Possibility of new opportunities– successful UN resolution
The
successful UnitedNations Resolution on reconciliation and accountabilityshould
pave the way for a new period of commitment to curethe wounds of a long
conflict, caused upon individuals aswell as on the institutional structure of
democracy and therule of law in Sri Lanka.
A
responsible approach to dealing with the pastviolence cannot under any
circumstances damage any nation orits people. In fact the capacity to
understand the past andface the problems from the past in an honest manner
helps anation and its people in the same way as it does in the lifeof
individuals.
What is
required arehonesty, humility and a political will on the part of thegovernment
as well as the people to take their nation andevery citizen of that nation with
utmost seriousness. Whenlegal processes are damaged such commitment cannot
exist.From the point of view of basic legal and politicalstructure of Sri
Lanka, it is a deeply wounded nation. Whatis required is not to be looking for
whom to blame for suchdestruction, but to seek and find ways to accept the
realityand find ways to cure these wounds.
The
resolution of the UnitedNations, the only world forum of all nations
shouldtherefore be looked upon as a moment of opportunity. It isthe duty of all
the citizens to have the courage to comeforward to express what has been
bothering them in theirdeepest levels and create a genuine conversation in
thecountry of the ways that everyone could cooperate to rebuildthe nation, its
institutions and also the woundedrelationships between the people.
There had
been a continuouslament in Sri Lanka about the failure of the
politicalleadership of many governments that have ruled during thepast decades
to give the leadership that is required to facethe acute problems that the
country has been beset with overmany decades. It is now the time for this
lament to betransformed into creative and constructive cooperation forthe
benefit of all particularly for the benefit of theyounger generations who
unfortunately have to bear thesufferings for the wrongs they have never done.
The Asian
Human RightsCommission hopes that the government of Sri Lanka will riseup to
the moment and face the situation in a manner requiredfrom a responsible
leadership. The AHRC hopes that thegovernment will avoid a petty and small-minded
approach andface the situation with large-heartedness andfarsightedness. If it
fails in this it will fail the nationin a very important moment of history and
perhaps ofopportunities that has never existed before to improve.
The
farsighted approach thatneighbouring India had adopted by voting in favour of
theresolution should set an example for Sri Lanka's leadershipto come to terms
with demands of history. The AHRC hopesthat Sri Lanka will extent a hand of
cooperation to all thenations and faces this situation in a manner that
isrequired.
An
opportunity has alsorisen to the UN through its Office of the High
Commissionerfor Human Rights to make a contribution for improving thelives of
the people and also to contribute to thereconstruction of the institutions of
justice in Sri Lanka.The AHRC hopes that the High Commissioner will face
thishistoric opportunity with resourcefulness, farsightednessand a commitment,
which would make it possible to respond toother situations in other nations in
the future. How theHigh Commissioner will face up to this responsibility willbe
watched by all the nations.
Irrespective
of whatever the manner of voting we hope that all the nations of the worldwill
extent full cooperation for Sri Lanka as well as to theHigh Commissioner to
ensure the successful implementation ofthis resolution.
A Statement by the Asian
Human Rights Commission
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