New Delhi
3 July 2006
The All Party Conference comprising representatives of Sri Lankan
political parties is expected to soon consider "a framework of proposals for devolution of
power" as will be suggested by a committee of constitutional experts that has been
mandated by President Mahinda Rajapaksa to find a "home grown" and "lasting solution
to the ethnic conflict."
Sources tracking the peace process in Sri Lanka told this newspaper that President
Rajapaksa will share with the people of the island nation the blue print of a political
mechanism at the earliest. However, the Presidential intervention will come only the All
Party Conference has vetted the proposals put forth by the committee of experts. The All
Party Conference last met in the first week of June.
Last month President Rajapaksa appointed a committee to work concurrently with the All
Party Conference, in an advisory capacity. This committee comprises 12 members and
has been mandated to work out formalities for a lasting solution to the ethnic conflict.
The members of this advisory committee comprise academics, intellectuals, experts in
the field of law and constitutional affairs and related disciplines.
Colombo has said a "window of opportunity" has been made available to Sri Lanka by
the prosciption of LTTE and the "new awareness about the LTTE among the international
community." Observing that President Rajapaksa was committed to enhancing the
standard of living of the Tamils in the North and East, Colombo also pointed out that only
47.7 per cent of Tamils live in the North and East and the remaining 52.3 per cent are
scattered in other areas "quite in harmony along with Sinhala and Muslims."
For its part, New Delhi, which reviewed the peace process when Foreign Secretary
Shyam Saran visited Colombo, has offered to share its own "constitutional experience"
to contribute to this process. It has also stated that political processes must be activated
through sincere dialogue to arrive at a settlement which takes into account the
aspirations of all the sections of the Sri Lankan society, while upholding the unity,
sovereignty and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka.
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