Minister DEW to quit PSC re finding a political solution

Communist Party Leader, D.E.W. Gunasekera, said he has decided not to participate in future proceedings of the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC), appointed by the government to find a solution to the ethnic problem, as there was nothing more to discuss among ministers.  However, he said he would participate only if the TNA and SLMC became involved in the discussions. Gunasekera also invited all Opposition political parties to participate in the discussions. They are duty bound to find a solution to this cancer, which has caused immense damage to this country during the last 30 years, he said.

Govt. doesn't seriously apply itself to tackling N-E problem – Minister Prof. Tissa Vitarana

Five years after the end of the armed conflict in the North and East, legitimate political aspirations of the Tamil speaking people in Sri Lanka still remain to be fulfilled. The newly-elected Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, during his impromptu talks with Lankan President, Mahinda Rajapaksa, has insisted on the full implementation of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution as an acceptable solution to the issue.

Sri Lanka rejects Indian PM's request: 13 A will not be implementd in full

Govt. sticks to PSC despite Indian pressure; . ready to cooperate with India in all fields except internal issues

Close on the heels of a meeting between newly elected Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Mahinda Rajapaksa in New Delhi, where the former called for early and full implementation of the 13th Amendment and to go beyond, the government yesterday said that it was only the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) that could decide on the matter.

Sri Lanka: PSC on political solution has become redundant - LSSP

Senior Minister Professor Tissa Vitarana who was not included in the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) expressed his disenchantment with the government's handling of the political solution, and said there is no point summoning the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) to the PSC if the government does not have a genuine commitment to address matters pertaining to the country's national issue.

Sri Lanka: TNA responses to statement made by FM G.L. Peiris at HRC25

Open hospital in Vanni war xone(  photo: JDS)

''In regard to the killing of a large number of Tamil civilians in the final stages of the war, the ascertainment of the truth would largely depend on how many of the persons inside the conflict zone during the final stages have been accounted for. This cannot be ascertained through a census done throughout the whole country. The GoSL claimed that there were around 60,000 persons in the conflict zone. The reality is believed to be that there were upwards of 350,000 persons in the conflict zone. Around 290,000 persons came out. The truth needs to be ascertained by the issue being addressed directly instead of attempting to obfuscate the issue.''

MR says APRC will be basis for PSC ;( But its chairperson left out ).

Dr. Vitharana Left out

The President during a meeting with the leaders of the leftist parties yesterday , had said the basis of the Parliamentary Select Committee process would be the recommendations of the All Party Representatives Commission (APRC) headed by Prof. Tissa Vitharana,
The President had explained this when making a presentation with regard to the 13th Amendment to the leaders of the leftist parties, with the participation of representatives of “state agencies”, sources said.

Leftist parties to boycott PSC on 13 A

The leftist parties of the ruling United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) have decided to boycott the proposed Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) on removing land and police powers devolved to the Provincial Councils.
A spokesman for the leftist alliance said they have been informed by the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) that they too will not be participating in the PSC.

The TNA cannot be coaxed into the PSC with the ulterior motive of making a ‘majority decision’ at the PSC

UP country Tamils:a section of the citizens who voted in the 1947 elections were deprived of their citizenship itself and
their franchise soon after that by a democratic majority vote in the first Parliament!(Photo:secure. flickr)

The TNA Position on the Prevailing Stalemate regarding the Parliamentary Select Committee
M.A. Sumanthiran M.P.Today the most important question that is being asked of the TNA is “Why are you not joining the PSC?” This seems Iike a very reasonable question since the Government has quite successfully carried on a campaign to convince everyone that the only reason why a political settlement cannot be reached is because the TNA is being obstinate and is refusing to join this very democratic process of the PSC that has been initiated by the Government.

"I cannot go to the PSC with a clear conscience unless I have a commitment from Mahinda’’

Tamil National Alliance (TNA) leader Rajavarothiam Sampanthan declared here today that Sri Lanka’s Tamils are prepared for a give-and-take with the Sinhalese to evolve a pragmatic solution to the festering ethnic problem.
In an exclusive two-hour interview to the Sunday Island here today, Sampanthan made it clear that his party is committed to finding "a reasonable, workable and durable solution within the framework of a united Sri Lanka."
"The TNA is prepared to join the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) process to find such a solution. But, unless I have a commitment from President Mahinda Rajapaksa, I cannot go the PSC with a clear conscience. I am not prepared to betray my people," the 80-year-old veteran leader proclaimed.