19-06-2006
His Excellency Mahinda Rajapaksa,
President of Sri Lanka,
Temple Trees
Colombo.
Your Excellency,
Permit me to write to you once again reiterating my stand on the ethnic issue. I am firmly of the view that peace is at our doorstep and the success in bringing Peace soon depends on the courage you display and the swiftness with which you act. The political scenario is changing everyday and we have to adjust to the changing circumstances. I strongly urge you to have the patience to read my suggestions and act accordingly, irrespective of whatever constraints you may have. We will be disappointing our people if we do not make use of the opportunities made availabe to us by the grace of God, to bring relief to our people, whether they are Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims or any other ethnic group. Let not the future generation curse us for missing this opportunity.
You have become the President of Sri Lanka five years after the draft proposal of your predecessor was withdrawn and fifty years after the passing of the “Sinhala as the only official language Act”, with which the ethnic problem also started. The proposal of Her Excellency Chandrika Bandaranayake Kumarathunge submitted after her assumptiom of office as President, was welcomed with great enthusiasim by many. It was considered as the best of all so far offered, but it had to be withdrawn at one stage for two reasons, the first being the People started losing interest due to prolonged delay in giving it legal status and the other being that the proposal got diluted over a period of time during which the proposal lost its original form. The Bandaranayake-Chelvanayagam Pact and the Dudly –Chelvanayagam Pact also met with the same fate for the same reasons.
Let us not make the same mistake again. Through experience we have found that delayed action in any matter has always proved detrimental. Six months had passed since you became the President. If a solution is not found within the next few months, the enthusiasim of the people will gradually die and oppositition to any proposal will slowly gain momentum. Then as usual it will become difficult for you to find a solution. We have had a number of All Party Conferences since 1983 without achieving anything. Please do not have much faith in the APC since it is sure to turn out to be counter productive as in the past.
The People had given a mandate to you to solve the ethnic problem. I do not doubt your will power and your capacity to solve the problem which is now over fifty years old. The LTTE had shown its true colours very many times and lately at Oslo last week. Having tactfully obtained the help of your Government and that of the Norwegian’s to reach Oslo Mr. S.P. Thamilchelvan decided not to talk to the Government. There was absolutely no need for anyone to go to Oslo, all the way, only to discuss the security arrangements for the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission, which is facing grave risk only from the LTTE and not from the Government Forces. However this matter could have been discussed in Killinochchi when the special envoy Hon. Jan Hanssen Bauer visited Kilinochchi recently. It is obvious that they had their own programme in Oslo and in Switzerland. Apart from that they have no interest in finding a solution. I assure you that they will not agree for any solution, but are only trying to stabilise themselves by adopting various delaying tactics.
The CFA had enabled them to gain legitimacy for all their illegal activities. The areas they had under their control illegally have now been legitimised, with no access to those areas for anybody including the SLMM and Hon.Erick Solheim. You and I entered Parliament in 1970 representing the Beliatta and the Killinochchi electorates respectively. You are lucky that your people are free citizens while the people whom I represented are living like slaves under the subjugation of the LTTE having been deprived of all their democratic and fundemental rights and with serious violations of Human Rights. I have a moral duty to have them liberated whatever risk I may face. There are behind the LTTE’s “Iron curtain” detention camps, torture camps, dark room chambers, extortions, conscriptions and even killings but unfortunately no one except me bothers about the people in the LTTE held areas. Every one is bothered only in bringing them to the negotiating table which will only help them to gain legitimacy to some more of their illegal acts. It is high time you liberate them from the iron clutches of the LTTE cadre. As the President of this country it is your bounden duty to do so.
The LTTE leaders and their cadre are used to a way of life. Each one is a leader. It will be very difficult for them to climb down from the high pedestal from where they are now operating. The latest reason discovered by Mr. Thamilchelvan for refusing to meet Mr. Palitha Kohana is that he is not of Cabinet rank. They think no end of themselves. They are not at all concerned about the sufferings of the People whom they have under their strict control. The only option you now have is to submit a reasonable proposal that should be acceptable to the minorities according to the assessment of the International Community.
