APRC report: Important step to

solving national question

- President
[Wednesday, January 23, 2008 - 14.25 GMT] 
    

The report of the All Party Representative Committee (APRC) on measures to be taken to fully implement the provisions of the present constitution, towards seeking a political solution to the ethnic question, was handed over to President Mahinda Rajapaksa this evening ( Jan 23) at the Presidential Secretariat.

Describing the proposals submitted as the auspicious and important initial step towards solving the larger national question, President Rajapaksa said the Government and all political parties that supported it undertook the responsibility to fully implementing the proposals. 

On receiving the report President Rajapaksa said there was responsibility placed on all to ensure the rights of all people of Sri Lanka to enjoy freedom without fear, irrespective of race, religious political or any other differences.

He called on all political parties to shed narrow political differences and come together with due consideration for the innocent people of the country, to provide a suitable political solution to the political issue, while looking at a different solution to the problem of terrorism.

The President thanked all members of the APRC, who had been with it since its inception, including those of parties that had since parted from it, and urged that they eschew private political agendas in seeking solutions to the problems faced by the people.

The signatories to the proposals were the Sri Lanka Freedom Party, United National Party (D), Jathika Hela Urumaya, Ceylon Workers Congress, Sri Lanka Muslim Congress, All Ceylon Muslim Congress, Mahajana Eksath Peramuna, National Unity Alliance, Up-Country People’s Front, Communist Party of Sri Lanka, Eelam People’s Democratic Party, National Congress, Western People’s Front and the Lanka Sama Samaja Party.