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“Let me reiterate that my government is firmly committed to a negotiated political solution — based on devolution of power and ensuring the democratic, political, including linguistic, rights of all our Tamil brethren within an undivided Sri Lanka,” President Mahinda Rajapaksa told The Hindu in an interview at ‘Temple Trees’ in Colombo on Monday. “As President of Sri Lanka,” he explained in this tranquil setting, the official residence of former Prime Ministers, “I am absolutely clear that there is, and can be, no military solution to political questions. I have always maintained this. A military solution is for the terrorists; a political solution is for the people living in this country.”

Noting the tardiness of the All Party Representative Committee (APRC) in coming up with its final proposals, he asserted: “I myself will take charge of the political process and see it through politically.”

Emphasising that “our military operations are directed exclusively at the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam” — a terrorist and secessionist organisation banned or designated as terrorist in more than 30 countries, including India — he renewed his call to the LTTE even at this late stage to “lay down its arms, surrender, and enter the democratic political process.”

Mr. Rajapaksa said that “the military operations directed against the LTTE are not intended to harass Tamil civilians or cause any harm or hardship to them.” His government was doing, and would do, everything in its power “to mitigate and resolve the plight of the civilians displaced or affected by the conflict.” In addition to ensuring that food, medicines, and other essential commodities were “within the reach of every one of our Tamil brethren affected by the conflict,” it would rehabilitate “every civilian affected by the conflict in a fair and transparent manner.”

The Sri Lankan President expressed happiness over “the positive and constructive outcome” of the discussions his Special Envoy, Basil Rajapaksa, had in New Delhi with External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and senior Indian officials. He welcomed India’s decision to contribute, as a gesture of goodwill, 800 tonnes of relief material for the affected civilians in the North. He appreciated Tamil Nadu’s offer to make an additional contribution to this humanitarian endeavour.

President Rajapaksa put on record his respect for Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, “one of India’s senior-most politicians,” and his appreciation of Mr. Karunanidhi’s thoughts and proposals for “a just political solution of the current conflict within the framework of an undivided Sri Lanka.” He said he would like to convey through the Government of India his wish to invite Chief Minister Karunanidhi to visit Sri Lanka.

Asked about the contours of the political solution he had in mind, Mr. Rajapaksa explained his four ‘Ds’ approach – Demilitarisation, Democratisation, Development, and Devolution. When the 13th Amendment was introduced in the Sri Lankan Constitution at the instance of the Indian government, it could not be implemented in the North and the East because “there was no political will on either side to implement it.” But as a political leader, he had announced his government’s “intention of implementing this for the first time. We have given that assurance to the Tamil people of my country and to the international community. We are going to do it. This is not to satisfy anybody. It is my duty by the people of this country.”

Sri Lanka’s fifth executive President pointed out that his government was implementing the interim proposals of the All Party Representative Committee. Within one year of clearing the Eastern Province, local and Provincial Council elections were successfully held, a Tamil Chief Minister was in office, and development work had been taken up on a priority basis. He would now set up a committee to benchmark the devolution process in the Eastern Province (against what other Provinces enjoyed).

(www.hindu.com/2008/10/29)

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