It may be relevant if I quote from a letter dated 07.05.2006 sent by me addressed to you wherein I had said, “The European Union has in one way shown its resentment to the LTTE by imposing a travel ban on them and thereby given a signal that they are not going to tolerate their activities for ever. Within a month of my saying this EU has now imposed a total ban on them, and has also refused to recognize them as the sole representatives of the Tamil people. This ban could have been avoided if only the LTTE had paid attention to the repeated requests of the countries of the EU to stop conscription and killing people. The conduct of the LTTE appeared as a challenge to the countries of the EU. In the same letter I had also said “It is also equally a signal to the Government of Sri Lanka that unless the Government comes forward with a proposal, reasonable enough in their assessment, as one that could be recommended by them to the Tamil People or to the LTTE, they are not going to tighten the screws on them.
The EU had now imposed a total ban on the LTTE with the expectation that the Government of Sri Lanka also will fulfill its obligation to the satisfaction of the International Community, based on the Oslo Agreement within a United Sri Lanka. The Government which is committed to find a solution under the Oslo Agreement, if shows reluctance to do so, will certainly lose its credibility in its relationship with the International Community, that is toiling hard through their representatives to bring back Peace to Sri Lanka. We cannot forget the untiring efforts taken by the Diplomatic Community, including the Japanese Special Envoy H.E. Yasushi Akashi in this regard.
A situation is now fast developing, due to the LTTE’s arrogant attitude, for your Government to act unilaterally by putting forward a reasonable proposal, acceptable to the Tamils and Muslims. I am not unaware of the constraints you have to act arbitrarily. But since the entire scenario has changed during the past few months, in comparison to the pre-election period, I am convinced that your hands should not remain tied. This is the time you should be free to take independent decisions and act, guided by your own conscience. I can provide you with enough material to substatiate my claim that a variation in your policy at this juncture is indispensable. The annexed photographs will melt the hearts of everyone who sees them. These scenes are re-enacted almost everyday in some part of our country. What crimes did these poor innocent kids commit and what harm these poor women could have caused to any body?
Why are these men women and children killed in this brutal mannar. It is unbearable to see women beating their breasts weeping and wailing, mouring the deaths of their dear once. As good Budhists, Chirstians, Hindus, Muslims and people of other faiths we have a moral duty to spurn these men and condemn them as enemies of humanity. You must request the people to go all out to identify these criminals to be arrested and dealt with under the law. The people must be told to bear with you for whatever remedial measures you take to put a stop to these killings. Everyone in this country should be told that we can’t wait till some disaster falls on each family for them to realise the urgency and the need to solve our problem. What has happened all these years and what is happening in our country every day is more than enough for everyone to realize the urgency to find a solution without delay. When the country is bleeding profusely we can’t take advantage of the situation for political gains. Hence please come out with a proposal assessed as reasonable and acceptable by either the co-chairs or a team of experts nominated by a few countries where Federalism has thrived and offer it to the LTTE for their acceptance. I am suggesting this to avoid any lame excuse the LTTE my find. If the LTTE accepts the proposals, all the other Tamil parties can be persuaded to agree to give to the LTTE majority representation in any administrative set up and make it conditional for them to surrender their arms. If they require security the Government can provide the same.
If the LTTE rejects such a proposal the only option the International Community has is to get together and tame them by various ways, including imposition of strong sanction and such other steps necessary to pressurize them. If your proposal confines to the Oslo Agreement to which the Government is committed, the LTTE cannot justify their rejection. The Indian Government too had very clearly and firmly said that it will go all out to prevent division of the country and also that it will deal firmly with terrorism. Although this remark is made in relation to India, it equally applies to Sri lanka also because only 28 miles of the Palk-strait separate Sri Lanka from India
India’s main concerns are its sovereignty and integrity. India is totally opposed to seperation and terrorism, more in their own interest than ours. However we can take it as an overall guarantee to alley the fears of some Sri Lankans who think that a Federal solution will lead to separation. India’s stand on these matters had never changed which ever party came to power, and will not change in the future as well. The main reason, for my continued agitation for a solution based on the Indian model, is that it satisfies those who are opposed to the Federal and Unitary type of constitution. The Indian one is neither Federal nor Unitary and the Indians take pride in saying that they believe in “Unity in diversity”
We Sri Lankans have a lot to learn from India. The world’s largest democratic country with its large majority of Hindus has a Muslim as the head of the state and a Sikh, from a minority group with only 2% of India’s population, as the Prime Minister and another Sikh as the Commander of the Army. The holders of these high offices are much liked and highly respected by the Indians. Hon. Smt Sonia Gandhi, M.P. a Foreigner and a Catholic who is also held at high esteem is the Chairperson of the ruling United Progressive Alliance.
