Tamils - a Trans State Nation..

"To us all towns are one, all men our kin.
Life's good comes not from others' gift, nor ill
Man's pains and pains' relief are from within.
Thus have we seen in visions of the wise !."
- Tamil Poem in Purananuru, circa 500 B.C 

"Prime Minister Rajapakse of Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and Ellawela Methantha Thera of Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) exchanged agreement for the forthcoming Presidential election at Dalada Maligawa, Kandy Tuesday morning at 11. 30am.

The parties agreed in principle to terminate talks on the Post Tsunami Operational Management Structure (P-TOMS) and to find a solution to the ethnic crisis on the basis of a unitary state.

Nimal Sripala de silva, Mangala Samaraweera, Susil Prem jayantha also took part in this event. Later the agreement was handed over to the Budhist prelates of the foremost Asgiriya chapter Uththrakitha Thera and the Malwatte chapter Subamangala Thera in Kandy by Prime minister Rajapakse.

The agreement was earlier signed by the parties a week earlier, 6th September, at the Prime Minister's house. These are the conditions laid by JHU to Mahinda Rajapakse. The twelve conditions included in the agreement are:

1. Sovereignty of the country shall be protected when seeking a solution to the conflict in the North and East.

2. No part of the Sri Lankan land shall be considered as the homeland of any racial group while the provincial, district and divisional secretariat boundaries would be redemarcated to suit the new economic,social and political needs.

3. No racial group shall be granted self governance in any part of Sri Lankan territory.

4. The Ceasefire Agreement shall be so revised as to ensure the prevention of terrorist activities since there is no purpose in continuing a unilateral Ceasefire Agreement.

5. The talks based on a final solution to reach within a predetermined time frame shall be held with LTTE.

6. The P-Toms shall be abolished and an efficient humanitarian rehabilitation plan in accordance with the Sri Lankan constitution shall be introduced instead.

7. The present paliamentary election system shall be amended to reflect the correct public choice and to make the president answerable to parliament and judiciary.

8. Government's involvement in sectors with strategic importance including finance, energy and transport and improving the efficiency under a new management shall be ensured.

9. The quality of free education and free health services shall be empowered through a efficient management.

10. Country's natural and oceanic resources and assets under government ownership and management shall be protected.

11. Environment friendly strategies to improve the plantation and agriculture sectors and fixed price for local agro products.

12. Local entrepreneurs shall be promoted through providing financial and tecnical assistance and improving worker's condition.

Mahinda Rajapakse signed an agreement with the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) last week at his official residence in Colombo. This Rajapakse-JVP agreement has created internal turmoil within the SLFP, with incumbent President Chandrika Kumaratunge sharply criticising the agreement as violating SLFP policies. JHU is credited for using the Supreme Court to rule on the Presidential polls to be held in 1995.