Samaraweera, MP Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka -32nd Session of the UN Human Rights Council Geneva, 29 June 2016

June 30, 2016

Mr. President
High Commissioner for Human Rights
Excellencies
Distinguished delegates

At the 30th Session of this Council last October, Sri Lanka, by co-sponsoring the Resolution 30/1, ‘Promoting Reconciliation and Accountability in Sri Lanka’, broke away from the years of disengagement, self-isolation, and confrontation that preceded the election of President Maithripala Sirisena in January 2015.

Sri Lanka, hailed at Independence in 1948 as a potential “Switzerland of the east”, was now ready to come to terms with the many tragedies we have had to face as a nation in the past, and move forward as a brave new country in order to harness the peace and prosperity that our people truly deserve.

President Sirisena, in his Address to the Nation on the 68th Independence Day anniversary on 4th February this year, reiterated his commitment to fulfil the provisions of Resolution 30/1, in working out the contours of a new Sri Lanka.

He said that Sri Lanka is committed to implement the Resolution to protect the dignity of our State, our People and our Security Forces and that we will implement the proposals with patience, discipline and restraint. It will be freedom, democracy and reconciliation that will be reinforced by implementing the provisions of the resolution.

When Sri Lanka’s unity Government marks its first year in office in August this year, there will be many achievements to look back on, with a certain sense of satisfaction.

While consolidating many of the democratic changes achieved within the first 100 days, we have begun taking action on all fronts related to strengthening good governance and the rule of law; promoting and protecting human rights; fostering reconciliation; and achieving economic development; while engaging and working closely with the international community in a constructive manner that benefits the people of our country:

-In order to ensure that the setting up of the reconciliation mechanisms is done effectively, a Secretariat for Coordinating the Reconciliation Mechanisms has been set up under the Office of the Prime Minister;

The Government recognises that, in order for the transitional justice process to be effective in achieving the desired objectives, the necessary mechanisms should be properly sequenced, integrated and coordinated. Some have started raising alarm bells that sequencing of mechanisms is a delay tactic or means to omit the component of justice. This is incorrect. The Secretariat for Coordinating Reconciliation Mechanisms is already consulting experts and is working on obtaining the required training and capacity-building for the relevant mechanisms – investigating techniques, forensic expertise, prosecutorial strategies – so that when the designs are in place, following the Consultation Process, the required expertise for the mechanisms will also be in place;

-A Task Force consisting entirely of civil society representatives has been appointed to seek the views of the public that will inform the designing of the truth-seeking, justice, accountability and reparations mechanisms;

-The task of working on the wider issues of reconciliation aimed at achieving non-recurrence is being coordinated by the Office of National Unity and Reconciliation which comes under the purview of the President, and is led by former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga;

-The draft Bill approved by Cabinet to establish a Permanent and Independent Office on Missing Persons, which is an essential component of the truth-seeking process and the first mechanism in the transitional justice programme, has already been gazetted and included in the order paper of Parliament. This, to us, is a milestone in Sri Lanka’s reconciliation process;

-A Bill to amend the Registration of Deaths (Temporary Provisions) Act No 19 of 2010 to enable the issuance of Certificates of Absence in respect of Missing Persons was approved by Cabinet and gazetted earlier this month. This too will be tabled in Parliament to be taken up in July;

-The International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance was ratified and the draft legislation to give effect to the provisions of the Convention will be presented to the Cabinet in July, for gazetting and presentation to Parliament;

-A ‘National Policy on Durable Solutions for Conflict Affected Displacement’ has been evolved through wide consultations, and with technical support from the UN. The Policy is presently before Cabinet for approval, and has been released to the public as well;

-A Committee is now putting the final touches to the first draft of the new counter-terrorism legislation that will replace the much criticised and much abused Prevention of Terrorism Act, in keeping with Sri Lanka’s commitment and obligations to human rights and countering terrorism. Technical assistance for this purpose has been sought from the UN Counter-terrorism Committee Executive Directorate;

