CPA UK BRANCH DELEGATION TO SRI LANKA & THE MALDIVES JULY (ex-uk) REPORT

Transcription

1 1101REPORT/ML&SL13 CPA UK BRANCH DELEGATION TO SRI LANKA & THE MALDIVES JULY (ex-uk) REPORT 1. INTRODUCTION 2. DELEGATION 3. AIM & OBJECTIVES 4. SUMMARY 5. DETAILS 6. PROGRAMME 7. OUTCOMES 8. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

2 INTRODUCTION The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association UK Branch coordinated the visit of a delegation of UK parliamentarians led by Eleanor Laing MP to Sri Lanka and the Maldives from July (ex-uk). The programme was designed to meet the aim and objectives set out in Section 3. DELEGATION Delegation Leader: Delegation Members: Eleanor Laing MP (Conservative) Simon Danczuk MP (Labour) Jonathan Djanogly MP (Conservative) Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour) Kerry McCarthy MP (Labour) Lord Sheikh (Conservative) Delegation Secretary: Mariam El-Azm (Senior International Relations Officer, CPA UK) 1

3 AIM & OBJECTIVES Aim. The aim of the visit was to enable Westminster parliamentarians to understand better the issues and challenges faced by their Sri Lankan colleagues Objectives. A set of supporting and interlocking objectives within an overarching and linked programme of visits, discussions, workshops and briefings designed to: a. Objective 1 Learn more of the governance and working of the Parliament of Sri Lanka through exchanges with Sri Lankan colleagues on: The role of procedural and legislative processes to enhance the effectiveness of law-making as an essential element of the good governance agenda Working relationships between political parties; exploring structure, strategy, policy and youth engagement Holding parliamentarians to account; connecting with the electorate and ensuring accessibility and transparency between MPs and the public / constituents Increasing the representation and visibility of women in politics by enhancing the capacity of women s contribution to the political process; from party politics to parliament The relationship between Parliament, Civil Society and peacebuilding The relationship between Parliament and the media. b. Objective 2 Gain a greater understanding of the post-conflict and reconciliation process in Sri Lanka through discussions on: Post-conflict needs Achieving lasting and equitable peace through the promotion of an inclusive political solution; devolution, the 13 th amendment and cross party cooperation Reconstruction and infrastructure development; rebuilding, de-mining and the resettlement of Internally Displaced People (IDP) Promotion of participatory processes in reconciliation; encouraging community-led reconciliation and enhancing the role of women, youth and religious leaders in conflict prevention and peacebuilding Legislation and the rule of law; safeguarding human rights The role of the international community and the Commonwealth. 2

4 3. Objective 3 Learn more about the challenges and opportunities faced by Sri Lanka in relation to: Environmental sustainability, climate change and eco-tourism Addressing regional disparities in achieving the Millennium Development Goals Health and sanitation programmes Addressing inter-community tensions and encouraging multiculturalism Developing the rural economy and encouraging the growth of SMEs. 4. Objective 4 Explore the empowerment of women as a pre-requisite for sustainable development by: The equal participation of women in local, national and international governance and business structures All parliamentarians and community leaders being advocates for enhancing the role of women in society and development Working to combat the use of sexual violence against women and girls, with a special focus on the role and work of the police. 5. Objective 5 Mark the successes of Sri Lanka s rapidly expanding economy while also highlighting continuing reconciliation and socio-economic development challenges, by visiting regional projects (also contributes to meeting Objectives 2, 3 and Objective 6 Learn more of the governance and working of the Maldives People s Majlis, Malé through exchanges with and briefings from Maldivian colleagues on: The procedural and legislative processes of the People s Majlis Organisation of political parties The general economic situation The role of the President within the context of the coming Presidential Elections Human rights in the Maldives and the role of the Human Rights Commission Freedom of the press Climate change and disaster preparedness Trade and development opportunities. 3

