APRSL parliamentary meeting discuss diverse issues affecting Sri Lanka

By Rajasingham Jayadevan
(General Secretary-APRSL)

(October 20, London, Sri Lanka Guardian) The parliamentary campaign meeting organised by the Alliance for Peace and Reconciliation in Sri Lanka (APRSL) held on 19 October 2009 in the committee room of the House of Lords discussed wide ranging issues affecting Sri Lanka. The meeting was chaired by Andy Love MP and he was assisted by the Vice Chair of APRSL M Marzook.

The All Party Representative Committee (APRC) chairman Prof Tisse Vitharane was the surprise speaker at the meeting and touched on the APRC process to formulate a draft constitution to deal with the burgeoning crisis facing Sri Lanka. He also dealt with the IDP situation and the progress made to settle the war victims held within the confines of barbed wire fences guarded by the military. Prof Vitharane was the focal point and barrage of questions were put him by the audience representing cross section of the Sri Lankan Diaspora community.

Significant of Prof Vitharane’s comments was that President Rajapakse has abandoned his party’s position of devolving power through district councils and that the President has assured the APRC committee that his Sri Lanka Freedom Party is for substantial Provincial level devolution. He also said the President is handicapped without two thirds majority in the parliament to amend or change the constitution and that he is aiming to strengthen this in the parliamentary election due before April 2009. He stated that if the desired two third is not achieved by his party at the election, he intend reaching a bi-partisan agreement with the opposition to push through the necessary changes.

Hon Des Browne appointed by Prime Minister Gordon Brown's Special Envoy to Sri Lanka in February 2009 touched on issues wanting responsible consideration. Issues of sustainable solution to the crisis and coming together with degree of honesty and good faith to deal with the problem are vital for vital for progress. He stressed the need to change the method of governance with the real engagement of the people.

Two other key speakers were Rahul Roy-Chaudhury, Senior Fellow for South Asia, The International Institute for Strategic Studies and Reza Yehya, Director Research - Serendip Institute of Research and Development (SIRD of Sri Lanka). Both gave in depth analysis on India’s historical role in Sri Lanka and approach needed to arrest the current state of affairs respectively. Verbatim of both their presentations will be published separately as they are very valued and deep thought analysis of issues affecting Sri Lanka.

Councillor Paul Sathiyanesan, the speaker representing the APRSL stressed on the need for collective effort to redress the crisis facing Sri Lanka. He made his observations on IDP issues and lack of proactive approach by the United Nation. In his concluding remarks, he stressed the need for India to assert its position, without which fair solution would not be found.

Hon Siobhian McDonough MP participated as an observer.

-Sri Lanka Guardian