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PRESIDENTIAL ADVISOR AJITH NIVARD CABRAAL SAYS “SRI LANKA GOVERNMENT IS READY, ABLE AND WILLING TO DISCUSS ALL ISSUES RELATING TO A DEVOLVED SYSTEM OF GOVERNANCE IN THE NORTH AND THE EAST” Ajith Nivard Cabraal, Secretary, Ministry of Plan Implementation and Adviser to the President on Economic Affairs has said, the Sri Lanka Government is ready, able and willing to discuss all issues relating to a devolved system of governance in the North and the East. He emphasized that talks should be held in an atmosphere of non-violence and issues relating to restoration of democracy and respect for human rights should be expeditiously addressed. Any sustainable solution has to be worked out via concurrent discussions amongst the several stakeholders. He said President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Government has to maintain its credibility and leadership role, so that a negotiated solution could be worked out and thereafter submit it to the people for their acceptance. Mr. Cabraal made these observations when he addressed U.S. policy makers at the launch of the Study “Aid, Conflict, and Peace-building in Sri Lanka 2000 - 2005” (Strategic Conflict Assessment” - SCA). The study funded by the Asia Foundation and the World Bank was held on May 6, 2006 at the St. Gregory Hotel, Washington D.C. On the report’s conclusion that there was over-internationalization of the Sri Lankan peace process, Mr. Cabraal said it is important that the international community seek to specify its role, avoid trying to balance their comments which becomes quite irritating to the victims and seek to understand the completely different framework within which the Government and the LTTE operate. He said that the “Aid for peace at any cost” and “Aid for economic reform” approaches are viewed suspiciously and that trade and investment instead of aid is bound to be a lot more popular and sustainable. He cautioned against the international community taking positions on the constitutional and political formulas of a political settlement and said such issues are best left to the body politics of the nation. Mr. Cabraal said the CFA with all its imperfections is better than not having a CFA but a referee who cannot issue a “Yellow Card” of a “Red Card” to offending players for continuous violations of the rules, cannot effectively control the game. Referring to the Karuna factor, he traced the background to the LTTE’s Special Commander for Batticaloa and Amparai. He said that Karuna is a LTTE dissident and not a paramilitary of the Government. He said that Karuna is not the first LTTE dissident neither will he be the last. According to reports there are several cracks surfacing in the LTTE’s monolithic structure. “Should the disarming and/or eliminating of every LTTE dissident - past, present and future be the responsibility of the Government”? He noted that it must be remembered that Sri Lanka has a lot happening other than just aid and conflict. An ambitious development programme as per the Mahinda Chinthana is being vigorously implemented. Such a programme will reduce poverty and usher in sustainable development. The commitment to the effort to end the conflict and build a sustainable peace is of highest priority of the President and the Government. Norwegian Chief Negotiator Mr. Jon Hansen Bauer, U.S. Ambassador in Colombo Jeffery Lunstead, Hon. G.L. Peiris, Member of Parliament, United National Party and former Minister of Enterprise Development, Industrial Policy, Investment Promotion and Constitutional Affairs and Hon. Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam, Member of Parliament, Tamil National Alliance also addressed this event. Embassy of Sri Lanka 16 May 2006
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