In a fresh move to coerce the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) to take part in the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) deliberations its Chairman and Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva yesterday said the PSC was inviting the TNA afresh to participate in the deliberations.

This follows the comments made by Northern Province Chief Minister C.V.Wigneswaran at the Bernard Soysa birth anniversary oration at the Wellawatte Tamil Sangam Hall on March 31 indicating that the TNA might take part in the PSC deliberations in the near future.

Chief Minister Wigneswaran also said if the Reports and Recommendations of various Committees which had gone into these matters earlier, especially those during the time of Madam Chandrika Bandaranaike as well as those during the stewardship of the present President Mahinda Rajapaksa were laid down on the talks table and the PSC is instructed to take forward its deliberations from the point where the earlier Committees had stopped, he saw no reason why the TNA should keep out of the deliberations.

Mr. Wigneswaran charged that there seemed to be no attempts made by the Executive to work towards a lasting political solution except to blame the TNA for not coming forward to participate in the Parliamentary Select Committee process and added that the earlier discussions between the TNA and the Government were abandoned by the Government and not by the TNA. As the Chairman of the PSC I am pleased to appreciate the sentiments expressed by Chief Minister Wigneswaran that the TNA was positively considering participating in the deliberations of the PSC,” Irrigation and Water Resources Management Minister De Silva told the Daily Mirror yesterday.

The government has done its best to persuade the TNA to take part in the PSC deliberations. In fact at one of the meetings held some three months ago it unanimously made request and extended an open invitation to the TNA to come and take part in the deliberations as the government was of the opinion that the PSC is the best forum to discuss the national issue, Minister De Silva who is also the Leader of the House stressed.The TNA or whoever comes before the PSC will be given the opportunity to express their views and objections. The PSC has listened to several individuals and organizations place before it the divergent views and opinions, he said.

“We had fruitful deliberations and interactions so far and the PSC determined to endeavour to have broad and open discussions on the issues and I hope the TNA will take a rational decision and take part in the PSC deliberations sooner than later. I am thankful to Chief Minister Wigneswaran for this moderate and positive approach towards the national problem,” Minister De Silva emphasized.

He also said the South African government sought his views during his recent visit on a possible interaction with the TNA or whether the Sri Lankan government opposed such a move. He said the Sri Lankan government appreciates such attempts and was never against them.

Minister De Silva said the next PSC meeting will take place in the first week of May.

Source: Daily Mirror - Sri Lanka