Opportunity to showcase Sri Lanka’s image globally :

CPA conference ends on high note

By Uditha KUMARASINGHE

The 58th sessions of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) conference ended on a successful note, bringing fruitful results to Sri Lanka while showcasing its image globally. The most significant achievements gained by the country from this international parley was the firm endorsement by Commonwealth delegates on post-conflict development and the reconciliation process.

As President Mahinda Rajapaksa said in his remarks at the opening ceremony of the CPA conference, the Government provided an opportunity to the Commonwealth delegates to tour Jaffna and Kilinochchi to ascertain first hand what is really taking place there. Earlier, most delegates had heard about Sri Lanka only from the information that they gathered from third parties.

After the closing ceremony of the CPA sessions, the CPA delegates who held a press briefing at the BMICH told the media that Sri Lanka is recovering and developing rapidly after three decades of conflict. They appreciated the tremendous commitment of the Government to develop the areas in the North. The delegates said what they saw was quite encouraging.

Constitutional democracy

The delegates also pointed out that they were really impressed by the deployment of military personnel for the country’s reconstruction drive. They said they are working hard and such activity should be very much welcomed during the time of peace.

The earnest request made by the Commonwealth delegates from the Government was to carry forward this mission and ensure a better life for the country’s younger generation. They stressed the need for both Government and Opposition political parties to effectively contribute towards this process.

Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa, in his welcome address at the official opening of the conference, told the delegates that Sri Lanka is proud of its history, its people and its tradition of constitutional democracy. The Speaker invited the delegates to savour the natural beauty and splendour of our motherland and to engage with her people, among the most hospitable people anywhere in the world. He said, “It is because of our commitment to Parliamentary democracy that the Commonwealth has bestowed on Sri Lanka, the honour of hosting the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in 2013.

Yet another achievement of the CPA conference was that all delegates highly commended the speech made by President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the opening ceremony of the CPA conference at Nelum Pokuna Mahinda Rajapaksa Theatre last Tuesday. The President, in his opening remarks, told the delegates, “With our undoubted commitment to Parliamentary democracy, we have a keen interest in the work and progress of the CPA”.

President Rajapaksa said the CPA’s efforts to promote parliamentary democracy by enhancing knowledge and understanding of democratic governance, and interest in building an informed parliamentary community among the member nations, has our strongest support. The President told the delegates that the Government protected the democratic system and the democratic rights of all people, against what has been correctly described as the most ruthless terrorist organisation in the world. “At a time of clashes between democracy and terror, we have shown the world that terrorism can be effectively defeated, and the cherished values of democracy restored to people who were denied it for nearly three decades,” he said. The President also urged the delegates to make use of this opportunity to learn of the real Sri Lanka, in its post-conflict era, when the highest priority is given to nation building through reconciliation.

At the opening plenary of the CPA conference, Commonwealth Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma said this conference is an opportunity for Sri Lanka to make an important contribution to the Commonwealth and the world beyond.

He observed that in Sri Lanka there was progress in the context of the post-conflict situation. He said Sri Lanka had seen many years of painful and traumatic conflict. The country overcoming the forces of terrorism was a major achievement for Sri Lanka.

He also appreciated the steps being taken to implement the LLRC recommendations and the National Action Plan. In his presentation, he also stressed the importance of the relationship between the Government and the Opposition parties. He emphasised that it would help create a democratic framework, harmony and development.

Topics of discussion

Deputy Speaker Chandima Weerakkody told the media that during the CPA deliberations, a number of topics relating to health and education, democracy, rule of law and human rights, the role of parliaments, conflict resolution and peace building, gender responsive governance, terrorism, youth unemployment and the role of social media was discussed. He said the sessions reached a very successful conclusion under the leadership of the President of the 58th CPA conference, Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa.

The topic ‘Empowering future generations through access to health, education and vocational training’ was proposed by Sri Lanka as the host branch of the conference. During this session most countries requested an opportunity to study the success achieved by Sri Lanka in these fields.

The delegates who participated in the session also suggested that the knowledge of Sri Lanka and developed nations in these areas be shared among other countries of the Commonwealth.

Another highlight at the conference was that the majority of Commonwealth countries stood against the motion ‘Should the Commonwealth establish a commissioner for democracy, the rule of law and human rights?’ The Deputy Speaker told the journalists that Great Britain, Canada, Australia and a few Sri Lankan Parliamentarians representing the Opposition are in favour of this motion. When the media inquired about the names of these Opposition Parliamentarians, the Deputy Speaker said Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, Opposition MPs Jayalath Jayawardene, John Amaratunga and TNA MP Sumanthiran stood in favour of this motion. Most of the Commonwealth member states had opposed this move and were of the view that the CPA should exist for mutual understanding among the member states.

At a media briefing at the BMICH on Wednesday, External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris said there had been a strong focus on economic aspects at the conference. He said the Commonwealth must be an instrument of service to humanity so the public in all 54 countries are looking forward to the delivery on the ground that it must make a difference to their lives.

That is why there has been this kind of focus on issues which have a direct impact on the well-being of the people because the Commonwealth is a people - oriented organisation. So the well-being of the people is the main objective of the Commonwealth. That is why there has been a strong emphasis on health, education, vocational training and the ageing population.

Prof. Peiris said the discussions were also centred on how to eliminate poverty and gender-based discrimination and to break down the divide between urban and rural cultures and to ensure that the fruits of economic development are equitably distributed throughout the countries.

Commonwealth and UN

Prof. Peiris, who defined the theme of the conference ‘Ensuring a relevant Commonwealth for the future’, said the Commonwealth will be relevant if the majority of the people in these 54 countries perceive the organisation as a useful instrument to make their lives better. That is a litmus test and time is running out. He stressed that when talking of the relevance of the future of the Commonwealth, we should understand what kind of organisation the Commonwealth is. Some people are in the process of trying to make the Commonwealth similar to the United Nations. The Commonwealth is not the United Nations.

There is a fundamental difference between these two institutions. The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of sovereign states and a voluntary organisation that is based on tradition, on custom, on unwritten rules and is not governed by statutory provisions or constitutional norms. “We must understand this in deciding how the future of the Commonwealth is to be evolved.

“The United Nations has specialised instrument agencies to deal with human rights. So the Commonwealth cannot be used by some countries to impose their will on others to interfere with domestic affairs of other countries. One of the basic values of the Commonwealth is the right of each country to determine its policy in accordance with the wishes of its people. No country or group of countries can interfere in the internal affairs of other countries using the Commonwealth mechanism as an instrument for doing so. That is neo-colonialism. The Commonwealth view is out of colonialism,” he said.

The Commonwealth delegates appreciated the arrangements made by Sri Lanka as the host country to conduct the 58th CPA conference in Sri Lanka. The delegates extended their sincere thanks for the hospitability extended by the Government and the Sri Lankan people.

Speaker of the Indian Lok Sabha Meira Kumar who called on Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa at the BMICH on Friday also said the 58th CPA conference was very well organised. She said Sri Lanka has tremendous capacity in organising international conferences and events.

She also commended the role played by Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa and the organising committee and hailed the event as a success.

Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa told the media that the 58th CPA conference was held in a successful manner in Sri Lanka. He said the response gained from the delegates who attended the conference was very encouraging. The CPA also provided the opportunity to showcase the country’s image and show the progress achieved since the end of three decades of strife while the response gained from the delegates on this were very positive.

At the closing ceremony of the CPA conference, Vice President of the CPA and Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces of South Africa Mininwa Johannes Mahlangu was appointed President of the CPA as South Africa is the host country for the 59th CPA conference next year.