I. Acknowledging    a  recommendation    made   by  the  Lessons  Learnt  and  Reconciliation Commission that the process of reconciliation in Sri Lanka requires a full acknowledgement of the  tragedy  of the  conflict  and  a collective  act  of contrition,  the Government  of Sri Lanka, at the official national  ceremony  held yesterday,  4 February, to mark the 67th Independence  Day, made a "Declaration of Peace".

2. The Declaration  included:

(a) paying  respects  to all the citizens of Sri Lanka, of all ethnicities  and religions,  who lost  their  lives due  to the  tragic  conflict  that  afflicted  the  country  for  over  three decades  and to all the victims of violence since Independence;  and

(b) a  commitment  to  ensure   that never again will the country be allowed to be traumatised  by the shedding of blood of her citizens.

3.  The  Declaration   was  read  out  in  Sinhala,  Tamil  and  English  in  the  presence  of  the President, Prime Minister, Members of Parliament and all invitees including the diplomatic corps.

4. Click on Sinhala, Tamil and English for the text of the Declaration.