Dr.Manmohan Singh, the Indian Prime Minister has told Ratnasiri Wicremanayake, the Lankan Prime Minister that the government should announce a political solution within a month.

MEP, which is in the government has stated that it opposes the proposal by Tissa Vitharana. It is important to note that the MEP has been a long standing constituent member of the government. JVP and the JHU are vehemently opposed to devolution. Although JVP is in the opposition, JHU has joined the government and accepted a portfolio.

It cannot be forgotten that the ethnic problem could be resolved not merely because of the conflicting views between Tamil parties and Sinhalese parties but essentially due to the lack of a political consensus among the leaders of the Sinhala political parties over this national issue.

The practical rivalry that has existed between the two major Sinhala parties –SLFP and the UNP –can be attributed to the failure to resolve this issue over a period of 50 years.

They both had been pursuing communal politics to come to power. Their motives have been to capture power and retain it. So, whoever was in the opposition always opposed every move by the government to settle the issue, with an eye on the vote bank.

But in recent times, it has been accepted that the major political parties in the south must reach a political consensus on the national question. The international community has also stressed the need for such political agreement.

There was a hope for such a consensus with the signing of the MOU between the SLFP and the UNP. But that hope too has been shattered with the abrogation of the MOU recently.

We reiterate the urgent need to find a political consensus among the Sinhala parties and to rally together all forces for peace!

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