Sri Lanka opposition boycotts Kumaratunga's peace parley

[TamilNet, Monday, 01 November 2004, 14:31 GMT]
Sri Lanka's President Chandrika Kumaratunga addressing the first meeting of the National Advisory Council for Peace and Reconciliation (NACPR) Monday said devolution of power to an extent should be found within the framework of the United Sri Lanka. "Solution to the northeast conflict should not be war,"said President Kumaratunga. Opposition parties, including the largest Tamil party in Sri Lanka's Parliament, boycotted the parley. Tamils charge that the NACPR is a time buying tactic by President Kumaratunga.

The first meeting of the NACPR was held in the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH) Monday afternoon.

The main opposition United National Party (UNP), Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) did not attend the conference.

Representatives of Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP), Communist Party (CP), national Unity Alliance (NUA), Mahajana Exsath Peramuna (MEP), Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) and dissidents of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) participated in the conference.

The main objective of the NAPCR is to forge a consensus of all parties about the type of devolution package which should not be detrimental to the sovereignty, and territorial integrity of the country, President Kumaratunge said.

The political solution should be found to satisfy all communities that their fundamental and other legitimate rights are preserved in a united country, she added.

Related Articles:
18.10.04   Talks should start immediately- UNP
11.10.04   Peace talk delays, diversionary tactic of SL Govt.- Wickreme..
06.10.04   Peace Council will exacerbate contradictions- paper