-Despite the Government maintaining a zero tolerance policy on torture, its incidence has not ceased, although reduced. We are seized of the seriousness of the issue and have also sought the assistance of the National Human Rights and Police Commissions in Sri Lanka to create greater public awareness and initiate the necessary public discourse required, in addition to training programmes for the Police and other measures aimed at combating and eliminating torture including addressing the need for prosecution and conviction;

-A Cabinet approved Inter-Ministerial Committee has been tasked with drafting the National Human Rights Action Plan for 2017-2021;

-Last week the military released another 701 acres of land to the District Secretary of Jaffna, out of which, 201.3 acres were handed over to their original owners on 25th June. The Government has clearly instructed the military that all the land obtained from civilians must be released latest by 2018, and that the owners of whatever land that may be required for national installations or development purposes would be fully compensated.

-The three principle pillars on which the architecture of the new Sri Lanka is built, are democracy, development and reconciliation. The Government is also working towards a new Constitution for Sri Lanka. This Constitution, while entrenching the democratic gains we have achieved during the last year, will also be a celebration of Sri Lanka’s diversity as a multi-ethnic, multi-religious, multi-lingual country that will guarantee equal rights, justice and dignity for all, and address some of the issues that have plagued us since Independence and has stood in the way of our unity as a nation. The Public Representations Committee tasked with seeking the views of the public for the new Constitution has just completed its work, and their Report has been handed over to the Government;

-Sri Lanka is also now open to the world and engages with the international community with courage and confidence. The Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearance, the Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers and the Special Rapporteur against Torture visited and shared with us their observations, which are being acted upon. The Special Rapporteur on the Promotion of Truth, Justice, Reparations and Guarantees of Non-recurrence visited us thrice in one year, in a technical-advisory capacity. We were also pleased to receive you, High Commissioner, in February; and we are hopeful that Secretary-General Mr. Ban Ki-moon will visit us this year as well.

We invite all who are interested in Sri Lanka’s progress to visit us, including all those who criticise us, fairly or unfairly. We are ready and willing to accept praise as well as criticism in the correct spirit, and use both for reflection and improvement.

One of our weaknesses has been our failure to communicate our strategies and plans, effectively. We are already planning on starting a communication drive to address this essential requirement.

Mr. President,

Reconciliation does not happen at once, overnight. It requires effort, hard work, commitment, and careful, continuous, concrete action. It is not an end that can be reached where no further work is required. It is not a box that can be ticked as achieved. It is a journey that requires constant striving. A commitment towards which our nation should be bound across generations, and a central tenet of governance, because the price to pay if we falter, is not one our nation can endure once again after over thirty years of bloodshed that has spared no one.

I would say that we are following what the ancient Romans would have called, a policy of festina lente – making haste slowly. This may make it seem for some that the progress we are making is too fast, and too slow for others.

What we have achieved so far since January 2015 may seem like ‘baby steps’ for some, but for us they are ‘giant leaps’. Some alleged that we are being optimistic, upbeat and hopeful. I must say that we are. How else do we work towards achieving our objectives? What is important is that our optimism is not based on delusion. It is based on the actual results of what we have managed to achieve so far, and the knowledge that our Government is working on a comprehensive strategy that will enable us to pursue different processes in a coordinated, integrated and appropriately sequenced manner.

While dealing with the low-hanging fruit immediately, we have strategies and plans to deal with the more serious and controversial issue of setting up a judicial mechanism with international assistance. Sri Lanka is no stranger to international assistance and participation with many investigative and forensic experts having worked with us in the past. Of course, there are varying views on the nature, level and role of international participation. Divergent views are indicative of a healthy democracy and consultative process.  Despite such divergent views, however, I can assure you that the mechanism that is finally set up will be one which has the confidence of the stakeholders, especially the victims, with fair trial and due process guarantees.