I have had a series of meetings in Sri Lanka and with expatriate Sri Lankans about the acceptability of the Indian Model. I found very many supporting my proposal. Most of them are very conscious of the fact that our art, culture, language and two main religions are of Indian origin. Our ancestors too came from India. Since we have many things in common a constitution like the one of India’s will help to solve our problem.
With all respect to the Indian Defence Minister Hon. Pranab Mukherjee, I defer from the views expressed by him to the Associated Press, recently in Singapore that “Sharing the same ethnic Group, we believe our active participation in the Peace process would complicate the issue instead of resolving it. But we stand fully behind the peace process”. The Hon. Minister’s views would have been correct before the Tamil Nad Assembly election held two months back. But today with the change of Government in Tamil Nad the whole scenario had changed. In my view, I hope you too will agree that the two strange coincidents that had taken place in India and Sri Lanka, have created a favourable atmosphere for both Governments to freely discuss and solve the problem easily. One of the two coincidents is that the main constituent partner of the United Progressive Alliance Government, the DMK has captured power in Tamil Nad. The Leader of the DMK, Dr. Kalaignar M.Karunanidhi has formed the Government in Tamil Nad with the Congress supporting him. This is a rare event and very relevant at the present juncture. The other coincident is that you, the President of Sri lanka is from the party that is in power today. If we do not solve our problems at this juncture with the support of a friendly Government in India which in turn is friendly with the State Government of Tamil Nad, we will never solve it.
That is why I am requesting you to offer the Indian model as a solution to the ethnic problem. It will be acceptable to the Tamils of Sri Lanka and on the basis of the discussions I had with various people, party leaders, religious dignitaries and many others I am convinced that there is popular support among the Sinhalese and Muslims as well. Everyone is opposed to a division of the country. Above all, out of the 28 states and 7 Union Terriories in the Indian Union, Tamil Nad state shows greate interest in the Tamils of Sri Lanka, being of the same ethnic group. The Indian model will be welcomed by the people and the Government of Tamil Nad and will also silence the Tamil Nad Politicians like Vaico, Nedumaran and Thirumavalavan who have no full knowledge of the ground situation. They have no moral right to demand for more powers for the regions in Sri Lanka than what they have in their own state of Tamil Nad.
With great reluctance I have to tell you that the Tamils, having faced various problems during the past 50 years and having lived under LTTE’s terrorist rule without any democratic and fundamental rights and with so many of their Human Rights violated and after long agitation for separation, will not be prepared to accept a solution within the frame work of a Unitary system under which no relief came for well over 50 years. The reluctance on the part of the Tamils to openly defy the LTTE is also due to uncertainity of the type of solution contemplated by the Government. They are prepared to give up their demand for separation. They are also prepared for a solution within a United Sri Lanka but as far as the structure of the constitution is concerned they will agree only for a Federal Solution. As a compromise the Tamils may be prepared to accept the Indian model which will be acceptable to majority of the Sinhalese and Muslims also. Everyday not less then 1500 Sri Lankans travel to India and they feel more homely in Tamil Nad, than in Sri Lanka where one is not sure to reach home after a days work.
In conclusion I wish to point out that being in Politics for a very long time only some of us know the hardships the Tamils underwent during the past 50 years, with the adoption of the Sinhala only Act in 1956. Starting from the obstruction of the Banda-Chelva pact up to now, it had been a tale of woe as far as the Tamils are concerned. For the first time in 50 years both the UNP and the SLFP, the two major Political Parties that take turns to rule the country, have offered a Federal Solution to solve the country’s ethnic problem, the former at the recent Presidential elections and the latter by passing a unanimous resolution at the last year’s annual convention of the Party. The leftist parties right through out, including during the Presidential election, had not changed their stand on a Federal Solution. For the second time in two years the LTTE had denied the rights of the Tamils to take part in the voting freely. Even you had said after the elections that all votes cast for the UNP candidate were not votes cast against you.
If you take all these facts into consideration your solution for our problem should be the Indian Model which will satisfy, those who are opposed to Federal and Unitary constitutions. The Tamils both in India and Sri Lanka will welcome it and the Indian Government being satisfied with the solution can be persuaded to openly take part in the peace process. Above all once a solution accepted as reasonable is offered and implemented, all the people can live in peace and happily. If the LTTE still resists in finding a solution they automatically get isolated.
With kind regards
Yours Sincerely,
V.Anandasangaree,
President - TULF
His Excellency Mahinda Rajapaksa,
President of Sri Lanka,
Temple Trees
Colombo.
