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| Sunday, 12 January 2003 |
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| News Business Features Editorial
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Prime Minister's Speech to the Nation : Peace through negotiations the keynote by P. Krishnaswamy Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe in his Speech to the Nation on January 5 declared determination to usher in peace through negotiations. In the speech, to mark the completion of one year in office of the ruling United National Front (UNF), he also outlined steps taken by the Government to ensure peace and democracy for the entire country. He further outlined the efforts to change the electoral system, the strengthening of powers vested in Parliament with other political party leaders and creating an atmosphere to decrease confrontational politics. The Sunday Observer talked to leaders of Tamil, Muslim and Opposition political parties, the business community and 'Sarvodaya' leader Dr. A. T. Ariyaratne for their reactions. In his speech, the Prime Minister made the following points: * All Lankans should join this endeavour to create a more prosperous society. Confrontational politics has no place in this earnest effort. * There is a long way to go before peace is finally achieved. An ultimate solution would guarantee the rights of all communities. The ceasefire has silenced the guns. * Petty politics has intensified the ethnic crisis. Now is the time to shed petty political differences and speak in one voice. * The LTTE has pledged to find a peaceful solution, eschewing war. It has agreed to a Federal solution within a united Sri Lanka, distancing itself from separatist goals. These are major victories in the peace process. * The LTTE has now acknowledged that the Forces have the right to remain in Jaffna. * The problem of LTTE taxes should also be solved. The background for the final framework should be prepared gradually; the government is already looking at the options. * The government will ensure the rights of Sinhalese and Muslims in the East. Negotiation is the only way to settle these matters. * President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga played a special role in raising awareness on the need for a political solution to the North-East problem. The PA's expression of support for a political solution is a positive trend. * We must all make sacrifices if we aim to keep the Tamil people with us while protecting the country's territorial integrity. * We were able to revamp the ailing economy of the country. The economy achieved a huge growth in the third and fourth quarters of last year. * The rural economy that was heading for destruction was saved. As a result of this endeavour the farmer was assured of a stable price of Rs. 13.50 per kilo of paddy in all seasons. * Remarkable progress was seen in the field of tourism during the recent past. * All the benefits cannot be felt by all levels of society with the same rapidity. We waged war throughout 19 years by foreign borrowings. Today the burden of foreign debt is 103 percent of the Gross National Product. * The country will be divided into five economic zones. We established a fund for higher learning for youth. The youth brigade is being established. * We have also ensured media freedom. We removed criminal defamation laws. Women's rights will be ensured with new laws. * The Government handed over the Chairmanship of the Parliamentary Select Committees on Public Enterprises and Public Finance which widely questioned the activities of the government to the Opposition as the first step towards resisting confrontational politics. * We are continuing discussions on the ways and means of changing the electoral system and the strengthening of powers vested in Parliament with other political party leaders. ############### REACTIONS by Dr. A. T. Ariyaratne, Leader of the "Sarvodaya" Movement: "The Prime Minister's speech to the nation should be viewed with equanimity. He is bent on achieving peace through negotiations, discarding political differences and shedding violence of any sort. He is confident about rebuilding the economy of the country. He wants an end to confrontational politics. I believe that in our own way every one of us can participate to realise his vision and contribute our role towards peace." Deshamanya Lalith Kotelawela, Chairman, Ceylinco Consolidated: "I hold the Premier in the highest regard as one of the rare politicians who thinks differently. He does not have any ethnic bias. As such, he is committed to peace. I think he is the ideal person to usher in peace because of his sincerity. I also believe that the LTTE leadership too is very sincere in wanting peace. Since both parties are sincere, I believe peace has already dawned on Sri Lanka." R. Sampanthan MP, Secretary General of the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) and Parliamentary Group leader of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA): "The Prime Minister has, in his speech, outlined the performance of the government in areas vital to the future of the country. The major success of this government is the achievement of a stable ceasefire and the commencement of negotiations to a protracted and a very complicated conflict. Both parties, the Government and LTTE, have so far demonstrated a serious commitment to the negotiation process. The parties have built a certain degree of trust in each other. This has greatly contributed to progress in the negotiation process. A measure of