The road ahead is certainly challenging, but it is powered by our determination and resolve to achieve reconciliation. There are some who doubt our sincerity to do so, and also a few who want us to fail. For those of our friends who are genuinely concerned, and want Sri Lanka to succeed, every delayed second seems to appear as an eternity, and they fear that the Government has lost its way and the political will to succeed. Then there are others who are misinformed and misled and therefore, disbelieve or are unaware of the achievements so far. And of course there are those who pray that we won’t succeed. These are the forces of extremism on both sides of the divide, who, in league with the ghosts of the past, wait to rejoice to see Sri Lanka fail to succeed in its journey of reconciliation. For the extremists of course I have nothing to say, but to all the others, I wish to say that the Government is united and firm in its commitment to achieve reconciliation, development and ensure non-recurrence. Let us have the benefit of your doubts in order to take forward this extremely challenging yet essential process for our nation.

As I mentioned before, Sri Lanka is open to the world, and I invite all our friends to come and see what we have done, and assist us in this historic journey.

When I come back here in March next year, the contours of the new Sri Lanka we aspire to build, I believe, will be far clearer.

We appreciate greatly, Mr. President, the role of those who are helping Sri Lanka in this challenging journey in numerous ways – through advice, through technical assistance, through resources and investment. We are also deeply appreciative of the support of the High Commissioner and his Office. We note that the High Commissioner’s Report acknowledges our achievements. We appreciate the observations made which help us reflect, and take action to address areas of concern, and we look forward to continue to work in close cooperation with the international community in our journey towards economic and social progress, reconciliation, and achieving durable peace for our people. I urge all of you to support our journey with patience and perseverance.

Thank you.

Thank you

June 28, 2016

The Sri Lanka High Commission wishes to thank all those who contributed generously to the appeal for relief assistance to the people affected by the recent floods and landslides in Sri Lanka. We are happy to inform that as of 28 June 2016, the High Commission has received over A$ 26,200 in response to the appeal launched in May. This money has been sent to the Government of Sri Lanka to provide medium and long term relief to the affected people.

The High Commission further wishes to inform that a large number of donations were received via online transfer, and we are unable to acknowledge some of them due to non-availability of the donors’ contact details.

 Therefore, we kindly request all those who have donated money through the Sri Lanka High Commission but have not received an official receipt, or know someone who has not received a receipt for their donation, to please contact the High Commission at admin@slhcaust.org.

Sri Lanka High Commission in Australia

28 June 2016

Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera delivers the Opening Address at the Sixth World Congress Against the Death Penalty

June 23, 2016

Address by Hon. Mangala Samaraweera, Foreign Minister of Sri Lanka
6th World Congress Against the Death Penalty

Despite its widespread use, for millennia the death penalty has caused lingering societal discomfort and unease. Fairly early on in history many enlightened leaders have found the death penalty degrading of human dignity. For example, in ancient Sri Lanka a number of kings – influenced by the Buddha’s teaching – abolished the death penalty. In fact, for much of the first, third, fourth and thirteenth centuries the death penalty was not employed in Sri Lanka.

This may help explain why for nearly a century there has been a consensus among the legislative leadership of my country that the death penalty ought to be abolished. This consensus was based both on moral grounds and on the ineffectiveness of the death penalty as a deterrent. As far back as 1928 the Ceylon Legislative Assembly voted 19 to seven in favour of a resolution on abolishing the death penalty, which was moved by D.S. Senanayake, who became the first Prime Minister of Ceylon and founder of the United National Party – one of Sri Lanka’s two main political parties. In the end, abolition was only thwarted by the high-handedness of the colonial authorities of the time.

In 1956, a few years after Independence, my father, then the Parliamentary Secretary for Justice, proposed a bill ending capital punishment which was supported by S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike, the Prime Minister and founder of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party – our island’s other main political party. The bill passed but tragically the death penalty was resumed a few years later as result of Mr. Bandaranaike’s assassination until a de facto moratorium was instituted in 1976.

I daresay that even today the vast majority of my colleagues in Parliament find the death penalty morally repugnant and are aware of its inefficaciousness. However, as they fear the knee-jerk reaction of uninformed public opinion they have proved unwilling to take the courageous step the Government took in 1956. I believe that this fear is true not only of legislators and jurors in Sri Lanka, but of other Asian states where the death penalty is yet to be abolished.

