Document tabled in Parliament:

Govt, LTTE sign P-TOMS
 

BY UDITHA Kumarasinghe

THE Government yesterday signed the Post-Tsunami Operational Management Structure (P-TOMS) document. The document was sent through Norwegian facilitators to Kilinochchi to get the LTTE's signature.

Mahaweli and River Basin Minister and Leader of the House Maithreepala Sirisena disclosed to the media that the MoU for the establishment the P-TOMS was signed after it was presented in Parliament.

Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Ministry Secretary M.S.Jayasinghe was the signatory on behalf of the Government. Shanmugalingam Ranjan, Deputy Head of Planning and Development Secretariat signed on behalf of the LTTE, the TamilNet website said.

The Peace Secretariat will release a detailed communique to the media, Minister Sirisena said. Representatives of PA continent parties and several other parties were present at the press briefing to express their support to the P-TOMS.

Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister and Chief Government Whip Jeyaraj Fernandopulle assured that the Government will be stable until the next Presidential Election. All minor parties have extended their fullest support to the Government to continue its term.

He said no party has any intention whatsoever to go for a General Election at this juncture.

The Government can only be toppled through a No-confidence motion or the Budget. In order to do this, the JVP should join hands with the UNP. However the JVP is not willing to do it, Fernandopulle said.

Minister Sirisena said the intention of the Government was to conduct the debate on the P-TOMS until 6.00 p.m. yesterday.

However, the Speaker had to adjourn Parliament at 10.30 am due to continuous interruptions by the JVP. The P-TOMS document was provided to all 225 Parliamentarians yesterday in all three languages.

The Minister said following a request to the Speaker, an opportunity was provided to him to make a special statement in Parliament yesterday.

However, JVP parliamentarian Wimal Weerawansa raised a question as to whether the Government has already signed this MoU or whether it will be signed during this debate.

"As we said on Thursday in Parliament, I clearly told him that both the Government and LTTE would sign the document after it is presented in Parliament.

The JVP MP who was not satisfied with my answer continuously interrupted my speech together with other JVP MPs. Then the Speaker adjourned the proceeding for 10 minutes.

After the Party Leaders meeting, Parliament was recommenced, but the JVP did not allow me to conduct my speech. Then I had to table my speech."

Finance and Planning Minister Dr. Sarath Amunugama said yesterday's debate on P-TOMS was an adjournment debate. Therefore no voting is made at the end of the debate.

Except the JVP, all parties in Parliament PA, UNP, TNA, CWC and Muslim Parties extended their support to this document. This can be introduced as a MoU which have obtained two third majority in Parliament.

He said the Mahanayake Theras requested the President to brief them on this P-TOMS MoU and later bring it before Parliament. Even the JVP and the JHU were also of this view.

The President fulfilled both these requests. Even the Leader of the House wanted to make a brief speech and later conduct the adjournment debate. The JVP continuously interrupted his speech and the House was adjourned.

The Minister said P-TOMS is an operational program while the LTTE has totally accepted Committees of the P-TOMS.

This whole process will based on consensus. Ninety nine per cent of these relief and reconstruction work will be done at district level. All the District Committees have been appointed by the President.

Dr. Amunugama said President Kumaratunga has never changed her approach on this issue. She widely discussed this issue with all the constituent parties of the UPFA.

The President also had a separate discussion with the JVP. When all stakeholders expressed their willingness, she brought this MoU before Parliament. "If we cannot agree on this trivial matter, how can we resume peace talks?

This MoU would lead to a good relationship with the LTTE to resume peace talks.'

Posts and Telecommunication Minister D.M. Jayaratne said the entire world is pressing the Government to sign this MoU. Only the JVP and the JHU oppose this from the entire world. As a socialist party, the JVP should equally treat all nationalities.

The Minister said P-TOMS will not cause any harm to the Muslim community. It has vested powers to both Muslims and Tamils. If the LTTE makes any proposals harmful to the Muslim community, the Government has powers to reject it.

However Minister Fernandopulle noted that even two JHU Parliamentarians including Ven. Uduwe Dhammaloka Thera have extended their support to the P-TOMS.