February 14, 2013
The government says it is against the
internationalization of the post war reconciliation process.
Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative to the UN Dr.
Palitha Kohona said that Sri Lanka must have the time and space to complete the
reconciliation process that has already seen tremendous progress.
He said this while addressing the UN Security Council
Open Debate on the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict, the Permanent
Mission to Sri Lanka at the UN said.
“Sri Lanka will continue to take all necessary
measures to heal the wounds of conflict on its own, as the internationalization
of the reconciliation process, would only result in stymying the progress,
particularly since it is a domestically developed process,” he told the
Council.
He also said that the government has taken firm action
against reported cases of violence against women and girls during the conflict
and the post-conflict period.
During the conflict period (January 2007 – May 2009),
7 Security Forces personnel were reported as having been involved in 5
incidents of sexual violence in the North. This is out of a total of 125
persons accused in 119 incidents for the entirety of the Northern Province.
In the post conflict period (May 2009 – May 2012) 10
Security Forces personnel were reported as having been involved in 6 incidents
of sexual violence in the North. This is out of a total of 307 persons accused
in 256 incidents for the entire Northern Province.
Dr. Kohona said that the involvement of Security
Forces personnel as a percentage of the total accused stands at 5.6% in the
conflict period and 3.3% in the post- conflict period.
“Legal action has been taken by the Government in all
of the above cases in which the Sri Lankan Security Forces personnel have been
involved. The military has taken stringent action, including discharging
offenders or imposing other punishments. Furthermore, cases have also been
filed in normal criminal courts. In a majority of the above cases, the
perpetrators have been close relatives or neighbours of the victim,” he said.
Dr. Kohona noted that civil society and the media have
given wide coverage to the offending incidents and in a small conservative
society such as Sri Lanka, the media coverage would ensure effective social
ostracisation of offenders. (Colombo Gazette)
