Prime Minister D M Jayaratne on Tuesday underlined the determination of the government to push for a political solution at the earliest to the decades-old Tamil ethnic problem in Sri Lanka.
"The government has taken steps to make a legal draft in order to offer a political solution for the people of the north and east," the prime minister said.
Speaking on a debate in Parliament to extend the emergency regulations for another month, Jayaratne said a political solution will be offered for Sri Lanka’s conflict ridden north and east.
"Initial discussions have already begun," he said.
The LTTE waged a bloody three-decade civil war for a separate state for the Tamils of Sri Lanka, alleging discrimination against the minority community at the hands of the majority Sinhalas.
Government forces crushed the Tamil Tiger rebels in May 2009, ending the LTTE’s armed struggle for a separate state in which at least 80,000 people were killed.
India has pushed for a "genuine reconciliation" in "spirit of understanding and mutual accommodation" after the end of the three-decade ethnic conflict in May 2009.
India has underlined the need to for a meaningful devolution process (for the minority Tamil community) building upon the 13th amendment as it would create the necessary condition for a lasting political settlement" to the ethnic issue in the post-LTTE era.
Highlighting the negative role of the Tamil diaspora in Europe and the US, he said the government was aware of a move to bring "war crime" charges against the country during the next month’s session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.
"The Tamil diaspora operated in the Europe is making plans in this regard. They are also trying to get support from several ministers of powerful European nations," he said.
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