International   

UNP calls for changes to cease-fire pact

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s main opposition party, United National Party (UNP), has called for amendments to the Norwegian-brokered 2002 Cease-Fire Agreement (CFA) and demanded an “innovative and new constitutional model” drawing on the island nation’s own experiences for resolution of the ethnic question.

In a special statement issued here on Monday, it said the CFA must be amended taking into account the present situation in the north-east and the experiences of the last few years. “The environment today is far different from that of 2002 when the CFA was signed”, the party said.

The statement formulated at a recent meeting of the policy-making forum of the party sought to put at rest speculation in a section of the media about a shift in the position of the party vis-À-vis the ethnic question. Senior leaders in the party were at pains to emphasise that there was no truth in the media reports that the party had given up its demand for a federal set-up and was endorsing the concept of a unitary state.

Though the statement did not elaborate on the nature of amendments to the CFA, senior leaders said the CFA should reflect the changed ground realities following the ouster of the Tamil Tigers in the east and provide space to Muslims as a party to the negotiations on devolution of powers. The party favours greater role for the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) as well.

The UNP, architect of the 2002 agreement, said the entire peace process has to be structured and efforts should be made to hold talks with the LTTE as well as other groups.

The statement said, in addition to structuring the entire peace process, the government must also maintain a close relationship with India and the rest of the international community.

“A political solution must be acceptable to all communities. Thereafter, it must be accepted by the people at a referendum. Once a negotiated political solution is accepted at a referendum, a Constitutional amendment incorporating a political solution will be passed by Parliament. This Constitutional amendment will have to be approved by the people at a second referendum”, it said.

The UNP said the party also believes that long-lasting peace is possible only through a negotiated political solution based on a credible power-sharing proposal acceptable to all communities.

While maintaining that separatism must be opposed and terrorism required a military response, the UNP said the causes leading to separatism required a political solution. “There must be contingency plans to deal with any breakdown in negotiations or when there are obstacles to a political solution. This should include both political and security components. We must take steps to obtain the support of all parties and work wholeheartedly to ensure the success of the peace process”, it said.

The party statement said a negotiated political solution must be found, based on renunciation of violence, human rights and democracy. The solution must also accommodate the legitimate aspirations of all communities.

The political solution must address the grievances of Tamils, the fears of Muslims in the north-east regarding ethnic cleansing and the concerns of some sections of the Sinhalese that devolution will lead to separatism. On the debate over the unit of devolution, the UNP said the present system (the 13th Amendment) is based on the Provinces and a decision was required whether the Province will be the unit of devolution for the future. The UNP said the co-chairs and India be requested to arrange for cessation of hostilities and resumption of talks.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Calm in Myanmar raises doubts
Not against Rajapaksa regime: Thondaman
UNP calls for changes to cease-fire pact
Putin eyes Premier’s post
U.S. military, CIA terrorists: Iran
Police in the dock over Menezes killing
China’s landmark property law takes effect
Mallory mystery set to be solved
New York honour for ‘Dosa Man’
India reaches out to Kabul citizens
“India committed to gas project”
UAE to issue temporary work permits Gulf Round-up

Copyright © 2007, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu