CP wants UNP and UPFA to join hands to end communal strife

Deliver the country from the present dangerous trend of growing ethnic/ religious tension and to bring about national reconciliation

The UPFA coalition partner the Communist Party, yesterday, called for a bipartisan approach by the ruling party and the main opposition UNP to deliver the country from the present dangerous trend of growing ethnic/ religious tension and to bring about national reconciliation.

Communist Party chairman Raja Collure, who was speaking at the Unity in Diversity Forum organised by the National Unity Alliance in Colombo said it was the duty of the two main political parties in the country to prevent another ethnic holocaust.

Mr. Collure also called for the scrapping of the Executive Presidency asserting that it had been a major cause of the ethnic tension in Sri Lanka in the past.

He also called for independent commissions which are clearly independent of the Executive. Coming up with more suggestions, the Communist Party chairman said the electoral system should not be changed according to the whims and fancies of certain persons. Another government partner, the Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP), which also participated in this forum of various political parties called for the country to be declared a secular state. Senior LSSP member and Southern Provincial Council member the Venerable Baddegama Samitha Thera said politicians could abuse religion to gain their ends in a non-secular state. Also the Venerable Thera said Bodu Bala Sena was not the voice of the Buddhists and that true Buddhists treats all human beings alike. UNP MPs Karu Jayasuriya and Ravi Karunanayake who also spoke at the forum supported reconciliation. Mr. Karunanayake said the late prime minister D. S. Senanayake established the UNP with the objective of bringing about peace among all religious and ethnic groups. He said his party was also striving for this.

The Venerable Dambara Amila Thera in his speech requested Muslim businessmen not to close down their businesses and shops. He said the Muslims should not be afraid of the Bodu Bala Sena as such groups had a short life span.

Colombo Mayor A. J. M. Muzammil, NUA General Secretary Asath Sally, Democtaric Peoples Front Deputy Leader A. N. Kumarguruparan and Mavubima Janatha Party Leader Hemakumara Nanayakkara also spoke.