Therefore, the common challenge facing us today is persuading our respective people and perhaps even more importantly having the collective courage to lead by acting.

However, changing public opinion is a time consuming and resource intensive process. And the evidence points out that, despite persistent advocacy, public opinion on the subject of the death penalty is relatively static in many countries. Therefore, overcoming this key challenge requires an act of political courage. Studies have shown that when people are asked to sit in mock judgement, rather than simply answer survey questions, no more than 30 percent of people support the death penalty, even in the most serious of cases.  In France, although public opinion was overwhelmingly in favour of the death penalty in 1981, its abolition decided by the then President of France led to a change of public opinion. It is clear that the debate resulting from the process of abolishing the death penalty and the lack of change in crime rates after the death penalty has been abolished allays the public’s fears. As a result there have been very, very few cases of reversal once the death penalty is abolished.

Momentum is slowly building in Asia, where more executions take place than the rest of the world combined. In South-East Asia the number of executions has declined significantly, in South Asia there have been both short and long de facto moratoria. In 2007, twenty four Asian states voted against the UN Resolution on a Death Penalty Moratorium, in 2014 that number had declined to 18. There is further good news: Sri Lanka’s Minister of Justice, who will also be addressing a session at this Conference, has informed Parliament that Sri Lanka will return to its traditional position of voting in favour of this resolution as it did in 2007, 2008 and 2010 and, more importantly, continuing the four decades long de facto moratorium.

Allow me to conclude by saying that abolishing the death penalty requires persuasion and resolve but above all it requires leadership – the collective leadership of legislators, activists, editors, academics and jurors. As momentum towards critical mass develops, I am confident that the coming years will see the death of the death penalty in our region.

22 June 2016
Oslo

Food fair organised by the Sri Vishnu Shiva Mandir of Canberra for flood and landslide victims in Sri Lanka

June 22, 2016

Sri Vishnu Shiva Mandir of Canberra organised a vegetarian food fair on Sunday 19th June, the day of Poson Full Moon Day, at the Mandir premises.

All proceeds from the food fair amounting to over A$2600, was handed over to Sri Lankan High Commission S. Skandakumar, for the victims of recent floods and landslides in Sri Lanka.

The High Commissioner thanked the Mandir Managing Committee, devotees and volunteers who contributed their time, effort and money towards this worthy community event. Members of the Sri Lankan community and friends from Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Bangalore had helped out as volunteers to make the event a success.

Given below is an article written by one of the visitors to the Food fair, following the event, which captures the spirit of the event.

“Allow me to begin with a statement pointing out the obvious!

Sunday the 19th of June coincided with the most important events of the Sri Lankan Buddhist calendar; the arrival of Arahath Mahinda and the establishment of Buddha sasana in Sri Lanka 2323 years ago to the compassionate blessing of the Buddha “May all living beings be happy”.

Coincidentally it was on this poson poya day that the Devotees of the VISHNU SHIVA MANDIR of Canberra were compassionately and devotionally engaged in an act of kindness.

I witnessed it in person.

The untiring efforts of the devotees of Shiva engaged from the first hour of dawn, preparing for a carnival of Dravidian food to be sold in a fair. The caption of the the SHIVA temple advertisement read:

I spoke to Srithamo, a prominent organizer of Jaffna Tamil descent, educated at Jaffna Hindu College the second oldest school in our land.

“Healing and taking over the suffering of others with compassion is the most powerful healer. By pouring our tender feelings and loving kindness you can melt away years of darkness, frustration and anger. We are all brother and sisters of Sri Lanka ” said Sri. For certain the Hindu dharma of ‘AHIMSA’ was his call!!

