President committed to political solution
STOCKHOLM, 18 October, (Asiantribune.com): President Mahinda
Rajapaksa has told Mr. N. Ram, Chief Editor of The Hindu, that he is
"firmly committed to a just and enduring political solution" to the
Tamil question in Sri Lanka and that "there are no military solutions to
political questions."
In a telephonic interview with Mr. Ram, Sri Lanka President
reiterated the government's commitment to sending essential food
supplies to the displaced in the Vanni. The interview which appeared in
The Hindu of 17 October.
The newspaper quoted Sri Lanka President saying "We are sending them
food. We are feeding the LTTE, in fact, we know that 70 per cent of the
food sent by the government goes to them."
The Sri Lankan President will be sending a special envoy to New Delhi
in the near future to explain the overall situation and meet the
concerns expressed by India , said the news report.
Given below the full text of the interview with Sri Lanka President
Mahinda Rajapakse that appeared in The Hindu.
I am committed to political solution and ending Tamil civilian
hardships'.
"I am firmly committed to a just and enduring political solution" to
the Tamil question in Sri Lanka and "am clear that there are no military
solutions to political questions," President Mahinda Rajapaksa told me
in a telephonic conversation from Colombo on Thursday morning.
Addressing the humanitarian situation of displaced people and
civilians affected by the military conflict in the Wanni, he reiterated
that his government was doing its utmost to meet their essential needs:
"We are sending them food. We are feeding the LTTE, in fact, we know
that 70 per cent of the food sent by the government goes to them. Going
into some detail on the complexities of the situation, and certain
problems that had cropped up in coordinating the relief work with United
Nations agencies and international NGOs, Mr. Rajapaksa reiterated the
assurance he recently gave to the All Party Conference that "all
hardships faced temporarily by our brothers and sisters in the North
will be brought to an end in a short time."
The Sri Lankan President, who has had discussions with High
Commissioner Alok Prasad and adopted a conciliatory attitude, will be
sending a special envoy to New Delhi in the near future to explain the
overall situation and meet the concerns expressed by India in an October
6 demarche.
As for the relationship between the ongoing successful military
operations and the political solution, Mr. Rajapaksa made the point that
the solution had to be given to the Tamil people, not to the LTTE: "What
is the use of giving a solution to terrorists? They are not giving up
terrorism." As recently as October 11, in his address to the All Party
Conference, the Sri Lankan President called on the LTTE "to lay down
their arms and surrender and enter the democratic political process."
By all credible independent assessments, the LTTE has taken a
battering as never before, faces a crisis of morale, and is confined to
its strongholds in Mullaithivu and Kilinochchi districts. "As soon as we
clear this territory," Mr. Rajapaksa explained, "let the people [of the
Northern Province] decide [in an election]."
Mr. Rajapaksa pointed out that he had entrusted the All Party
Representative Conference (APRC) with the task of evolving a consensus
among political parties and democratic stakeholders in order to find an
acceptable solution to the ethnic conflict. Such a solution could go
beyond the 13th Amendment provided the parties could ensure a two-thirds
majority in Parliament for the required changes to the Constitution.
The 13th Amendment, the Sri Lankan President reminded political
India, was what "India introduced to our Constitution." It was not
implemented earlier on account of "opposition in the South" but in the
Eastern Province "We have shown we are interested in implementing it."
Elections were successfully held after all parts of the Province had
been cleared of the LTTE's military presence without any civilian
casualties; he had appointed Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias
Pillayan as Chief Minister despite his being in a minority; and the new
Chief Minister (a former LTTE child soldier) was "doing very well." More
than 1000 Tamil police officers had been recruited for the Eastern
Province and some of them had been trained in India.
President Rajapaksa expressed cautious optimism that once the LTTE-held
areas in the North were cleared by the Sri Lankan security forces and
the APRC came up with its final set of recommendations, "I will sell
that to the South and implement it."
If it meant changes to the Constitution, he would need cooperation
from the Opposition so that a two-thirds majority could be ensured.
(Courtesy: Asian Tribune)
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