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President `plants` APRC final draft
Sunday, 13 January 2008 - 8:03 AM SL Time |  | |
By Munza Mushtaq
In an allegedly blatant display of despotism, President Mahinda Rajapaksa has virtually `planted` a proposal as the solution to the ethnic conflict, which he wants the All Party Representative Committee (APRC) to submit to him in a ?much better? format on January 23, as if it was the committee`s own final draft, highly placed sources said.
The incident had transpired on Wednesday when the APRC met with President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
Rajapaksa had reportedly pulled out a document, which was given to the committee members, and told them that it included the guidelines on how he wanted the final draft from the APRC.
He had said that the document should be given to him in a much better format and, if necessary, with `slight amendments` by the middle of the month as the original draft of the APRC.
The guidelines basically recommend that the 13th Amendment should be fully implemented. However, the majority of the APRC members had been furious with the way the President had dictated terms to them.
?The issue got even worse after Presidential aides virtually planted stories in newspapers to the effect that the APRC had recommended the full implementation of the 13th Amendment, which was factually incorrect,? a committee member who spoke on conditions of anonymity told The Nation.
The member emphasised that the APRC had made no such recommendation.
Angry committee members contacted the APRC Chairman Prof. Tissa Vitarana and requested him to convene a special meeting on Thursday after seeing the `plant,` which appeared in both local and foreign media.
During the special meeting, most of the members, especially the minority party representatives and even representatives of the left parties, had expressed anger over Wednesday`s turnaround, and had also requested the APRC Chairman to issue a statement clarifying the `plant.`
?Why should the APRC make such a recommendation? The President has all the powers to implement it if he wants to. Why should he ask us to do something which is already there and only needs action from his side?? another committee member told The Nation.
When the APRC members had queried from the President as to what they were supposed to do with the draft which the committee had almost finalised, the President had allegedly said, ?Keep deliberating over that, we will see about that later.? |
Source(s)
nation.lk |
AnuD
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 13 Jan 2008 02:12:02 GMT Report for Abuse
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Bitter Truth:
Why don't you see him as a LEADER who knows what to do. |
Revy
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 13 Jan 2008 03:14:37 GMT Report for Abuse
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This is not unexpected, given what some have said and direct words from Hindian parties, the Hindians once again want to try to impose their 'solution' on to the Tamil people. They just don't learn since we 'fired' their last self imposed 'Tamil' president and his solution.
The willing lap dog Rajapakse, who in his own words said he would do whatever the Hindians want, is doing just that.
Hindians want the 13th ammendment that they imposed on us years ago, Rajapakse is going to try to deliver, of course I don't think our JVP friends are going to let him succeed, they have already started making noises about it.
As I always say, we need a monument to the JVP in Eelam :) |
BitterTruth
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 13 Jan 2008 03:23:54 GMT Report for Abuse
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APRC rejects MR's imposition of 13th Amendment
The All Party Representative Committee (APRC) has rejected a move by President Mahinda Rajapakse to impose the 13th Amendment on the committee as the basis for resolving the ethnic issue and decided to submit its own report on January 23.
The President on Wednesday, January 9 met party leaders and members of the APRC and directed them to forward a report based on the 13th Amendment by January 23 as a basis for resolving the conflict.
Informed sources said the President also submitted to APRC Chairman, Minister Tissa Vitharana a document based on the 13th Amendment at the meeting and requested that the APRC reach a consensus based on it and forward it to Rajapakse as their proposals.
The Sunday Leader learns the APRC which met Thursday, January 10 rejected the President's directive and decided to submit an interim report which was an improvement on the 13th Amendment whilst also excluding terminology as the 'unitary state.'
However it was also decided to forward a proposal for the implementation of the 13th Amendment in full including police powers to the provinces until such time the APRC proposals are legislated. (See Pages 8,9 and 17 for details.)
-sundayleader.lk |
Maitreya
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13 Jan 2008 03:45:25 GMT Report for Abuse
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Government moves to rush devolution proposals whilst militarily crushing the Tiger guerrillas after next Wednesdays abrogation of the Ceasefire Agreement face a major stumbling block in Parliament. The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) said yesterday it would strongly oppose any proposals of the All-Party Representative Committee (APRC) aimed at devolving power by enforcing provisions of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.
Changes in the mode of governance should be brought about only in peaceful times. If it is rushed through we will resist it, JVP leader Somawansa Amerasinghe told The Sunday Times. His remarks indicated that the JVP was in favour of the LTTE being defeated before any political proposals emerged.
It is not immediately clear whether the tough stance of the JVP came with tacit concurrence of the Government. This is in the light of moves by the political leadership to set the ground for the JVP to return to the Government fold by meeting one of its major demands the abrogation of the CFA.