understanding has already been arrived at on vital issues. The progress in the negotiation process has been recognised by the international community who, in order to consolidate the process, are prepared to provide substantial financial assistance, in particular for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the North-East. Such a process cannot be free of areas of disagreement. On the whole, the areas of agreement have surpassed the areas of disagreement. This is a commendable achievement of the PM. Mahinda Rajapakse MP, Opposition Leader: "The harassment of the President, her staff and political opponents should stop. Cohabitation can then begin. On the peace process she has been ignored and not consulted. Also she has not been consulted on important national matters. The government is doing whatever it wants to. All political harassments, including transfers should cease. Certain political opponents have still not been able to go to their villages." Patrick Amarasinghe, Consultant to the National Chamber of Commerce and Industries: "The Prime Minister, in his speech to the nation, has projected what has to be achieved. The government should now tread in the right direction to achieve the desired goals. We had seen in the past that several plans had gone unimplimented. The bottom line in measuring the success of these plans will be the extent to which they will benefit individuals. Businesses have been going through many hardships during the past several years. They are struggling to survive even now. Necessary support for the rehabilitation and development of businesses is vital to generate more employment opportunities and for more income in the hands of the people." Basheer Segu Dawood MP, Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC): "The Prime Minister, as a national leader, has always wanted to resolve the problems of the minorities, including the Muslims of the North and East, as an essential pre-requisite for resolving the national crisis and restoring peace. In his speech to the nation, he has laid emphasis on that. He has remarked that the rights of the Sinhalese and Muslims in the East would be ensured through negotiations. But we want the rights of Muslims in the East to be protected from the outset, even at this stage of the peace talks. We are all out to strengthen the hands of the PM in his efforts to resolve the national problem. He is a capable leader who has the ability and vision to take the country in the right path and put the economy on the right track. We appreciate his vision for the prosperity of the nation." Prof. C. Sooriyakumaran, International Economist and former UN Deputy Executive Secretary for Asia and Pacific: "As you know, since the Prime Minister's speech that you refer to, water has flowed under the bridges, fortunately though, broadly in the right direction. "The PM's speech laid the emphasis on the correct substantive issues, the consensual framework for solution, and the constituents of both the run-up through final solutions in all facets of rehabilitation, security arrangements and political settlement. "Recent crises, particularly in security, may well be seen in this background and, therefore, with promise and direction, a circumstance also amply demonstrated at the last fourth round of talks at Nakhon Pathom in Thailand. "In particular, two points of consensus have become notable - the mutual understanding of the security concern of both parties to the negotiations. It is only those who may not be able to place conflict solutions who could raise alarms, as from unfortunate quarters they have, on this admirable promising trend. "As for political solution, two factors stand out. One is that the so called Federal solution has to be cleared up, finalised informally, and published - in particular in the context of a threat of secession, and fear still of central domination even with a Federal arrangement. "This requires two simple considerations. One is full recognition of the right to identity, opportunity and security by the minority, and effective participation by the latter in the Central Government itself, in particular through constitutional arrangement for Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and designated ministerial portfolios, under a reformed Executive Committee System - these together by far the surest guarantee to the majority against any will to separatism by the minority." Vijitha Herath MP, Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) spokesman on International Affairs: "We disagree with the Prime Minister. We cannot see any economic progress in the country after one year under the UNF, although the PM claims otherwise. The prices of flour, bread, gas and other commodities have gone up. Subsidies to the farmers and 'Samurdhi' benefits to the poor have been cut down. Several industrial concerns, including leading garment factories, have been closed down. No wage increase has been offered to employees both in the government and private sectors. As regards a solution to the ethnic crisis and the peace process, we would say that the country is only heading towards a division. The LTTE has not given up its 'Eelam' demand. They are getting everything they want. They are starting police stations and establishing Courts. The government has not given a chance to the Opposition political parties to express their views. The negotiatory process has not ushered in peace. The LTTE is posing a threat to military and civil administration in the North and East." |
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