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Sri Lanka opposition open to dialogue, to resolve the ethnic issue
by Melani Manel Perera
The United National Party (UNP) will participate in the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC), ordered by President Mahinda Rajapaksa. The people: "The parties must walk together." But the Marxist party, also in opposition, will not participate because it's just "a waste of time."
Colombo (AsiaNews) - The United National Party (UNP), the main opposition party in Sri Lanka is ready to participate in the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC), proposed by President Mahinda Rajapaksa to solve the ethnic issue between Tamil and Sinhalese. Ranil Wickremasinghe (see photo), leader of the party made the announcement, stating a willingness to help the government to ease international pressure on the country. Sri Lanka knows the gaze of the international community is focused on it, after the publication of a UN report on alleged war crimes committed by the government during the thirty years of ethnic conflict.
Previously, the Opposition said that it would not participate in the PSC "until the government put forward its proposals on the ethnic problem." The general public see the decision taken by the opposition as a positive move for the improvement of the people and for the development of the country: "All parties should walk together and put pressure on the government to do the best for people, particularly for Tamils the victims of the ethnic issue for decades. "
The Marxist party Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) has announced it will not participate in the PSC, because it is a "waste of time." Anura Kumara Dissanayake, JVP member of parliament, the Commission is only the government's attempt to delay any solution to the ethnic conflict. Rajapaksa said that the parliament will accept any decision on the ethnic issue.