Your Excellency,
A SOLUTION TO THE ETHNIC PROBLEM
Permit me to write to you once again reiterating my stand on the ethnic issue. I am firmly of the view that peace is at our doorstep and the success in bringing Peace soon depends on the courage you display and the swiftness with which you act. The political scenario is changing everyday and we have to adjust to the changing circumstances. I strongly urge you to have the patience to read my suggestions and act accordingly, irrespective of whatever constraints you may have. We will be disappointing our people if we do not make use of the opportunities made availabe to us by the grace of God, to bring relief to our people, whether they are Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims or any other ethnic group. Let not the future generation curse us for missing this opportunity.
You have become the President of Sri Lanka five years after the draft proposal of your predecessor was withdrawn and fifty years after the passing of the “Sinhala as the only official language Act”, with which the ethnic problem also started. The proposal of Her Excellency Chandrika Bandaranayake Kumarathunge submitted after her assumptiom of office as President, was welcomed with great enthusiasim by many. It was considered as the best of all so far offered, but it had to be withdrawn at one stage for two reasons, the first being the People started losing interest due to prolonged delay in giving it legal status and the other being that the proposal got diluted over a period of time during which the proposal lost its original form. The Bandaranayake-Chelvanayagam Pact and the Dudly –Chelvanayagam Pact also met with the same fate for the same reasons.
Let us not make the same mistake again. Through experience we have found that delayed action in any matter has always proved detrimental. Six months had passed since you became the President. If a solution is not found within the next few months, the enthusiasim of the people will gradually die and oppositition to any proposal will slowly gain momentum. Then as usual it will become difficult for you to find a solution. We have had a number of All Party Conferences since 1983 without achieving anything. Please do not have much faith in the APC since it is sure to turn out to be counter productive as in the past.
The People had given a mandate to you to solve the ethnic problem. I do not doubt your will power and your capacity to solve the problem which is now over fifty years old. The LTTE had shown its true colours very many times and lately at Oslo last week. Having tactfully obtained the help of your Government and that of the Norwegian’s to reach Oslo Mr. S.P. Thamilchelvan decided not to talk to the Government. There was absolutely no need for anyone to go to Oslo, all the way, only to discuss the security arrangements for the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission, which is facing grave risk only from the LTTE and not from the Government Forces. However this matter could have been discussed in Killinochchi when the special envoy Hon. Jan Hanssen Bauer visited Kilinochchi recently. It is obvious that they had their own programme in Oslo and in Switzerland. Apart from that they have no interest in finding a solution. I assure you that they will not agree for any solution, but are only trying to stabilise themselves by adopting various delaying tactics.
The CFA had enabled them to gain legitimacy for all their illegal activities. The areas they had under their control illegally have now been legitimised, with no access to those areas for anybody including the SLMM and Hon.Erick Solheim. You and I entered Parliament in 1970 representing the Beliatta and the Killinochchi electorates respectively. You are lucky that your people are free citizens while the people whom I represented are living like slaves under the subjugation of the LTTE having been deprived of all their democratic and fundemental rights and with serious violations of Human Rights. I have a moral duty to have them liberated whatever risk I may face. There are behind the LTTE’s “Iron curtain” detention camps, torture camps, dark room chambers, extortions, conscriptions and even killings but unfortunately no one except me bothers about the people in the LTTE held areas. Every one is bothered only in bringing them to the negotiating table which will only help them to gain legitimacy to some more of their illegal acts. It is high time you liberate them from the iron clutches of the LTTE cadre. As the President of this country it is your bounden duty to do so.
The LTTE leaders and their cadre are used to a way of life. Each one is a leader. It will be very difficult for them to climb down from the high pedestal from where they are now operating. The latest reason discovered by Mr. Thamilchelvan for refusing to meet Mr. Palitha Kohana is that he is not of Cabinet rank. They think no end of themselves. They are not at all concerned about the sufferings of the People whom they have under their strict control. The only option you now have is to submit a reasonable proposal that should be acceptable to the minorities according to the assessment of the International Community.
