Only LTTE sympathizers and extremists oppose UN resolution - PM

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe says that only the local extremists and LTTE sympathizers are against the UNHRC resolution on a domestic mechanism. 

The Prime Minister made these remarks  participating in the adjournment debate, presently being conducted in parliament, on the resolution regarding Sri Lanka, adopted at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva.  

The initiatives commenced by the government, aims to unify all communities.  It is also an exercise to heal broken hearts, he said.  

The Prime Minister added that it also aims to consolidate democracy in the country.  The government’s programme strives to propagate love and compassion in place of anger and hatred. He has further pointed out that in order to fulfill these objectives, the country has to embark upon a new path. 

He added that in this context, all should leave aside traditional politics and think anew for the sake of the country. Sri Lanka was isolated internationally due to the failure of the previous government to follow a balanced foreign policy.  

He said that the new government has been able to win the international confidence and that the Geneva proposals have paved the way to strengthened this confidence.

 The Prime Minister added that it was Mahinda Rajapakse who had first carried the human rights issue to Geneva. He further said that Rajapakse had once again brought the problem to the Human Rights Council by entering into an agreement with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon at the end of the war.

The Prime Minister asserted that the extremist Tamil Diaspora as well as the Sinhala and Tamil communalists in Colombo was one group. The Prime Minister added that the Government also aims to consolidate democracy in the country. He declared that that in this context, all should leave aside traditional politics and think anew for the sake of the country. Sri Lanka was isolated internationally due to the failure of the previous government to follow a balanced foreign policy.
 
The Prime Minister elaborated that the operations from Mavilaru happened by chance and the victory over war does not belong to anyone. He recalled how orders were issued from Colombo to accept those who arrived with white flags during the final stage of the war, when there was a need to free Puliyadevan, a tiger leader with whom the Government transacted.