Streams of people trekked in for five long hours, numbering three hundred and over’ in solidarity to the cause. Tamils, Sinhalese, Indians and a host of other communities unitedly contributed to collect over $2,600 towards the flood victims of Sri Lanka. We stand for a united Sri Lanka, irrespective of the language we speak or the religious beliefs we have; be it ‘ Namo Namo Matha” or “Namo namo Thaye”. We venerate mother Lanka.

Let us take this opportunity to Salute the devotees of Shiva Mandir for standing alongside us in solidarity for the unfortunate landslide and flood victims of Lanka. What a befitting gesture for a united Sri Lanka. “The happiness which will arrive from long and endured practices, will lead to the end of suffering; which at first is like poison, but at last like nectar when happiness arises from one’s own mind.” ¬ Ved Vysa ( The Bhagavad Geetha ) 1500 BC”

Restrictions on issuing passports to Sri Lankan Citizens lifted

June 2, 2016

The Government has today, 1 June 2016, issued a circular ending the restrictions placed in March 2011 on the issuance of passports to Sri Lankan citizens resident abroad who, at different times, were compelled to leave Sri Lanka due to conflict or political reasons.

In March 2011, instructions had been issued to all Sri Lanka Missions abroad to refrain from issuing passports to those who had applied and gained refugee status or asylum in another country unless they have renounced their refugee and/or asylum status. These instructions constituted a violation of citizen’s rights and resulted in hardship and difficulty to many Sri Lankans who were forced to leave the country for political reasons and denied a Sri Lankan travel document.

The Government of Sri Lanka is committed to uphold the right of all Sri Lankan citizens to have a passport and ensure their freedom of movement and travel irrespective of their political beliefs, which will now be guaranteed as per the new instructions issued today.

In recent times, there has been increased interest among Sri Lankans living abroad to both visit and invest in Sri Lanka as a result of the good governance and reconciliation efforts of the present Government. Ending the restrictive practice that prevailed previously will further facilitate the ability and opportunity for Sri Lankan citizens overseas to visit the country and also return to Sri Lanka, contributing thereby to the country’s development and reconciliation processes.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Colombo

1 June 2016

Vesak celebrations in Canberra

May 23, 2016

The Sri Lanka High Commission in Australia celebrated the Vesak festival on Saturday 21st May with the participation of the Venerable Maha Sangha from the Sri Lanka Buddhist Temple and the Sri Lankan community. The event was also an occasion to encourage donations towards emergency flood relief assistance in Sri Lanka.

The celebrations commenced with a Buddhist sermon and chanting of pirith by the Venerable Maha Sangha who also offered blessings to the people affected by the floods and landslides in Sri Lanka.

The High Commission staff presented Vesak bhakthi gee to the accompaniment of music by the Nada Roo Music Group from Canberra, which was the highlight of the event.

High Commissioner Skandakumar in his welcome address thanked the Maha Sangha for their prayers on behalf of all those who had suffered extensively on account of the recent devastating events in Sri Lanka. He observed that the floods and landslides had affected people from all walks of life and not by caste, creed or ethnicity. He appealed to all to abide by the profound teachings of Lord Buddha, and to come together as the United Sri Lankan Diaspora of Australia to serve our motherland as one. He added that on such an auspicious day there could not be a finer tribute to Lord Buddha’s teachings than our sincere commitment to his pronouncement “Loka Samastah Sukhino Bavantu “-May All Beings Be Happy – reminding those present that we were without exception children of a common Mother Sri Lanka as reflected in our National Anthem.

The High Commissioner concluded by paying a tribute to the Nadaroo Music Group and the Mission Staff for an outstanding rendering of Vesak bhakthi gee and thanked the community for their presence and participation.

The High Commission was colourfully decorated and illuminated with Vesak lanterns and Buddhist flags. A leaflet explaining the significance of Vesak was distributed to those coming to see the decorations throughout the weekend. The Sri Lankan community highly appreciated the beautiful decorations which brought the spirit of Vesak to Canberra and the bhakthi gee presented by the Mission staff.

Learned Judges visit Canberra Mission

April 12, 2016

A distinguished delegation of Supreme Court and Appeal Court judges from Sri Lanka was entertained to dinner at the High Commission on 10th April.

