The Commonwealth, 10 February 2013 - The Secretary-General will discuss matters of shared interest between Sri Lanka and the Commonwealth, including the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) which takes place in Sri Lanka in November. The Secretary-General will review organisational preparations for CHOGM and discuss possible outcomes that Sri Lanka and Commonwealth leaders will want to achieve at the summit. Mr Sharma is expected to discuss, among other issues, options for advancing Commonwealth values and principles, including the independence of the judiciary and the separation of powers. “The Commonwealth approach is to highlight our shared values and to offer best-fit practical assistance that helps achieve progress,” Mr Uku concluded.

By The Social Architects, November 23, 2012 - The Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) Final Report contains many positive recommendations which merit immediate attention. This document is designed to capture the essence of those key positive recommendations and to come out with a meaningful action plan which will open the door to true reconciliation, sustainable peace, institutional reform and improved governance. Regrettably, the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) has failed to act upon these constructive LLRC recommendations. In addition, the GoSL’s recently released action plan is rife with misleading, excessively general information; it is not an action plan that seeks to promote human rights, reconciliation or a lasting peace. TSA’s plan has been written after consultation with a variety of stakeholders: including dozens of civil society leaders, thousands of community members in Sri Lanka’s North, East and Hill County and some members of the diaspora. It is the result of numerous interviews, seventy-one lengthy meetings, and several months of reflection, discussion and hard work. Importantly, it has embraced community participation at every stage.

PTI, 07 June 2012 - Richard Uku, Commonwealth spokesman, told PTI: “Respect for fundamental human rights is one of the Commonwealth’s core values. Commonwealth leaders have repeatedly reaffirmed their commitment to the respect of human rights”. He added: “We encourage Sri Lanka to implement the recommendations of its Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission report. “We note that the government has prepared a roadmap for prioritising implementation. We have offered our support in this regard to Sri Lanka in the past and we remain available to assist if the Sri Lankan government wishes us to do so”.

Weekend Leader, 11 May 2012 - The Roman Catholic Bishop of Mannar, Bishop Rayappu Joseph, has come under the scanner of the Sri Lankan regime’s Criminal Investigation Department, which has earned notoriety for employing third degree methods of questioning in its infamous ‘fourth floor’ office in their headquarters in Colombo. According to reliable sources, two CID officers visited the Bishop’s office in Mannar on May 8 with prior appointment and questioned him on his submission to the LLRC regarding the ‘disappearance’ of 146,679 people during the last stages of the civil war in the period 2008-09.

High Commission of India, Colombo, April 21, 2012 - The end of the armed conflict has provided a historic opportunity for moving towards national reconciliation and political settlement. The report of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) has underlined this and has made a number of constructive recommendations for addressing issues related to healing the wounds of the conflict and fostering a process of lasting peace and reconciliation in Sri Lanka. It is important that these are pursued with a sense of urgency. This is the message we have conveyed to our Sri Lankan friends during the course of this visit.

By Suhas Chakma, Tehelka, 12 April 2012 - Suhas Chakma says the making of Sri Lanka into a hermit kingdom suits the ruling clique. - ON APRIL 4, 2012, Sri Lanka’s parliament concluded debate on the resolution adopted at the 19th session of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) which asked Sri Lanka to report back on the implementation of the recommendations of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) in March 2013. The Mahinda Rajapakse government, however, failed to inform parliament as to which recommendations of the LLRC will be implemented. Earlier on March 27, 2012, Nimal Siripala de Silva, Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources Management, stated that the LLRC went beyond its mandate. India will have to take tougher decision than the controversial voting at the UNHRC to ensure the rights of the minority Tamils.

07 March 2012 - Geneva - The United States today submitted the draft resolution against Sri Lanka to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC). It calls on the Sri Lanka government to present an action plan to implement the LLRC recommendations and also to address alleged violations of international law, noting with concern that the LLRC report does not adequately address serious allegations of violations of international law. It encourages the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to provide, and the Government of Sri Lanka to accept, advice and technical assistance.

EUROPEAN UNION, Brussels, 23 February 2012 - "The EU also continues to encourage the Government of Sri Lanka to engage with the United Nations Secretary General (UNSG) and relevant UN bodies both on the LLRC report and the report of the Advisory Panel appointed by the UNSG. Sri Lanka, as an active member of the international community, has an opportunity to present an implementation plan which shows the world that concrete and meaningful measures are effectively being taken towards genuine reconciliation", said a declaration today by the High Representative on behalf of the Europian Union.

22 February 2012 - "We are aware that the US is preparing a draft resolution for the Human Rights Council, and we are likely to support it", UK Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Mr. Alistair Burt told parliament today in his reply to the Westminster Hall debate on Human Rights in Sri Lanka. "We will work with the Sri Lankan Government on the implementation of LLRC and other human rights recommendations to deliver what they have declared they will deliver. We will work with international partners—Commonwealth and others—to urge action in areas where adherence to Commonwealth or human rights values is still lacking. We are conscious of the power of international bodies, such as the Human Rights Council and CHOGM, to apply pressure and to encourage the raising of standards. We are also conscious of time scales. Our activity will be both public and private, and I will regularly update colleagues. No one should doubt that there is still much to do in Sri Lanka, and no one should doubt that the UK Government recognise that", he said.

The Australian Tamil Congress, 13 February 2012 - The Australian Tamil Congress (ATC) while welcoming Australia’s response to Sri Lanka’s LLRC report, released by Foreign Minister Rudd, reiterates the need for an international independent war crimes inquiry.