It has been customary for every Sinhalese leader in power and every successive government in power to talk about round table conference, All Party Conference etc only to play for time or to satisfy the international community. But nothing meaningful or constructive has come out as a result.

It is obvious that the present ARPC also will meet the same fate. As far as the view of the Minister Tissa Witharana is concerned, he is of the view that most of the political parties represented in the ARPC has arrived at the basis that can lead to a consensus of the south.

It is another matter whether such a proposal can be acceptable to the Tamil people or to the Tamil parties. It is another matter whether such a proposal can meet the legitimate aspirations of the Tamil people.

The reality today is that the racist parties that support the governments are disappointed and are angered over such a development.

It is learnt that in the proposal that it is to be put out, it is not emphasized that the nature of the government will be unitary. Therefore the extremist parties are trying make it an issue that the unitary nature has been dropped.

Knowledgeable circles say that the extremist parties have clearly indicated to the government that if there is any proposal to drop the reference to the unitary state in the political package and if the government proceeds on the basis of such recommendation, they will withdraw their support.

At the same time, the government which is facing a threat the UNP and the SLFP-M are jointly trying to defeat the government, during the budget debate by the end of this year, doesn’t want to antagonize the other political parties which hold extreme views.

That is why the government has postponed the proceeding of the APRC.

An English translation of the Editorial in The Sudar Oli, a Tamil daily, based in Colombo

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