High Commission of Sri Lanka in India

At the invitation of Prof Rahmat Mohamad, the Secretary General of Asian African Legal Consultative Organisation (AALCO), headquartered in New Delhi, Minister of Justice Rauff Hakeem is visited India from 23-27 January 2012 in his capacity as the current President of AALCO. It is customary for the Presidents of AALCO to visit the headquarters of the organization during their tenure.

During his visit to India, he met his Indian counterpart, Salman Khurshid, the Law Minister as well as the Attorney General of India Goolam Vahanvati. Issues of mutual interest and measures for greater cooperation between the legal entities of India and Sri Lanka were discussed at these meetings. Minister Hakeem met the Secretary General and other officials of AALCO on 24 January 2012 where a range of legal and other issues of common interest for Asian and African nations were discussed. High Commissioner for Sri Lanka in India Prasad Kariyawasam accompanied the Minister at these meetings.

Addressing the New Delhi based Liaison Officers of AALCO, he thanked AALCO for the opportunity provided to Sri Lanka to host the milestone 50^th Annual Session of the Organisation in Colombo in June 2011. Sri Lanka, is among one of the seven founding members of the AALCO and has the unique honour of chairing the newly constituted Eminent Persons Group of AALCO. Describing AALCO’s contribution in the international legal arena as groundbreaking, Minister Hakeem referred to the law of the sea, concept of archipelagic states, Bangkok Principles on treatment of stateless persons and refugees, law related to trafficking of women and children, as areas in which AALCO’s contribution has been substantial. He flagged some of the present challenges such as climate change, WTO related issues, Intellectual Property Rights, international terrorism, piracy and cyber crime where further deliberations are needed.

Minister Hakeem addressed a well attended gathering of New Delhi based diplomats, academics and scholars at a Seminar organized by the Indian Council of World Affairs, a pioneer Indian Think Tank, on the topic “Right to Protect : Asian & African Perspectives” at the prestigious Sapru House in New Delhi on 24 January 2012.

(Full text of Minister Hakeem’s Address)

The final Report of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) that was submitted to President Mahinda Rajapaksa on 20 November 2011 was tabled in Parliament on 16 December 2011 by the Leader of the House, Hon. Nimal Siripala de Silva.

The LLRC was appointed by President Mahinda Rajapaksa on 15th May 2010 to inquire and report on the following matters that may have taken place during the period between 21st February 2002 and 19th May 2009, namely;

• The facts and circumstances which led to the failure of the ceasefire agreement operationalized on 21st February, 2002 and the sequence of events that followed thereafter up to the 19th of May, 2009.

• Whether any person, group or institution directly or indirectly bear responsibility in this regard;

• The lessons we would learn from those events and their attendant concern, in order to ensure that there will be no recurrence;

• The methodology whereby restitution to any person affected by those events or their dependants or their heirs, can be affected;

• The institutional administrative and legislative measured which need to be taken in order or prevent any recurrence of such concerns in the future, and to promote further national unity and the reconciliation among all communities, and to make any such other recommendations with reference to any of the matters that have been inquired into under the terms of the Warrant.

View the Report:

http://www.priu.gov.lk/news_update/Current_Affairs/ca201112/FINAL%20LLRC%20REPORT.pdf

Addressing a Roadshow in New Delhi to promote the Sri Lanka Expo 2012 that will be held in Colombo in March 2012, High Commissioner Prasad Kariyawasam invited Indian entrepreneurs to make use of the emerging status of Sri Lanka as a hub in the region to achieve win-win situations in trade for both nations. A large gathering of New Delhi based diplomats who are concurrently accredited to Sri Lanka and members of various Chambers of Commerce in India and the Association of Importers of India participated at the event.

Trade has been a catalyst since ancient times in promoting people to people contacts. Sri Lanka in looking to trading with all nations and India is particularly important since it has emerged as Sri Lanka’s largest trading partner and one of the biggest investors. Investments by Sri Lankan companies in India too are on the increase as Sri Lankan businessmen take advantage of India’s dynamic economy. World’s busiest sea lanes run closer to the southern tip of Sri Lanka and to benefit from this strategic location, the Government has decided a build a port in Hambantota, the first phase of which has been completed.

Export Development Board Chairman Janaka Ratnayake explained the business environment in Sri Lanka and the priority sectors of the Expo 2012.Explaining the facilities offered to the participants for the Expo 2012 Exhibition and the Symposium that will be held parallel to it, he requested Indian business community to make the full use of these facilities. Vice President of SAARC Chambers of Commerce Kosala Wickramanayake said that Expo 2012 is a public- private partnership and that the private sector in Sri Lanka is working very closely with the Government to hold this event successfully.  

Sri Lanka is commemorating the International Migrant’s Day on 18^th December 2011, on an elaborate scale under the theme “Dirisariya –Let’s appreciate migrant workers, the heroes of our economy”.

The main purpose of the celebrations, scheduled on this day, is to highlight among the general public the importance of the contribution made to the Sri Lankan economy by our citizens who are working abroad under difficult conditions. It is expected that the educational and awareness raising programmes arranged would help increase appreciation and respect for migrant workers.

While the celebrations are scheduled to take place Islandwide, the Colombo District event begins at 8.30 a.m. at the Presidential Secretariat. This event will be graced by His Excellency the President and includes the issuance of a First Day stamp cover as well as the issuance of Migrant Card, which combines the data of a migrant worker and a debit card and a Migration Walk with the participation of about 2,000 from the migration community and a vehicle parade with educational floats.