SLFP launches campaign to promote Joint Mechanism

[TamilNet, Sunday, 24 April 2005, 14:26 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), main constituent of the ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government, Sunday launched a two day-awareness campaign in Sri Lanka's South explaining the positive aspects of the proposed joint mechanism expected to be signed with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to disburse funds provided by several international aid agencies and foreign governments to reconstruct tsunami affected areas in the northeast, sources said.

The first meeting was held Sunday in the SLFP headquarters in Colombo despite threat by the powerful marxist Sinhala Marxist Nationalist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), a coalition partner or UPFA, that it would organise protest meetings in the south against the proposed joint mechanism.

The JVP leadership has already issued ultimatum that it would withdraw its support to the UPFA government within one hour of signing the agreement with the LTTE to set up the joint mechanism, sources said.

The SLFP has inaugurated the campaign on the eve of Sri Lanka's President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge returning to Colombo after a fortnight's stay in Britain and France, sources said.

Mr.Dilan Perera, a Deputy Minister said the proposed joint mechanism with the LTTE would turn into a solid foundation for the resumption of the stalled peace process.

Mr.Dilan Perera made a scathing attack on those who are opposing the establishment of joint mechanism and said that those in UPFA government voicing opposition are not thinking of the future of Sri Lanka. The opponents aim to build political capital by opposing the joint mechanism, he added.

Mr.Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Deputy Minister who is behind the campaign earlier said that the Ms Kumaratunge and the SLFP are fully supporting the establishment of the joint mechanism with LTTE as a partner. The sole objective of the joint mechanism is to reconstruct the tsunami destroyed northeast coastal areas and nothing else. The purpose of the campaign is to enlighten the masses in the south the true position of joint mechanism process, he added.

Related Articles:
21.04.05   Embrace reforms, End conflict, Rocca tells Sri Lanka
21.04.05   Rocca assures TNA delegation US support for Joint Mechanism
20.04.05   Solheim expresses hope for agreement on Joint Mechanism
20.04.05   Thamilchelvan meets Solheim in Colombo, returns to Kilinochc..
19.04.05   "Can trust only when Joint Mechanism comes" - Col. Bhanu
14.04.05   Joint Mechanism a must for NorthEast reconstruction- Hindu C..
06.04.05   JVP slams NGOs, western countries for meddling
15.03.05   LTTE showed maximum flexibility in accepting joint mechanism..
08.03.05   LTTE, Sri Lanka joint mechanism urgent need - EU