Sirisena to work with the UN, avoid future bloodshed

New President Maithripala Sirisena vowed on Wednesday to end Sri Lanka's pariah status by working with the UN and promised national reconciliation, almost six years after the island's ethnic war ended.

In an address to the nation to mark Sri Lanka's 67th anniversary of independence, Sirisena and his ministers also pledged never again to allow the "land to be traumatized by the shedding of blood of innocents".

In a major sign of rapprochement, the country's main minority political party, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), attended the national day celebrations for the first time in decades.

"We have not participated in national day events in the recent past. There is a change of attitude and approach of the new government," said TNA lawmaker MA Sumanthiran. "We recognize that and we want to reciprocate."

In last month's election Sirisena defeated long-time strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa, who fell out with the West over allegations of wartime rights abuses by the security forces.

"We have to address our foreign policy problems. We will follow the UN charter and abide by the UN values," Sirisena said in a nationally televised address.

"Reconciliation will be a priority for my government. We want to ensure a new political culture to place our nation among the important members of the international community."

"We must unite the  north and the  south," Sirisena said, referring to the Tamil-dominated northern province which suffered an economic embargo and travel restrictions even after the end of the war.(UCAN)