It may be relevant if I quote from a letter dated 07.05.2006 sent by me addressed to you wherein I had said, “The European Union has in one way shown its resentment to the LTTE by imposing a travel ban on them and thereby given a signal that they are not going to tolerate their activities for ever. Within a month of my saying this EU has now imposed a total ban on them, and has also refused to recognize them as the sole representatives of the Tamil people. This ban could have been avoided if only the LTTE had paid attention to the repeated requests of the countries of the EU to stop conscription and killing people. The conduct of the LTTE appeared as a challenge to the countries of the EU. In the same letter I had also said “It is also equally a signal to the Government of Sri Lanka that unless the Government comes forward with a proposal, reasonable enough in their assessment, as one that could be recommended by them to the Tamil People or to the LTTE, they are not going to tighten the screws on them.
The EU had now imposed a total ban on the LTTE with the expectation that the Government of Sri Lanka also will fulfill its obligation to the satisfaction of the International Community, based on the Oslo Agreement within a United Sri Lanka. The Government which is committed to find a solution under the Oslo Agreement, if shows reluctance to do so, will certainly lose its credibility in its relationship with the International Community, that is toiling hard through their representatives to bring back Peace to Sri Lanka. We cannot forget the untiring efforts taken by the Diplomatic Community, including the Japanese Special Envoy H.E. Yasushi Akashi in this regard.
A situation is now fast developing, due to the LTTE’s arrogant attitude, for your Government to act unilaterally by putting forward a reasonable proposal, acceptable to the Tamils and Muslims. I am not unaware of the constraints you have to act arbitrarily. But since the entire scenario has changed during the past few months, in comparison to the pre-election period, I am convinced that your hands should not remain tied. This is the time you should be free to take independent decisions and act, guided by your own conscience. I can provide you with enough material to substatiate my claim that a variation in your policy at this juncture is indispensable. The annexed photographs will melt the hearts of everyone who sees them. These scenes are re-enacted almost everyday in some part of our country. What crimes did these poor innocent kids commit and what harm these poor women could have caused to any body?
Why are these men women and children killed in this brutal mannar. It is unbearable to see women beating their breasts weeping and wailing, mouring the deaths of their dear once. As good Budhists, Chirstians, Hindus, Muslims and people of other faiths we have a moral duty to spurn these men and condemn them as enemies of humanity. You must request the people to go all out to identify these criminals to be arrested and dealt with under the law. The people must be told to bear with you for whatever remedial measures you take to put a stop to these killings. Everyone in this country should be told that we can’t wait till some disaster falls on each family for them to realise the urgency and the need to solve our problem. What has happened all these years and what is happening in our country every day is more than enough for everyone to realize the urgency to find a solution without delay. When the country is bleeding profusely we can’t take advantage of the situation for political gains. Hence please come out with a proposal assessed as reasonable and acceptable by either the co-chairs or a team of experts nominated by a few countries where Federalism has thrived and offer it to the LTTE for their acceptance. I am suggesting this to avoid any lame excuse the LTTE my find. If the LTTE accepts the proposals, all the other Tamil parties can be persuaded to agree to give to the LTTE majority representation in any administrative set up and make it conditional for them to surrender their arms. If they require security the Government can provide the same.
If the LTTE rejects such a proposal the only option the International Community has is to get together and tame them by various ways, including imposition of strong sanction and such other steps necessary to pressurize them. If your proposal confines to the Oslo Agreement to which the Government is committed, the LTTE cannot justify their rejection. The Indian Government too had very clearly and firmly said that it will go all out to prevent division of the country and also that it will deal firmly with terrorism. Although this remark is made in relation to India, it equally applies to Sri lanka also because only 28 miles of the Palk-strait separate Sri Lanka from India
India’s main concerns are its sovereignty and integrity. India is totally opposed to seperation and terrorism, more in their own interest than ours. However we can take it as an overall guarantee to alley the fears of some Sri Lankans who think that a Federal solution will lead to separation. India’s stand on these matters had never changed which ever party came to power, and will not change in the future as well. The main reason, for my continued agitation for a solution based on the Indian model, is that it satisfies those who are opposed to the Federal and Unitary type of constitution. The Indian one is neither Federal nor Unitary and the Indians take pride in saying that they believe in “Unity in diversity”
We Sri Lankans have a lot to learn from India. The world’s largest democratic country with its large majority of Hindus has a Muslim as the head of the state and a Sikh, from a minority group with only 2% of India’s population, as the Prime Minister and another Sikh as the Commander of the Army. The holders of these high offices are much liked and highly respected by the Indians. Hon. Smt Sonia Gandhi, M.P. a Foreigner and a Catholic who is also held at high esteem is the Chairperson of the ruling United Progressive Alliance.
