Discussing shape of domestic mechanism, not hybrid - PM

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe says that a host of steps including the passing of a new constitution should be followed in order to ensure the non- recurrence of past mistakes.

He stated that the best way to ensure that the non- recurrence of past mistakes is to provide a political solution to the woes of the Tamil people. “We believe that we would be able to achieve it through a constitution,” he said delivering a special statement in Parliament today. 

A parliamentary committee for constitutional drafting will be appointed in the future for this purpose, he said. 

He stated that the proposed domestic mechanism to address accountability issues would be established after consulting all stakeholders including the victims and that it will not be created by any international institutions or individuals. 

“We’re having a lot of discussions among ourselves as to what should be the shape of the domestic mechanism. So there is nothing to be brought from abroad as some of the media says.”

“I would like to tell the hybrid people that this is not hybrid,” he said.

He also said that the country’s Tamil political leadership had faced many obstacles in the past and that they should be provided the opportunity to finally reach a political solution for their problems.  

“A lot of people could not come to politics from the North. The Tamil leadership was either destroyed or others were prevented from coming to politics. Many of them left and went abroad to join the diaspora.” 

“The campaign carried out by the LTTE was not only against Colombo but we all know it was also against Jaffna,” he said. 

He stated that therefore such an era should not be allowed to return and that the Tamil leadership, of which only a few remain now, should be allowed to reach a good political solution. 

“Solutions cannot be found for these issues by espousing racism and religionism. We are not prepared to hand over this issue to our future generation.”

It is our responsibility to create a country where all people can live without any hindrance, he said.