May 22,2010

இலங்கையின் தேசியப் பிரச்சினைக்குத் தீர்வு காண்பது தொடர்பான அரசியல் தீர்வு உள்ளடங்கிய மாதிரி அறிக்கையொன்றை ஜனாதிபதி மகிந்த ராஜபக்ஸ எதிர்வரும் ஜூன் மாதம் இந்திய அரசாங்கத்திடம் கையளிக்கவிருப்பதாக சிங்கள வார இதழொன்று செய்தி வெளியிட்டுள்ளது.

அடுத்த மாதம் ஜனாதிபதி இந்தியாவிற்கு மேற்கொள்ளும் விஜயத்தின் போது இந்த அறிக்கையைக் கையளிக்கவுள்ளார். ஜனாதிபதி இந்த விஜயத்தின் போது இந்தியப் பிரதமர் மன்மோகன் சிங், அந்நாட்டு ஜனாதிபதி பிரதீபா பட்டேல் ஆகியோருடன் இந்த யோசனைகள் குறித்து கலந்துரையாடவுள்ளார்.

அரசாங்கம் உருவாக்கியுள்ள அரசியல் தீர்வுத் திட்டத்தில் 13வது அரசியல் சாசனத் திருத்தத்தை முழுமையாக அமுல்படுத்தி அந்தத் திட்டத்தின் கீழ் மாகாணங்களுக்கு வழங்கப்பட வேண்டிய முழுமையான அதிகாரங்களை வழங்க உத்தேசிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளதாக அரசாங்கத் தரப்புத் தகவல்கள் தெரிவிக்கின்றன.

2002ம் ஆண்டு ஜூலை மாதம் இந்தியாவில் வெளியாகும் இந்துப் பத்திரிகைக்கு செவ்வியளித்திருந்த ஜனாதிபதி, 13வது திருத்தச் சட்டத்திற்கு அப்பால் சென்று தீர்வை தன்னால் வழங்க முடியும் என்ற போதிலும் மக்கள் அதனை ஏற்றுக்கொள்ள வேண்டும் எனத் தெரிவித்திருந்தார்.

மக்களிடம் இதற்கான அங்கீகாரத்தைப் பெற வேண்டும் என்பதே தனது தேவையாகும் எனவும், அடுத்த ஜனாதிபதித் தேர்தலின் பின்னர் அதனை அமுல்படுத்தப் போவதாகவும் ஜனாதிபதி அந்த செவ்வியின் போது தெரிவித்திருந்தார்.

அதேபோல் கடந்த வருடம் ஜூலை மாதம் பசில் ராஜபக்ஸ கோதாபய ராஜபக்ஸ, ஜனாதிபதியின் செயலாளர் லலித் வீரதுங்க ஆகியோர் இந்தியாவிற்கு விஜயம் செய்ததுடன் இரு நாடுகளுக்கிடையிலான புரிந்துணர்வு உடன்படிக்கையொன்றிலும் கையெழுத்திட்டனர். இதன்மூலம் இந்தியாவிற்குத் தேவையான அரசியல் தீர்வு தொடர்பில் ராஜதந்திர இணக்கம் வழங்கப்பட்டது.

இதேவேளை, அண்மைக் காலமாக வடக்கு கிழக்கு மாகாணங்களில் இந்தியா மேற்கொண்டு வரும் பொருளாதாரத் தலையீடுகள் அதிகரித்துள்ளன. இந்தியாவின் புதிய தூதரக அலுவலகமொன்று யாழ்ப்பாணத்தில் திறக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. ஜனாதிபதியின் விஜயத்தின் போது மற்றுமொரு தூதரக அலுவலகத்தைத் திறப்பது குறித்து பேச்சு நடத்தப்படவுள்ளதாக இந்திய ஊடகங்கள் தெரிவித்துள்ளன.

