Are we serious about a solution based on Indo-Lanka Accord?

by S. Akurugoda

(January 17, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) As per media reports, APRC were expected to present its final proposals advocating "extensive devolution to North and Eastern provinces" based on full implementation 13th amendment to the constitution by January 23. It is said that the APRC had reached agreement on all but two issues. They are: the nature of the state and the amendment procedure of the Constitution as per its Chairmen Prof Vitharana.

We have been witnessing various proposals from APRC to solve the so-called ethnic conflict, since its inception. The first set of proposals, apparently made by the so-called experts of the "three wheeler" parties had jeopardised the very objectives of the formation of the expert panel when the notorious ‘majority report’ prepared to satisfy the requirements of the pro-LTTE INGOs and other foreign interests were published in foreign news papers before it was known to the ruling circles. Prof. Vitharana made another unsuccessful attempt to promote his own proposals based on a Federal system as those of APRC, after his failure to promote the so-called ‘majority report’ due to the strong objections made by the parties who worked hard to elect President Rajapaksa and subsequent withdrawal of JVP from APRC.

According to latest reports appearing in both printed and electronic media, President Mahinda Rajapaksa said in "Walk the Talk" programme on NDTV on last Saturday that "the India-Sri Lanka Accord of 1987 offers the best solution for the North East Crisis and the devolution of power envisaged in that accord offered the best solution to the conflict in Sri Lanka. Although the accuracy of the media reports are questionable, when analysing the statements made by the Foreign Minister and other party leaders on the possible outcome of the APRC report this time, there appears to be a tremendous pressure from outside elements to seek a political solution to the so-called ethnic problem in Sri Lanka. These elements, who do not want to see an actual ‘ceasefire’ (by eliminating the terrorist outfit) due to their own regional, economic, religious or political interests, appeared to be disturbed more than the outfit after abrogation of the CFA. Thus the usual cries to fulfil the legitimate aspirations of the Tamil people, guarantee human rights appear to have been intensified tremendously.

Thus the basic questions, the APRC should answer before proposing solutions are what are the legitimate aspirations of the Tamil people and which community or individual on earth is free from aspirations? As far as we are aware, 52% of the Tamil population now lives outside the North and East provinces without any record of incidences of communal violence since 1983 despite numerous provocations. On the other hand, the sole representative of the Tamils, as seen by the said outside elements, continues its ethnic cleansing around the uncleared areas after successfully wiping out almost all the Sinhalese from North.

The ‘legitimate aspiration’ is merely a slogan adopted by the divisive forces to promote separatism. Aspirations to achieve the privileges enjoyed by Tamil elite over the Sinhala people similar to that which existed under the British rule is not acceptable under any democratic system. Segregating people according to their race under the name of devolution is not a solution to a nonexistent problem. In fact with time, it could deteriorate the situation similar to the fate of a patient who swallowed a harmful drug due to wrong diagnosis.

The SLFP under the leadership of Mrs. Sirima Bandaranaike was totally against the India-Sri Lanka Accord and the Provincial councils and the party, in fact, boycotted the first elections of the Provincial Councils. One argued that the 13th amendment itself had removed the ‘unitary’ nature of the state since it created a Central Government and Provincial Administrations and appointed Provincial Governors. Provincial Councils established under the Indo-Lanka Accord have not done any thing good for the country. Northern and Eastern provinces were merged for decades as per the India-Sri Lanka Accord of 1987 and it is under this government and its leadership that the North-East merger was declared null and void.

Foreign Secretary Dr. Palitha Kohona has said, when talking to SBS TV Channel in Australia, Ceasefire Agreement was just a piece of paper and it was a piece of fiction that had no reflection to the real world. Indo-Lanka Accord too is a piece fiction similar to the CFA since it fails to disarm the Terrorists as intended and did more harm than good towards a solution to terrorism. All of a sudden realisation that the said accord offers the best solution, just to please the outside elements, ignoring the mandate received from the people could aggravate the current situation.