5 SUMMARY A cross-party delegation of UK parliamentarians visited the Maldives (21 July) and Sri Lanka (22-26 July) to gain greater understanding of the issues and challenges faced by their Maldivian and Sri Lankan colleagues and to gain broader exposure to the current political landscape in both countries. The programme allowed for an extensive exchange of views through peer-to-peer discussions, briefings and outreach visits. The key themes pursued in these discussions included: peace and reconciliation, the upcoming elections in the Maldives (Presidential) and Sri Lanka (Council, Northern Province), the rule of law, women and politics as well as the role of women in society amongst others. The visit also provided an opportunity to renew old and create new relationships with colleagues in the Maldives and Sri Lanka. The visit to Sri Lanka was particularly timely, as the Sri Lankan Government was preparing to welcome the Commonwealth Head of Governments Meeting (CHOGM) to be held in Colombo in November This visit helped shed light on the challenges brought by thirty years of civil conflict and how war had shaped Sri Lanka s current developments. The visit also helped the delegation to understand the steps taken and the progress still needed in order to achieve reconciliation and the fundamental need to address the grievances of all Sri Lankans irrespectively of religious beliefs and communities in order to avoid the risks of resurgence of another civil conflict. At the conclusion of the visit, the overall impression the delegation was left with was that while the Government had won the war, efforts now needed to be channelled towards winning the peace Sri Lanka s expanding economy has largely been stimulated by the government s strategy to pursue large-scale reconstruction and development projects. This was illustrated on visits to two recent projects, the construction of the Ruhuna Magampura Port and the newly opened Mattala Airport in Hambantota. UK Members had the opportunity to witness the influence exercised by China over Sri Lanka and its deepening foothold. While Sri Lanka displayed considerable opportunities for investments, concerns were raised over issues of land ownership which could act as a deterrent to foreign investment, notably in the tourism sector Concerns over the human rights situation including the impeachment of the Chief Justice and the degree of freedom of press in Sri Lanka were discussed on many occasions at meetings with Government and NGO representatives. The delegation met with a wide range of stakeholders to discuss the upcoming CHOGM and its challenges. Meetings also gave Sri Lankan Officials the opportunity to underline the Sri Lankan Government s perception of the pressure exercised by the international community notably in relation to the investigation of crimes committed during the war. 4

6 2.05. Historically, Sri Lanka & the Maldives have enjoyed strong relationships with the UK which were reflected in the exposure the delegation gained at meetings with parliamentary colleagues and with the national media during their visit Programme Itinerary. The visit began with a one-day programme hosted by the People s Majlis in Malé followed by a four day programme in Sri Lanka hosted by the British High Commission in Colombo and a one day programme hosted by the Sri Lankan Parliament (Friday 26 July). The delegation spent two days in Colombo, one at the beginning and one at the end of the visit. The delegation also travelled to the Northern and Southern provinces of Sri Lanka in order to gain a perspective on the existing regional disparities and the challenges faced following the 30 year conflict which ended in 2010 with the devastation of the LTTE controlled areas in the Northern Province. OBJECTIVE 1 LEARN MORE OF THE GOVERNANCE AND WORKING OF THE PARLIAMENT OF SRI LANKA Through their interaction with Members of the Sri Lankan Parliament in Colombo, UK Members had the opportunity to discuss the challenges of a coalition government and gain greater insight into the dynamics of an opposition made up of one main political party and twelve smaller parties. UK Members also witnessed the confrontational style of political engagement while observing the proceedings in the Chamber. Meeting with Government and opposition Members provided UK Members with the chance to discuss the upcoming provincial elections (scheduled for the 21 st September) as well as the appointment in June 2013 of a parliamentary committee aimed at studying and suggesting possible changes to the 13 th Amendment 1. The committee was formed in an attempt to overcome the divergence of points of views on this critical issue. UK Members were informed that the committee did not currently have any Opposition Members, as the main opposition United National Party (UNP), the Marxist Janatha Vimukti Peramuna (JVP), the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and the Muslim Congress had decided not to name any representatives for different reasons, effectively creating a deadlock. Otherwise, issues of parliamentary procedures were only briefly discussed, but overall the impression was that there was a healthy engagement from all sides of the political spectrum. OBJECTIVE 2 GAIN GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF THE POST-CONFLICT AND RECONCILIATION PROCESS IN SRI LANKA Reconciliation and the debate on devolution were two overarching themes of the visit. Much time was spent discussing all dimensions of the challenges remaining in order to achieve 1 The 13 th Amendment to the Sri Lankan Constitution created provincial councils 5

