Govt proposal will be presented to PSC

* ‘Local solution should be applied to ethnic issue’

* ‘SL first needs to deal with LLRC recommendations internally’

Nadira GUNATILLEKE

Nobody can say that the government does not have a proposal to be presented to the proposed Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) to find a solution to the ethnic issue. The government’s proposal will be presented to the PSC. President Mahinda Rajapaksa said that he will abide by the final decision taken by the PSC, Environment Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa said.

Addressing the weekly Cabinet press briefing at the Government Information Department Auditorium yesterday, Minister Yapa said that any SLFP MP can have his or her opinion on the ethnic issue, LLRC recommendations, etc but it is not the opinion of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP).

“The opinion of the SLFP is to be presented before the PSC. Having many opinions is justifiable. There are proposals on solving the ethnic issue in the Mahinda Chinthanaya – Vision for the future. President Mahinda Rajapaksa mentioned about 13 + on various occasions. This issue has been discussed everywhere for a long time. Problematic areas of the issue have been solved,” he said.

According to Minister Yapa, the TNA has never stated to date that it will refrain from participating in the PSC.

“Things stated by the TNA on solving the ethnic issue are not justifiable. We have to consider practicalities in connection with certain situations. Land powers are connected to state lands. There is a court judgment in connection with land powers. According to the present law, the final decision should be taken by the Head of State when it comes to land. The Police Department exists as one unit. All aspects should be considered when devolving police powers,” he said.

Minister Yapa pointed out that Sri Lanka is an independent state and therefore a local solution should be applied to the ethnic issue. “Accordingly the LLRC had been appointed. The implementation of relevant recommendations has been handed over to state institutions and sections.

‘No decision has been taken to present the LLRC report to the United Nations Human Rights Council Sessions in Geneva because Sri Lanka first needs to deal with LLRC recommendations internally,” he said.

“Sri Lanka always deals directly with the Indian government and not with Indian states. Tamil Nadu is not India. It is only a state in India.

The Sri Lankan government has diplomatic relations only with the Indian central government. Many Sri Lankan diplomats travel to India many times in connection with diplomatic work. They travel at diplomatic level. Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa is not the only Sri Lankan diplomat who travels to India. Sri Lanka always has discussions with India on various subjects. Nobody can stop it,” Minister Yapa said responding to a question by a journalist.