I have had a series of meetings in Sri Lanka and with expatriate Sri Lankans about the acceptability of the Indian Model. I found very many supporting my proposal. Most of them are very conscious of the fact that our art, culture, language and two main religions are of Indian origin. Our ancestors too came from India. Since we have many things in common a constitution like the one of India’s will help to solve our problem.
With all respect to the Indian Defence Minister Hon. Pranab Mukherjee, I defer from the views expressed by him to the Associated Press, recently in Singapore that “Sharing the same ethnic Group, we believe our active participation in the Peace process would complicate the issue instead of resolving it. But we stand fully behind the peace process”. The Hon. Minister’s views would have been correct before the Tamil Nad Assembly election held two months back. But today with the change of Government in Tamil Nad the whole scenario had changed. In my view, I hope you too will agree that the two strange coincidents that had taken place in India and Sri Lanka, have created a favourable atmosphere for both Governments to freely discuss and solve the problem easily. One of the two coincidents is that the main constituent partner of the United Progressive Alliance Government, the DMK has captured power in Tamil Nad. The Leader of the DMK, Dr. Kalaignar M.Karunanidhi has formed the Government in Tamil Nad with the Congress supporting him. This is a rare event and very relevant at the present juncture. The other coincident is that you, the President of Sri lanka is from the party that is in power today. If we do not solve our problems at this juncture with the support of a friendly Government in India which in turn is friendly with the State Government of Tamil Nad, we will never solve it.
That is why I am requesting you to offer the Indian model as a solution to the ethnic problem. It will be acceptable to the Tamils of Sri Lanka and on the basis of the discussions I had with various people, party leaders, religious dignitaries and many others I am convinced that there is popular support among the Sinhalese and Muslims as well. Everyone is opposed to a division of the country. Above all, out of the 28 states and 7 Union Terriories in the Indian Union, Tamil Nad state shows greate interest in the Tamils of Sri Lanka, being of the same ethnic group. The Indian model will be welcomed by the people and the Government of Tamil Nad and will also silence the Tamil Nad Politicians like Vaico, Nedumaran and Thirumavalavan who have no full knowledge of the ground situation. They have no moral right to demand for more powers for the regions in Sri Lanka than what they have in their own state of Tamil Nad.
With great reluctance I have to tell you that the Tamils, having faced various problems during the past 50 years and having lived under LTTE’s terrorist rule without any democratic and fundamental rights and with so many of their Human Rights violated and after long agitation for separation, will not be prepared to accept a solution within the frame work of a Unitary system under which no relief came for well over 50 years. The reluctance on the part of the Tamils to openly defy the LTTE is also due to uncertainity of the type of solution contemplated by the Government. They are prepared to give up their demand for separation. They are also prepared for a solution within a United Sri Lanka but as far as the structure of the constitution is concerned they will agree only for a Federal Solution. As a compromise the Tamils may be prepared to accept the Indian model which will be acceptable to majority of the Sinhalese and Muslims also. Everyday not less then 1500 Sri Lankans travel to India and they feel more homely in Tamil Nad, than in Sri Lanka where one is not sure to reach home after a days work.
In conclusion I wish to point out that being in Politics for a very long time only some of us know the hardships the Tamils underwent during the past 50 years, with the adoption of the Sinhala only Act in 1956. Starting from the obstruction of the Banda-Chelva pact up to now, it had been a tale of woe as far as the Tamils are concerned. For the first time in 50 years both the UNP and the SLFP, the two major Political Parties that take turns to rule the country, have offered a Federal Solution to solve the country’s ethnic problem, the former at the recent Presidential elections and the latter by passing a unanimous resolution at the last year’s annual convention of the Party. The leftist parties right through out, including during the Presidential election, had not changed their stand on a Federal Solution. For the second time in two years the LTTE had denied the rights of the Tamils to take part in the voting freely. Even you had said after the elections that all votes cast for the UNP candidate were not votes cast against you.
If you take all these facts into consideration your solution for our problem should be the Indian Model which will satisfy, those who are opposed to Federal and Unitary constitutions. The Tamils both in India and Sri Lanka will welcome it and the Indian Government being satisfied with the solution can be persuaded to openly take part in the peace process. Above all once a solution accepted as reasonable is offered and implemented, all the people can live in peace and happily. If the LTTE still resists in finding a solution they automatically get isolated.
With kind regards
Yours Sincerely,
V.Anandasangaree,
President - TULF
