President proposes power-sharing

12 January 2010 08:52 am - 57 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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President Mahinda Rajapaksa today offered concessions to Tamil demands for greater autonomy ahead of elections in which the minority community could play a decisive role. President Rajapakse said he was proposing power-sharing arrangements to give minority Tamils a greater say in the legislature and address long-standing demands for devolution of power, AFP reported.

The quest for an independent homeland was the main plank of a decades-long armed insurgency by Tamil Tiger separatists that only ended last year with a final military victory over the rebels.

"The end of the war does not mean the end of the conflict," Rajapakse told foreign correspondents at his tightly guarded Temple Trees residence in Colombo. "We need to politically address the needs of Tamils."

"All this will require amending the constitution and seeking the approval of the people at a referendum," Rajapakse said. "The ordinary people simply want to live in peace, but there is a demand and a need for a political settlement, " AFP qouted him as saying.

Meanwhile according to the Times of India President Mahinda Rajapaksa said slain LTTE chief Velupillai Prabhakaran's mother and mother-in-law were free to go to India to settle, if they wanted.

"They (Prabhakaran's mother and mother-in-law) can go to India if India agrees," Rajapaksa said according to the Times of India .

Rajapaksa said respect was shown to the mortal remains of Prabhakaran's father Velupillai and it was well embalmed and a few vehicles were also allotted for the cremation ceremony.

The President said he was told over 300 people attended the funeral of the LTTE leader's father. Parvathi and Erambu were also present during the cremation in Jaffna earlier this week.

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Comments - 57

Tuesday, 12 January 2010 10:31 AM

By the 26th SF would have delivered all his promises without being in power. So we need a change. Voters cannot be fooled all the time. All this last minute relaxations are in vain.

Tuesday, 12 January 2010 10:10 AM

Magic words in all corners, when there is a election.

Tuesday, 12 January 2010 10:10 AM

Any solution without merging the north and east will be acceptable to the Sinhalese!

Tuesday, 12 January 2010 10:13 AM

North and East should be merged only by a way of referandum not due any pressure from Tamils, Muslims or Singhalese!!!!!!!

Tuesday, 12 January 2010 10:13 AM

He always said a solution based on a Sri Lankan model is the answer. APRC was the begining of it. However the elimination of LTTE has now changed the situation. However it will not be like UNP's ISGA , concocted by Norway..

Tuesday, 12 January 2010 10:15 AM

mahinda known well that tamils will have vote to sarath, there fore MR trying to his site.tamils also well know about MR's stredegy.

Tuesday, 12 January 2010 10:16 AM

And if he wins he will have amnesia n forget he ever said these things.
viva for demo-crazy.

Tuesday, 12 January 2010 10:17 AM

Good morning, seems you have been woken up by the General

Tuesday, 12 January 2010 10:21 AM

Devloution of power upto what level?
Do not devolve power beyond 13th Amendment. But even do not think of merger of N+E.
Yes, we know and you confirmed that you will not merge N+E.
If tamils need remerge north and east and homeland, then they have to support Fonseka.
Do not expect similar thing form Rajapakse.

Tuesday, 12 January 2010 10:22 AM

Common man either Sinhala or Tamil need a peacefull society , with Law and Order if this is applied the devolution will be required only by Politicians.

Tuesday, 12 January 2010 10:23 AM

The days of the fictitious tamil homeland theory are over. The tamil homeland is in Tamil Nadu not Sri Lanka !

Tuesday, 12 January 2010 10:24 AM

Looks like the cat is peeping from the bag , will come out soon, in desperation. wonder what MR's kolla/Buruwansa have to say on this?

Tuesday, 12 January 2010 10:26 AM

All this time MR was a leader. Now he has become a follower. Whatever SF promises, next day MR also makes the same promise.

Tuesday, 12 January 2010 10:26 AM

Read the article Helaya. Can't you u'stand English??. It was said to the foreign correspondents at his tightly guarded Temple Trees residence in Colombo.

Tuesday, 12 January 2010 10:29 AM

santa is here because of the election. Lets first merge the north and the east and Ensure all are resettled.

These people have gone thru the worst of times lets not play with their lives any more. It is only then we will win peace.

Tuesday, 12 January 2010 10:09 AM

It is a elction promise only.

Tuesday, 12 January 2010 10:35 AM

Welcone to earth. We liked you. But don’t under estimate the people. We know what is best for us.

Tuesday, 12 January 2010 10:35 AM

who are you to talk to our leader like this?

Tuesday, 12 January 2010 10:36 AM

Merging the North and East is laying the foundation for the Tamil Eelam. No way.

Tuesday, 12 January 2010 10:39 AM

Where is Wimal Weerawansa. Let's have a protest and accuse of MR for being a traitor

Tuesday, 12 January 2010 10:59 AM

People are not ready to listen to these anymore. They have made up their mind. They all for SF.

Tuesday, 12 January 2010 11:08 AM

This man Rajapakse will stoop down to anything. In 2005, he said 'yes' to every Tom Dick and Harry, no matter what, and then reneged after becoming President. Same man, same mentality.

