Lanka prez Wickremesinghe promises commission to address missing persons issue if re-elected

COLOMBO: Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe on Saturday assured that his government would set up a commission to address the issue of disappeared persons within five years if he is re-elected in the upcoming presidential poll.

According to an estimate, around 20,000 people are believed to be missing after the end of the nearly three-decade war with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eeelam (LTTE), which killed over 100,000 people.

Addressing a public rally in Jaffna ahead of the September 21 presidential election, Wickremesinghe said if voted back to power, his government will establish the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), which will resolve the issue of missing persons within the next five years, news portal dailymirror.lk reported.

He further said that his government will also set up the National Land Commission to address the ongoing land disputes in the North.

The Sri Lankan government is yet to fully restore civilian ownership of land and property nearly a decade since the end of the civil war in 2009.

The president said the issues in the North cannot be limited to just political problems but also require development. If development does not take place, the North will fall behind while other provinces move forward. He emphasised that his leadership will address both the political and developmental challenges in the North.

Referring to a statement issued by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Friday, Wickremesinghe warned that if the government does not continue the programme it started with the global lender, the economy could collapse again, the Daily News website reported.

He said if his government's plan continues for another three years, no one will be able to destroy the country’s economy.

Wickremesinghe affirmed his commitment to developing the North and pointed out that non of his political rivals -- Samagi Jana Balawegaya's (SJB) Sajith Premadasa or Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna's (JVP) Anura Kumara -- has any solution for the region’s needs.

Addressing the gathering, he said, “I have always come to Jaffna whenever given the opportunity, including during elections. Now, other candidates are also visiting Jaffna, but they only come during election time. However, I have always made a point to visit regularly, which is why I am in a position to come here and ask for your vote."

He said Kumara and Premadasa, who are campaigning against him, propose to overhaul the current system and implement their own. They promise to ease living costs and eliminate taxes. However, such measures would jeopardise the IMF assistance, leading to a potential collapse of the economy.

"We have worked with the IMF to strengthen the rupee and have seen a gradual decrease in commodity prices. Our current program is already providing increased relief to the people. We are now in a position to reduce taxes," the president said.

He asserted that the economy is strengthening, and with the continuation of this programme for another three years, it will become even more resilient.

"While Sajith (Premadasa) and Anura (Kumara) advocate for tax cuts, I also support this idea, but not at the cost of progress. Reducing taxes prematurely could undermine our economic recovery and risk a return to the dire situation of June 2022. I am committed to being transparent with the people about these challenges," he said.