'India key to peace in Sri Lanka'

India's role in the peace process in the Sri Lanka was 'indipensable' for resolving the ethnic strife in the Island republic, its former Constitutional Affairs Minister Prof G L Peiris said on Saturday.

Addressing a meeting in Chennai, organised by Observer Research Foundation, he said this was very much needed especially at a juncture when two major parties Sri Lanka Freedom Party and its archrival United National Party were on the threshold of inking a pact for a common minimum programme.

"We would like India to play a much more vigorous role. Of course, there are constraints and inhibitions, but it is still possible for India to play a meaningful and proactive role," he said while delving on the topic 'Peace Process: Issues and Challenges.'

He said: "When a SLFP-UNP memorandum of understanding was on cards shortly, we are sure the CMP will remove some of the inhibitions and open a new vista for greater involvement of India."

Replying to a question on how the new CMP will help restore peace in the Island nation, Peiris said it was the paramount duty of the state to involve military against terrorism, but at the same time the grievances of people had to be tackled politically.

"The sheet-anchor of a political solution has to be within the framework of Sri Lanka. Certain areas like monetary policy, foreign affairs, defence or security, budget, shipping and navigation and aviation will be in the hands of the centre. All other matters could be devolved," he said.

Peiris said the devolution should be for the benefit of people at large and 'not to a political group.'

He said earlier approaches had not succeeded, but the draft constitution, brought out in the year 2000, which provided for sharing of power within the framework of Sri Lanka, was coming at a time when a CMP agreement was about to be formalised.

"None of the earlier documents had a backing. The fatal flaw was that opposition party was waiting to shoot down any proposal, but now SLFP and UNP are coming together, which will make a substantial change," he said.

He expressed hope that peace will come with the LTTE realising that the present document offered substantially more than in the past.

Peiris said both the parties decided to frame an agreement because they realised that there was a need to move away from a confrontationist stance to something that would usher in peace and economic well-being.

After many deliberations between the two parties, six areas were identified as priority areas where a CMP had to be reached, including ethnic, electoral reforms, good governance, economic development, educational reforms and social development.

It also offered advantages, including bringing in a system that required neither constitutional amendment not a law, and the CMP could be ushered in through a simple amendment to standing order of Parliament, Peiris said, adding that once a MoU was signed, it will give a new credibility to the peace talks between the government and the LTTE. Here is where India's role in the peace process has become 'indispensable,' he said.

He said it was essential that SLFP and UNP signed the MoU before the talks between the Tamil Tigers and the government commenced on October 28 in Switzerland.