Tuesday, 12 January 2010 11:25 AM

promise,promise..........................thousands of times,it will never ever happen in this country , how many apc,peace talks agreements ,pacts and so on. Until and unless a bold leader takes over it will be the same story

Tuesday, 12 January 2010 11:26 AM

So now we're even :)

Tuesday, 12 January 2010 11:27 AM

tommorow he might say ok for elam...ha ha

Tuesday, 12 January 2010 11:30 AM

If this was said by the General Fonseka that will be a great betray. For him no problem.

Tuesday, 12 January 2010 11:21 PM

Change of heart, close to the election! All rubbish!

Tuesday, 12 January 2010 11:58 PM

Here it is ... and the truth is out and about ... and where are those so-called patriots?

Wednesday, 13 January 2010 01:19 AM

Power-Sharing...?.
Fonseka will decide on 27th !

Tuesday, 12 January 2010 09:38 AM

May I know the place where he has said about power sharing?

Tuesday, 12 January 2010 09:12 AM

If this was told by the General... My God....! "It will be a Maha Paava Deema"..... Mayvata apita hinaa....!

Tuesday, 12 January 2010 09:12 AM

You had two more years to serve the nation; why did not you solve this issue? You would have gone down in the history as a great peace maker... another election gimmick ....

Tuesday, 12 January 2010 09:14 AM

Too little too late.

Tuesday, 12 January 2010 09:15 AM

A "foreign conspiracu"

Tuesday, 12 January 2010 09:15 AM

I THINK HE IS FEELING THE HEAT.

Tuesday, 12 January 2010 09:16 AM

now desperate to get the tamil votes as now SF has the edge with the support of minorities

Tuesday, 12 January 2010 09:16 AM

DESPARADO.

Tuesday, 12 January 2010 09:25 AM

Just words. Words come easy during election time.

Tuesday, 12 January 2010 09:30 AM

So eelam is granted by MR. We need SF to stop this

Tuesday, 12 January 2010 09:30 AM

There is only one question. Mechchara kal mokadda kare? It's been 8 months and Mr. President is only just waking up. Ah, the simple joys of election time.

Tuesday, 12 January 2010 09:32 AM

Can the President also tell what happened to the All Party Conference which held hundreds of meetings and came up with some recommendations just like the proverbial "labouring a mountain and delivering a mouse". All this talk of power sharing is just another election promise by the President to get the votes of the Tamils and will be forgotten if he manages to win the Presidential Elections. With a lot of broken promises from the "Chinthanaya" and ditching of those who helped him to win the previous presidential election, this President should not be trusted. He is just trying to match whatever is promised by General Fonseka just for political advantage.

Tuesday, 12 January 2010 09:33 AM

Why Sir in this hurry ??? Last trump ?? Anyway, thank you for your political role in defeating LTTE. But now it is time to go. You are only good at bulldozing opponents, but not developing nations.

Tuesday, 12 January 2010 09:35 AM

I didn't think SF effect is so strong. He looks like shaken terribly.

Tuesday, 12 January 2010 09:09 AM

Without merging North and East,any solutions would be meaningless.Tamils will not accept any false promises!

Tuesday, 12 January 2010 09:43 AM

MR should have thought about all these good things, he is talking about now, soon after the military defeat of LTTE. People are well aware that he is now talking about these things for personal gain, not out of genuine interest to promote national reconciliation. Majority of the Tamils knows that he is corrupt and power greedy.

Tuesday, 12 January 2010 09:46 AM

Ths shows utter desparation. Remember what he had or hd not done all these five years with 'All Party' Tamashas. Now suddenly he had become a friend of the Tamils. Aney, how about that!

Tuesday, 12 January 2010 09:48 AM

Too little, Too late.

Tuesday, 12 January 2010 09:48 AM

owa ta kiyanne "CARRORT" Rajapakse CARRORT.

Tuesday, 12 January 2010 09:52 AM

I think under this presnt set-up what power sharing when some one look at how this government runs the country.

Tuesday, 12 January 2010 09:53 AM

Another dead thalaguliyak to draw Tamil voters! Are Tamils that foolish?

Tuesday, 12 January 2010 09:53 AM

Nice Joke, Autonomy needs joined North and East. Please first try to do that.

Tuesday, 12 January 2010 09:54 AM

Look who is the REAL traitor now!!!

Tuesday, 12 January 2010 09:58 AM

Here it comes. What will the Gelwansas now say to this??. Is develution of power acceptable to them????

Tuesday, 12 January 2010 09:59 AM

Good Move Sir...

Tuesday, 12 January 2010 10:01 AM

Ah-- what will the JHU and Wimal Weerawansa's party (whatever it is) say now?? blasphemy???

Tuesday, 12 January 2010 10:07 AM

its too late sir.you have missed the bus!!!!!

Tuesday, 12 January 2010 10:08 AM

The comments over here just prove how intelligent our Sri Lankans are.
Thank God at last we cannot be fooled by carrots and parrots.

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President proposes power-sharing

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