“The president will meet representatives of all constituent parties to discuss the LLRC Report and to determine how the government should handle it. Although some ministers have criticized it, there are many others who feel that the LLRC recommendations should be implemented ahead of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) session in March 2012,” said a senior Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) politician.
Meanwhile Minister D.E.W. Gunesekara told LAKBIMAnEWS that the Communist Party insists that the LLRC recommendations be implemented considering their merit, while being prepared to face international pressure. However, Minister of Power, Patali Champika Ranawaka said that the LLRC has clearly exceeded its mandate and that the party he represents, the JHU, has reservations about the report. (See interview inside.)
“We have reservations or questions on the manner in which the panel has reached certain decisions. It must be also said that the panel seems to have exceeded the stated mandate, or stipulations. Certain suggestions that the panel has made appear to exceed the limit of its scope. The committee that was formed to look into incidents between February 2002-May 2009 has instead come up with the recommendation that the solution for the North-East ethnic issue is devolution of power. That is a clear example of them exceeding their powers and limits,” he said.
LB