President prepared to go-ahead with Joint Mechanism despite pressure from some quarters

President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga said that she was prepared to go ahead with the "joint mechanism" if the majority of the people of this country wanted it.

The lessons from history and the experience tell us that we should go ahead with the plan without any hesitation as the majority of the people of this country support that effort.

The President said this answering a question raised during a ninety minute long interview over Rupavahini last night conducted by veteran journalist Janadasa Peiris.

She said: "From 1994 I have been talking about peace in very clear terms and the people want peace. We have clearly told the people what we intend doing by operating within a "Joint Mechanism", to which there seems to be an acceptance from the LTTE. The people understand the need well, and they should challenge those opposed to it saying, that we are going to betray the country".

She also said that the proposed "Joint Mechanism" was not a part of the peace process. But it could pave the way for the peace process. We were engaged with all groups concerned to bring about confidence in what we said. By chance if we were to operate under the proposed"Joint Mechanism" with the LTTE, which is going to be limited to one year, and if it were to prove that we could work together, that would lay a good foundation for the peace process.

She also threw an open challenge to all those opposed to the "Joint Mechanism" and asked them to tell whether they wanted to go back to war and also whether they were prepared to send their children to war.

They are only playing with words and they have no alternative.

She said that one cannot go for war with rotten arms and ammunition and one needs good and sophisticated arms and ammunition for that.

But for these no country will provide assistance or give you grants. One has to borrow money. We need more than Rs.500 billion and can those who are opposed to the joint mechanism provide that money ? She also said if one prefers war, it would mean no development work, no salary increase, but there would be an unprecedented increase in the cost of living, and the prices of food and other items necessary for good living, will be high.