The government has identified some key recommendations of the Lessons Learned and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) which will be implemented this year, President’s Secretary Lalith Weeratunga told media heads today. He said that of the 285 recommendations listed in the LLRC report 33 recommendations of national interest have been identified.
Weeratunga is heading a committee appointed by the government to look at the recommendations to be implemented.
He said that cabinet will be briefed by the end of this month on the recommendations which will be implemented.
Weeratunga said that the government is unable to implement all the recommendations which have been identified by the end of this year, mostly owing to lack of funding.
He said that while the important ones will be implemented this year the rest will be implemented next year.
The President’s Secretary also said that some recommendations cannot be implemented for practical reasons.
He drew an example to a recommendation calling on the authorities to change the mindset of government officials.
The UN Human Rights Council had in March this year adopted a resolution by a majority vote, calling for the full implementation of the LLRC report.
However the government later said it has a duty to look at the repercussions that the full report may have on the country plus it also needs to form a consensus among its coalition partners.
The coalition partners had over the past few weeks submitted its opinions on the recommendations to the President.
Weeratunga expressed confidence that there would be progress on implementing the key recommendations in time for the UN Human Rights Council session scheduled for March next year in Geneva. (Colombo Gazette
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