In extending a warm welcome to the guests, the High Commissioner observed that never in the history of the Mission had such a high level of legal intellect come through its doors in such a short space of time.

He reflected on the achievements of the Sri Lankan community who made Australia their home as being a source of pride to all. He also observed that each of them had been able to realise his or her potential due to the even playing field that Australia has provided for all its citizens in an equitable manner. The benefit of that was seen in the robust nature of the Australian economy in a harmonious environment that embraced the diverse cultures, religions and ethnicities of almost 200 countries.

President’s Counsel Justice Priyasath Dep speaking on behalf of the eleven member delegation thanked the High Commissioner for his kind invitation and said that they were delighted to be at such a well-designed Mission. He said that they had been associated with a very interesting programme with the School of Law of the Deakin University and will be carrying a message of goodwill from Australia on their return.

The High Commissioner was associated with the Deputy High Commissioner Himalee Arunatilaka, Minister Cyril Gunapala and Minister Counsellor Chandana Weerasena

Professor Sadeep Gopalan, Dean of the Deakin University School of Law and Mr. Athula Pathinayake from the Deakin University School of Law accompanied the delegation

High Commissioner of Sri Lanka Presents credentials in Solomon Islands

April 11, 2016

High Commissioner Somasundaram Skandakumar presented credentials to the Governor General of Solomon Islands Sir Frank Ofagioro Kabui in Honiara on 17th March 2016. The High Commissioner was welcomed with the traditional garlanding of shell money and a Guard of Honour at the Governor General’s House. Speaking at the occasion, High Commissioner Skandakumar said that as island nations Sri Lanka and Solomon Islands share common interests and concerns, which can be focussed in furthering bilateral relations. The High Commissioner briefed on the new political direction of the Government in Sri Lanka, which aims at fostering reconciliation, democratic values and economic development.

The Governor General appreciated the initiatives of the Sri Lankan Government and highlighted the need to build on the bilateral relations, which were established in 2013, for mutual benefit. Referring to the legal and commercial fields as potential areas for cooperation the Governor General recalled with fond memories six months spent in Sri Lanka in 1976 under a Commonwealth training programme.

The High Commissioner called on Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare and Foreign Minister Milner Tozaka during the visit, and was hosted to lunch by the Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade Joseph Maahanua. He also interacted with the small but influential Sri Lankan community in Honiara.

Sri Lanka High Commission
Canberra

11th April 2016

Australian grant assistance for the development of netball in Sri Lanka

April 7, 2016

Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera, was associated with the launch of the Asian Sports Partnerships (ASP) programme by Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop on 6th April, through which grant assistance will be provided for further development of netball in Sri Lanka. The launch of the ASP took place in Sydney, during the recent visit of Minister Samaraweera to Australia on a 3 day official visit.

Welcoming Minister Samaraweera’s presence at the launch, Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said that Australia is home to a large Sri Lankan community which creates a strong cultural bond between the two countries. She further announced that under the Asian Sports Partnerships Programme, Netball Australia “will deliver community development and peace building programs in partnerships with Sri Lankan community organisations.”

Thanking Australia for the grant assistance, Minister Samaraweera observed that sports play an important role in our bilateral relations with Australia, and pointed out that Cricket Australia has been a longstanding partner in the development of cricket in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to Australia Somasundaram Skandakumar and Consul General in Sydney Lal Wickrematunga, were also present.

Sri Lanka High Commission
Canberra.

7th April 2016

Address of Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera, MP at the Australian Institute for International Affairs Roundtable Victoria, 4th April 2016

April 6, 2016

On January 8th last year, in a historic election, the people of Sri Lanka cast their votes for democracy, reconciliation and development. They chose free and fair elections, good governance and the rule of law over authoritarianism and impunity; they chose stability, reconciliation and peace over the politics of fear and hate. And they eschewed isolationist crony capitalism for openness to the world and a competitive, transparent rules-based economy. Basically, the people of Sri Lanka were weary of politics and governance that just wasn’t cricket. They wanted the new Sri Lanka with an undoctored pitch, an untampered ball and genuine umpires.

