“Sri Lankans who actually lived through the horrors of terrorism and the conflict know that today their country has dramatically changed for the better,” Ambassador said.
“The rest of the world also knows this. The UN and other aid agencies have commented on Sri Lanka’s ongoing reconciliation efforts and issued positive reports,” he said.

In a talk entitled “Life After Conflict: Reconciliation and Redevelopment in Sri Lanka,” Ambassador Wickramsuriya also discussed developments projects in Sri Lanka, the island nation’s lasting peace after nearly three decades of conflict against a brutal terrorist group and healing efforts, which include the work of the nation’s Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC).

The talk was sponsored by the South Asia Studies program at Johns Hopkins University’s SAIS. Dr. Walter Anderson, director of the program, offered introductory remarks and moderated the discussion that followed.

“The end of the conflict left not only 300,000 people displaced and without homes, but with very little to return to,” the Ambassador said. “As they retreated, the LTTE damaged many homes and planted landmines in communities so that no one could safely return.”

Today, he said, Sri Lanka’s de-mining effort continues. In addition, a massive redevelopment program in Northern Sri Lanka is underway, including the construction of new houses and roads, bridges, water systems, rail lines and other important infrastructure.

Reliable electricity will be available to all households for the first time ever, and businesses are being encouraged to locate manufacturing facilities in the North to create much-needed jobs. Already several have announced plans to locate factories there.

Ambassador Wickramasuriya also focused on Sri Lanka’s overall progress since it defeated the LTTE in May 2009.

“We just had a sovereign bond issue that was oversubscribed by seven times. American investors bought 43 percent of those bonds – they were the majority buyers,” he said.

During a Q&A session, several audience participants who were representing NGOs’s challenged on Sri Lanka’s progress. In reply, Ambassador Wickramasuriya asked them for specific examples of the grievances they raised. Those posing the questions could not provide specifics.

Other questions related to the progress of the LLRC, an independent panel tasked with examining the final years of the conflict and addressing any wrongdoing it discovers.
Ambassador Wickramasuriya noted that the Panel’s work has been transparent, with more than 200 public hearings and witness testimony posted on the LLRC’s website. The Panel has already made preliminary recommendations, and its final report is due by November 15.

“This domestic process is ongoing and should be given the time and space to finalize its report. The LLRC should not be pre-judged,” he said.

“Certain NGOs were invited by the LLRC to testify about their allegations, and to offer evidence. They have refused. That is unfortunate. The LLRC is a public discussion about what happened during the conflict. These NGOs have missed an important opportunity to be part of that discussion with Sri Lankans living in Sri Lanka.”

He also noted that the Sri Lankan Ministry of Defence recently issued its own report on military operations during the final stages of the LTTE conflict, explaining how operations progressed. The military managed to free 300,000 civilians who were held hostage by the LTTE as human shields.

Sri Lanka has, he said, also granted amnesty to 11,600 former LTTE militants who have also received job and educational training. Most of those former terrorists have been released to civil society and all will be released within the coming months as their rehabilitation work continues.

In addition, Sri Lanka offered counselling and rehabilitation to more than 1,000 children who were forced by the LTTE to take arms as child soldiers. They have since been re-united with their families.

There have been no terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka in the 29 months since the May 2009 end of the conflict, Ambassador Wickramasuriya stressed.