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There is a way out: UNP

B. Muralidhar Reddy

Support for law on merger

COLOMBO: The main Opposition United National Party (UNP) said on Tuesday it was ready to support any legislative move by the Mahinda Rajapaksa Government in Parliament to restore status quo of north and east after the Supreme Court nullified the merger.

At a news conference here, a spokesman said the UNP's understanding was the Supreme Court had only questioned the merger through a Presidential decree and it was open to the Government to move a bill on merger.

"We believe there is a way out," he said. Briefing on the deliberations of the executive committee on forging consensus with the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) on important issues, he said the party had unanimously agreed on the six-point agreement with the ruling party.

"We have authorised our leader Ranil Wickremesinghe to conclude the agreement with the SLFP," he said adding that a common approach to the north-east problem was necessary. He avoided a direct answer on whether or not the party would join the Government and said a decision would be taken later.

According to party sources, leaders are divided on the merits of becoming part of the Government. While a majority supported the idea, the working and the executive committees are against any hasty move.

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MPs disrupted the proceedings of Parliament in protest against the Supreme Court ruling. They said the judiciary was being used to nullify any arrangement for a peaceful resolution of the "national problem".

"Sri Lanka has rebuffed the international community by [a] Supreme Court ruling resulting in a scuttled P-TOMS [Post-tsunami reconstruction], and now the 18-year-old merger of north east has been ruled illegal rejecting the Indian arrangement," they said. They called on India and the world to voice Tamil rights. Parliament was adjourned until Wednesday following the protest.

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