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| Sunday, 11 September 2005 |
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MoU signed between PM and JVP by Deepal Warnakulasuriya Sri Lanka Freedom Party candidate and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse and People's Liberation Front (JVP) signed a memorandum of Understanding (MoU) last Thursday pledging to defeat the United National party (UNP) candidate Ranil Wickremesinghe at the forthcoming Presidential election. MoU signing took place at the Temple Trees premises with the participation of both the party bigwigs, religious dignitaries, intellectuals and artistes. The event was also graced by Mahajana Eksath Peramuna (MEP) Leader Dinesh Gunawardene, National Unity Alliance (NUA) Leader Ferial Asraff, EPDP Leader Dougles Devananda and Sinhalaye Mahasammatha Bhoomiputhra Party Leader Dr. Harishchandra Wijayathunga appreciating the endeavour. The SLFP candidate as well as the JVP Leader Somawansa Amarasinghe stressed at the MoU signing function that their prime duty and responsibility was towards the suffering masses in the whole country. They reiterated that the consensus which they arrived at was purely to bring peace, prosperity and democracy to all the communities living in the country and not for any personal gains. The Prime Minister pointed out that in 1958 Bandaranaike -Chelvanayagam Pact was criticised by several. "In 2004 SLFP - JVP, agreement was also criticised and now it is for me. Therefore, I would say all these efforts are to have a better tomorrow for Sinhala, Tamil, Muslim, Burger and all the communities. Presidential poll - 2005: Accord between PM - JVP The Agreement signed between Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse, Presidential Candidate for the President Poll 2005 and Tylvin Silva, General Secretary, People's Liberation Front (JVP). Preamble Being aware of the fact that our motherland is confronted with enormous challenges perpetrated by all kinds of her foes, rivalries and reactionary forces. Being mindful of the fact that to defeat those rival forces, a historical necessity has arisen to work in unison based on minimum standards and policies. And as such there is a national priority before all of us to defeat the presidential candidate of the United National Party, who represents directly all the aforesaid rival and reactionary forces. Therefore, the Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse, the presidential candidate shall agree hereby to act on being elected as the President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka in accordance with the agreement which is more fully set out hereinafter and presented by the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), in consideration shall agree and shall work towards the victory of the said presidential candidate Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse in conformity with this agreement at the forthcoming presidential poll of the year 2005 for the aforesaid purposes inter alia to defeat the presidential candidate of the United National party who is the sole representative of all the rival and reactionary forces of our motherland. It is hereby declared that the Post-Tsunami Operational Management Structure which was signed between the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (hereinafter referred to as LTTE) on the 24th June 2005 the implementation of which has been already stayed by the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka and also was subject to much public criticism shall not reactivate, enforce or implement in whatsoever manner and for the purpose of accelerating, expediting and regularising the provision of the necessary relief services to all the people affected by Tsunami, a new program shall be formulated as a priority task on reviewing the existing program and to activate it forthwith through the assistance and intervention of the government. We believe that it is necessary to have negotiations not only with the LTTE but also with all other relevant parties to resolve Sri Lanka's national question and that without being agreed on such lasting solution it is agreed hereby not to grant Interim Self-governing Authority or any such political or administrative structure to LTTE. Instead it is agreed to hold negotiations with LTTE based only on a lasting political solution. It is hereby agreed to protect, defend and preserve the unitary nature of the Sri Lankan State under any solutions to be presented, formed or formulated for the purpose of the resolution of Sri Lanka's national question. It is agreed hereby that in considering the harmful and prejudicial effects and other serious implications of the Ceasefire Agreement that was entered and signed by the then Prime Minister Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe and LTTE on 22nd February 2002, the said agreement shall be reviewed and revised fully and the said agreement shall be completely redone on removing and eliminating all the clauses which are prejudicial and harmful to the national security and foster and nurture separatism and are inconsistent with the Constitution of Sri Lanka. As it is axiomatic that Norway has shown unprecedented bias and partiality towards the LTTE in her role as a facilitator in the negotiation process between the Government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE and in the monitoring mission of the Ceasefire Agreement and also as she has undoubtedly failed to act impartially in performing her obligations, it is agreed hereby to reconsider whether the Norway should be allowed to engage in those activities further and the necessary actions shall be taken accordingly. It is agreed hereby that the re-establishment and restoration of human rights, democracy and law and order which have become completely non-existing phenomena due to the terrorist activities of the LTTE in the North and Eastern provinces shall be considered as a prioritized task and also all the necessary and appropriate actions shall be taken to ensure all democratic political parties to carry out their political activities without any impediments, to create an atmosphere for the Sinhalese, Tamil and Muslim people to live without any fears and perplexity and also to ensure that multi-party political system shall be restored in the said provinces. The Executive Presidential system being most destructive and harmful to the democracy of Sri Lanka and having accepted its abolition as an essential priority task, it is hereby agreed to terminate the Executive Presidential system before the end of the tenure of office of the 6th Executive President which is to be commenced from the year 2005. No party shall accept the so-called liberal open economic policy as Sri Lanka's national economic strategy nevertheless both parties shall agree that an economic policy with equilibrium progressing with the world economy aimed at strengthening and promoting national economy with the efficient participation of State and private sector. The harbours, seaports, airports, State commercial banks, the Petroleum Corporation, Ceylon Electricity Board and all other Government establishments and including water and mineral resources which are the nerve centres of the national economy shall not be privatised and also shall agree to abolish any such actions whatsoever taken so far towards privatisation of the aforesaid institutions, services and resources. The right to have free education shall be ensured and also any moves towards the privatisation of education sector including the 'White Paper' presented by the United National Party in 1981 shall be abolished after comprehensive review and carefully considering the views of intellectuals, academics, teachers and students. In resolving the problems faced by workers who contribute to the national production process, and the farmers, factory owners, entrepreneurs, business community and consumers who face hardships in view of soaring inflation, the proposals of the People's Liberation Front (JVP) shall be accepted and shall agree to act in conformity with those proposals. Sri Lanka shall adopt non-aligned foreign policy and in particular shall be taken into account the regional and the Asian co-operation in revising the foreign policy. Presidential candidate Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse being a party to this agreement shall agree to follow, adopt and abide by and to work in conformity with the foregoing agreement on being elected and duly declared as the President whereas the People's Liberation Front (JVP) shall agree that the said party shall express its fullest support to the presidential candidate Mahinda Rajapakse at the presidential poll of 2005 and shall agree to work with its maximum strength towards the victory of the aforesaid presidential candidate. Signed in Colombo on 2005-09.08 |
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