British Foreign Office Minister for Asia Hugo Swire said Sri Lanka must take “meaningful steps towards truth and accountability” in order to achieve reconciliation and economic success, in a speech to Sri Lanka’s Council for Business with Britain today.
“What a difference a year makes!” said Mr Swire, stating that there had been an improvement in relations between the two governments and “positive developments” over the last year.
“For me, perhaps the most significant of these developments were the commitments Sri Lanka made at the Human Rights Council in September,” he added. “Those commitments to take meaningful steps towards truth and accountability after the long conflict here are key to bringing about lasting reconciliation.”
The minister went on to state “that is important because it is reconciliation that will, I believe, be the bedrock on which Sri Lanka’s future economic success will be built”.
Mr Swire added that the UK was “delighted to announce the provision of £6.6 million pounds of UK Government funding to support peace and reconciliation in Sri Lanka”.
The announcement of funds was criticised by parliamentarians from the British opposition, who stated “we would urge, at the very least, extreme caution by the UK Government when making decisions to significantly increase assistance to Sri Lanka” noting that the “Sri Lankan armed forces stand accused of committing war crimes, militarising Tamil areas in the North and East of the island and allegedly perpetrating acts of sexual violence against Tamil war widows”.
Mr Swire though, in his speech, went on to state that “historically, our bilateral military relations have been very close and I know that the resumption of cooperation and collaboration in this field is very welcome by the armed forces of both our countries”.
He also spoke on his trip to Jaffna in the coming days, where the minister will be “meeting resettled families, members of civil society and religious leaders to hear directly from them about the progress in reconciliation and economic development”.
See his full speech here.
“What a difference a year makes!” said Mr Swire, stating that there had been an improvement in relations between the two governments and “positive developments” over the last year.
“For me, perhaps the most significant of these developments were the commitments Sri Lanka made at the Human Rights Council in September,” he added. “Those commitments to take meaningful steps towards truth and accountability after the long conflict here are key to bringing about lasting reconciliation.”
The minister went on to state “that is important because it is reconciliation that will, I believe, be the bedrock on which Sri Lanka’s future economic success will be built”.
Mr Swire added that the UK was “delighted to announce the provision of £6.6 million pounds of UK Government funding to support peace and reconciliation in Sri Lanka”.
The announcement of funds was criticised by parliamentarians from the British opposition, who stated “we would urge, at the very least, extreme caution by the UK Government when making decisions to significantly increase assistance to Sri Lanka” noting that the “Sri Lankan armed forces stand accused of committing war crimes, militarising Tamil areas in the North and East of the island and allegedly perpetrating acts of sexual violence against Tamil war widows”.
Mr Swire though, in his speech, went on to state that “historically, our bilateral military relations have been very close and I know that the resumption of cooperation and collaboration in this field is very welcome by the armed forces of both our countries”.
He also spoke on his trip to Jaffna in the coming days, where the minister will be “meeting resettled families, members of civil society and religious leaders to hear directly from them about the progress in reconciliation and economic development”.
See his full speech here.