We are firmly committed to a political solution- President
N. RAM
President
Mahinda Rajapaksa told The Hindu in an interview at ‘Temple Trees’ in
Colombo on Monday. “As President of Sri Lanka,” he explained in this
tranquil setting, the official residence of former Prime Ministers, “I
am absolutely clear that there is, and can be, no military solution to
political questions. I have always maintained this.
A military solution is for the terrorists; a political solution is
for the people living in this country.”
Noting the tardiness of the All Party Representative Committee (APRC)
in coming up with its final proposals, he asserted: “I myself will take
charge of the political process and see it through politically.”
Emphasising that “our military operations are directed exclusively at
the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam” a terrorist and secessionist
organisation banned or designated as terrorist in more than 30
countries, including India he renewed his call to the LTTE even at this
late stage to “lay down its arms, surrender, and enter the democratic
political process.”
President Rajapaksa said that “the military operations directed
against the LTTE are not intended to harass Tamil civilians or cause any
harm or hardship to them.” His Government was doing, and would do,
everything in its power “to mitigate and resolve the plight of the
civilians displaced or affected by the conflict.”
“Let me
reiterate that my Government is firmly committed to a negotiated
political solution based on devolution of power and ensuring the
democratic, political, including linguistic, rights of all our
Tamil brethren
within an undivided Sri Lanka,” |
In addition to ensuring that food, medicines, and other essential
commodities were “within the reach of every one of our Tamil brethren
affected by the conflict,” it would rehabilitate “every civilian
affected by the conflict in a fair and transparent manner.”
The Sri Lankan President expressed happiness over “the positive and
constructive outcome” of the discussions his Special Envoy, Basil
Rajapaksa, had in New Delhi with External Affairs Minister Pranab
Mukherjee and senior Indian officials. He welcomed India’s decision to
contribute, as a gesture of goodwill, 800 tonnes of relief material for
the affected civilians in the North.
He appreciated Tamil Nadu’s offer to make an additional contribution
to this humanitarian endeavour.
President Rajapaksa put on record his respect for Tamil Nadu Chief
Minister M. Karunanidhi, “one of India’s senior-most politicians,” and
his appreciation of Mr. Karunanidhi’s thoughts and proposals for “a just
political solution of the current conflict within the framework of an
undivided Sri Lanka.” He said he would like to convey through the
Government of India his wish to invite Chief Minister Karunanidhi to
visit Sri Lanka.
Asked about the contours of the political solution he had in mind,
President Rajapaksa explained his four ‘Ds’ approach Demilitarisation,
Democratisation, Development, and Devolution. When the 13th Amendment
was introduced in the Sri Lankan Constitution at the instance of the
Indian Government, it could not be implemented in the North and the East
because “there was no political will on either side to implement it.”
But as a political leader, he had announced his Government’s “intention
of implementing this for the first time. We have given that assurance to
the Tamil people of my country and to the international community. We
are going to do it. This is not to satisfy anybody. It is my duty by the
people of this country.”
Sri Lanka’s fifth executive President pointed out that his Government
was implementing the interim proposals of the All Party Representative
Committee. Within one year of clearing the Eastern Province, local and
Provincial Council elections were successfully held, a Tamil Chief
Minister was in office, and development work had been taken up on a
priority basis.
He would now set up a committee to benchmark the devolution process
in the Eastern Province (against what other Provinces enjoyed).
The Hindu |