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| Sunday, 25 July 2004 |
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LTTE must respond positively - EPDP leader by P. Muthiah The government was doing everything possible to re-commence peace talks and similarly the LTTE too should respond positively. Hindu Cultural Affairs Minister and Secretary General of the EPDP Douglas Devananda in an interview with the 'Sunday Observer' told last week. "There are no positive signals or activities from the LTTE to participate at the peace talks. If it is genuinely interested in peace negotiations, its position must be clearly stated," he said. Referring to the proposal on the Interim Self Governing Authority (ISGA), the Minister said his party was the first to demand it. When such a proposal was put forward, the LTTE said that an Interim Administration should be considered only after a political solution was reached. Even R. Sambandan said that an ISGA would derail the peace process and it should be implemented only after a political solution was reached. Now the LTTE had changed its mind and insisted that it should be given priority. "It puts the horse behind the cart," the minister added. Answering a question on President Kumaratunga's proposal to establish an All-Party Advisory Council, the EPDP leader welcomed it as an urgent need. It is an outdated concept in having talks only with the LTTE. Now the time had come to consider the views of all-Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims. "President Kumaratunga sought a mandate for constitutional reforms at the April general election. The people have twice, at the general elections as well as and at the Provincial polls, given her such a mandate to do so. "The EPDP first urged the President in 1994 to set up a constituent assembly for the purpose. Once the new constitution is adopted the ISGA could be a catalyst to implement the political reforms." "The LTTE says the government has no majority in Parliament. This government needs only six seats to achieve that. If the LTTE provides six seats through its proxy, the Tamil National Alliance, it need not worry about solving the ethnic problem. But the fact is that the LTTE is interested in neither peace nor peaceful co-existence. Answering a question on the facilitation of Norway, the EPDP Secretary General said: "The contribution of the Norwegian government is not satisfactory. There were so many violations of the Ceasefire Agreement. Alternative views are suppressed. Norway did not approach those violations and problems properly." But India has vast experience in Sri Lankan ethnic problem. Therefore, it could constructively contribute to the process.The Tamils' wish is for India's contribution. But the people are silent over fear." Referring to the change of government in India and its policy on Sri Lanka Devananda said:"Changes in Indian foreign policy are rare. But the Congress-led new government of India possesses wide experience in tackling the ethnic problem of Sri Lanka. Therefore, the new Indian government must contribute for a peaceful solution to the crisis". Referring to the EPDP's policy on the ethnic question, Devananda said, the position of the EPDP was to find a federal solution that would ensure peaceful co-existence within the united Sri Lanka. |
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