The new government was left to clean the Augean stables – a debt-ridden economy, a divided country and gross corruption. While a great more needs to be done, in the last year there is no one who doubts that there has been a sea change in Sri Lanka. In fact, Samantha Power, the US Ambassador to the UN said, “I cannot think of a country in the world today where there has been this much change in such a short a period of time”. So, Ladies and Gentlemen, allow me to begin my talk today by briefing you on Sri Lanka’s progress and plans and then moving on to touch on the Sri Lanka-Australia Partnership.

As many of you here today know, during the previous authoritarian government Sri Lanka, the oldest democracy in Asia, stood at the precipice of dictatorship. But we succeeded in pulling back for that chasm in the last minute. In the last year we have reversed Sri Lanka’s trajectory and our democracy is rapidly consolidating. In fact, within months of securing office, the government swiftly passed a constitutional amendment separating powers, strengthening checks and balances and ensuring the integrity of the electoral process. That amendment reduced the powers of the presidency and re-instated term limits, ensured the independence of the judiciary, law enforcement and state officials, and made the Right to Information a fundamental right.

But this government, is going beyond reversing the undemocratic laws of the previous government. We are now ensuring that Sri Lanka reaches the next stage in its democracy moving from a ballotocracy to a fully-fledged modern democracy. Sri Lanka has made historic strides to entrench our democratic culture, promote accountability and consolidate the deliberative and participatory aspects of democracy. We have restored the freedom of the press, ended censorship and invited exiled journalists to return to Sri Lanka. A Right to Information Act has been tabled in Parliament and we will be voting on it shortly. Hundreds of criminal investigations for abuses of power and corruption are currently underway under the due process of the law. We just put in place a 25 percent reservation for women in local government elections. Once these reforms are over Sri Lanka’s democracy will be truly accountable, participatory and inclusive.

But perhaps more than the importance of consolidating Sri Lanka’s democracy, the need of the hour is breaking through the greatest obstacle that has held Sri Lanka back since Independence – our failure to accept and celebrate the our small island’s tremendous diversity.

At the time we gained Independence, in February 1948, Sri Lanka, then Ceylon, was in a unique position among the countries in the developing world as she had experience of representative government and development indicators that were unparalleled in the developing word. In fact, an editorial published in London on the day of Sri Lanka’s independence predicted that in a short space of time Ceylon would become the Switzerland of the East.

But what held us back, what plunged us into cycles of conflict, and what prevented the many attempts of saving our nation from such adversity was the failure to manage such justifiable grievances of Sri Lanka’s minorities that led to conflict and violence. Sri Lanka’s post-independence leadership was unable to terms with her diversity as a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural, multi-religious and multi-lingual country. As a result these grievances were transformed into inter-communal resentment, feelings of discrimination, unfair treatment and ultimately political violence.

But for the first time in Sri Lanka’s history, the two main political parties of the country, who have been opposed to each other since Independence, have come together to win the peace once and for all. Next Tuesday, on the 5th of April, Parliament will meet as a Constitutional Assembly to design Sri Lanka’s Third Republican Constitution which will strengthen democracy, guarantee the rights of individuals and minorities and reflect the needs and aspirations of all our citizens. For the first time in Sri Lanka’s constitution-making history, these deliberations will be enriched by a comprehensive process of national consultations.

Similarly, the Government knows that we need to understand and deal with the past if we are to move forward as a country. Based on the Government’s four pillared approach of truth, accountability, reparations and non-recurrence, a resolution was moved at the UN Human Rights Council which we co-sponsored. The design of the mechanisms proposed by the Government and included in the resolution, namely the Missing Persons Office, the TRC, the Accountability Mechanism and the Office of Reparations, will be based on consultations with all stakeholders – particularly the victims. Online consultations have already begun and face-to-face consultations will begin within weeks.