அரசாங்கம் மற்றும் இந்தியாவுக்கு இடையிலான இந்த செயற்பாடுகள் தேர்தலுக்கு முன்னர் ராஜபக்ஸ அரசாங்கம் இந்திய அரசாங்கத்துடன் மேற்கொண்ட இணக்கம் நடைமுறைப்படுத்தப்படுகிறதோ என்ற நியாயமான சந்தேகம் எழுந்துள்ளது. இவ்வாறான சூழல் ஏற்பட்டால் இலங்கை இந்தியாவின் மற்றுமொரு மாநிலமாக மாறி இறையாண்மை மற்றும் சுயாதீனத்தன்மையை இழந்த ஆசியாவின் செழிப்பு மிக்க நாடாக மாறுவதைத் தடுக்க முடியாது என அந்த செய்தியில் தெரிவிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.

courtesy:gtn

New Delhi pushes Colombo for the full execution 1987 Accord, N&E re-merger looms

Sun, 2010-05-23 04:46 — editor

By Joseph Thavaraja

Colombo, 23 May, (Asiantribune.com): India has begun pushing Sri Lanka for the full implementation of the historic 1987 Indo-Lanka Accord. Reports in Colombo said that New Delhi will formerly be making the request to this effect from Colombo in the due course.

The reason that New Delhi is insistent on Colombo for the Indo-Lanka Accord is to be in lieu of 'the total support extended by the Indians in Sri Lanka's war victory', it is learnt.

The New Delhi policy making circles now feel that the war in Sri Lanka is over, the non-implementation of the 1987 Accord in full or any further delays by Colombo in this regard could 'compromise India's political dignity' it is reported. Meanwhile political analysts in Colombo said that re-merger of controversial North and Eastern provinces that were de-merged in 2006 could become a reality in the 1987 Accord is fully implemented by Sri Lanka.

Though the 1987 accord is 'implemented' by Colombo, but at present, it is only partially functional. The 1987 Accord stipulated by New Delhi on the then President J R Jayawardene, introduced devolution of power to Sri Lanka and created the current provincial council systems as a way to address Tamil grievances.

The then Lankan President J R Jayawardene and the slain Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi signed the Accord on July 29, 1987 in Colombo as boycotts and protests raged amidst a curfew in the capital.

The then Prime Minister R Premadasa and some key Lankan cabinet ministers absented themselves from the Accord's signing ceremony.

Though the 1987 accord is 'implemented' in Sri Lanka at present, it is not fully functional and a main point of currently proposed constitutional reforms is the amount of devolution to the Provincial Councils in comparison to the original 1987 Accord. Currently, some crucial provincial powers required for effective devolution are still not delegated to the Provincial Councils and calls for fuller devolution has become a key point in the present devolution debate in the country.

Further, when Colombo drafted the 13 Amendment to the Constitution in which the Provincial Councils were created, instead of the expected two lists of powers for the centre and peripheries, Colombo introduced a third list called 'reserved list' to be shared between the centre and periphery, thus confusing the overall aim of the devolution itself, according to political analysts. Critics of the PC system also allege that under the new Provincial Council era, due to the practical nature of the 'operations' between the 'Councils and the centre', the centre itself has gained even more powers than it ever possessed.

A key issue to be faced by Colombo will be the re-merger of the North and Eastern provinces. According to political analysts, one fundamental point that all Tamils in Sri Lanka clearly agree on is the need for a single, unified Northeastern Province. Section 2.2 of the historic 1987 Accord specified for a merged north and eastern province creating a unified provincial council saying "...the northern and eastern provinces as now constituted, will form one administrative unit, having one elected provincial council.." Though the provinces were merged soon after the Accord, in 2006, they were de-merged back to two separate provinces by the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka. This crucial legal ruling was 'lost' to the news broadcast services as the then ongoing war suddenly began to escalate. The case against the merger was filed in the Supreme Court by three Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) MPs.

Below is the full text of the original Indo-Lanka Accord of 1987:

The Indo – Sri Lanka Accord

"To establish peace and normalcy in Sri Lanka the president of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, his excellency Mr. J.R. Jayawardene, and the Prime Minister of The Republic of India, His Excellency Mr. Rajiv Gandhi, having met at Colombo on July 29, 1987.

Attaching utmost importance to nurturing, intensifying and strengthening the traditional friendship of Sri Lanka and India, and acknowledging the imperative need of resolving the ethnic problem of Sri Lanka, and the consequent violence, and for the safety, wellbeing and prosperity of people belonging to all communities of Sri Lanka,

Have this day entered into the following agreement to fulfil this Objective.

