UNP should support Govt’s peace effort - Minister Anura Yapa

COLOMBO: It is regrettable that the UNP and its leader Ranil Wickremesinghe are acting irresponsibly at a time when the Government is working with dedication to build a peaceful environment in the country so that all could live together in harmony, Media and Information Minister Anura Priyadharshana Yapa said yesterday.

“It is the responsibility of Opposition Leader Wickremesinghe to support the Government’s efforts to reach a political solution acceptable to all political parties and to guide his party towards the same goal,” Minister Yapa said, noting that the UNP has not yet submitted its proposals to the All Party Representatives Committee (APRC).

“The UNP leadership which has no strength to win over the people with a political programme at village level is now engaged in a political campaign through the media in foreign countries as usual.

It is lamentable that UNP leader has become so politically bankrupt as to repeat the useless rhetoric normally reserved for the local political stage during his foreign tours as well.

Such statements made with a complete lack of foresight destroy our country’s good name and tarnish its image. These statements directly benefit the LTTE terrorists,” the Minister said in a statement issued last night.

He said: “Under President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s leadership, it has been possible to get together all political parties with the aim of creating honourable peace through a majority agreement in an undivided country. The SLFP has already forwarded its proposals to the APRC.

These are not the Government’s proposals - they are the SLFP’s proposals.

It is the Government’s expectation that a solution acceptable to all Lankans could be reached democratically based on the proposals of all parties to the APRC.

It is rather unfortunate that the UNP and others who fish in troubled waters have not submitted their proposals to the APRC yet. It is our belief that the UNP which has a long history should not act in this manner to fulfil narrow political aims.

Several prominent leaders of the UNP have already joined the Government to strengthen it, having realised the political bankruptcy of the UNP leadership.

The people expect the rest of the pragmatic persons in the UNP to follow their footsteps.

The people still recall with contempt the handing over of the Kotte kingdom to the Portuguese by Don Juan Dharmapala in the 15th century.

We are reminded of this dark passage of history by attempts being made by some persons to support separatist terrorists directly or indirectly.”