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Settle core issues before Interim Council - President

by Uditha Kumarasinghe

President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga yesterday reiterated her position that any demand for an Interim Council for the North-East should follow the settlement of core issues and with the LTTE agreeing to lay down arms and enter the democratic process.

The President said she was gladdened that the Government had taken serious note of her insistence on the necessity to engage in a dialogue with the LTTE on the core issues which has resulted in the setting up of a committee to take up such matters.

Addressing the Nation from the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo on marking her eighth anniversary in office as the country's fourth Executive President, President Kumaratunga noted that human rights issues were causing concern. "This must be placed high on the agenda of talks between the Government and the LTTE."

The President also proposed that a National Committee for Ethnic Reconciliation and Sustainable Peace be immediately set up for bringing the military conflict to an end and finding a durable solution to the causes of the conflict. This Committee should comprise representatives of Government, all political parties represented in Parliament, the major Non-Governmental Organisations and the LTTE.

The Committee should identify core issues of the conflict recommending negotiated solutions to these. "Here the Draft Constitutions of 1997 and 2000 could form the basis of discussions. The other objective of the Committee should be to ensure the safety and security of the Muslim and Sinhala communities in the North and East, as well as the Tamil civilians."

The President said that the successful implementation of these proposals would be the core to resolving Sri Lanka's most urgent problems. The major democratic political forces must agree on a common plan of action and participate actively in its implementation.

President also proposed to set up a National Committee for Good Governance with wide powers, chaired by the Prime Minister. It will hold consultations with political leaders, society leaders and the people to recommend structures of new systems, institutions and procedures needed to ensure that the composition and the functioning of the legislative and governing bodies at every level of Government is constituted in a manner to achieve their cherished objectives.

The President also proposed to set up a Committee for " An Alliance for National Reconciliation" represented by all political parties and groups as well as religious leaders and leaders of society.

The President again called for the abolition of the Executive Presidency. She proposed a new electoral system that would protect the interests of minority communities while reflecting properly the mandate given by the people.

"We know the root cause of many problems of governance in Sri Lanka stems from the new systems created by the 1977 Constitution. The electoral system introduced by this Constitution led to weak governments." The President in her address proposed wide devolution of power to the regions on the basis of the Constitutional Drafts of 1997 and 2000, tabled in Parliament by her first Government. She called for the full and proper implementation of the 17th Amendment with immediate commencement of operations of the Independent Commissions.

"An additional Independent Commission against Political Victimisation should be set up to prevent harassment and intimidation of political opponents and for recommending punishment for wrongdoers and payment of compensation for the victims of violence, in the past and the future."

The President also proposed the creation of an Independent Media Commission "with authority to guarantee media freedom, as well as to prevent the abuse of the media by the Government in power, with the intent of intimidating and harassing political opponents".

Striking a conciliatory note President Kumaratunga urged that the problems of the past be put behind and that the political bickering which has been the "bane of our political culture" too be banished so that the nation with all its people could live with dignity and equal opportunity, where human values and the national interest reign above the forces of terror and the selfish pursuit of personal power and greed.

The President was escorted to the premises in a motorcade of the Military Police and flanked by Mounted Police. The President hoisted the National Flag along with the Commanders of Three Armed Forces. Later she arrived to the special platform to receive the guard of honour. She was also accorded a 21-gun salute.

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Copyright 2001 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
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