Sri Lankan government urged to announce stance on political solution to the ethnic issue

Sri Lanka Marxist party Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) says the President and the government need to inform the people of the government's stance on a political solution to the ethnic issue.
The JVP politburo today said the people in the country should have been informed first of the government's stance on the political solution. "We urge the government to inform the people of its stance on the political solution if there is one firm decision," the Marxist party noted. The party states that it should have been informed by the External Affairs Minister of Sri Lanka and not his Indian counterpart. "It is the External Affairs Minister of Sri Lanka who should have informed the media of the government's stance on the political solution and not the Indian External Affairs Minister," the JVP politburo stated. Visiting Indian External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna yesterday told the media that President Mahinda Rajapaksa had informed him that a solution that goes beyond the 13th Amendment would be considered as the political solution. "The President assured me that he stands by his commitment to pursuing the 13th Amendment plus approach," Krishna said after his meeting with President Rajapaksa Tuesday. According to the JVP, the External Affairs Minister has shirked his responsibility by allowing the Indian External Affairs Minister to make such a statement to the media. India has a keen interest in Sri Lanka's constitutional reforms that include power devolution to the Tamil-dominated Northern and Eastern provinces and monitoring the progress of the ongoing talks between the major Tamil party, Tamil National Alliance and the government. The Sri Lankan government however, denies that it is under pressure from India to devolve powers according to the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. The government has appointed a parliamentary select committee (PSC) and expects the participation of all political parties in the PSC to find a lasting solution to the national issue that is acceptable to all communities. The PSC is expected to recommend constitutional measures that need to address the grievances of the minorities and provide solutions for all people and suggest steps to enhance the unity of people in the country. However, the Tamil alliance has earlier said that the party would not participate in the PSC as it would be another "time-buying tactic" of the government. The party is yet to name its representatives to the committee.