“Our contribution has been widely recognized in a number of areas including the promotion of international law disarmament and arms control human rights and combating terrorism.” Image: Minister Bogollagama addressing the Event on tomorrow evening.(25April)____________
by Rohitha Bogollagama
(April 26, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama applauded the work done by the United Nations in combating terrorism when he addressed the Media persons and other employers come from Foreign Ministry and UN office in Colombo at Laksman Kadhirgamr Institute in Colombo. He said "The indispensable value of the United Nations and its network, covering virtually every human activity has been amply demonstrated in Sri Lanka in times of national crisis whether it be in combating unprecedented challenges of terrorism or natural disasters such as the tsunami of December 2004.
The UN country team was among the first who came to the rescue when the devastating tsunami wrecked havoc in the Indian Ocean." Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama : The indispensable value of the United Nations and its network, covering virtually every human activity has been amply demonstrated in Sri Lanka in times of national crisis whether it be in combating unprecedented challenges of terrorism or natural disasters such as the tsunami of December 2004.
He added "Today, in many countries, law enforcement officials are systematically dismantling terrorist financing and procurement networks. This has no doubt been made possible by the ´new generation´ sectoral Conventions on terrorism which have been negotiated in the UN, within the AD-Hoc Committee on Terrorism, currently chaired by Sri Lanka. The International Convention for the Suppression of Terrorist Financing adopted by the UN has imposed stringent international obligations on Member Stated to effectively combat this phenomenon.Here is the full text of his speech:
In 2005, Sri Lanka celebrated its 50 years of membership of the United Nations, which coincided with the celebration of the 60th Anniversary of the United Nations.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa, in his message on this occasion, refers to the United Nations’ unique function “as an organization in which countries with widely differing political instructions and those at different stages of economic development, can exchange views, share their problems and experiences and probe each others’ reactions to policies of mutual interest.”
The President also reaffirmed on this occasion, Sri Lanka’s strong commitment to the purposes and principles enshrined in the Charter, stating that the “Government of Sri Lanka will continue to work in partnership with the United Nations Country Team in Sri Lanka in the further promotion of socio-economic development of all peoples of our country.” This was also the message my President conveyed to UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon. I will myself be continuing this dialogue shortly during my visit to New York in May.
The indispensable value of the United Nations and its network, covering virtually every human activity has been amply demonstrated in Sri Lanka in times of national crisis whether it be in combating unprecedented challenges of terrorism or natural disasters such as the tsunami of December 2004. The UN country team was among the first who came to the rescue when the devastating tsunami wrecked havoc in the Indian Ocean.
Today, in many countries, law enforcement officials are systematically dismantling terrorist financing and procurement networks. This has no doubt been made possible by the ´new generation´ sectoral Conventions on terrorism which have been negotiated in the UN, within the AD-Hoc Committee on Terrorism, currently chaired by Sri Lanka. The International Convention for the Suppression of Terrorist Financing adopted by the UN has imposed stringent international obligations on Member Stated to effectively combat this phenomenon.
Indeed the UN set up its presence in Sri Lanka even before this country became a member of the Organization and has been of assistance in the early years in combating poverty, disease and environmental degradation. Our comprehensive national social development programmes which have resulted in a high physical quality of life in Sri Lanka in comparison to other developing countries provided an early model and was supported by the United Nations and its specialized agencies.
In recent times, the UN network has made its own contribution through peace building efforts, in particular to ameliorate the conditions of IDP’s affected by the conflict and towards ensuring that the food and medicines provided by the Government reached those most in need in the uncleared areas. UN and International visitors have highlighted Sri Lanka’s unique country situation in that even during the height of the conflict in the 1990’s, National Immunization Days were carried out for all children in conflict areas, by the Ministry of Health in collaboration with UNICEF and Civil Society organizations.
Throughout the years of the conflict Sri Lanka has maintained a policy of openness and constructive engagement and received UN senior officials’ special representatives and mechanisms with a view to working out implementable recommendations to strengthen the democratic value system, fundamental freedoms and the rule of law. We will spare no effort and will continue to engage constructively with our international partners and the United Nations in particular. However, the ultimate objectives we will all agree should be to strengthen our own national institutions thereby building a truly sustainable national protection system.
