Sri Lanka’s Minister of Agriculture, JHU front-liner Udaya Gammanpila has said that he believes Sri Lanka was able to successfully counter human rights abuse allegations at the UN Human Rights Council.

Calling the allegations “baseless theories put forward by separatist forces” in an interview with the Sunday Observer, Gammanpila explained how the Sri Lankan delegation at the UPR was able to defy them by detailing Sri Lanka’s extensive post-2009 ‘achievements’ in rehabilitation and infrastructure. Gammanpila then went on to talk about the Tamil issue, claiming that a solution can only be formed by the Sri Lankan government.

Extracts reproduced below:

Q: Some countries, especially the USA, are continuing to exert pressure on the Government insisting on an early solution to the Tamil question. Do you believe that a solution could be worked out soon?

A: At the Universal Periodic Review on the human rights situation in Sri Lanka, the USA and India have made several remarks beyond their scope.

The USA has questioned the delay of a political solution. They know well that the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) became defunct because of the boycott of the TNA. But they put pressure the Government levelling accusations that Sri Lanka has failed to devolve power. The international community can review and question Sri Lanka's human rights situation because Sri Lanka has signed international treaties and covenants promising to protect human rights. But we have never entered into any treaties or covenants promising to devolve power. We have never undertaken to make Sri Lanka a Federal State.

There are no such international treaties at all. That is why there are only 26 federal states out of 206 nations. The USA should also ask countries like Japan, China, France and Norway which are unitary states to introduce a federal system of government.

That shows the USA's duplicity. India has also done the same. India too has no right to question the political structure of Sri Lanka. We have not signed any international treaty to do something to that effect.

Q: They are also repeatedly accusing that we are delaying the implementation of the LLRC recommendations?

A: They are wrong. There are recommendations that have to be implemented by the Executive and most of them have been implemented. If there is a delay that is owing to the due legislative process.

The sovereignty on these lies with the people of this country and not with the LLRC.

The LLRC has done its duty of making recommendations. Our legislature should, through the Select Committee, assess the recommendations and formulate laws that may be deemed necessary. They have to be submitted before the people for obtaining their mandate. There is no delay as such in that implementation process as we see it. But certainly we cannot implement recommendations at the phase desired by others but we will implement them at our own phase.

Q: In your view what should be the solution to the Tamil issue and what should be offered for the Tamils who have suffered long?

A: We have repeatedly said that we are ready to listen to the Tamil leaders if they convince us with facts and figures on genuine grievances they have which need to be addressed and can be resolved once and for all with proposals that they put forward. We are willing to welcome such a proposition. Nobody but the Sri Lankan Government can solve their problems. So if they have problems, they should come and talk to the Sri Lankan Government instead of wasting their time with leaders in other countries.

See here for full interview on Sunday Observer.