7 reconciliation. While the Government s strategy of reconstruction in the Northern was perceived as clearly sensible, concerns over its implementation were raised including regarding the heavy military presence, the level of involvement of the military in civil matters, the pace of reconstruction, the issues of land ownership as well as Tamil cultural and political rights following the Government s victory over the LTTE. The delegation s meeting with TNA Members helped understand some of the concerns faced by the Tamil population living in the North which included journalists intimidation and the recent destruction of a printing press as well as issues of land ownership. The delegation was told that there were at the time of the visit 2622 cases of land grabbing in front of the Supreme Court. (a) The visit to two resettled communities illustrated the difficulties faced daily by Sri Lankans living in the Northern Province. The main challenges included the lack of durable housing, sanitation and long-term employment opportunities. Another considerable challenge to the reconstruction of the Northern Province was the large number of mines laid by both sides during the conflict, which intensified during the last few weeks leading up to the defeat of the LTTE and the end of the war. (b) The visit to the HALO trust and a minefield helped emphasise how fundamental the clearing of mines is to building sustainable livelihoods. While since 2002, 150,000 mines had already been cleared from over 7.1 million square metres, it was estimated that at least another 4-5 years would be needed to clear the final zone of the conflict alone. (c) Meetings with resettled communities, NGOs and UN representatives as well as Members from the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) helped establish the concerns that existed over the pace of re-housing, land ownership as well as the heavy military presence and in particular its involvement into civil matters. UK Members were told that it not uncommon for military to run hotels and other businesses. While Government officials emphasised the need for the army to support and provide for disabled soldiers, former IDPs and some Opposition Members the delegation met with underlined the dangers of involving the military in civilian matters. (d) Regarding the debate over devolution, concerns were raised notably during our meeting with TNA MPs but not exclusively, over the suitability of the 13 th amendment and the limitations on its ability to address the aspirations of all minority groups Important efforts by NGOs were underway to achieve reconciliation and long-lasting peace. The delegation had the opportunity to visit a reconciliation centre set up and managed by a group of talented young Sri Lankans from all religious background and parts of the country. The centre provided young people with professional development opportunities and fostered cross-community dialogue through seminars and group activities. While unarguably accountability in war crimes was perceived as essential in achieving reconciliation, many of the young people UK Members met with who had themselves suffered from the war emphasised their will to move on, build their future and deal with the past at a later stage. 6

8 4.03. While UK Members voiced their concerns over recent developments in the field of human rights, including the application of the rule of law and the impeachment of the Chief Justice in January 2013, Government officials emphasised the need to understand that Sri Lanka had only recently came out of a bitter war which shaped its recent developments. During our meeting with him, the Minister for External Affairs, Professor G.L Peiris, stressed the need for the international community to refrain from non-constructive criticism and counter-productive actions especially in the field of human rights. UK Members also raised their concerns at the meeting with the Human Rights Commission (HRC) over the alleged disappearance of journalists, the slow pace for securing a trial date for the murdered British citizen, Khuram Shaik in Tangalle in December The delegation found the attitude of HRC representatives rather complacent and worrying. UK Members also took this opportunity to re-emphasise how fundamental the full access of international journalists to CHOGM was In 2012, Sri Lanka dropped five places in the media press freedom index, and at the time of the visit ranked 163. The Human Rights Commissioner argued that this data had been collected before the end of the war and that the situation had drastically improved since. However UK Members expressed concerns over the information they received at the time of the visit stipulating that all media submissions had to be approved and amended as the Government s media services saw fit, due to security considerations in the run-up to CHOGM. Government officials reassured the delegation that this was just a provision that would only be used if there was a threat to Sri Lanka s national security. It was noting though that the delegation was informed that only a few weeks before the visit, a Tamil newspaper printing press had been destroyed in the Northern Province. OBJECTIVE 3 LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FACED BY SRI LANKA While Sri Lanka displayed excellent achievements in terms of levels of education and access to healthcare, discussions with local and international NGOs emphasised the regional and sectorial inequalities in terms of performance which were characteristic of the country s development. These dichotomies have only been exacerbated by the war and the slow pace of reconstruction. The visit to the Northern Province provided evidence of economic difficulties faced following the destruction of all social and economic infrastructures during the war. The delegation had the opportunity to visit resettled communities, who expressed their worries over the lack of employment and fishing opportunities partly due to the competition they faced with Indian rollers. In terms of addressing intercommunity tensions and encouraging multiculturalism, UK Members welcomed the Government s initiative to promote the use of all three languages (Singhalese, Tamil and English) in public services 7