I would like to recall here the words of the late Hon. Mr. S W R D Bandaranaike the first Prime Minister of Sri Lanka to attend the UN General Assembly who referred to the UN as follows:
´This is an Organization which express itself most effectively by bringing to bear a certain moral force- the collective moral force and decency of human beings. That is a task in which the weak as well as the strong can render a useful service and I give the assembly the assurance, on behalf of my country, that as far as we are concerned, every endeavour that we can make in all sincerity to assist in the achievements of those noble ideals for which this organization stands, will always be forthcoming in the fullest measure.´
In this respect I wish to state that indeed such a clear commitment has been forthcoming from every Government in this country since independence. Thus our foreign policy has been formulated and conducted over the years, both within and outside the United Nations, in a spirit of bipartisanship, ensuring consistency on major issues of national interest. Friendship with all countries has been a fundamental pillar of foreign policy and has served our country well.
This is in fact the background in which we must understand the compliment paid to Sri Lanka by the then Secretary General of United Nations Kofi Annan who felicitated Sri Lanka for having been “ a constructive and engaged member state” throughout its half century of UN membership.
Sri Lanka’s special contribution in the UN has been as a consensus builder. Over the years, its diplomats have built a reputation for their moderation and “good offices” role particularly in bridging difference between divergent political and ideological positions, thereby promoting fairness and sense of balance.
Our contribution has been widely recognized in a number of areas including the promotion of international law disarmament and arms control human rights and combating terrorism.
According to Justice C G Weeramantry who served as a Judge of the International Court of Justice, the multicultural traditions in this country with the intertwining of the four major world religions and various traditional legal systems, have enabled Sri Lanka to make a significant contribution to the development of international law, thereby promoting a universalist perspective towards legal issues.
It is this broad perspective which has also enabled Sri Lanka to engage actively on contemporary issues within the UN such as combating international terrorism, peace building children and armed conflict migration and development disaster management and post conflict recovery climate change etc.
For some years now the UN has been engaged in a series of reforms to better meet the challenges of the new global realities. These reforms are also having a crucial impact on the Secretariat as seen in our recent discussions with senior UN officials, Sri Lanka recognizes there are many needs in this areas and will add its voice to the ongoing consultations in New York. Here in Colombo the Foreign Ministry will make every endeavour to strengthen its dialogue with the UN Coordinator’s office and to recognize in particular the valuable contribution they are making currently in support of the Government’s Eastern Development strategy for the restoration of democracy and people’s participation. Today’s meeting will I hope be the first of many such joint encounters to deepen our valuable partnership.
The years of trust and partnership established between the UN and the Government have been the cornerstone of our relationship with each other, even in the most difficult of times. Sri Lanka has been fighting an internationally denounced ruthless terror group the LTTE for the past three decades. The brutality the overt hostility and the violent tactics adopted by the group against the Government and people of Sri Lanka are well known and condemned throughout the region and in the international arena. In this context any attempt to equate the LTTE with the Government even for the purpose of neutrality would be like throwing a lifeline to the LTTE. This is regrettable and would be counter productive to Sri Lanka’s effort to find a peaceful solution find a peaceful solution to the current conflict.
As with any other nations, ravaged by decades of conflict, initiated and maintained by a universally condemned group of terrorists we too must make every endeavour to preserve and maintain our national interests as is expected of sovereign Stated within the United Nations. In this backdrop events or issues of legitimate concern may arise between the UN and the Government of Sri Lanka. In these instances we must progress with caution. We are confident that together and through an open dialogue based on the foundation of trust and confidence generated throughout the years we can address these concerns to our mutual satisfaction. We remain, as we have in the past, committed towards building bridges and facilitating this partnership for progress which is and has always been of utmost importance to Sri Lanka.
In conclusion, I wish to reiterate Sri Lanka’s commitment to the principles and purpose of the UN. It is the responsibility of all Member States to work together to strengthen the United Nations as a dynamic organization in order to protect the common interests of human kind and to ensure global peace and socio-economic advancement for all.
- Sri Lanka Guardian
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