UN Panel to meet LLRC?

by Shanika SRIYANANDA

The Government will make arrangements for the UN Panel on Sri Lanka to make representations before the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) if there is such a request, the External Affairs Ministry said yesterday. “The Government of Sri Lanka has the responsibility to facilitate those desirous making representations, as set out in the mandate of the LLRC. Accordingly, in the event of the Panel of the Secretary-General wishing to make representations to the Commission, the Ministry of External Affairs will make the arrangements that are necessary to enable the Panel to do so,” the Ministry said in a statement.

The Ministry was responding to reports in the media of a possible visit to Sri Lanka by the United Nations Secretary-General’s Panel of Experts on Sri Lanka. The LLRC was appointed by President Mahinda Rajapaksa under Section 2 of the Commissions of Inquiry Act.

Meanwhile, at a media conference held in New York UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has praised President Mahinda Rajapaksa for his flexibility on the issue.

He had told the media that his three-member panel would be able to visit Sri Lanka. “I appreciated the flexibility of President Rajapaksa on this issue”, he said.

Meanwhile, LLRC sources said public sittings would be wrapped up by end January 2011.

The LLRC sources said they have invited UN Residence Coordinator Neil Buhne and Tamil National Alliance Leader R. Sampanthan to testify before the Commission and were awaiting their response.

The LLRC which held public sittings in the North and the East, has given the opportunity for LTTE cadre in the Boossa Prison and also the people in the Ampara district to testify before the LLRC. Written submissions can be made to the Commission before end of December. The LLRC is to prepare its final report before May 15, 2011.