Political solution vital to fulfil aspirations of Tamils -EPDP

"All political parties are presenting their proposals amidst initiatives being taken forward to find solutions to the problem of political rights faced by the Tamil speaking people.

The Sri Lanka Freedom Party also has presented its proposals for the resolution of the conflict. We, the EPDP, since our return to the democratic mainstream emphasize a political solution that can fulfil the aspirations of our people", said a media release from the Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP)

The release said "We, during our democratic activities have submitted in writing to successive governments, since the Indo - Sri Lanka Agreement, in clear terms, what could be the solutions to the problem of political rights faced by our people.

The same was submitted to the All Party Conference initiated by President Mahinda Rajapaksa. We are in the habit of presenting and appraising President Rajapaksa and other Southern political leaders and also before the international community the probable solutions and the sentiment of our people towards the solution of this issue.

Secretary General of the EPDP and Minister Douglas Devananda, during his meeting with President Rajapaksa May 3 apprised him of the EPDP's solution to this issue. Consensus was reached in the discussion that only the All Party Conference has the mandate to arrive at a justifiable and final solution.

Our stand, according to the political perspective of our party is, only a comprehensive arrangement, which can fulfil the political aspirations of our people can be the solution for the issue of political rights.

The goal of the EPDP is to lay the foundation towards a final solution which can brig forth a status of Power Sharing at the Centre and Autonomy in the Province, through a three stage pragmatic approach based on the above principals.

This is our political perspective. Meanwhile, the EPDP will endorse a democratic verdict of those people on the question of the Merger of the North and East as per the Indo Sri Lanka Agreement," the release added.