Whilst a section of the Government has already gone public with reports that devolution proposals would be based on fully enforcing provisions of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, Senior Presidential Advisor Basil Rajapaksa declared this week that the proposals would be different.
Yet, political observers note that even such proposals would have to emerge from the APRC to which the JVP has expressed staunch opposition.We consider the APRC as an anachronism, not representative of the free will of the Sri Lankan people. We reject any recommendations made by such a body, Mr. Amerasinghe said.
He declared that the 13th Amendment to the Constitution was thrust upon the then Government ?by the Indians with their gunboats outside the Colombo Harbour. He accused India of starting the ethnic war by training, and arming all the separatist groups in a classic case of cross-border terrorism. provisions of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, Senior Presidential Advisor Basil Rajapaksa declared this week that the proposals would be different.
Yet, political observers note that even such proposals would have to emerge from the APRC to which the JVP has expressed staunch opposition.We consider the APRC as an anachronism, not representative of the free will of the Sri Lankan people. We reject any recommendations made by such a body, Mr. Amerasinghe said.
He declared that the 13th Amendment to the Constitution was thrust upon the then Government by the Indians with their gunboats outside the Colombo Harbour. He accused India of starting the ethnic war by training, and arming all the separatist groups in ?a classic case of cross-border terrorism.
The main opposition United National Party (UNP) has taken up the position that it was a matter for the Government to sort out differences within itself and come up with a set of proposals. It would be only thereafter that the UNP would study it and respond, he said. As for the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, a party spokesman said, it was now part of the law. The signing of the CFA of February 2002 underscored the need to explore an acceptable political settlement that went beyond the 13th Amendment, the spokesman said.
Both the JVP and the UNP are not attending APRC meetings. Almost all APRC parties are supporters of the Government. The APRC members and parliamentarians who backed the Government met President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Wednesday. An official announcement said the President requested the Chairman of the APRC to hand over the final draft of the proposed solutions to him by January 23.
This new political development came as members of the Tokyo Donor Co-chairs (Norway, Japan, the United States and the European Union) declared it was their belief that there is no military solution to the conflict in Sri Lanka? and called for an appropriate role for the UN in the country in monitoring the human rights situation.
The statement came after envoys of the donor co-chair community held a conference call last Wednesday. The joint statement, issued by Norway, re-iterated their support for a negotiated settlement. They made a four point plea:
Urge the Government of Sri Lanka to finalise a politically sustainable devolution plan.
Urge all parties to comply with their obligations under the international law to protect civilians and allow access by humanitarian aid agencies to populations in need,
Express deep concern about the human rights situation and protection of civilians in Sri Lanka, and call for continued monitoring of the human rights situation by such means as to assure an appropriate role for UN, and
Request the Government of Sri Lanka to provide access to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in Kilinochchi for representatives of the Co-chairs and the facilitator.
-Sunday Times-
Edited By - Maitreya - 13 Jan 2008 03:48:39 GMT |
Revy
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13 Jan 2008 05:11:37 GMT Report for Abuse
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This article is flawed.
It is not the truth.
AnuD compared to you even a rock could be taught some comon sense, you are on another level, as such your comments are no longer even amusing, just a waste of space... |
Ramz
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 13 Jan 2008 09:05:56 GMT Report for Abuse
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APRC was just a drama.... but wasted millions of LKR for nothing..
complete failure of APRC draft will be in this manner..
APRC will come up with almost similar proposal made by UNP, for power destribution through provincial status - Palath Palana system... which was opposed since it was called as Federal system....(JR also came up with this in Hindo-lanka agreement)...
without any doubt, i can assure that MR will oppose the proposal (as JHU will be against it and threat MR that if he has approved it they would not support his administration in future...)...that will be the end of story of APRC which has wasted time and public money
Why MR is wasting our time and money... he has the cursed Widhayakaya (executive power)... just ask JHU and JVP what they want it to be (so he can get their support in future)... and put it into action.... all over... |
ajan
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 16 Jan 2008 17:13:44 GMT Report for Abuse
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Bitter truth ,im glad that you brought up the subject.
it is nothing new to sinhala politicians and we are not surprice at all ,
when mahinda announce he is setting up a commitee to look and investigate and produce a report . it means its a time buying tactic and in th end all the commitees are asked to give a report what is mahinda give them to giva back.
as you may see there is no tamil interest in APRC. it excluded TNA , why. then the drama will be known to the world.
mahinda successfully got the time he wanted.
now he is confident what he wanted he got it , and all party comadians also had good time traveling around and having tea and busicuits in hotels.
it once again strengthen tigers. |
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