Meeting in Zurich, Switzerland:

Tamil, Muslim parties to arrive at ‘common ground’

by Ananth PALAKIDNAR

Several political parties, representing the minority Tamils and Muslims in Sri Lanka gathered in Zurich, Switzerland to arrive at a ‘common ground’ on issues affecting the minorities in the island nation to negotiate with the Government, according to Social Welfare Minister and EPDP Leader Douglas Devananda.

The meeting at the initiative of Tamil Diaspora Groups, is being attended by several political parties representing almost all shades of Tamil and Muslim political opinions. This is the first of such meetings in the recent past, aiming at a political consensus on issues concerning Sri Lanka’s Tamil and Muslim minorities.

The Tamil National Alliance, seen as Parliamentary proxies of the LTTE during the conflict, are also attending the meet, along with their erstwhile Tamil adversaries who are with the Government. Muslims and Indian Tamils, the political parties representing the Tamils of Indian origin are also attending the meet.

During the war, the Tamil polity was fractured on pro and anti-LTTE lines.

Political parties representing Muslims, who are mainly Tamil speakers, also were taking a different line to safeguard Muslim interests.

Minister Devananda, who heads the Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) told the BBC Tamil Service from Zurich that the aim of the meeting was to arrive at a “common ground” on issues affecting minorities in the island nation to negotiate with the Government. There was no fixed agenda for the meeting, he said, adding that each party brought forward its own agenda points.

His party wanted to discuss the return of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), the devolution of power to the provinces and granting an amnesty to political detainees and former militants who surrendered during the war.

The Minister said that the parties would hopefully arrive at some consensus at the end of the meeting.