Sri Lanka president asks lawmakers to draft reforms to address ethnic harmony in post-war era

Sri Lanka’s President Maithripala Sirisena speaks during his inaugural address to the 225-member parliament at its first meeting in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2015. Sirisena asked the country's newly elected lawmakers on Tuesday to draft political reforms to promote ethnic reconciliation and economic development in the post-war era. (AP Photo/Sanka Gayashan) (The Associated Press)

Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, right, listens to former president Mahinda Rajapaksa after the first meeting of the members of parliament since the election on Aug. 17, in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2015. Sri Lanka's President Maithripala Sirisena asked the country's newly elected lawmakers on Tuesday to draft political reforms to promote ethnic reconciliation and economic development in the post-war era. (AP Photo/Sanka Gayashan) (The Associated Press)

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka – Sri Lanka's president has asked the country's newly elected lawmakers to draft political reforms to promote ethnic reconciliation and economic development in the post-war era.

President Maithripala Sirisena said Tuesday the new parliament's responsibilities are to make the political decisions that had been delayed and to draft reforms. He has previously acknowledged that Sri Lanka has failed to heal its deep ethnic divide since the civil war ended six years ago.

The speech was Sirisena's inaugural address to the 225-member parliament at its first meeting since the election on Aug. 17.

The two main political parties have agreed to form a government of consensus with view to address national reconciliation and overcoming economic hardships borne from the conflict.