Take honest decisions on behalf of the country - SLFP tells UNP

The SLFP in a statement issued yesterday said the UNP decision to desist from participating in the All Party Committee proposed by the President to seek a lasting solution to the North-East problem was a grave injustice caused to the people.

The statement signed by SLFP General Secretary and Minister Maithripala Sirisena said: President Mahinda Rajapaksa's dedicated programme for building an honourable peace by finding a lasting solution to the North-East crisis has earned praise from the local and international community.

The President's desire is to find a solution to the problem through a consensus among all parties in the South through the All Party Conference.

The UNP has already informed in writing that it would not participate in the All Party Delegates Committee. The UNP decision to desist from participating in this committee vested with an important task of finding a lasting solution to the national problem has caused surprise among all Sri Lankans. It is also seen as a grave injustice caused to the people.

The LTTE which gravely violated the Ceasefire Agreement by conducting continued attacks on the Security Forces had gone beyond it to display its usual barbarism by killing unarmed innocent civilians. Killing of over 60 civilians including innocent children at Kebithigollewa was one such example.

All these attacks further established the need to find a lasting solution to the national problem as soon as possible. "We believe the UNP which is the main Opposition would act in a more responsible manner at this decisive moment".

If not it would confirm that the UNP had no true desire to build lasting peace which the people who loved their motherland were longing for.

Therefore the SLFP would request the UNP to assist in the quest for a solution to the national problem by attending the All Party Conference and display its desire to resolve the crisis by participating in the All Party Delegates Committee. The SLFP would also request the UNP to take honest decisions on behalf of the country without working according to petty political agendas.