UK urges govt. to release findings of the LLRC report
November 22, 2011 09:24 am
Britain’s Foreign Office on Monday urged Sri Lanka to release the findings of a government probe into the civil war against Tamil rebels.
The Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission, which has been widely criticised as biased by international rights groups, handed over a 400-page report to President Mahinda Rajapakse on Sunday.
The LLRC, appointed in May last year, was not mandated to probe war crimes but asked to find out why a Norwegian-brokered 2002 truce failed and to recommend ways to prevent the island slipping back to ethnic conflict.
“Many hope this report will mark a significant milestone in Sri Lanka’s recovery from conflict,” Alistair Burt, the Foreign Office minister with responsibility for Sri Lankan affairs, said in a statement.
“I call on the government of Sri Lanka to seize this important opportunity to demonstrate its commitment to national reconciliation and accountability.
“Making the report public at the earliest opportunity is a vital part of this commitment and I look forward to the government of Sri Lanka setting out the steps it will take in response to the report.”
Sri Lanka gained its independence from Britain in 1948. (AFP)