Rohitha Bogollagama, Minister of Foreign Affairs On the occasion of the 63rd UN Day UN Compound 24th October 2008by Rohitha Bogollagama
(October 24, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) I wish to extend the sincere felicitations of the Government and the People of Sri Lanka on this happy occasion of the 63rd anniversary of the founding of the United Nations.
The United Nations is unique in that it is the only organization in which countries with widely differing political institutions and those at different stages of economic development, can exchange views, share their problems and experiences and probe each other's reactions to policies of mutual interest. It is also the only organization through which all countries - rich and poor, big and small - share an equal voice, working towards a world order with justice and security for all.
On several occasions, Sri Lanka has reiterated its commitment to the purposes and principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations and its commitment to continue to work in partnership with the United Nations country team in Sri Lanka in the further promotion of socio-economic development of the people of our country.
Over the years, the United Nations has made an important contribution towards the socio-economic development of Sri Lanka. Indeed the UN established its presence in Sri Lanka even before this country became a member if the UN organization. Sri Lanka's comprehensive national social development programmes which have resulted in a high physical quality of life for its people, provided an early model and were supported by the UN and its specialized agencies.
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.
Addressing the United Nations General Assembly this year, His Excellency President Mahinda Rajapaksa referred to the responsibility of the United Nations in confronting the unprecedented challenge of terrorism which is manifesting itself throughout the world.
He stated and I quote "Like many other countries, Sri Lanka too has not been spared this global menace. Exploiting perceived ethnic grievances, that must and can be addressed through political means, the vested interests of a well organized terror group, the LTTE indulges in blatant and brutal acts of terrorism, including suicide bombings to seek negotiating leverage, political recognition and legitimacy."
I wish to remind that all successive Governments of Sri Lanka have endeavoured to address the root causes of the conflict, for over 25 years. Our Government through the APRC process is engaged in an effort to finalise political and constitutional solutions to meet the aspirations and rights of all communities.
I must also convey my appreciation to the UN network which has made its own contribution to peace building efforts in particular to ameliorate the conditions of IDP's affected by the conflict and to assist the Government to provide food and medicines to reach those most in need in the uncleared areas. In this regard, Sri Lanka has received many compliments from the International community acknowledging the unusual situation of a central government providing relief aid to persons under the control of a terrorist group, despite the fact that a large portion of this aid is being expropriated by the LTTE.
The Government's humanitarian policies extend beyond the supply of food, medicine and other essentials. Throughout the years of the conflict, the Government has maintained schools and hospitals and ensured the local administration through the Government Agents, in the uncleared areas, at considerable expenditure from the central budget.
The partnership with the UN network is most valuable at this moment when the security forces are moving to clear the Northern Province, in order to restore democracy, as we have done in the Eastern Province. We are appreciative of the assistance of the UN in supporting the humanitarian corridor which is being prepared to ensure the safe passage of IDP's seeking to enter cleared areas. The UN support is clearly visible in Vavuniya which has been identified as a humanitarian assistance hub.
The current limitary operations are being pursued under a Government directive to the military to adhere strictly to a strategy of "zero civilian casualty." The success of this same strategy in the East is now clearly visible with the restoration of democracy achieved in less than one year of this Province being freed from the clutches of terror.
Sri Lanka can serve as an example of how terrorism can be combated while promoting and protecting human rights. Throughout the years of the conflict, Sri Lanka has maintained a policy of openness and received UN senior official, special representatives and mechanisms with a view to seeking 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 out international partners. However, the ultimate objective, we will all agree, should be to strengthen our own national institutions, thereby building a truly sustainable national protection system.
At the UN General Assembly this year, many delegations addressed the menace of international terrorism which touched areas such as arms smuggling, human trafficking, narcotics and money laundering and even cyber terrorism. It was agreed that international terrorism today undermines the fundamentals of humanity and civilization. Unless we, the Member States, take steps together to eradicate those illegal activities, we risk compromising our efforts towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDG's) agreed at the Millennium Summit.
In conclusion, may I reiterate as on previous occasions, that my ministry will maintain its strong partnership with the UN Coordinator's Office, through regular meetings and open and frank discussions to address any operational issues. The security and well being of the UN staff are always paramount in our minds at the Foreign Ministry and form the basis of our joint endeavours.
Let us commit to forging a way forward together to realizing the noble goals set out in the UN Charter, to safeguard the future of the generations to come. - Sri Lanka Guardian
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