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| Sunday, 26 December 2004 |
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Features |  |
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Peace process : Government shows flexibility Weekend Politics by Suraj & Viraj The message is now clear for the new year that the stalled peace process should begin. The international community has commended the commitment of President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga to seek permanent peace in the strife torn island nation. The donor nations and the United States have clearly stated that they have taken note of the LTTE intransigence and violation of the ceasefire agreement. While commending the President for her sincerity towards a lasting peace, the American Ambassador in Colombo, Jeffrey Lunstead in a communication to the government ally, Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) stressed the need to act cautiously at this hour without antoganism towards the Norwegian facilitators. President Kumaratunga has been constantly urging her government members in the coalition to make comments with responsibility that would not harm her efforts to resume the peace process. Following Eric Solheim's last visit, the President moved quickly to respond again to the LTTE by forwarding a fresh set of proposals to the Tigers through the facilitators which was submitted to the LTTE's Theoretician, Anton Balasingham in London. The President during her talks with Solheim and the donor countries explained that she was fully committed towards reactivating the stalled peace process and dismissed childish statements made by members of a political party in her coalition and added that such views did not represent the position of her government. US stand Solheim commended the services rendered by Peace Secretariat Head, Jayantha Dhanapala who moved all the time in the North and East to bring about an understanding between the government and the LTTE. the US had taken note of child conscription and other violations committed by the LTTE. He pointed out that US still maintained that the LTTE was a terrorist organisation. Lunstead also stressed the need for the LTTE to be a flexible in its approach and realistic if they were keen to head towards success in peace. President Kumaratunga who took full stock of the developments last week indicated her desire to meet a JVP delegation to explain matters and to stress the need for the government to speak in one voice. The President has fully appreciated the position that the ISGA is only a document for discussion and her government reserved the right on what should be offered and how it should be when a final consensus is reached. The main opposition UNP has pledged its support to discuss the ISGA. Ranil Wickremesinghe now cannot change that position taking cover of the imprisonment of S.B.Dissanayake. SB's issue and the national issue are matters of wide contrast. SB's jail term is a personal matter while the peace process is a national issue that concerns all people who yearn for peace. TNA stance The Tamil National Alliance (TNA), the mouthpiece of the LTTE in parliament also should act with utmost responsibility if they are the mediators of the Tigers seeking a resumption of the peace process. Their recent behaviour and comments looked harmful towards the attempt to convince the JVP which has taken a hard line towards the ISGA. The stance taken by the majority community to find peace to this land without division should be appreciated. There was a time, the Sinhala people even totally opposed provincial councils. Successive governments have progressed somewhat in giving the Tamils their due. If legitimate rights and aspirations of the Tamils are to be obtained under the framework of a united country, the Tamil politicians too must act with responsibility to help the government in power to win such demands. Meanwhile, President Kumaratunga during her discussions with the three donor countries and Eric Solhiem stressed the urgent need to fully implement a rehabilitation program in the North-East to provide humanitarian assistance to the affected people. Here again the delay in this regard is with the LTTE. It wants to give humanitarian assistance to its own people only after the resumption of the peace process. The LTTE should realise that it is their own people who would suffer from that delay. However, the LTTE continues to point out the need and the urgency for such humanitarian aid to the war affected areas. Fulfilling another election pledge, the UPFA will give permanent employment to 42,000 graduates in the public sector in January. They attended a meeting at the Sugathadasa Stadium on Wednesday. President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga who was the Chief guest at the meeting requested the graduates to work in the interest of the country to achieve development goals forgetting politics. Graduates who spoke at the occasion thanked the President and the UPFA for giving them employment in the public service which was denied them by all other previous Governments. UNP snubbed The UNP received a punch in the jaw when they tried to drag Chief Incumbent of the Malwatte Chapter Most Venerable Tibbotuwawe Sri Sidhartha Sumangala Thera into the 'SB Dissanayake protest campaign'. UNP firebrand Dr. Rajitha Senaratne said at the Opposition leaders office, that Ven. Sumangala Thera signed the petition requesting the release jailed of MP S.B.Dissanayake. But the Venerable Thera denied that statement and said that he never signed any petition to release S.B.Dissanayake as he did not want to interfere with court ruling. Meanwhile, Western Provincial Council Opposition Leader Kithsiri Kahatapitiya made an attempt to pass a motion in the Council against the jailing of S.B.Dissanayake but it faced a humiliating defeat. Thereafter, they held a protest rally condemning the jailing of Dissanayake and urging the authorities to arrest the murderers of late WPC Councillor Namal Gunawardane. Meanwhile, the UNP took initiative to complain to the Commonwealth Secretary General about the sentence of S.B.Dissanayke. They also plan to table a petition at the European Union asking what action they can take against the judgement given to Dissanayake and to ensure the right of Sri Lankans to express their views. Meanwhile, former UNP MP Chithra Manthilake at a Government meeting in Digana welcomed President Kumaratunga and told her that time had come for politicians to forget petty politics and unite to develop the country. Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Jeyeraj Fernandopulle lost his cool on Thursday when he met top executives of the two major milk foods companies who were seeking the Consumer Affairs Authority permission to increase prices. The two executives were not careful of the words used at the discussion and the Minister chased them away. Thereafter, he called the officials of the CAA to provide him a detailed report on milk foods. Meanwhile, the National Bhikku Front led by Ven.Kalawelgoda Chandraloka Thera went to the Indian High Commission to handover a memorandum to the High Commissioner Nirupama Rao condemning the attack on the Indian film star Sharuk Khan. they said that it was the work of an extremist group and requested the High Commission to hand over this memorandum to Sharuk Khan. |
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