9 with special emphasis on the police. However, complaints persist in the Northern Province that Tamil speakers are unavailable in police stations for taking statements. OBJECTIVE 4 EXPLORE THE EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN IN SRI LANKA AS A PRE-REQUISITE FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT While the overall position of women in the Sri Lankan society was perceived as good, the visit to resettled communities helped set the context of increased vulnerability of women in general and widows in particular. The war left an estimated 60,000 widows in the North alone and the lack of sanitation in resettled areas often put women at risk. Worryingly, the delegation was told that the level of brutality against women, including limb cutting as well as the use of acid in crimes, had been on the rise since the end of the war. Some UK Members had the opportunity to visit the Women in Need (WIN) centre which did outstanding work in providing legal counsel, emergency services and promoted the economic empowerment of women through income-generating activities. The delegation learned no official data existed in relation to rates of violence against women. OBJECTIVE 5 MARK THE SUCCESSES OF SRI LANKA S RAPIDLY EXPANDING ECONOMY While Sri Lanka is a fairly young country, which has emerged from a 30 year-long conflict, the Government s strategy sought to turn it into the Asian hub both in terms of transport links, higher education and other services. The delegation witnessed extensive evidence of infrastructure investments, especially road works. However, our visits to several projects along with discussions with NGOs and other CSOs raised concerns over the adequacy and financing of such large projects including the construction of the Ruhuna Magampura port and the Mattala Aiport, both located in the President s home area. China had recently granted a significant additional development loan worth $2.2 billion for infrastructure projects, which would include the extension of the Southern railway and the development of the Port in Colombo. Furthermore, the delegation was informed that both projects, the Hambantota Port and the Mattala Airport, were funded by Chinese loans to be repaid at 6% interests over the next 10 years. Uncertainties were expressed over the ability to generate sufficient income to repay the loans over the given timescale. Additionally, during meetings with small British investors and representatives of larger British industries currently trading in Sri Lanka it emerged that there were layers of complexities over real estate ownership laws and that the Government s level of involvement in this matter could potentially act as a disincentive to foreign investment. A lack of apparent robust policing and legal system was also mentioned as a threat to entrepreneurs investing in Sri Lanka. The considerable financial role of the Sri Lankan Diaspora was also mentioned during discussions with business representatives. 8

10 OBJECTIVE 6 LEARN MORE OF THE GOVERNANCE AND WORKING OF THE MALDIVES PEOPLE S MAJLIS THROUGH EXCHANGES WITH AND BRIEFINGS FROM MALDIVIAN COLLEAGUES The purpose of the visit to the Maldives was to promote and encourage dialogue in advance of the upcoming presidential elections. While very brief, the visit was successful in terms of strengthening links between UK parliamentarians and their Maldivian counterparts and exposing UK Members to the complexities of Maldivian politics, including the transition from one democracy to another and the challenge the country faced in terms of topography. Speaker Shahid emphasised that while the 2008 elections were successful, efforts toward democratising the country had been slower than the Maldivian people s expectations. One of the challenges his Parliament faced was the lack of experience of the Members elected in 2008 as well as Maldivians perceptions that legislation was not being passed sufficiently quickly under the current Parliament. However the slower pace could be explained by the fact that the President had full powers before the 17 th Parliament and that scrutiny was much more effective in the current Parliament. During the meeting, Speaker Shahid called on the EU and the international community to provide support for the upcoming elections to help ensure that these were held in a transparent and democratic way. The delegation also had the opportunity to discuss trafficking, progress made on gender-based equality and the challenges remaining at the meeting with the Minister for Gender and Human Rights. PROGRAMME DATE AND LOCATION ACTIVITIES SUNDAY 21 JULY, MALE Arrive in Malé at 0830 Briefing meeting with Robbie Bulloch, Deputy High Commissioner & Acting High Commissioner Meeting with Minister for Gender and Human Rights, Ministry of Gender and Human Rights Courtesy call on Hon. Speaker Shahid, People s Majlis Secretariat Meeting with Ahmed Faiz Hussain, Chief Justice, Supreme Court Travel to Colombo MONDAY 22 JULY, COLOMBO Breakfast briefing with Acting High Commissioner, Robbie Bulloch Visit Gangaramaya Buddhist Temple on Poya Day and meeting with the Chief Priest Lunch with local Civil Society representatives 9

