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UN chief says Sri Lanka has made progress in justice, reconciliation but more needs to be done

Xinhua, September 2, 2016 Adjust font size:

Sri Lanka has made progress in reconciliation, human rights and justice but more needs to be done to address the legacy of the past and acknowledge the voices of the victims, UN General Secretary Ban Ki Moon said on Friday.

Addressing a gathering in Colombo during his two-day visit, Ban said Sri Lanka is still in the early stages of regaining its rightful position in the region and the international community.

The island nation suffered a 30-year civil conflict between government troops and Tamil Tiger rebels, which ended in May 2009 with the defeat of the rebels.

Thousands of victims were displaced by the conflict and the government is now in the process of setting up a domestic process to probe allegations of war crimes during and after the end of the war.

The UN chief said that after President Maithripala Sirisena took office on Jan., the government had set out an ambitious reform program and had made significant progress in implementing it.

He also commended the government's efforts to move forward on a comprehensive transitional justice agenda, and on a constitutional reform process.

However he said more needs to be done.

"There is still much work to be done in order to redress the wrongs of the past and to restore the legitimacy and accountability of key institutions, particularly the judiciary and the security services," the UN chief said.

Ban who arrived in the country on Wednesday, travelled to the northern town of Jaffna on Friday to visit a resettlement site. Endite