| “Finding
a political and constitutional solution to the national
question requires a multi-party effort and an inclusive
approach. We need to devise a home grown solution with
the support of our people,” President Mahinda
Rajapaksa said so addressing the first joint session
of the session of the All Party Representative Committee
and the Panel of Legal/Constitutional Experts at the
Presidential Secretariat earlier today (11).
The President added
that: “In the settlement of the conflict we cannot
for short term expediency sacrifice our cherished democratic
values and our commitment to the rule of law. Nor can
we ignore the human rights standards sweeping through
every corner of the globe.”
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Stating that people
in their own localities must take charge of their destiny
and control their politico-economic environment, President
Rajapaksa added that: “any solution needs to as
a matter of urgency allow people to take charge of their
own destiny. This has been tried out successfully in
many parts of the world. There are many examples from
around the world that we may study as we evolve a truly
Sri Lankan constitutional framework including our immediate
neighbour, India.”
In addition to members
of the All Party Representative Committee and the members
of the Panel of Experts, Ministers, many Members of
Parliament representing different political parties,
members of the diplomatic community and a large number
of intellectuals were present on the occasion.
Shortly after the President
concluded his address members of the All Party Representative
Committee and the Panel of Experts met under the joint
chairmanship of Minister D. E. W. Gunasekera and Mr.
Palitha Kohana, Director General of the Secretariat
Coordinating the Peace Process, to work out the modalities
of future meetings and consultations with regard to
the mandate given them by the President.
The All Party Representative
Committee comprised Mr. M. M. Abdul Kalam (National
Unity Alliance), Mr. Sivapalasunderam and Hon. P. Radhakrishnan
MP ( Up Country People’s Front), Prof. Nalin de
Silva (Mahajana Eksath Peramuna), Mr. Manohara de Silva
P. C. ( Jathika Hela Urumaya), Hon. Anura Kumara Dissanayake
MP ( Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna), Hon. D. E. W. Gunasekera,
Minister of Constitutional Affairs & National Integration,
( Communist Party Sri Lanka), Mr. Nizam Kariapper (
Sri Lanka Muslim Congress), Dr. N. Kumaragurubaran,
(Western People’s Front), Mr. M. N. Shaheid (
All Ceylon Muslim League), Mr. S. Thavarajah ( Eelam
People’s Democratic Party), Dr. Adambawa Uthumalebbbe
(National Congress), Hon. Tissa Vitharana, Minister
of Scientific Development ( Lanka Sama Samaja Party),
Hon, Wiswa Warnapala, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs
( Sri Lanka Freedom Party), and representative of the
Ceylon Workers Congress.
(Full
text of President's address)
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