Sri Lanka: The road to reconciliation

Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse has ordered the release of the jailed former army chief, Sarath Fonseka. Fonseka is credited with leading the military victory in the decades long civil war over Liberation Tiger of Tamil Elaam (LTTE). He was arrested two years ago after standing against Rajapakse for the presidency.

The news of his release came as after Sri Lanka marked the three-year anniversary of the end of the 26-year civil war with a large military parade in the capital, Colombo.

The conflict that killed more than 80,000 people, pitted the army against LTTE rebels who fought for a separate state for ethnic minority Tamils, claiming decades of discrimination by the Sinhalese majority.

Rajapakse has rejected international calls to remove military camps in the former northern war zone, saying the move would undermine national security. He has also criticised demands for an independent inquiry into allegations that war crimes and crimes against humanity took place in the closing stages of the war.

Emer McCarthy spoke to Jehan Perera, Director of the National Peace Council in Sri Lanka, who says that 3 years later Sri Lankans marked the anniversary with a memorial to loved ones lost during the war. Listen: