By Kelum Bandara
(An Interview with Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development Minister Douglas Devananda who is also the Secretary-General of the Eelam Peoples Democratic Party(EPDP)
Excerpts:
Q: You said right throughout that you would be the chief ministerial candidate of the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) for the Northern Provincial Council Election. Now the election has been declared. What is your stand now?
I will make an official stand on the election only after the date of the election is announced by the Elections Commissioner. I need some more time to clarify certain matters in view of this election. President Mahinda Rajapaksa does not want to lose the only Tamil Minister serving in his Cabinet representing the North. I am sensitive to that request. Again, I have to be concerned about the political situation. Considering all, I will announce my stand after the day of polling is announced.
I always maintain that the 13th Amendment is the only basis for the resolution of the national question. There are views for and against it. Yet, it is the way forward. I still believe in it. The Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) is the best forum for it.
Q: But, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) is not party to the PSC. Is it practical to find a solution through a process that excludes them?
A: Some parties with vested interests have decided to boycott the PSC process. I am among those who took the stand that an all-party approach is essentially important to find a solution. Yet, the parties, driven by self-interests, have taken a different stand. It is unfortunate. Even without the TNA, we started meeting in the PSC. The caravan moves despite the dogs barking. The TNA wants to adopt time delaying tactics. When the provincial council system was introduced in 1987, the present ruling party was opposed to it as the then opposition. The alliance partners of the TNA also were opposed to it. They called it an outdated system. Today, they participate in the provincial council elections. With or without the TNA, we should take a decision.
Read More : http://warcrimesrilanka.blogspot.de/p/president-rajapaksa-does-not-want-to.html
(An Interview with Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development Minister Douglas Devananda who is also the Secretary-General of the Eelam Peoples Democratic Party(EPDP)
Excerpts:
Q: You said right throughout that you would be the chief ministerial candidate of the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) for the Northern Provincial Council Election. Now the election has been declared. What is your stand now?
I will make an official stand on the election only after the date of the election is announced by the Elections Commissioner. I need some more time to clarify certain matters in view of this election. President Mahinda Rajapaksa does not want to lose the only Tamil Minister serving in his Cabinet representing the North. I am sensitive to that request. Again, I have to be concerned about the political situation. Considering all, I will announce my stand after the day of polling is announced.
I always maintain that the 13th Amendment is the only basis for the resolution of the national question. There are views for and against it. Yet, it is the way forward. I still believe in it. The Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) is the best forum for it.
Q: But, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) is not party to the PSC. Is it practical to find a solution through a process that excludes them?
A: Some parties with vested interests have decided to boycott the PSC process. I am among those who took the stand that an all-party approach is essentially important to find a solution. Yet, the parties, driven by self-interests, have taken a different stand. It is unfortunate. Even without the TNA, we started meeting in the PSC. The caravan moves despite the dogs barking. The TNA wants to adopt time delaying tactics. When the provincial council system was introduced in 1987, the present ruling party was opposed to it as the then opposition. The alliance partners of the TNA also were opposed to it. They called it an outdated system. Today, they participate in the provincial council elections. With or without the TNA, we should take a decision.
Read More : http://warcrimesrilanka.blogspot.de/p/president-rajapaksa-does-not-want-to.html
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