Sri Lanka has again said it needs more “time and space” to address reconciliation in Sri Lanka.

In a 30-minute propaganda video, aired on US national television channel NBC, President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Secretary Lalith Weerathunga said that Sri Lanka needs over a year to implement the bulk of the LLRC recommendations and up to 10 years to see “fruits in this whole issue of reconciliation”.

“Tell us if there is any better situation of a similar kind of scenario in the world elsewhere, we will take it. But I don’t think there is anything like that anywhere in the world,” he said while addressing concerns over the pace of the implementations of the LLRC recommendations.

The government propaganda video was titled “Sri Lanka: Reconciling and Rebuilding”, and was produced by Washington-based lobby firm, Thompson Advisory Group (TAG) who have been hired by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka last year at a cost of $66,600 (SLRs8,337,600) per month.

A column by Dharisha Bastians in Sri Lanka's Financial Times said the film was unlikely to have had any real impact.

"...despite the best efforts of TAG, the public relations stunt is unlikely to have had any real impact on opinions that matter in terms of softening positions in Washington about Sri Lanka’s lack of progress on accountability and reconciliation,

"US cable news shows, aired primarily to target American audiences are well known for their insularity in dealing with global issues. The Sri Lanka problem, though big news in South Asia and certain specific quarters of Washington, is not an issue on the radar of ordinary Americans. Those engaging on the Sri Lanka problem are far too well briefed about the situation on the ground to be taken in by striking presentations and video footage that seeks to change the prevailing international narrative."

The infomercial features President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who promises a Truth and Reconciliation Commission, based on the South African model.

“We have seen how Mandela handled it and I want to study that,” the president said.

Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivaard Cabraal also make appearances, confidently expressing Sri Lanka’s capacity to conduct its own inquiries into allegations about the final phase of the armed conflict, hopes for reconciliation and unparalleled economic growth.

The defence secretary insisted that there needs to be confidence in a local process and that any soldier found guilty of committing offences has already been dealt with, using existing legal processes.

The Road from Geneva - Financial Times Sri Lanka (06 Feb 2014)

More time and space is more of the same - Editorial (19 Feb 2013)