29.10.2008
President
Mahinda Rajapaksa in an interview with N. Ram, Editor
of The Hindu on Monday (27) said that his approach to
a political solution rests on four ‘D’s -
Demilitarisation, Democratisation, Development, and Devolution.
“I
am absolutely clear that there is, and can be, no military
solution to political questions. I have always maintained
this. A military solution is for the terrorists; a political
solution is for the people living in this country”,
he added.
He
also said that he would now set up a committee to benchmark
the devolution process in the Eastern Province.
The
Hindu report:
We
are firmly committed to a political solution: President
Rajapaksa
N.
Ram COLOMBO: “Let me reiterate that my
government is firmly committed to a negotiated political
solution — based on devolution of power and ensuring
the democratic, political, including linguistic, rights
of all our Tamil brethren within an undivided Sri Lanka,”
President Mahinda Rajapaksa told The Hindu in an interview
at ‘Temple Trees’ in Colombo on Monday. “As
President of Sri Lanka,” he explained in this tranquil
setting, the official residence of former Prime Ministers,
“I am absolutely clear that there is, and can be,
no military solution to political questions. I have always
maintained this. A military solution is for the terrorists;
a political solution is for the people living in this
country.”
Noting
the tardiness of the All Party Representative Committee
(APRC) in coming up with its final proposals, he asserted:
“I myself will take charge of the political process
and see it through politically.”
Emphasising
that “our military operations are directed exclusively
at the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam” —
a terrorist and secessionist organization banned or designated
as terrorist in more than 30 countries, including India
— he renewed his call to the LTTE even at this late
stage to “lay down its arms, surrender, and enter
the democratic political process.”
Mr.
Rajapaksa said that “the military operations directed
against the LTTE are not intended to harass Tamil civilians
or cause any harm or hardship to them.” His government
was doing, and would do, everything in its power “to
mitigate and resolve the plight of the civilians displaced
or affected by the conflict.” In addition to ensuring
that food, medicines, and other essential commodities
were “within the reach of every one of our Tamil
brethren affected by the conflict,” it would rehabilitate
“every civilian affected by the conflict in a fair
and transparent manner.”
The
Sri Lankan President expressed happiness over “the
positive and constructive outcome” of the discussions
his Special Envoy, Basil Rajapaksa, had in New Delhi with
External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and senior
Indian officials. He welcomed India ’s decision
to contribute, as a gesture of goodwill, 800 tonnes of
relief material for the affected civilians in the North.
He appreciated Tamil Nadu’s offer to make an additional
contribution to this humanitarian endeavour.
President
Rajapaksa put on record his respect for Tamil Nadu Chief
Minister M. Karunanidhi, “one of India ’s
senior-most politicians,” and his appreciation of
Mr. Karunanidhi’s thoughts and proposals for “a
just political solution of the current conflict within
the framework of an undivided Sri Lanka .” He said
he would like to convey through the Government of India
his wish to invite Chief Minister Karunanidhi to visit
Sri Lanka .
Asked
about the contours of the political solution he had in
mind, Mr. Rajapaksa explained his four ‘Ds’
approach – Demilitarisation, Democratisation, Development,
and Devolution. When the 13th Amendment was introduced
in the Sri Lankan Constitution at the instance of the
Indian government, it could not be implemented in the
North and the East because “there was no political
will on either side to implement it.” But as a political
leader, he had announced his government’s “intention
of implementing this for the first time. We have given
that assurance to the Tamil people of my country and to
the international community. We are going to do it. This
is not to satisfy anybody. It is my duty by the people
of this country.”
Sri
Lanka’s fifth executive President pointed out that
his government was implementing the interim proposals
of the All Party Representative Committee. Within one
year of clearing the Eastern Province , local and Provincial
Council elections were successfully held, a Tamil Chief
Minister was in office, and development work had been
taken up on a priority basis. He would now set up a committee
to benchmark the devolution process in the Eastern Province
(against what other Provinces enjoyed).
Priu