Archives

Govt must provide effective security to all communities in EP - National Anti-War Front

The National Anti-War Front has welcomed the success of the Government- LTTE ceasefire during the last 250 days and stressed that the Government should however provide more effective security to the Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim communities living in the Eastern Province.

In a statement issued yesterday the Front has said to do this, the Government must establish more effective structures and mechanisms, both official and civilian to prevent, manage and mitigate conflicts. "It is our view that both the Government and the LTTE are obligated to enter into enforceable and responsible agreements which guarantee the fundamental human and democratic rights including the security and participation of all communities living in the region" the statement said.

The statement issued by Front's Co-ordinator D. A. Wasantha Pushpakumara added that Peace belongs to all people and the people should feel that they own it, because it was they who suffered the worst consequences of the war. International experience showed that just and lasting peace could only be built on the foundations of reconciliation where the people undertake to build the bridges of mutual trust, confidence and positive co-existence." It's our view that both the Government and the LTTE should adopt an inclusive approach reaching out to the people to address and allay genuine concerns and grievances." Peace must also be based on the fundamental premise that the country must be shared by each and all equally.

Any tendency to exercise hegemony would seriously jeopardise the peace process. The Government and the LTTE must also ensure that the peace process will not result in either marginalising or dominating any particular community.

Stressing the need on the part of the Government to urgently address the economic issues burdening the people for them to enjoy the peace dividend, the Front in its statement has further congratulated the two parties for their political will and commitment to honour the people's mandate for peace.

Appreciating the position taken by the President in pledging her support for the peace process it said the success of the Peace process would depend very much on the ability of the President and the Government to collaborate in a genuine spirit of cohabitation with the required will and commitment. It has also congratulated the LTTE for its flexibility in accommodating a political settlement within the confines of an undivided country.

"We urge the Government and the LTTE to heed these issues and concerns without allowing them to threaten the peace process." At whatever cost there can be no return to a state of war once again" the statement concluded.

The signatories to the statement are:

Venerable Madampagama Assaji Nayaka Thera, Rev. Fr. M. I. Bernard, Dr. Jayadeva Uyangoda, Ms. Dulcy De Silva, M. M. Abdul Rahuman, Somapala Kandavinna, Sr. Fatimanayaki, Kingsley Rodrigo, Ms. Padmi Liyanage, Dr. Jehan Perera, Rev. Dr. Oswald B. Firth, Dr. Kumar Rupasinghe, S. Balakrishnan, Ms. Prema Ambuldeniya, Indika Gunawardana, B. A. Jayasekara, V. L. Pereira, Vimal Fernando and S. P. Nathan.

News | Business | Features | Editorial | Security
Politics | World | Letters | Sports | Obituaries |

Produced by Lake House
Copyright 2001 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
Comments and suggestions to :Web Manager