A Sri Lanka Parliamentary delegation lead by Minister of Mass Media and Information Hon. Anura Priyadarshana Yapa participated at the 117th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union held in Geneva from 8 to 10 October 2007. This year the Assembly focused on the role of parliamentarians in striking a balance between national security, human security, individual freedoms and democracy.

The other members of the delegation included Deputy Speaker Hon. Geethanjana Gunewardene, UNP MPs Hon. Tissa Attanayake, Hon. Chandrani Bandara, the Secretary General of Parliament Mrs. Priyani Wijesekera and Mr. Dhammika Kitulgoda, Secretary of the Constitutional Council.

During the Assembly the newly established IPU Committee on United Nations Affairs met for the first time. The question of the “democracy deficit” in international relations figured high on its agenda and the parliamentarians debated how best to provide parliamentary input to and oversight of the United Nations system.

The Assembly also hosted three panel discussions on national and human security, ODA, and migrant workers, trafficking and human rights. There will be a special event to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the IPU Universal Declaration on Democracy.

More than 1000 delegates from over 130 national parliaments attended the 117th IPU Assembly which was held at the Centre International de Conférences de Genève (CICG).

Delegation of Sri Lanka

In Sri Lanka, we are facing a challenge in maintaining national security, while preserving human security and individual freedoms in our fight against terrorism.

Sri Lanka was the first country in Asia to gain the Universal Adult Franchise in 1931. Since then, Sri Lanka has remained a functioning democracy.

However, unfortunately, Sri Lanka has been grappling with the fight against the LTTE, one of the most ruthless terrorist organisations in the world, for the last two decades. This organisation has fielded a large number of suicide bombers against innocent civilians and continues to recruit children as combatants.

However, the people of Sri Lanka and the Governments they have elected have ensured that     Sri Lanka always remains a functioning democracy, while fighting terrorism and safeguarding individual freedoms.

Sri Lanka is also a responsible State among the international community, being a party to all seven core international human rights instruments, which aim at safeguarding individual freedoms.

Sri Lanka also remains committed to engage constructively with the international community in the promotion and protection of individual freedoms. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Ms. Louise Arbour is undertaking a mission in Sri Lanka from 10 October this year.

The Government of Sri Lanka, while fighting terrorism, has also ensured that the people living in conflict affected areas are provided with all assistance and protection. Even in few areas still under LTTE control, the Government continues to provide all assistance for people living in those areas, including basics infrastructure in health, education and sanitation.

Recently, as soon as the security forces completely took control of the Eastern Province from the clutches of LTTE, the Government of Sri Lanka launched an accelerated development programme in that Province aimed at helping all three communities – Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim – who live in harmony in equal proportions by strengthening the democratic institutions in the Province and helping them to improve their living conditions and livelihoods.