Motions seeking to approve leave of absence for three MPs, G. G. Ponnambalam (TNA), M. K. Sivajilingam and Alick Aluwihare, for a three-month period from March 5, 2008 were submitted, to Parliament yesterday.

Parliament also took up the motion to extend the state of Emergency for one more month from March 5.

The motion was presented by the Leader of the House Nimal Siripala de Silva.

He said the Armed Forces were fighting the terrorists in the North while the LTTE, facing defeat, was trying to divert the attention of the forces by committing acts of terrorism. But the public awareness about such activities resulted in the detection of bombs, like the one in a bus at Mt. Lavinia. The arrest of the LTTE arms smuggler Ilankovan and suicide attack center at Mutuwal being raided by the police was also results of public vigilance. The public were prepared to make sacrifices to help the armed forces engaged in defending the country against terrorists.

He said 104 members of the armed forces and police were killed in terrorist attacks, while 80 civilians were also killed during the past month. In addition, 820 members of the forces and 201 civilians were also injured.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Rohitha Bogollagama on Angela Kane’s visit said:

Much has been said in the media of this country about the recent visit to Sri Lanka by Ms. Angela Kane, UN Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs. Her visit has been described with many adjectives, including as a "fact finding mission".

Let me assure this house that the central objective of Ms. Kane's visit was aimed at strengthening UN - GOSL relations in the backdrop of various incidents in the recent past and mounting criticism of the UN in the Sri Lankan press.

I pointed out to Ms. Kane that the incidents of criticism in the past were due to the fact that some members of the UN staff had acted in breach of the UN mandate, including participating in demonstrations orchestrated by the LTTE in the uncleared areas. I appreciated the prompt action taken by the UN headquarters to withdraw the staff concerned from Sri Lanka. I was assured that the UN would prevent a recurrence of any such activities in the future.

Ms. Kane who undertook a field visit to Batticaloa, which has the 2nd largest UN staff presence in Sri Lanka, expressed her satisfaction on the development of the district, in particular the speedy resettlement of internally displaced persons. She also agreed that there is a need in the Eastern Province for transition from humanitarian projects to livelihood projects and pledged to explore further UN support towards this end.

On this occasion, I wish to place on record in this house the significant contribution being made by the staff of the UN agencies in Sri Lanka whose commitment and painstaking efforts have supported he endeavour of the government to restore normalcy in areas affected by the present conflict, as it did in the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami. Their continuing efforts across the country in the fields of humanitarian relief and rehabilitation efforts, health, education and infrastructure development is fully recognized and appreciated. It will not be lost sight of due to the actions of a few errant officers, who have mistakenly been allowed into a system, that we believe continues to uphold the highest traditions of service.

On the Asia Europe meeting (ASEM)

he said: The ASEM is a informal process of dialogue which initially brings together EU members States and the European Commission, with the ASEAN countries as well as India and Pakistan.

Sri Lanka's capacity to have thwarted this surreptitious effort to include Sri Lanka on the agenda of the ASEM is testimony to the fact that we do have friends of influence and that the Foreign Ministry has the capacity to successfully lobby them in times of need.

On the House of Lords discussion on Sri Lanka, Minister Bogollogama said:

The oral debate in the house of Lords on Sri Lanka on 27th December 2008 was instructive, for in the midst of much dis-information being repeated to please constituents, we saw a more informed debate initiated by Lord Naseby, who visited Sri Lanka last month and gathered a first hand account of developments in the Island.

Lord Naseby was to ask as to "what assistance Her Majesty's government was offering to the Government of Sri Lanka following the recommendations of the All Party Representative Committee in that country".

Replaying Lord Malloch - Brown, the British Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Office was to observe that the government of the UK supports the efforts of the APRC to device a political solution to the conflict. It was also noted that the UK believed that full implementation of the 13th amendment, including funding for the councils and greater emphasis on official use of the Tamil language, can be step forward.

Responding to Lord Naseby as to whether the UK should not be doing more to stop the millions of pounds that are going from the UK to continue the war, the Minister of State observed that he had made very clear to Tamil UK nationals that he thought it utterly an appropriate for them to contribute in any way that might be used to provide military arms for terrorist activities in Sri Lanka.

Referring to the Human Rights Council in Geneva, he said:

The 7th Session of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) opens in Geneva on 3rd March 2008.

Minister of Disaster Management of Human Rights Hon. Mahinda Samarasinghe speaking at the high level segment of HRC on the 3rd has already briefed the council on various aspects of Sri Lanka's commitment towards the promotion and protection of Human Rights as well as the consistent policy of openness and transparency with the international community which is being followed by the Government of President Mahinda Rajapakse.

As stated by my colleague in Geneva, Sri Lanka's position is that "while we do not hold ourselves above criticism from well meaning and genuine partners" at e and weaken us in the eyes of the International community to achieve propaganda games and to fulfill narrow political motivated objectives". This will be the spirit of participation of the high level delegation from Sri Lanka at the HRC that will continue in Geneva through the coming 3 weeks.

We are confident that the International community will view the Sri Lankan developments in the context of a democracy that is fighting terrorism, while preserving fundamental freedoms of its people.

On the International response to the continuing political process in Sri Lanka, he said: The coming weeks should be important in further confirming to the world Sri Lanka's commitment in empowering the people of the Northern and the Eastern provinces in managing their own affairs.

On the 10th of March the election to the local bodies in the Batticaloa district would be a significant first step towards democratization of areas which were previously terrorised by the LTTE.

The International community will be closely watching as to how this process is concluded. It will be an indicator of the maturity shown by both the electors and those who will be elected to office.

It will also be a curtain raiser for the Provincial Council elections which will be held shortly, as proposed in the January 23rd recommendations of the APRC.