Consensus vital to solve ethnic problem says Minister DEW Gunasekera:

Immediate political solution ‘unlikely’

Constitutional Affairs and National Integration Minister DEW Gunasekera says no immediate political solution could be found to solve the ethnic problem as a new political alignment is anticipated with the dissolution of the Parliament.

In this context of political development, he said one cannot expect the government to offer a political solution.

In an interview with our staff reporter, P. Muttaiah, Minister Gunasekera said that the political solution should be based on the consensus of major political parties and others concerned with this issue.

He added that since there is no such consensus it would be advisable to wait till the outcome of elections.

Referring to the present political situation, the Minister pointed out that a lot of changes were taking place. The United National Party is faced with a crisis and its base was eroded and the vote bank has been reduced to about 25 percent.

He said there is frustration and desperation among the leaders. The lack of inner-party democracy, internal contradictions among personalities and policies could be observed. This was the reason a section of the UNPers speak of a common candidate.

Minister Gunasekera said that President Mahinda Rajapaksa is in an unchallengeable position after the election victory in Eastern and Southern Provinces. When he formed the Government in 2005, it was a minority one. However, the present Government is the strongest after J.R. Jayewardene’s rule.

Therefore, the Minister said the UNP is trying to mobilize a broader alliance of political parties. It should be noted that except the UNP the other 11 parties in this alliance are not mass-based. In fact, this is an alliance of anti-Mahinda forces, he said.

Referring to the political situation in the Northern peninsula, Minister Gunasekera pointed out that consequent to the military defeat of the LTTE there emerged three political trends: one is supporting the UNP, the other extends its co-operation with the government while the third remains neutral. He said the TNA which was a proxy of the LTTE too had to undergo changes.

The Minister stressed that the government gives highest priority to the rehabilitation of the internally displaced people providing them with shelter and food. However, he added, that demining is needed before resettlement. Demining efforts in Mannar and Jaffna are over. This process is being carried out in Mullaitivu and Vavuniya, he said.

Minister Gunasekera added that measures such as opening of police stations, recruitment of Tamils to police and public administration are in progress.

The Government gives priority to infrastructure development to improve the economic situation after which elections could be held to the local government institutions as well as the Northern Provincial Council.

The Minister emphasized that these steps could create a conducive environment to bring about understanding on the political solution to the ethnic problem.