‘Keen to prevent future conflict’

The government wants to learn from its past to prevent any future conflict and the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission has been formed by President Mahinda Rajapakse to find out the root causes of the problem, Sri Lankan ambassador in USA Jaliya Wickramasuriya has said.

At a reception hosted for the chiefs of staffs of key members of the US Congress this week and during a meeting with them to discuss US policy toward Sri Lanka and sharing of a progress report on post-conflict development in the island nation, he said “We want to share with you the real, correct story of Sri Lanka. And we want you to have the information to tell others the correct story of Sri Lanka, and not necessarily the one you read in the media.”

Ambassador Wickramasuriya asked the Congressional chiefs of staff, who are the senior managers of Congressional offices, to contact the embassy for information when Sri Lanka’s critics make unfounded complaints that are designed to undermine post-conflict reconciliation and development. “My experience is some in the media and some extremists don’t like positive stories,” the ambassador said. “They love negative stories and if they don’t have them, they create them. In the meantime, they ignore positive developments that are actually helping Sri Lankans.”

The ambassador discussed redevelopment efforts in the North and East, as well as projects in other parts of Sri Lanka. He noted that unparalleled performance of the post-conflict stock exchange, and Sri Lanka’s GDP growth of 8.2% in 2010. He also noted the resettlement and de-mining efforts in the North and East, and government efforts to revive the economy and livelihoods.

[Full Coverage]

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