11 Visit to the British Council and meeting with young students Meeting with UN agencies and international NGOs TUESDAY 23 JULY, COLOMBO & THE NORTH Travel to Killinochchi Visit to the Sri Lanka Unites Youth Reconciliation centre Meeting with Government Agent, Mr N. Vethanayakam Briefing by HALO Trust Visit of a demining site (final conflict zone) Meeting with Northern Province humanitarian agencies WEDNESDAY 24 JULY, THE NORTH & THE SOUTH The delegation split into two groups: GROUP 1(Eleanor Laing MP, Lord Sheikh, Baroness Hayter, Mariam El-Azm) Visit to resettled communities in Mullivaikkal East & relocated community in Keppapulavu relocation site GROUP 2(Simon Danczuk MP, Jonathan Djanogly MP, Kerry McCarthy MP) Drive through the final conflict zone and stopover at former LTTE leader s swimming pool (training base), war museum and Victory monument, wreckage of FARAH (Jordanian cargo ship) and former LTTE leader s underground bunker Call on Killinochchi Security Forces Commander, Maj. Gen. Udaya Perera Travel to Mattala airport (South) Meeting with Indian Consul, General Mr Raghunathan THURSDAY 25 JULY, THE SOUTH The delegation split into two groups: GROUP 1(Eleanor Laing MP, Baroness Hayter, Kerry McCarthy MP, Mariam El-Azm) Tour of the Ruhunu Magampura International Port in HambantotaVisit of the Women in Need (WIN) centre GROUP 2 (Simon Danczuk MP,Jonathan Djanogly MP, Lord Sheikh) Visit to the Chamber of Commerce (UK funded project) Visit to Community Policing (UK funded project) Lunch with UK consular wardens (all Members) GROUP 1 Visit to the Tsunami Swimming Pool project GROUP 2 Council for British Business English Language Project Call on Mrs Kumari Balasooriya, Southern Province Governor, Galle 10

12 (all Members) Travel back to Colombo FRIDAY 26 JULY, COLOMBO Breakfast meeting with British Business Groups Meeting with Human Rights Commission Chairman and other Commissioners Call on Hon. Chamal Rajapaksa, Speaker of the Sri Lankan Parliament Lunch Hosted by Deputy Speaker & Members of the Sri Lanka UK Parliamentary Friendship Association & Women Parliamentarians View proceedings of the House in Speaker s Gallery Tour of Parliament Call on Hon. Basil Rajapaksa, Minister for Economic Development Meeting with Prof G.L. Peiris, Minister for External Affairs, Ministry of External Affairs Dinner hosted by Prof G.L. Peiris, Minister for External Affairs Debrief with Robbie Bulloch, Deputy High Commissioner & Acting High Commissioner and Delegation Secretary Departure for London OUTCOMES Through dialogue, exchanges and visits, UK Members gained a greater knowledge of the political and social landscape as well as the challenges lying ahead in Sri Lanka and the Maldives Echoing the request made by Speaker Shahid to help ensure that the Maldivian Presidential elections ran in a transparent and democratic fashion, CPA UK coordinated the participation of four UK Members to observe the first round of the elections which took place in September As the elections results were later annulled by the Supreme Court, CPA UK sent another delegation of four Members to observe the re-run of the election in October 2013 which was unfortunately cancel Provided a comprehensive overview of the visit to the relevant Foreign and Commonwealth Office representatives. 11

13 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS CPA UK acknowledges with thanks the warm welcome the delegation received in the Maldives and in Sri Lanka. Sincere appreciation and thanks are given to the Peoples Majlis and the Parliament of Sri Lanka CPA UK is most grateful to the British High Commissions in Colombo for their unfailing support in coordinating our visit to the Northern and Southern provinces and assistance in-country. Sincere appreciation is also given to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for briefing the delegation prior to departure. 12