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Featured Article: The referendum on the CFA

Sunday, 08 April 2007

Sunday Observer, a State controlled media, published a story on the April Fools Day, about holding a referendum on the CFA signed between the then Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe and the LTTE Leader Prabaharan, with a question mark in the heading.

The news story, quoting a senior official of the Presidential Secretariat, stated that the President is interested in getting a mandate from the people on the CFA through a democratic exercise. The story further stated that if the people vote against the CFA at a referendum, then the government will bow down to the verdict of the people and withdraw from the CFA. If the government or for that matter any party to the CFA, wants to withdraw from the CFA, then there is a provision in the CFA which clearly states that either party can withdraw from by giving a fortnight notice to Norway. Although the CFA is a dead letter today, although according to statistics there have been 4000 to 6000 violations of the CFA, neither of the signatories has opted to abrogate the CFA. As far as President Rajapakse is concerned, he has never been a supporter of the CFA. He contested Mr.Wickremasinghe, who is a signatory to the CFA, at the Presidential polls with the support of Buddhist extreme forces. But on being elected, he expressed support to the CFA not to isolate the country from the international community. But, over the years, there have been armed conflicts killing al least 4000 persons during the last 15 months. The violence has intensified. The government is not prepared to hold any future talks on the basis of th CFA while the LTTE insists on talks on the basis of the CFA.

Although Rohitha Bogallagama, Foreign Minister, declares that the doors are open for negotiations, the talks have not begun since there is a difficulty in drawing up an agenda for talks.

An English translation of the Editorial in Thinakkural, a Tamil daily, based in Colombo

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jay said:

It would be better for the President to hold a UN sponsored referendum among the Tamils (after all they are the affected party and they should have the right to decide their fate) in the North and East on whether the Tamils should go for a separate state or they prefer to stay within the present fold.

2007-04-10 03:38:46

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