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| Sunday, 29 February 2004 |
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| News Business Features Editorial
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'Freedom Alliance will be brought to power' by E. Weerapperuma
" We have certain positions in respect of solution to the Ethnic conflict and it varies from that of the JVP position. Our position is very much close to the SLFP position. There is no common position in the policy statement signed by the SLFP and the JVP and we are not very happy about that. The SLFP has spelt its position in the MoU they signed with the JVP and we could agree with SLFP position and not with the position of the JVP. This is why it has become necessary for us to preserve our position and sign an MoU ". Mr. Collure said that they stress on two points. Elaborating the two points he said that the Sri Lanka Communist party was for a negotiated settlement with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. " The first point is that we are for a negotiated settlement with the LTTE and it should be arrived at on the basis of devolution of power. In this respect the other holders should also be consulted", he said. The Second point is that " We deem it necessary and essential that the peace process towards achieving this goal should be conducted in a bi-partisan manner. This means that in the course of negotiation the Government should consult the Opposition in proceeding with matters regarding the settlement. This is necessary not only to obtain the requisite 2/3 majority in Parliament to amend or install a new constitution but also to proceed towards a referendum, at which it would be confirmed by the people. Also necessary to obtain the highest degree of consensus among political forces in the country, so that there will be national unity in implementing such a negotiated settlement. Making reference to the JVP, Mr. Collure said that JVP turned a significant factor after the 2001 elections. There was a popular demand that all political parties opposed to UNP should come together. Therefore the SLFP in consultation with the parties in the PA decided to hold talks with the JVP to form a broader alliance: the United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) is its outcome. We see something very positive in the policy document of the Alliance. The SLFP and the JVP have agreed for a negotiated political settlement 2) They agree that there should be talks with the LTTE and 3) Other stake-holders should be consulted. It is our belief that by strengthening the hands of the SLFP we would be able to achieve a negotiated political settlement to the decades long national problem. What is important is that the grand alliance is led by the President who has been advocating a political solution to the ethnic problem since the inception of the SLMP. She made efforts to have talks with the LTTE and the talks failed with the LTTE going back to war. She had tried to introduce a Constitution which would satisfy the basic aspirations of the Tamil people. What was tragic was that the draft of the constitution 2000, could not be adopted although there had been a high degree of agreement between the major political parties. President's commitment Even after the assassination attempts on her life she stood firm for a negotiated settlement and the present peace process was initiated by her. Norway was brought in as a facilitator. After the change of government, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe proceeded with the peace process from where President left. In my view the present situation is very favourable for the success of peace process in that both the government and the opposition are now basically committed to achieve negotiated political settlement. The commitment of the JVP at present in this regard has expanded the forces in support of a negotiated political settlement thus marginalising the forces against it. Even though the country is compelled to go for election for the third time in four years and whatever the outcome (we believe that the Alliance will be brought into power) the peace process will gain strength, despite certain pessimistic predictions. This kind of situation has never existed in the country before. Therefore we can be hopeful that there will be a settlement to the problem, there will be permanent peace, national unity and territorial integrity will be strengthened in due course. At the same time we have to note that the negotiation process is no easy task. It is complex and time consuming but with the LTTE remaining committed, we will finally achieve a lasting solution. |
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| Editorial | Security Produced by Lake House |
Communist Party of Sri Lanka signed a Memorandum of Understanding on
Thursday, February 19 with the Sri Lanka Freedom Party with the aim of
contesting the forthcoming General Election, through the United People's
Freedom Alliance. Speaking to the "Sunday Observer" Raja Collure,
the former CP MP said the signing of the MoU was meant to preserve the CP
position in respect of the National conflict.
