Provincial Council system will solve national problem - EPDP

by Shanika Sriyananda

The Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP) says that the national problem can only be solved by implementing the Provincial Council system, which would not pave the way for a separate land as agreed by all political parties in the democratic stream.

The EPDP Leader and Minister of Social Services Douglas Devananda told the 'Sunday Observer' that a political solution could be found in a three phased system where power could be devolved at provincial council level to give the correct leadership to the people. " For a long time we have been talking about solutions.

We have put forward proposals on how we could solve the problem in three stages. At the first stage we have to implement the provincial council system. As democratic parties the SLFP, UNP, JVP and Hela Urumaya, agreed to the provincial council system", said.

Minister Devananda warned that there would be conflict of views if the government introduces a new system to devolve power and find a political solution to put an end to the war within the constitutional frame work. It is a matter of amending the provision 154 G II of the constitution with a simple majority.

When the provincial council system was introduced during the UNP regime, then the Opposition took to streets opposing the system. This is the reason why the problem was not solved for decades", he said.

However, he said the power given to the provincial councils should be increased at the second stage but need to convince the Sinhala community on devolution of power and should educate them that this would not lead to separation.

Minister Devananda said that through these stages the government could win the confidence of majority of Tamils in this country and could find a final solution through the All Party Representative Committee (APRC).

He blamed the LTTE for not allowing the Tamils to enjoy the opportunity of power sharing through the Provincial Council system. According to Minister Devananda, LTTE will not agree with the system. The LTTE's only strategy is violence and will not want a solution even if they are given a separate land.

The EPDP Leader said that at the last stage whether the LTTE was willing or not they would be pushed to the democratic field."

Minister Devananda who toured the Jaffna Peninsula for over a month to listen to the grievances of the Tamil people and met over 18,000 people said that the majority of Tamils had lost confidence in the LTTE.

"People in Jaffna do not have faith in the LTTE any more and they do not consider the LTTE as their saviours, he said.