Interim Advisory Council for the North

President Mahinda Rajapaksa is to set up a Temporary Interim Advisory Council (TIAC) to resolve problems in the North.

The advisory council, which will have representatives from all ethnicities, will directly work with the Northern Province Governor who is to be appointed by the Government.

This was revealed by Agriculture Development and Agrarian Services Minister and SLFP General Secretary Maithripala Sirisena at a special news briefing held yesterday.

Minister Sirisena said President Mahinda Rajapaksa was committed to resolve the national problem and bring lasting peace to the country.

The President will set up the TIAC and appoint a Governor to resolve the problems and discuss minority community grievances in the North.

"The North is yet to be cleared of the LTTE. It is difficult to held an election in the North at the moment. All national issues will be discussed by the TIAC representatives with the Governor. This will also strengthen the relation between the TIAC representatives and public."

The President is committed to peace and within two years of becoming President, he had made every effort to bring a political solution to the national problem.

"The LTTE had never given the President an opportunity to discuss the national question. They exploded bombs in the North within a week after he took over as President," he added.

The APRC's success was a historic milestone and major achievement by the present Government. "The President had invited all parties to establish the APRC and all parties had responded to his invitation. It is the first time ever in the history of country all political parties had come to such an agreement. This would help resolve the national issue," Minister Sirisena remarked.

He stressed that the UNP should continue its support to the Government to implement the APRC proposal for the sake of the common masses.

"The UNP was represented at the APRC and ceased its contribution later. We urge the UNP to continue its support to the APRC proposal and extend its contribution to solve national issues and to salvage the country from terrorism," he added.

Enterprise Development and Investment Promotion Minister Dr. Sarath Amunugama said the APRC was the first instance where all parties joined to form a consensus.

"In the APRC proposal we have Unitary Devolution and Power Devolution which take into account all minority communities and their grievances," he added.

Minister Amunugama pointed out that the election to be held in the East is part of the exercise. The East was liberated from the LTTE and the Government will hold a fair and free election. Through the election all communities have an opportunity to elect their party members.

The Ministers said the UNP is making false campaign on the 13th Amendment. "The UNP is saying that we are carrying on with what they have been doing.

In fact, the UNP or any of its leaders could not implement the 13th Amendment in the North and the East. The TIAC which will be appointed by the President is totally different from the mechanisms envisaged in the Indo-Lanka Agreement."