Sri Lanka seeks more time for ethnic reconciliation

Colombo, Sep 4 (AFP) President Maithripala Sirisena todaypleaded for more time to bring about reconciliation and ensureaccountability seven years after Sri Lanka’s ethnic war thatclaimed over 100,000 lives. Sirisena said he urged United Nations Secretary-GeneralBan Ki-moon during talks on Thursday to be patient with hisadministration which came to power in January last year on apromise of lasting peace and ethnic unity. "I told him not to be in a hurry. Be patient, give mesome more time to rebuild my country," he said. "TheSecretary-General had a smile on his face and told me: ‘Youcontinue your work.’" Speaking at the 65th anniversary celebrations of his SriLanka Freedom Party in the north-western town of Kurunegala,Sirisena said he has managed to end the country’sinternational pariah status since coming to power in Januarylast year. Sri Lanka had faced international censure after hispredecessor Mahinda Rajapakse insisted that not a singlecivilian was killed by troops under his command. Rajapakse also refused to investigate allegations that upto 40,000 minority Tamil civilians perished in the finalstages of the war in 2009. More than 100,000 people werekilled in the conflict between 1972 and 2009. Earlier this year, Sirisena pledged to provide state landto those affected by the war and unable to go back to theirown homes which were either destroyed in the war or are stilloccupied by the military. In a public lecture in Colombo on Friday, Ban welcomedwhat he called symbolic steps taken by Sirisena’sadministration to ensure reconciliation but called for moremomentum to ensure lasting peace. "I also urge you to speed up the return of (Tamil) landso that the remaining communities of displaced people canreturn home," Ban said. "In parallel, the size of the military force in the(former war zones of) North and East could be reduced, helpingto build trust and reduce tensions." He also pressed for accountability for the "tens ofthousands of civilians" who perished in the final months ofthe war in 2009, a figure disputed by the former government. "There is still much work to be done in order to redressthe wrongs of the past," he added. (AFP)AJR