Lord Dholakia, speaking eloquently during the debate on assessing if progress has been made by the coalition government in Sri Lanka in meeting the United Nations Human Rights Council requirements towards reconciliation said he was "much encouraged by the speech of the President, His Excellency Sirisena, during the general debate at the UN General Assembly last month." "The President," Lord Dholakia pointed out "... gave a pledge to remove excessive powers vested in the President and to entrust them to his Parliament," even before he was elected in 2015. Emphasising the importance of this new approach to democracy in the country, Lord Dholakia stressed: "[t]his was a crucial statement," that, in his opinion has made a positive "change ... in power sharing with the communities in Sri Lanka." This is in stark comparison to the previous Administration that had "vested more power in the presidency than that enjoyed by any democratic institution.."
Confirming his strong affiliation with Sri Lanka, a country he has visited many times, including helping in the aftermath of the tsunami, Lord Dholakia said: "[m]y last visit gave me the opportunity at first hand to see and learn about the reconstruction, resettlement and reconciliation work in progress there." Outlining the UN Secretary General's review panel report and the International Crisis Group report, that are going some way to ameliorate the situation, Lord Dholakia pointed out the difficulties faced by the new Government which include "addressing the grievances of Tamil and Muslim leaders about the excesses that took place during the war," and recognised it "is not an easy task." "Even today," he said, within the country itself and also its' diaspora "there remain deeply held views about the war in Sri Lanka and its aftermath."
Underpinning the new approach, Lord Dholakia noted that significantly "[t]he President stood by his words and today, rightly, accountability has been vested in an elected Parliament." "The Executive can no longer ride roughshod over the will of Parliament," he said. Reiterating the President's words on "... re-establishing and restoring the freedom of the people, protecting human rights and nurturing fundamental rights”, Lord Dholakia underlined its' importance saying: "[t]his exercise should build confidence among the communities in their elected leadership, as this action alone has succeeded in consolidating excessive power and autocratic governance. It is a great step forward."
Questioning the Minister on "truth and reconciliation matters," Lord Dholakia asked: " have the Sri Lankan Government addressed ongoing regional and ethnic disparity, and how far have they succeeded in dealing with conflict-related justice?" And affirmed his question by adding, "[m]ay we seek assurances on how far the Sri Lankan Government have reformed the security sector and criminal justice system in line with international standards, including around police accountability?" To these points Lord Dholakia also asked for clarity on British foreign policy and international aid in "help[ing] to promote liberal values of human rights and democracy in that part of the world, and who is monitoring the situation?" "We are encouraged," he stressed, "by the progress to date but we should ensure that complacency does not hinder further progress."
Lord Dholakia, noting Lord Naseby's informed points on the perceived actual numbers killed during the war in Sri Lanka, said: "[t]his debate is not the place to confirm or deny what did or did not take place during the war, but it is nice to have the statistical information given by the noble Lord.
"New statistical information is now available," he said, "but we must accept that this and its rejection will continue to shape the debate for some time to come, and limited purpose will be served by it in making progress towards a stable and prosperous Sri Lanka." Elucidating his point, Lord Dholakia stated: "[w]e have to move on, but the basis on which the country makes progress will be very much determined by how some of the issues are handled."
In conclusion, Lord Dholakia stressed: "Sri Lanka paid a heavy price during the conflict years. This should never be allowed to happen again." "The duty of any democracy," he said, "is to protect its citizens—all citizens, irrespective of religion or ethnicity;" adding emphatically "I trust that Sri Lanka and its diaspora will play a crucial role in building a stable, democratic society."
