Comments on: The APRC: A Forgotten Resolution

By: Ramo

Ramo — Sun, 11 Aug 2013 04:14:03 +0000

The Sinhala people are not magnanimous especially when it comes to sharing land and this is extended to sharing of authority. Hence Sinhalese leadership, tainted likewise, make promises in grand speeches to portray themselves as statesmen but still carry that mentality of jealousy and selfishness. They’d kill rather than give and we have seen this all through our lives.

We’ll never have a Sri Lankan Nelson Mandela and Sinhalese kids aren’t brought up to produce one in the foreseeable future either.

That’s the reality – let’s face it.

By: kanian Poonkunran

kanian Poonkunran — Sun, 04 Aug 2013 03:32:13 +0000

I thank Amitha Arudpragasam for bringing the fate of APRC final report to our attention. I agree with the author that this report is not only still relevant but also can be the basis for any amicable solution for the ethnic crisis.

They say the superior person knows what is right and the inferior person knows what will sell. Likewise our Sri-Lankan politicians know very well that anti Tamil rhetoric will get them more votes and any conciliatory talks with Tamils will jeopardise their political ambitions. This is the reason this conflict is still dragging on for so many decades since independence.

Even if we have a Nelson Mandela from the Tamil community, Some one should have the gut to be Clark from the Sinhala community, to have permanent peace with justice.

Kanian

By: eureka

eureka — Sat, 03 Aug 2013 06:05:53 +0000

For 65 yrs the trend hasn’t changed and no signs of change on the horizon:

” …In each, the party previously in opposition gained decisive power on a platform that promised fundamental change. After each election, there were missed opportunities for initiatives that could have addressed many concerns of Tamil community members, while simultaneously respecting the concerns of all but the most radical Sinhalese nationalists. In each instance, however, Sri Lanka’s political leaders chose not to expend their political capital in this way but instead, to accede to demands of the radicals. … it will be useful to seek lessons from periods when Sri Lankan political leaders, like President Mahinda Rajapaksa, had such overwhelming political support that they were in a position, if they chose, to expend political capital by taking concrete steps toward communal reconciliation. …” – Prospects For Post Conflict Reconciliation And Development In Sri Lanka: Can Singapore Be Used As A Model? Prof John Richardson, Text of a presentation at Global Asia Institute Speaker Series (2010), National University of Singapore, Prof John Richardson, http://groundviews.org/2010/11/05/prospects-for-post-conflict-reconciliation-and-development-in-sri-lanka-can-singapore-be-used-as-a-model/

By: Safa

Safa — Sat, 03 Aug 2013 05:13:53 +0000

APRC was a well constituted body representing all political, racial and religous groups and hence its conclusions bear the seal of consensual agreement. The report should therefore be given due importance when deciding on constitutional change for the nation. It is a valuable document resulting from months of discussion and negotiation.

The constitution is a timeless piece of legislation enshrining the sovereignity of the nation and its peoples. It embodies and guarantees the rights of all sections of the nation. It is not something that varies with changing ground conditions. The position taken by JHU is nothing but racist opportunism to deny the rights of the minorities. What held true in 2006 should also apply today.

By: Dev

Dev — Sat, 03 Aug 2013 02:31:25 +0000

The APRC report is gathering dust despite having the consensus of all major parties !

The seriousness of the president in solving the ethnic issue is clearly demonstrated by this action and YET people like Dayan hold a candle to him (for reasons known to all I guess).