The Hindu : International : Sri Lankan multi-ethnic panel begins work

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jul 12, 2006

International

International

Sri Lankan multi-ethnic panel begins work

B. Muralidhar Reddy

I will not impose a solution, says Sri Lankan President

COLOMBO: Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse on Tuesday said his Government would like to evolve a "home-grown model" which would redress the grievances of various ethnic communities and preserve the unity of the nation.

Broad framework

At the meeting of the All Party Representative Committee on Constitutional Reforms and the multi-ethnic Panel of Experts here, Mr. Rajapakse elaborated what he termed as "some elements that need to be encapsulated in the broad framework for a political and constitutional solution to the national question."

He said he expected the panel to come up with a draft framework Constitution on the devolution of powers that should enable his Government work on a national consensus. The devolution requires amendments to the Constitution with two-thirds majority in Parliament.

"We must explore all past attempts from the Bandaranaike-Chelvanayakam pact onwards. We must draw appropriate lessons from the experience of other countries. I will not impose a solution on the country," Mr. Rajapakse said at the meet attended by representatives of diplomatic core and political parties barring the main Opposition party, United National Party (UNP).

The UNP boycotted the event on the ground that the President was not serious in his approach towards resolution of the ethnic conflict. Mr. Rajapakse said, "The international community, notably India and the Co-Chairs have endorsed our approach — a solution to the national problem must exclude any division of the country."

"The solution we offer should be one that offers an immediate resolution to the ones affected. It is not enough to keep people waiting in fear for an uncertain future... . Any solution must be seen to be good and reasonable enough to address the concerns for which great suffering has been endured", he said.

He said the majority community had to be proactive in striving for peace and there must be a demonstration of a "well stretched hand of accommodation."

Panel's hope

The panel hopes to be ready with a draft framework of new constitution in the next three months. After the inauguration, the experts discussed the tasks and the possible schedules for completion of the mission.

"The only condition set by Mr. Rajapakse is the draft framework has to be within united Sri Lanka. We intend to have 20-odd sittings and hope to finalise the draft framework in the next three months," Vigneswaran, a member of the panel and a prominent Tamil political representative told The Hindu .