Sri Lanka major opposition to participate in PSC process to resolve ethnic issue

Sri Lanka's main opposition United National Party (UNP) says the party would participate in the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) proposed by the government to find a solution to the ethnic issue.



Opposition and UNP leader, Ranil Wickremasinghe has said Sunday that his party was ready to participate at the PSC process.

Wickremasinghe, addressing a meeting held Sunday evening to commemorate late UNP Minister, V.A. Sugathadasa, announced his party's intention to participate in the process to help the government to ease the mounting international pressure on Sri Lanka to achieve a solution to the ethnic problem.

The Opposition Leader said his party believes in a lasting solution to the ethnic crisis that is acceptable to all the communities and the best forum for it was a Parliamentary Select Committee.

The government last week called on all the political parties to officially state their stance on the proposed PSC.

Earlier, the UNP said the party would not participate in the proposed PSC until the government presents its proposal to solve the ethnic problem.

Meanwhile, the Marxist party Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) has announced that the party would not participate in the PSC, saying it is a waste of time.

JVP parliamentarian Anura Kumara Dissanayake said earlier the government is trying to appoint a parliamentary committee to delay providing a solution to the conflict.

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa proposed the setting up of a PSC to discuss and bring a political solution to the ethnic issue. He has said that a solution should not be confined to discussions with one party and he will accept any decision of the parliament on the ethnic issue.