TNA does not oppose PSC- Sampanthan
by K.T. Rajasingham
The Tamil National Alliance leader R. Sampanthan said that they are
not opposed to the Parliamentary Select Committee proposed by the
Government.
The TNA leader said, “We have made our position very clear. We have
never been opposed to the Parliamentary Select Committee, though we do
not have much trust in it.”
“But our position is, if the President wants to have a Parliamentary
Select Committee, we will not oppose it.
But the clear understanding is that there must be some consensus, at
least on some issues before and that must be taken to the Parliamentary
Select Committee, before we go to the Parliamentary Select Committee.”
TNA Leader also denied that TNA as a party has not taken any decision
on a third party mediation.
Given below are the excerpts of an interview Asian Tribune had with
R. Sampanthan MP.
Q: There was an interview to say that you are seeking third
party intervention?
A: No, as a party we have not taken any such decision. It may
be the view of some people, but as a party we have not taken any such
decision.
Q: Do you have confidence in this Sri Lanka Government? Do you
think you will be achieving whatever you want from the Government?
A: I do not think that they should give me whatever I want,
but let them give us the reasonable, and durable political solution.
We have made our best efforts towards achieving our objectives. They
(Sri Lanka Government) didn’t attend the last round of talks for reasons
I think is ambivalent and that is the position and we are waiting to see
what they are going to do next.
Q: Are you going to participate in the Parliamentary Select
Committee? You have already said ‘no’.
A: We have made our position very clear. We have never been
opposed to the Parliamentary Select Committee, though we do not have
much trust in it. But our position is if the President wants to have a
Parliamentary Select Committee, we will not oppose it.
But the clear understanding is that there must be some consensus at
least on some issues before and that consensus must be taken to the
Parliamentary Select Committee before we go to the Parliamentary Select
Committee.
Q: Can you name on what subject, there has to some form of
consensus?
A: On some reasonable consensus on some of the issues which
have been identified and on which we have been talking and these matters
have been recorded in the minutes of the bilateral talks and approved in
the bilateral talks. This is a clear understanding between the TNA and
the President and the Government. So we are prepared to comply with that
undertaking and we will comply with the understanding and that is our
position.
Q: Regarding this matter of Police powers and land
administration, is it meant only for the Northern Province and the
Eastern Province or is it meant for the all the 9 provinces in the whole
country?
A: It is meant for the whole country. These are powers that
are available in any power sharing arrangements. Even the Bandaranaike –
Chelvanayakam Pact contemplated land powers and powers about law and
order way back in 1957. These are powers that are usually available in
any power sharing arrangements. And that are there in all the proposals
that have come up in the thirteenth amendment of the constitution. It is
nothing new.
These things cannot be determined according to the whims and fancies
of individual politicians. These things have to be determined on what is
reasonable, and what pertains in countries where there are power sharing
arrangements and what the standards are?
Q: May I say that you are talking for the whole country and
not for one or two provinces?
A: Absolutely, it is applicable to whole country. If President
Rajapaksa has some reservations with regards to some parts of the
country, then he may not give it to those parts. But we want it in our
parts, that means - to the North and East.
Courtesy: Asian Tribune
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