Tamil parties should participate in PSC - Douglas Devananda

Minister Douglas Devananda yesterday underlined the need for leaders from the Tamil community to participate in a key Parliamentary panel to seek a solution to their political aspirations.

Insisting that Tamil opposition parties in Sri Lanka nominate their members to the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) set by Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP) founder and minister Devananda has said they should come forward for a "possible solution."

"Even today I am not interested in competitive politics.

If TNA (Tamil National Alliance) takes a right and possible stand, I am ready to abandon competitive politics," the minister said to a query from a group of visiting journalists from Chennai on whether he was taking steps to reduce troops in the area.

Earlier, Sri Lankan President Rajapaksa had said, "It is the duty of all parties in the country to solve problems according to people's wishes by participating in this Parliamentary Select Committee rather than relying on imported solutions and utilising foreign influences".

Calling the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord a "golden opportunity," Devananda said only two organisations were able to lay their hands on them. "One was LTTE and the other EPRLF. Tigers threw it away for their personal gain. EPRLF abused the accord."

Listing the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord, talks with former Presidents Premadasa, Chandrika Kumaratunga and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe as "wonderful opportunities," he said: "Even talks with present President Rajapaksa too happened.

But nothing materialised, as Tamil Opposition did not make use of the situation."

He said more troops will be withdrawn from the North as conditions improve. "We have successfully taken the military presence off in most of the areas in the Northern Province. Only two in tenth of the areas are still under military control."