Australia backs Sri Lanka at Commonwealth summit

Summit overshadowed by criticism against the Sri Lankan government on alleged war crimes.

COLOMBO: The opening ceremony for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting was marked by subtle references to allegations against Sri Lanka’s weak human rights records.

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott, expressing his support for the country, said “We are here as much as to praise as to judge.” He added it was important not to isolate countries emerging from conflict.

Speaking in Colombo late Friday morning, Abbott said the Commonwealth represents nearly 30% of the world’s population, but contributes to only 15% of the world’s gross domestic product.

“Sri Lanka's willingness to host this Commonwealth shows its commitment to democratic pluralism and freedom based on law and ought to assure all its citizenship that just as today is better than yesterday, tomorrow will be better than today.”

There has been increasing pressure on the Sri Lankan government, particularly from Britain, on alleged human rights abuses towards the end of the 30-year conflict.

The two other opening addresses were delivered by Prince Charles and Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaska.

Rajapaska spoke in defence of his government. He said by putting an end to the war the government had “asserted the greatest human right - the right to life.”

“Sri Lanka is emerging from an era of nearly three decades that saw destruction, bloodshed, mayhem, brutality, resultant economic reversals, and human suffering, all due to separatist terrorism.”

He added years of war had affected the ‘soul of the people and the nation.’

“We are finding our way once again, though there is many an obstacle,” he stated.

He added there had been no incident of terrorism in the country over the past four years. “The Commonwealth should not be a punitive or judgemental body,” Rajapaska said.

Princes Charles, representing the Head of Commonwealth Queen Elizabeth, said “The Commonwealth is being charged to confront the many issues affecting the security and well-being of its nations and peoples… The Queen wishes you well in these vitally important deliberations.”

The Prince of Wales did not make any direct reference to the existing tensions between the two countries with respect to human rights.

Sri Lankan dance troupes and musicians performed at the event, while 53 elephants were called in to represent each of the member states.

The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting was held in Asia for the first time in 24 years.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is among the heads of government attending the meeting in Colombo and arrived here on Thursday. In a meeting yesterday evening, the prime minister expressed his support for the government of Rajapaksa.

CHOGM 2013 has been overshadowed by criticism against the Sri Lankan government on alleged war crimes. The country is accused of killing nearly 40,000 ethnic Tamil civilians towards the end of the war that concluded in 2009.

In a press conference on Wednesday, UK's foreign secretary William Hague severely critcised sexual violence used by the state. “To date, too little has been done, to hold people to account for crimes of sexual violence,” he said.

On Thursday Hague also met members of the Tamil National Alliance for the devolution and reconciliation in Sri Lanka. “An important part of my purpose of coming to Sri Lanka was to meet members of the Tamil community,” he was quoted as saying in a statement by the British High Commission.

Politicians and human rights activist around the world had called for a boycott of the meeting. Earlier this week, India and Mauritius declined to send their prime ministers to attend, while Canada’s Prime Minister Stephen Harper had rejected his invitation much earlier.

While Mauritius and Canada had cited war crimes as reasons for absence, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called off his plans following heightened criticism in Tamil Nadu.  India was represented by External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid.

Speaking at a media briefing ahead of the summit, President Mahinda Rajapaksa appeared confident about his government. “We are very open, we have nothing to hide,” the president said.

In what seemed to be an effort to avoid any untoward incident, Friday was declared a public holiday in Colombo.