Financial Times

SLFP, UNP, TNA endorse federal-type solution at economic summit
Lankan parties welcome talks
By Quintus Perera
Sri Lanka’s two main political parties and the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) on Friday welcomed the return to peace talks and jointly endorsed a federal-type of solution to the ethnic conflict.

Parliamentarians representing the SLFP, UNP and the TNA made their views known during a panel discussion on “Towards a durable settlement” at the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce’s annual economic summit. The audience comprised the country’s top business professionals.

TNA MP N. Raviraj said planned negotiations in Geneva next month would centre on the effective implementation of the ceasefire. “We never thought that LTTE would agree to this (federalism) as at previous negotiations they were adamant. This is because of the pressure by the people to restart negotiations. Both parties should thrash out their views for a lasting solution.”
He said if these negotiations are fruitful, that would be a great consolation to the Tamil people. Responding to a question, the TNA parliamentarian said that the LTTE although demanding a separate state had during the Oslo declaration explored the possibility of a federal-type solution.

JVP leader Somawansa Amarasinghe and TNA leader R. Sambandhan had accepted the invitation to speak at the panel discussion but didn’t turn up much to the disappointment of the audience.

The January 27 – 28 summit titled ‘Economic Growth: Towards National Prosperity’ was held at the Cinnamon Grand Hotel amidst a large and representative gathering including government officials and NGO representatives.

Many government, corporate and trade union leaders made presentations with the keynote address being made by Dr. Shubhascis Gangopadhyay, Director, India Development Foundation.

Prof. G.L. Peiris, representing the UNP, said the country had a historic opportunity at its disposal with the proposed resumption of talks. “As we prepare to assume discussions, it is also essential that we sustain it,” he said.
He considered the principal task of the negotiators being in doing everything in their power to safeguard the ceasefire agreement while calling on the principal actors to install confidence building measures.

“There should be flexibility and resolution. Let us not be bogged down to unitary and federalism,” he added. Constitutional Affairs Minister D.E.W. Gunasekera endorsed most of Prof Peiris’ views saying the term “federalism” is anathema to many.

“Some have identified this as separation. Today half a century later the term federalism has begun to gain respectability in the current political field,” he said adding that more recently the SLFP has also accepted the federal form of government.

He said the concept of federalism has been applied in different ways in developing countries. The minister said a condusive atmosphere should be created ahead of moving towards a peace solution. “There is a big gap between the Tamils and the Sinhalese and the Tamils and the Muslims. Conditions should be created to build confidence among these groups. We have to move inch by inch.”

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