But for Sri Lanka’s democratic and reconciliation journey to succeed, its economy must flourish and its people must prosper. The government is currently putting in place the medium-term elements for unleashing Sri Lanka’s tremendous economic potential.

Sri Lanka is enjoys a unique geo-economic position located in the middle of the Indian Ocean, on the main East-West Sea Route and at the maritime Gateway to India and the Sub-Continent. In a nutshell, we are at the center of the emerging world. Alongside Dubai, Singapore and Hong Kong, we are putting in place the necessary conditions to make Sri Lanka a node for access to the emerging world.

Sri Lanka already has free trade agreements with India and Pakistan and negotiations are already underway to deepen these agreements. We have ongoing negotiations with China on signing an FTA. Once these agreements are in place, Sri Lanka will have deep concessionary access to the two largest emerging markets. In addition to securing access to new markets, Sri Lanka is regaining access to old ones. The previous government’s human rights record led to the loss of GSP+ concessions to the EU – we are working very hard to restore them as soon as possible and the EU’s response has been very favourable.

Sri Lanka has long been a paradise for Australian tourists, surfers in particular are no strangers to Hikkaduwa or Arugam Bay. But now Sri Lanka is becoming a paradise for investors – we have taken substantial steps to make the judiciary independent, there is a concerted effort to increase the ease of business and Sri Lanka’s infrastructure, already the best in the region, is improving fast too. We also enjoy macro-economic stability. Over the last five years average GDP growth exceeded 6 percent, inflation never exceeded 7.5 percent and the government is now putting in place a framework with the IMF for fiscal and external sector consolidation that will put the Sri Lankan economy on a firm foundation for growth.

Sri Lankan firms have invested over 200 million dollars in Australia, compared to the 60 million dollars Australian firms have invested in Sri Lanka. With the tremendous opportunities opening up in Sri Lanka and her neighbors, it’s time to reverse that ratio. Sri Lanka’s burgeoning tourism sector, underdeveloped diary industry and rich but unexploited ocean area also offers excellent value propositions for Australian leisure, diary, fishing and aquaculture and offshore sectors.

Sri Lanka and Australia have had close ties for generations. Many Australian brands – including Anchor milk – are household names in Sri Lanka and Colombo was a key stop on voyages between the UK and Australia. In more recent years Australia has become the home of over 120,000 persons of Sri Lankan origin – with an eclectic mix of Burghers, Tamils, Muslims and Sinhalese. Australia is also a favoured destination for Sri Lanka students: over 5500 Sri Lankans are studying at Australian universities. Sri Lankan Airlines opened its first office in Australia, here in Melbourne, in 2013 and airlines are exploring the possibility of re-commencing the direct flights between our two islands.

In addition to these ties, Sri Lanka and Australia, neighboring island in the Indian Ocean, share a deep commitment to democratic values and many common interests. We are committed to combatting violent extremism, a rules based international order and freedom of navigation. We also have a common interest in addressing issues of climate change and human trafficking.

As Prime Minister Turnbull noted a couple of weeks ago at the annual Lowy Lecture,

Strong borders, vigilant security agencies governed by the rule of law, and a steadfast commitment to the shared values of freedom and mutual respect – these are the ingredients of multicultural success – which is what we have achieved in Australia.

In an increasingly unstable world, where democracy, multiculturalism and human rights are threatened from all quarters, Sri Lanka, like Australia, has the potential to set such an example and become a pillar of stability in the region.

But for Sri Lanka to succeed the people of Sri Lanka need to feel the democratic dividend and the peace dividend fast. Australia has been generous in her assistance providing over 40 million US dollars over the last year, and in helping us guard our maritime area which is nearly five times our land areas. But at this time of transition, we need Australian assistance in rebuilding, in education – particularly vocational education, in technology and in improving public service delivery.

Therefore, ladies and gentlemen, at this critical point in Sri Lanka’s transition, when the people of Sri Lanka rejected those who just weren’t playing cricket and are ready to bat again, we look to our partner Australia’s support and the world’s support for the next innings.