Govt firm on devolution, APRC

Peace proposals due shortly:

Rohan Mathes

General Secretary of the SLFP and Agricultural Development Minister Maithripala Sirisena re-affirmed the Government’s firm stand of devolving power and implementing the All Party Representative Committee (APRC) proposals due shortly.

Minister Sirisena made this affirmation when he addressed the weekly Cabinet press briefing at the Government Information Department Auditorium in Narahenpita yesterday.

He said that on the directives of President Mahinda Rajapaksa to APRC Chairman Prof. Tissa Vitarana, the APRC proposals would be presented to the President on January 23.

The proposals would thereafter be presented to the Cabinet, party leaders and following the appropriate amendments where necessary, they would be presented to the people.

“In the backdrop of diverse views and theories in the political arena, we are determined to devolve power and implement the APRC proposals,” Minister Sirisena asserted.

The Minister pointed out that in the aftermath of the explosion in Buttala and the massacre of innocent unarmed civilians by the LTTE, the Nation will rally round the Security Forces to protect the country and its people.

“The people will not take hasty decisions like in 1983, but would act prudently to consolidate the Armed Forces in maintaining law and order to protect the nation.

“If the LTTE assumed that they could belittle, intimidate and de-moralise the Armed Forces by such barbaric acts, they are sadly mistaken, ” the minister added.

Responding to questions from journalists pertaining to the proper representation of all parties at the APRC, Minister Sirisena pointed out that the initial APRC sessions were well represented by all major and minor parties, including the UNP and the JVP, who withdrew at a later stage due diverse views and notions.

The Government from its very inception and within one week of assumption of power, invited all Tamil parties to join in the peace talks and the APRC sessions. nevertheless, it was the LTTE who had consistently run away from the talks.

“The Government however would make sure that the proposals are acceptable by all parties and communities prior to implementation,” he added.

Refuting claims that the international diaspora was concerned about the abrogation of the Ceasefire Agreement (CFA), Minister Sirisena said that all these claims were heresy and not based on official statements of the countries concerned.

He further stated that the escalation of violence by the LTTE, could not be attributed to the abrogation of the CFA per se, as these atrocities of the LTTE were prevalent even during the time the CFA was in operation.

Media and Information Minister and Cabinet Spokesman Anura Priyadarshana Yapa and Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena also addressed the briefing.