“If Indo-Lanka Accord was then accepted and implemented, a situation of the nature as it exists today would have never arisen.”

(June 05, Jaffna, Sri Lanka Guardian) Douglas Devananda, Minister of Social Services and Social Welfare stated at a public gathering at his Ministerial premises on the 01st of June 2008 that from the very beginning he has been adhering to and taking forward only the proposals that would prove to be practically successful and those that are not wouldn’t bring any benefit or solace to his people.

He also that the political objective of is party, the EPDP was a merged North-East Province, but today it has been legally separated into two distinct provinces for which who call themselves the leaders of Tamil people should be responsible. The Minister pointed out that if Indo-Lanka Accord was then accepted and implemented, a situation of the nature as it exists today would have never arisen. He further said that having well comprehended the realities a concerted effort needed to be made to make use of the Provincial Council system to its best in a manner to suit his people.

He added that his party, the EPDP, a long time ago put forward a set of proposals that would be practically successful to be implemented in three stages for resolving the problems of the Tamil Speaking People and the present Government having realized its practicability and efficacy has now initiated the first stage of the proposals.

“In our long journey for solving the problems of our people, we need at least to begin with the Provincial Council System” said the Minister. Until such time a conducive environment comes into being for holding the Provincial Council Election in the North, the Special Task Committee appointed by the President will carry out the functions of the Provincial Council, pointed out the Minister.

“Our people cannot be kept in hunger until such time a permanent peace dawns in this country”, explained the Minister, “Till then this Provincial Council will be given a political leadership and re-activated to enable the people to attend to their day to day activities. After having well made use of this opportunity and solving the problems of the people to a considerable degree, it would be possible to step on to the next stage, the aim of this long journey is to create a conducive environment for achieving the final solution to the existent problem” said the Minister.

The Minister also said that the Tiger organization which preys upon our people is not at all worried about the well-being of the people and repeatedly subjecting them to immense sufferings, never allowing them to raise their heads. This barbaric force is with the belief that they could exist on such situations added the Minister.

At this meeting hundreds of participants presented their problems to the Minister, and most of their problems were readily solved.
- Sri Lanka Guardian