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Sri Lanka panel may recommend devolution

B. Muralidhar Reddy

Group of experts expected to present its preliminary report to the President on Wednesday

— PHOTO: Sriyantha Walpola

FOR PEACE: Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe at a meeting in Colombo on Tuesday.

COLOMBO: The multi-ethnic group of experts constituted by Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa to advise him on the resolution of the ethnic conflict in the island nation is expected to present its "preliminary" report on Wednesday.

Besides the group, Mr. Rajapaksa has also formed an All-Party Conference (APC) to evolve consensus on power-sharing and devolution. The APC is likely to give its report to the President by the middle of December. Consensus within the APC is not likely to pose a major problem particularly after the ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and the main Opposition, United National Party (UNP), agreed on common approach to the ethnic question.

The ball would be firmly in the court of Mr. Rajapaksa to hasten the political process for resolution of the ethnic conflict once he is armed with the reports of the two groups. There is all-round clamour for an early political formula for power-sharing as most observers believe that absence of a credible devolution provides sustenance to the campaign against the state by outfits such as the Tamil Tigers.

According to knowledgeable sources, the majority of the members in the 17-member expert group including those from the majority community, are in favour of "substantial devolution" of powers and federal system of government.

Dominant view

The dominant view within the group is in favour of merger of the northern and eastern provinces with the provision that "interests" of Muslims in the eastern province be accommodated. Northern and Eastern provinces were temporarily merged after the India-Sri Lanka Accord of 1987 subject to the condition that a referendum would be held to ascertain the wishes of the people of the east within a year.

However, since the referendum could not be held due to the failure of armed groups, specially the LTTE to lay down arms and conditions did not permit return of all those who had left the province, the temporary merger was extended routinely on an annual basis by successive Presidents. Indications are that, among others, the expert panel has recommended constitution of an upper House, consisting of members to be elected by provincial legislatures. According to one source, the group accords the status of "people" on all communities. It is seen as an accommodation of the Oslo Declaration that envisages devolution within a united Sri Lanka.

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