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| Sunday, 24 April 2005 |
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Tsunami relief : Consensus on joint mechanism by our political correspondent Consensus on the joint mechanism to reconstruct the Tsunami-affected North and East is gaining momentum. Civil Society representatives were of the view that government should act courageously in the establishment of joint mechanism. They say the unity and the authority of the government would be strengthened through this mechanism. Foundation for Peaceful Co-Existence (FCE) Chairman Dr. Kumar Rupasinghe says that the Joint Mechanism is an absolute necessity and should be implemented as soon as possible. "President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunge should use her executive power to establish such a mechanism." Rupasinghe said that there was no effective mechanism in the North and East to reconstruct and develop society. The 13th amendment provided necessary legal bases to create such a mechanism. "Some argue that a mechanism is tantamount to the division of the country. This is not an ISGA. It is only for the reconstruction of the areas destroyed by Tsunami. The ISGA is a political structure but the joint mechanism is a device to transfer funds to the North and East, Government and LTTE nominees. Nominees of the Sinhala and Muslim communities would be represented in the apex body. Funds will be channelled through the World Bank which has established a trust fund," Rupasinghe said. He said that political parties should learn lessons from the past. Bandaranaike-Chelvanayagam Pact and Dudley Senanayake-Chelvanayagam Pacts had failed because of extremist forces. But now the situation had changed. The Executive Presidency had been created to deal with such critical issues and the President could act on behalf of the entire country. Rupasinghe pointed out that the people of this country had always voted for peace since 1994, and hoped President Kumaratunge would approve the proposed Joint Mechanism without any hesitation. Former Ombudsman Professor Bertram Bastiampillai said that peace was an imperative need and the proposal for joint mechanism could be considered as an initial step. This could serve as a form of cooperation between the government and the LTTE. He said this was a national issue and should be solved in the interest of the whole people. Sri Lanka could not bear the burden of war budget continuously and lose its younger generation in bloody wars. Economic and social development could be achieved only in the context of peace, he added. President and the Prime Minister should be firm on this issue and should give serious consideration to the joint mechanism, Professor Bastiampillai said. Centre for Policy Alternatives Director Keethesh Loganathan said that in the context of tsunami disaster, it was clear that any tsunami-recovery program for the North and East must also necessarily involve the LTTE. "They control some areas as well as the people living in them. Therefore, while there is a necessity to involve the LTTE, it is also equally necessary to involve all other legitimate stakeholders including the political representatives of the Muslim community, as well as the other Tamil political organisations," Loganathan said. National Peace Council's Media Director Dr. Jehan Perera said that the joint mechanism was necessary for both ensuring the people of the North and East to obtain assistance to rebuild their lives after the Tsunami disaster and also to build a new relationship between the government and the LTTE that would take the peace process forward. "What is necessary at this stage is for President Kumaratunge to act with courage and determination to reach agreement with the LTTE, while overcoming the obstacles that have been placed by chauvinistic parties. In particular, President Kumaratunge needs to build strategic alliances with other major political actors in the country to ensure that the joint mechanism be successful. She should engage in a serious dialogue with the JVP to reassure them that the country's unity and the government authority would be strengthened by the joint mechanism rather than weakened". "The LTTE also should desist from engaging in actions that erode its credibility as a peace-making partner, such as ceasing political assassination and other provocative actions," said Dr. Jehan Perera. Sarvodaya Leader A.T. Ariyaratne said that before arriving at any kind of mechanism the contending parties, the Government and the LTTE, would have to come to a consensus on whose interest they are working. Ven. Elle Gunawansa Thera (Patriotic National Front) said that they did
not see any positive signs in the joint mechanism and it would only be a
foundation stone for a separate state in the mother land. The Ven. Thera
suggested setting up an executive board representing those provincial level
politicians, religious leaders and intellectuals of the area. |
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