APRC is a Joke says pro- LTTE Tamil Leaders

(February 12, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Tamil political leaders in Sri Lanka have rejected the government's power sharing package describing it as a joke played on Tamils.

The government says the move is aimed at ending the 25-year old separatist war by LTTE.

The All Party Representation Committee, formed by the Mahinda Rajapakse government to counter the separatist campaign submitted its report to the government last month.
The committee, consisting of 14 political parties, in its report had recommended implementation of the proposals for devolution contained in the 1987 India-Sri Lanka agreement, which were incorporated in the 13th amendment of the 1978 Sri Lankan constitution.

"Such recommendations (APRC's) were the ones that were rejected by the Tamils during early stages. The subsequent ttempts were centered on the feasibility of enhancing the powers further," Sri Lankan Community Development Minister P Candrasekaran said.

"Talking about the 13th amendment at the present stage will mean a hasty retreat from the point of resolution of the ethnic conflict," he said.

Echoing his views, Lankan MP M K Sivajilingam of Pro-LTTE Tamil National Alliance (TNA), said the Sri Lankan government's move to devolve powers to region is a "joke played by them (Lankan government) on minority Tamils" who have "not been able to lead a peaceful life in their own nation".