In this context,

1.1 desiring to preserve the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka,

1.2 acknowledging that Sri Lanka is a "multi-ethnic and multi-lingual plural society" consisting, inter-alia, of Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims (Moors) and Burgers,

1.3 recognizing that each ethnic group has a distinct cultural and linguistic identity, which has to be carefully nurtured,

1.4 Also recognizing that the northern and the eastern provinces have been areas of historical habitation of Sri Lankan Tamil speaking peoples, who have at all times hitherto lived together in this territory with other ethnic groups,

1.5 conscious of the necessity of strengthening the forces contribut

ing to the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka, and preserving its character as a multi-ethnic, multi-lingual and multi- religious plural society in which all citizens can live in equality, safety and harmony, and prosper and fulfil their aspirations,

2. Resolve That :

2.1 Since the Government of Sri Lanka proposes to permit adjoining provinces to join to form one administrative unit and also by a referendum to separate as may be permitted to the northern and eastern provinces as outlined below:

2.2 During the period, which shall be considered an interim period (i.e. from the date of the elections to the provincial council, as specified in para 2.8 to the date of the referendum as specified in para 2.3), the northern and eastern provinces as now constituted, will form one administrative unit, having one elected provincial council. Such a unit will have one governor, one chief minister and one board of ministers.

2.3 There will be a referendum on or before 31st December 1988 to enable the people of the eastern province to decide whether:

a) The eastern province should remain linked with the northern province as one administrative unit, and continue to be governed together with the northern province as specified in para 2.2 or:

b) The eastern province should constitute a separate administrative unit having its own distinct provincial council with a separate governor, chief minister and board of ministers. The president may, at his discretion, decide to postpone such a referendum.

2.4 All persons, who have been displaced due to ethnic violence or other reasons, will have the right to vote in such a referendum. Necessary conditions to enable them to return to areas from where they were displaced will be created.

2.5 The referendum, when held, will be monitored by a committee headed by the chief Justice, a member appointed by the President, nominated by the government of Sri Lanka, and a member appointed by the president, nominated by the representatives of the Tamil speaking people of the eastern province.

2.6 A simple majority will be sufficient to determine the result of the referendum.

2.7 Meetings and other forms of propaganda, permissible within the laws of the country, will be allowed before the referendum.

2.8 Elections to provincial councils will be held within the next three months, in any event before 31st December 1987. Indian observers will be invited for elections to the provincial council of the north and east.

2.9 The emergency will be lifted in the eastern and northern provinces by Aug. 15, 1987. A cessation of hostilities will come into effect all over the island within 48 hours of signing of this agreement. All arms presently held by militant groups will be surrendered in accordance with an agreed procedure to authorities to be designated by the government of Sri Lanka.

Consequent to the cessation of hostilities and the surrender of arms by militant groups, the army and other security personnel will be confined to barracks in camps as on 25 May 1987. The process of surrendering arms and the confining of security personnel moving back to barracks shall be completed within 72 hours of the cessation of hostilities coming into effect.

2.10 The government of Sri Lanka will utilise for the purpose of law enforcement and maintenance of security in the northern and eastern provinces same organisations and mechanisms of government as are used in the rest of the country.

2.11 The President of Sri Lanka will grant a general amnesty to political and other prisoners now held in custody under The Prevention of Terrorism Act and other emergency laws, and to combatants, as well as to those persons accused, charged and/or convicted under these laws. The Government of Sri Lanka will make special efforts to rehabilitate militant youth with a view to bringing them back into the mainstream of national life. India will co-operate in the process.

2.12 The government of Sri Lanka will accept and abide by the above provisions and expect all others to do likewise.

2.13 If the framework for the resolutions is accepted, the Government of Sri Lanka will implement the relevant proposals forthwith.

2.14 The government of India will underwrite and guarantee the resolutions, and co-operate in the implementation of these proposals.

2.15 These proposals are conditional to an acceptance of the proposals negotiated from 4.5.1986 to 19.12.1986. Residual matters not finalised during the above negotiations shall be resolved between India and Sri Lanka within a period of six weeks of signing this agreement. These proposals are also conditional to the Government of India co-operating directly with the Government of Sri Lanka in their implementation.

