Social Services and Social Welfare Minister and EPDP Leader Douglas Devananda says any election in the east prior to resettling the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) would be a futile exercise.He told the Media that his party would also not contest a provincial council election in the east, if an acceptable political package was not put forward prior to such an election.
He said his party was in a position to contest only a local government election in the east, provided, the government took meaningful step to resettle the IDPs.
He said, as a matter of urgency, the government must implement the 13th Amendment to the Constitution and give more powers to the peripheries under Section 154 G (2).
“This must be the prime task of the government right now. Not elections,” he emphasised.
Devananda was of the view that the outcome of the All Party Representative Committee (APRC) could be the final solution to solve the north and east crisis. “Prior to this, we have to implement the 13th Amendment,” he added.
He also said he would not accept a ‘unitary’ Constitution, if there was no provision to share adequate powers with the peripheries.
Meanwhile, Assistant Elections Commissioner in Batticaloa T. Krishnanandalingam also told the Media that until the resettlement was completed, it was impossible to conduct elections.
He said that although some of the LTTE areas were liberated by the government forces, government servants were not allowed to visit these areas yet, adding therefore, it was impossible to arrange the ground for elections.
He said 36,000 people were still living in resettlement camps and added that until they were properly resettled an election was not possible. He said 24 Grama Niladhari divisions still came under the uncleared areas and therefore, elections in these areas were not a matter to consider at present.
“However, we are confident that by October 30 all the people will be resettled. After that, we could go ahead with election plans,” he added.
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