Lanka will never agree to R2P - Prof. G.L. Peiris

Walter JAYAWARDHANA

Sri Lanka would never ever agree to the concept of Responsibility to Protect (R2P), Minister of Export Development and International Trade Prof. G.L. Peiris said in London yesterday.

He said the principle will be abused and serve to allow powerful states to further their own interests.

The Minister was referring to a proposal by Australian politician Gareth Evans for physical intervention including military intervention by powerful countries against Sri Lanka, foregoing the Security Council of the United Nations on alleged human rights violations. Professor Peiris was addressing a distinguished gathering of professionals and academics at London's Chatham House.

The Minister said a striking feature Sri Lanka has achieved during the past few months is the strong political stability the island nation has established for itself, said

" If the country had first past the post system of elections just like we had under the 1947 constitution we could have won all 27 polling stations without a single one going to the opposition!

"This is like, in Britain, the Labour winning all the by elections" the minister exclaimed.

He said the Sri Lankan electorate has shown that it believed in bringing about a viable political solution simultaneously creating a coherent strategy that makes way for such a policy to be implemented. He said in the past attempts have been made to bring peace that failed for variety of reasons.

He said today it could be seen in the Eastern Province the magnitude of development that could be brought by power sharing with the center.

Such great change could be brought about to the area after nearly a quarter of a century of misrule, with no election, only after the Fascist mess was ended by military clearing for the Sinhalese, Tamil and Muslim voters of the area.

It was only possible, Professor Peiris said, when the people exercised their suffrage by expressing their political will.

By applying basic concepts of the 13th Amendment the government was able to achieve so much in the Eastern Province. Professor Peiris said President Rajapaksa is having the profound desire to extend his wishes, similar to those about the Eastern Province to the Northern Province within the next six months and hold elections for the area as soon as it is humanly possible, he said.