Sri Lanka: Making LLRC Report Meaningful

By Col R Hariharan

The Rajapaksa government should be happy with the report of the Commission of Inquiry on Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation (LLRC) presented to the Sri Lankan parliament on December 16, 2011 as it has not pinpointed responsibility on anyone (other than political and systemic weaknesses and the LTTE) for the mess Sri Lanka finds itself after the Eelam War.

The report provides badly needed breathing space for the government, as the Commission has has done a fairly good job if one goes by the President’s mandate given to it. The well written report analyses in detail the reasons for past and present discontent of Tamils and has drawn the government attention to a number issues that had triggered Tamil insurgency.

Strategic power play in Myanmar

By Col R Hariharan

The US Secretary of State Ms Hilary Clinton’s recent visit to Myanmar, the first ever of its kind in the last five decades, is likely to be a turning point in the estranged relationship between the two countries. And that could bring the US-China power play closer home to Myanmar.

Myanmar President Thein Sein had been taking many positive steps to establish the government’s democratic credentials. And as Ms Clinton’s visit comes after a lot of preparatory work by US representatives, Myanmar had high expectations from the visit. From news reports after her visit, the chances of the two countries resuming normal relations in the near future appear to have become brighter.

Sri Lanka Perspectives: November 2011

By Col  R Hariharan

INTERNAL DEVELOPMENTS

Internally, the month of November 2011 saw a politically turbulent period and the country’s economy was facing the heat from the international economic downturn. 

Acquiring of private enterprises

The hurried enactment of the bill “The Revival of Underperforming Enterprises and Underutilized Assets Bill” to take over 37 private enterprises, which the government said were not performing well, created strong reaction from most of the business houses and political parties. The bill had drawn widespread criticism from business, political circles and even Buddhist clergy. Even two partners of the ruling coalition the right wing Jatiya Hela Urumaiah (JHU) and the National Freedom Front (NFF) abstained from voting although the bill was passed with 122 votes in favour and 46 against.