CPA delegates take time out to get to know the country
Bermuda shorts and animal-teeth necklaces, top hats and colourful traditional garb added colour and variety to the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA)'s 58th Conference which concluded in Colombo on Friday. The Conference brought together over 700 delegates from 53 countries to discuss ways to make the Commonwealth more relevant for the future.
From Kiribati to Samoa, from Sierra Leone to South Africa, from the United Kingdom to Canada and Australia, and from Pakistan to the Maldives, the delegates from the Commonwealth nations spent the past week not only debating and discussing issues of common interest but also taking time off to go sightseeing not just in Colombo, but in other parts of the country too, shopping and tasting local cuisine.
The highlight of the conference was the official opening on Tuesday, (September 11) at the Nelum Pokuna Theatre in Colombo by President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Traditional dancers and drummers heralded the opening ceremony while schoolchildren joined in to sing the national anthem.
Motorists driving around the Nelum Pokuna area were greeted by the sight of an open air dressing room where male dancers and drummers were seen changing their attire as the entire Nelum Pokuna Mawatha was transformed into a colourful venue.
Flanked by Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa and CPA Executive Committee Chairman Rt. Hon. Sir Alan Haselhurst MP, President Rajapaksa declared open the conference to thunderous applause from the delegates.
In his opening address, the President made a plea to delegates to see for themselves the post-war developments in Sri Lanka without going by what they hear secondhand. "You can now see the truth and return to your countries with a deeper and richer understanding of Sri Lanka," he said.
Sir Haselhurst spoke on the successes of the members of the Commonwealth of Nations in the field of sports mentioning Jamaica's Usain Bolt and Sri Lanka's Para Olympic bronze medalist Pradeep Sanjaya as shining examples of talented youth within the organisation's member states.
A commemorative stamp to the value of five rupees featuring the Mace and the Sri Lanka Parliament with the Parliament building in the background too was issued to coincide with the conference.
The Conference dis- cussions were held at the BMICH, which was turned into a venue inclusive of facilities for delegates including meals and even a traditional handicraft section.
As no meeting of Parliamentarians from so many countries would be complete without a little controversy, it came by way of a discussion on the subject, "Should the Commonwealth establish a Commissioner for democracy, rule of law and human rights?" A majority of member nations spoke against the appointment of such a Commissioner, while Canada, U.K., Australia and four opposition legislators supported it.
Deputy Speaker Chandima Weerakkody who addressed the media after the discussions said UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, UNP MPs John Amaratunga and Jayalath Jayawardena and TNA MP M.A. Sumanthiran were among those who supported such an appointment, while the Leader of the House Minister Nimal Siripala De Silva and Senior Minister Dr.Sarath Amunugama had spoken against it.
There were signs of more rumblings within the CPA when External Affairs Minister G.L.Peries spoke out against "some countries' trying to further the agenda of the United Nations via the Commonwealth. The Commonwealth is a voluntary organisation and does not have a Constitution. No country of (or) grouping can interfere in the internal affairs of a country using the UN mechanism as a cover," he said.
Despite these issues, most delegates savoured their time here, the first time for many, with delight.
Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Secretary - General Dr William F Shija, who, with nearly 100 delegates visited Jaffna and Kilinochchi on Thursday, the day that had been set aside for excursions said he was impressed with the manner in which the military was being used in post war Sri Lanka for development activities.
"For any country, it is a challenge on how to utilise the military in times of peace. Sri Lanka is doing it in an impressive manner," Dr.Shija told the media after the conclusion of the Conference.
Some delegates toured Kandy, Sigiriya and Galle while others visited the Kelaniya Raja Maha Viharaya, St.Lucia's Church, Kotahena and the Colombo National Museum.
Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma who also visited Sri Lanka to address the CPA Conference used the occasion to visit some of the proposed venues for the 2 013 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) to be held in Sri Lanka in March next year.
"The logistical arrangements are well in hand, as is the state of readiness of the various venues that will be used," he said.
Amidst talk of a boycott of the Colombo CHOGM meeting by some countries, Secretary Sharma also urged all heads of state of member nations to participate in the upcoming meeting. "There is no deficit in democracy in Sri Lankan society. Democracy is not a destination but a journey," he said.
Refilwe Letwaba, a member of the Gunteng Provincial Assembly of South Africa who was on her first visit to Sri Lankan was impressed with what she saw of the country. "The developments here are impressive and progressive and we can see the fruits of democracy everywhere, not war," she said.
Ms. Letwaba also said that the issue of women's representation in elected bodies was one subject of discussions but whether the issue should be legislated upon or not should be decided by each country. South Africa which will host the 59th conference of the CPA in August next year, has made it obligatory to have 50 per cent representation for women in their legislatures.