Meanwhile, newly emerging reports say that Tamils and the government last week held ‘secret initial talks’ on solutions to the north and east issue 'based on the 13th Amendment in a unitary framework’.
The UNP, headed by Mr Ranil Wickremesinghe has seen successive election defeats and is now on the throes of a rift and internal revolt as party members continue to rally for internal reforms.
A six member committee led by senior UNPer Mr Joseph Michael Perera has been appointed recently to investigate ways and means of party reform and constitution change. The committee is expected to present its recommendations to the leader Mr Wickremesinghe on Monday 10. If recommendations of this eagerly awaited report are ‘not satisfactory’ for the rival factions in the party, the ongoing UNP-rift could culminate in a ‘split-UNP’, analysts said, adding that Monday is a 'very decisive' day for the UNP.
The UNP is already ‘practically split’ into two broad factions especially based on their call for reforms.
One faction, headed by Sajith Premadasa (MP Hambanthota), the popular son of former President R. Premadasa, calls for a total, democratic and a transparent overhaul of party leadership through an internal vote among party members.
The other faction headed by party General Secretary Tissa Attanayake, who is also well known among party rank and file, maintains such a transparent vote to elect a new party leadership is not required since despite discussions on an internal vote in the executive committee, there is no final agreement to do so.
If Monday’s committee report recommendations are not satisfactory for the rival factions, the party rift may culminate in a divided UNP, sources revealed. Party sources also say that, to ‘re-energize the UNP’, Sajith Premadasa has on his own, decided to canvass at grassroots levels across Sri Lanka using a fresh campaign titled “Jathika Jeewaya” (‘Life of the Nation’).
Meanwhile, reports said that Tamils and Sri Lanka government met ‘in secret’ for initial talks last week for a political solution for the north eastern issue. The result of the primary session has been positive, diplomatic sources said.
The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) was ‘forced’ by the Indian government to take part in these primary talks, diplomatic sources said .Among the session participants were a senior Cabinet Minister and TNA’s leader Mr R Sambanthan.
The TNA has positively responded in this session which focused on 13th Amendment aspects ‘centred on a unitary framework, diplomatic sources added. The ‘secret’ session comes in the heels of President Rajapakse’s personal assurance to Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh of his intention “to appoint a multi-ethnic, non-partisan expert panel 'to discuss all the solutions proposed by the government” on the ethnic issue. President Rajapakse has personally informed Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh about Sri Lanka's latest move at the SAARC conference held in Thimpu recently.
The President also informed India that he will widen the scope of 13th Amendment, the constitutional amendment which created the Provincial Councils. President Rajapakse has also highlighted that he is planning to meet not only the Tamil parties in parliament, but even the outside parties –parties that are not represented in the current Parliament, reports said. Indian Premier Dr.Singh in turn has informed President Rajapaksa that India will 'advice Tamil parties in Sri Lanka to agree to the proposals outlined by the Rajapakse administration.'
No comments:
Post a Comment