{"id":55689,"date":"2012-10-03T19:06:35","date_gmt":"2012-10-03T19:06:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/?p=55689"},"modified":"2012-10-07T07:15:58","modified_gmt":"2012-10-07T07:15:58","slug":"unhcr-sri-lanka-remains-ready-to-share-its-experience","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/unhcr-sri-lanka-remains-ready-to-share-its-experience\/","title":{"rendered":"UNHCR: Sri Lanka Remains Ready To Share Its Experience"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Ravinatha Aryasinha<\/a><\/span> –<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Ravinatha Aryasinha<\/p><\/div>\n

Statement by Ravinatha P. Aryasinha, Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the 63rd<\/sup> Session of the Executive Committee of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) \u2013 02 October 2012<\/em><\/p>\n

At the outset Mr.Chairman,Sri Lanka wishes to congratulate you for your able leadership, and welcomes the new members of the Executive Committee.\u00a0 We also extend our sincere appreciation to the High Commissioner for the Opening Statement which provided a detailed overview of the work undertaken and the challenges faced by the UNHCR<\/a><\/span> over the past year.\u00a0 We also acknowledge the insightful remarks made by the Executive Director of the WFP in her Keynote Address.<\/p>\n

Sri Lanka recognizes the important role played by the UNHCR in providing assistance and solutions to people the world over.\u00a0Sri Lankais particularly grateful to the UNHCR and its donors for the support extended during natural disasters such as the occasional floods, through the 2004 catastrophic Tsunami, to help mitigate the effects during the thirty-year-long terrorist conflict and in supporting the post-conflict resettlement programme, including through the provision of shelter grants and basic household items.\u00a0 We look forward to our continued engagement with the UNHCR even as Sri Lanka’s operational environment has shifted from humanitarian relief, through early recovery, to full-fledged sustainable development.<\/p>\n

In contrast to the considerable difficulty and gloom in the humanitarian crises that continue to engulf many parts of the world today, you would agree that Sri Lanka\u2019s achievements in post-conflict development, provides confidence and hope. These developments lend credence to the position that even the most severe and insurmountable of challenges could be overcome with the political commitment and dedication of the concerned country, and the requisite support provided by the international community.<\/p>\n

As many in this audience will recall, in May 2009, as the terrorist conflict in Sri Lanka came to an end and the caring of nearly 300,000 IDPs<\/a><\/span> became necessary, much fear was expressed in some quarters that malnutrition, disease and death would be rampant in the IDP villages; that the Government would not be interested in de-mining; that IDPs would be \u201cincarcerated\u201d indefinitely.\u00a0 The Government\u2019s intent regards the ex-LTTE combatants<\/a><\/span> was questioned with the claim that \u201cthey would not be released and that their lives would be in danger\u201d.\u00a0 It was also said that the high security zones would not be disbanded; that the Government would not be able to undertake the massive investment that was needed to restore livelihoods and ensure infrastructure development in the previously conflict-affected areas, and that no effort will be made towards post-conflict reconciliation.<\/p>\n

Given this backdrop, the verifiable facts on the ground today have proven that these fears were misplaced:<\/p>\n