Sri Lanka’s envoy to Australia says it fully supports the nomination of a military officer to a UN body advising Ban Ki-moon. Admiral Thisara Samarasinghe says Major General Shavendra Silva is a man of “outstanding calibre” and an appropriate choice for the UN Advisory Group on Peacekeeping Operations.
“Accusations, they are unfounded,” he said.
“He had been a general of outstanding calibre. He had battled out ruthless terrorist organisations and we consider, the government considers him the right person for the job”.
High Commissioner Admiral Samarasinghe says the Sri Lankan Government has no reason to pass on its Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission report to the UN ahead of the UN Human Rights Council discussing Sri Lanka this month as part of its regular review of all nations.
Excerpt of interview broadcast on Radio Australia.
Presenter: Liam Cochrane
Speaker: Admiral Thisara Samarasinghe, Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to Australia
SAMARASINGHE: This public document, we have forwarded it to the parliament and this report is not required to be presented to other forums. It is a Lessons Learned and Reconciliations Commission which is mainly to address the issues to ourselves and see that from the lessons that we learned, that we will not permit such activity to take place in the future. So it is an in-house Investigation Commission which has been forwarded to the parliament and it is the responsibility of the Sri Lankan government to ensure that the recommendations are fulfilled, they’re implemented, and the interests of the people in Sri Lanka is fulfilled in the manner that the recommendations are made. So I do not see any reason for international bodies to be inspecting this. So first we have to give the opportunity for the local, the in-house Sri Lankan mechanisms to fulfil the aspirations of the people and we have to wait, time and space is required for that implementation to take place, so this a matter for Sri Lanka.
COCHRANE: Later this month, the UN Human Rights Council will consider Sri Lanka, as it considers all countries on a regular basis. The Sri Lankan media is reporting that three ministers of the government are set to leave for the purpose of counteracting Tamil propaganda carried out against the country. Can I ask you whether you think the UN is fundamentally biased against Sri Lanka?
SAMARASINGHE: There is no case of United Nations being fundamentally biased against any country, but certain action can be beyond its identification, the role that the United Nations ought to be playing. Here Sri Lanka has weathered a serious threat to its sovereignty by way of terrorism, internationalised terrorism. They were supported through the funding and the mechanisms from foreign soil. The funding came from foreign countries through the diaspora. So here Sri Lanka has a matter that has to be cleared if any United Nations body is attempting to unfairly accuse or blame Sri Lanka. This matter has to be taken up and the three ministers are going, and you must remember in 2009, the same Human Rights Council commended the Sri Lankan government manner in which they handled one of the most difficult rescue operations and the rehabilitation process in 2009, they were commended. So we are confident the justice and sanity will prevail and the good office of the UN will be used for the betterment of Sri Lanka which is trying to reconcile with its population and they turn to the economic path looking forward.
COCHRANE: Australia’s Foreign Minister, Kevin Rudd, has called those 2009 considerations by the UN Human Rights Council that you just mentioned, his described those deliberations on the actions of the government as “inadequate”. Can I get your response to the Australian foreign minister’s categorisation of them as being inadequate?
SAMARASINGHE: The Honourable Foreign Minister of Australia would have made that statement for reasons best known to him, but I’m sure he would understand the complexity of the problem that Sri Lanka faced and his comments or his observations will be taken by the relevant authorities.
COCHRANE: This week, we’ve been covering the controversy over the nomination of Major-General Shavendra Silva to a body advising the UN Secretary-General on peacekeeping operations. He’s been accused of war crimes as the leader of the 58th Brigade that allegedly shelled hospitals and executed people on the battlefield. The government denies this is the case and says that he has diplomatic immunity anyway. Why did the government put forward a candidate that has such a controversial past to a UN position?
SAMARASINGHE: Sri Lankan government has its own reasons and they have the right to appoint whoever it is. Accusations, they are unfounded. He has been a general of outstanding calibre, he has battled out ruthless terrorist organisations and we consider, the government considers he’s the right person for the job, so it is up to the government of Sri Lanka to decide who should represent the Sri Lankan government.
COCHRANE: I’d like to ask you about the question of oil now. Sri Lanka depends almost entirely on Iran for its crude oil supplies importing around 93% I understand of its oil from Iran. The US has recently announced sanctions against countries who are using Iranian oil. What will the Sri Lankan government be doing to try and minimise the damage on this issue?
SAMARASINGHE: Sri Lankan government will consider its options. Iran had been a non-aligned country, a good friend of Sri Lanka and whilst accepting the world opinions of subjects, Sri Lanka as a country got to survive. We are at a very crucial juncture of our development and the reconciliation and the progress on economics. So these factors will come into play when making a decision. I am not informed well on this particular issue, but I’m sure the options will be weighed and our friendship with Iran is longstanding, like all the other countries while respecting the international observations and their decisions, we will have to consider our country’s importance and the friendship of countries as important and take decisions appropriately.
COCHRANE: On Sri Lanka’s relationship with Australia, there is currently a very good relationship on a diplomatic level. Is there room for improvement in that relationship and if so in what areas?
SAMARASINGHE: Absolutely, I’m so privileged and honoured to be in Australia as Sri Lanka’s representative. Our deep roots, already deep down and we have a large community of people. We would like to see that Australian investment in our economic revival and reconciliation and rehabilitation being improved further. They’re doing a very good, especially in clearing the mines, building houses and trade. We have an Export 2012 in March this year and we are canvassing Australian investors, buyers to go to Sri Lanka and see for themselves what is the potential they have for investments in Sri Lanka in various fields. So in his context, Honourable Julia Gillard, met His Excellency, Mahendra Rajapaksa in Perth. They had very cordial discussions and I’m confident during the couple of years ahead, we will strengthen our relationship with Australia further and Australia will be a strong partner in our progress to prosperity, especially reconciliation and reconstruction. On the education sector, Australia is helping us out and we are intending to improve our education, university education in Sri Lanka with the help of Australia. It is to the best benefit of both countries and Sri Lanka that we have a strong and continued good relationship with Australia, not only cricket. We have come here to play cricket. As you know the cricket team is Sri Lankan Cricket team is right now in Canberra. The weather has not been kind too much, so we are just about to start the game at 10 o’clock with Honourable Julia Gillard doing the top honours with the toss. So cricket is also is an area that has bound Sri Lanka and Australia together. We have learnt a lot from Australia when we first notched up our World Cup victory and we have missed out the World Cup twice in the running being the finalists. So let’s see this season the Tri-Nation will give us a lot of insight to and experience to what is to be achieved in the future.
COCHRANE: And it will also test the Sri Lankan cricket team, which has been in a bit of trouble recently, sacking its coach and facing financial problems. Is there a chance that the government might step in and assist the team to get back on its feet or is it OK to continue on as it is?
SAMARASINGHE: Sri Lankan team I would say is not sacking the Australian coach, but changing of the Australian coach for whatever the reasons was considered and last three matches we have basically performed well with South Africa, of course, after losing the series. The money aspect of the cricketers is not a major issue. It’s an institutional, organisational certain difficulties that they could not pay the players on time. But our cricketers on national duty when you represent the country and of course, you need to be paid for what your job is playing cricket, so you need to be paid. But I’m confident and it was said by the captain that non-payment or delay of payment is not an issue for them to perform on ground. So our players will have the country before themselves for sure like any other country and concentrate on cricket which to develop and have patience until the financial difficulties are sorted out and there will be definitely a delay of payment, but it’s not an issue on not pay.
