Wigneswaran Wants Role In Reconciliation Process

Northern Province Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran yesterday called for his inclusion or that of a member of the Northern Provincial Council in the reconciliation process. Speaking at an event attended by former President Chandrika Kumaratunga in Tellipalai, Wigneswaran said that the Tamils in the North have been agitating for their participation in the processes adopted for reconciliation.

“Reconciliation demands the participation of those affected freely and dignifiedly. Our participation does not mean our officials. They are beholder to the Centre. The political representatives of our people should be made to participate right from the beginning. Merely to look into the physical needs of our people is inadequate. Their feelings need to be assuaged,” he said. Wigneswaran said the people in the North are critical about the preparation of the Peace Building Priority Plan Framework in that many matters that need to have been given adequate attention and importance have not been included therein. “Our requests to bring us into the process fell on deaf ears. Even now it is not too late to include us. How would you implement the framework when the key stakeholder is not a part to it? The framework has no reference to War Crimes’ accountability; there has been no reference to the inclusion of War Crimes jurisdiction into our Law, demilitarisation, high security zones, security sector reforms should have been included into the framework, the need to withdraw Prevention of Terrorism Act should have been reiterated and helped to be withdrawn,” he said. Wigneswaran says the hardship of the Tamil people and their aspirations have not been adequately understood and there is a feeling of “serves them right” pervading the psyche of the powers that be.