Image via Sri Lanka Brief
Sri Lanka has achieved considerable progress in implementing the recommendations made by the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) and ready to defend its record at the next session in Geneva, Foreign Secretary Karunathilaka Amunugama said.
So says the President’s Media Unit. We are a tad less sanguine. Even a cursory reading of the latest LLRC NAP Monitoring Report, updated on 2013.01.22, indicates significant gaps between propaganda and reality.
As we tweeted a few days ago,
1. @presrajapaksa‘s Govt report says no media restrictions in N/E cl.ly/image/0O20173m… But reality groundviews.org/2012/10/02/men… #lka #srilanka
— Groundviews (@groundviews) January 27, 2013
2. ZERO movement on LLRC recommendation for RTI/FOI cl.ly/image/1h1s2F1v… What is @presrajapaksa hiding and scared of? #lka #srilanka #media
— Groundviews (@groundviews) January 27, 2013
3. Utter lack of independence in independent judiciary after CJ impeachment by @presrajapaksa. Army CoI useless cl.ly/image/3o0P470F… #lka
— Groundviews (@groundviews) January 27, 2013
4. Another lie by @presrajapaksa‘s Govt. Armed thugs do roam around in N/E with impunity, post-war cl.ly/image/2e281N0A… #lka #srilanka
— Groundviews (@groundviews) January 27, 2013
5. @presrajapaksa‘s LLRC update says media can freely travel to N/E cl.ly/image/231k1j3L… How does he explain groundviews.org/2012/10/31/res… #lka
— Groundviews (@groundviews) January 27, 2013
6. Govt LLRC update says progress on ACF aid worker murders cl.ly/image/2s462W0h… False. See transcurrents.com/news-views/arc… & hrw.org/news/2012/08/0… #lka
— Groundviews (@groundviews) January 27, 2013
7. Govt says HRC offices & rule of law will be strengthened in LLRC update cl.ly/image/2r0Z3p0T… It lies, openly. groundviews.org/2013/01/10/a-l… #lka
— Groundviews (@groundviews) January 27, 2013
Based on the above, we asked the international community why they aren’t more rigorously questioning the Sri Lankan government on its unfulfilled pledges.
Earlier tweets 1-7 show @presrajapaksa‘s Govt misleading & lying reg. LLRC impl. @foreignoffice @usembsl Why allow them to get away? #lka
— Groundviews (@groundviews) January 27, 2013
We also flagged how propaganda and misdirection have subsumed meaningful implementation of even a severely truncated selection from the full list of recommendations, as noted in the LLRC Final Report.
Earlier tweets 1-7 show, ad nauseum, true nature of @presrajapaksa‘s Govt, that likes of @anuradhakherath promote & defend #lka #srilanka
— Groundviews (@groundviews) January 27, 2013
If the Sri Lankan government can’t even report honestly about promises its made, what real hope for reconciliation is there?