2.16 These proposals are also conditional to the Government of India taking the following actions if any militant groups operating in Sri Lanka do not accept this framework of proposals for a settlement, namely,

a) India will take all necessary steps to ensure that Indian Territory is not used for activities prejudicial to the unity, integrity and security of Sri Lanka

b) The Indian navy/coast guard will cooperate with the Sri Lankan navy in preventing Tamil militant activities from affecting Sri Lanka.

c) In the event that the Government of Sri Lanka requests the Government of India to afford military assistance to implement these proposals the Government of India will co-operate by giving to the Government of Sri Lanka such military assistance as and when requested.

d) The Government of India will expedite repatriation from Sri Lanka of Indian citizens to India who are resident here, concurrently with the repatriation of Sri Lankan refugees from Tamil Nadu.

e) The Governments of Sri Lanka and India will co-operate in ensuring the physical security and safety of all communities inhabiting the northern and eastern provinces.

2.17 The government of Sri Lanka shall ensure free, full and fair participation of voters from all communities in the northern and eastern provinces in electoral processes envisaged in this agreement. The government of India will extend full co-operation to the government of Sri Lanka in this regard.

2.18 The official language of Sri Lanka shall be Sinhala. Tamil and English will also be official languages.

3. This agreement and the Annexure thereto shall come into force upon signature.

In witness whereof, we have set our hands and seals hereunto.

Done in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on this the twenty-ninth day of July of the year one thousand nine hundred and eighty seven, in duplicate, both texts being equally authentic.

Junius Richard Jayawardene

President of the Democratic of the Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka

Rajiv Gandhi

Prime Minister Republic of India

Annexure To The Agreement

1. His Excellency the President of Sri Lanka and the Prime Minister of India agree that the referendum mentioned in paragraph 2 and its sub- paragraphs of the agreement will be observed by a representative of the election Commission of India to be invited by His Excellency the President of Sri Lanka.

2. Similarly, both heads of Government agree that the elections to the provincial council mentioned in paragraph 2.8 of the agreement will be observed and all para-military personnel will be withdrawn from the eastern and northern provinces with a view to creating conditions conducive to fair elections to the council.

3. The President, in his discretion shall absorb such para-military forces, which came into being due to ethnic violence, into the regular security forces of Sri Lanka.

4. The President of Sri Lanka and the Prime Minister of India agree that the Tamil militants shall surrender their arms to authorities agreed upon to be designated by the President of Sri Lanka. The surrender shall take place in the presence of one senior representative each of the Sri Lanka Red Cross and the Indian Red Cross.

5.The President of Sri Lanka and the Prime Minister of India agree that a joint Indo-Sri Lankan observer group consisting of qualified representatives of the Government of Sri Lanka and the Government of India would monitor the cessation of hostilities from 31 July 1987.

6. The President of Sri Lanka and the Prime Minister of India also agree that in the terms of paragraph 2.14 and paragraph 2.16© of the agreement, an Indian peace keeping contingent may be invited by the President of Sri Lanka to guarantee and enforce the cessation of hostilities, if so.

Exchange of letters between the Prime Minister of India and the president of Sri Lanka.

Excellency,

1. Conscious of the friendship between our two countries stretching over two millennia and more, and recognizing the importance of nurturing this traditional friendship, it is imperative that both Sri Lanka and India reaffirm the decision not to allow our respective territories to be used for activities prejudicial to each other's unity, territorial integrity and security.

2. In this spirit, you had, in the course of our discussions agreed to meet some of India's concerns as follows:

1. Your Excellency and myself will reach an early understanding about the relevance and employment of foreign military and intelligence personnel with a view to ensuring that such presences will not prejudice Indo-Sri Lankan relations.

2. Trincomalee or any other ports in Sri Lanka will not be made available for military use by any country in a manner prejudicial to India's interests.

3. The work of resotoring and operating the Trincomalee Oil Tank Farm will be undertaken as a joint venture between India and Sri Lanka.

4. Sri Lanka's agreements with foreign broadcasting organizations will be reviewed to ensure that any facilities set up by them in Sri Lanka .

3. In the same spirit India will:

1. deport all Sri Lankan citizens who are found to be engaging in terrorist activities or advocating separatism or secessionism.

2. provide training facilities and military supplies for Sri Lankan forces.

4. India and Sri Lanka have agreed to set up a joint consultative mechanism to continuously review matters of common concern in the light of the objectives stated in paragraph 1 and specifically to monitor the implementation of other matters contained in this letter.

5. Kindly confirm, Excellency, that the above correctly sets out the agreement reached between us.

Please accept,Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Yours sincerely,

Rajiv Gandhi