Does Mr. Rajapakse has a solution acceptable to the LTTE? Will the JVP agree to it? – Ranil

"Without the international assistance can Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse bring peace with Somanwansa Amarasinghe" asked, opposition leader and UNP's presidential candidate Ranil Wickremasinghe when he was addressing massive gathering in Vavuniya, yesterday. Mr. Wickremasinghe said that when he is elected as the president, he would unite with the Sri Lanka Freedom Party and talk to the LTTE for a lasting solution to the ethnic crisis on the basis of devolution of power within a united Sri Lanka. "Without working together, we can not have peace. I am only for a united Sri Lanka and not for any division" he said. The campaign meeting organized by the SLMC's Vanni district organizer Noordeen Mashoor was held at the municipal grounds in Vavuniya yesterday. SLMC leader Rauff Hakeem, Dr. Jayalath Jayawardene, Uva Provincial councilor Welayutham also spoke and several other dignitaries took part in the rally. "We have a society divided as Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims ethnically, as Buddhists, Hindus, Christians and Islam religions, again the Sinhalese are divided regionally as up-country and low-country" he noted. ‘The same JVPers who protested against the provincial councils system are representing seven provincial councils as a party, if the provincial system divides the country, why do they become members in it? In the past we saw thousands of youth falling victims during the JVP's liberation drama. Could the Prime Minister who has no international support bring in peace with the support of this Somawanse Amarasinghe?' he queried. He also said that Premier Rajapakse should let the people know what solution he has for peace. ‘Premier Rajapakse has fallen into to the JVP's trap, it is Mahinda Rajapakse's short sightedness made him to be tapped. When they were struggling without a political direction he panicked and it is his panic that trapped him, had he maintained some patience he could have trapped them, instead' he said. ‘At the forthcoming presidential election you must elect a person who has the ability think long-term, and work with a clear vision. Vanni is an area which is very badly affected by the war and tsunami; I will create a separate ministry to rehabilitate this area. We did not have any link between the government controlled areas and areas not under the control of the forces, it is to change this situation that we singed the CFA. ‘President Kumaratunga, I and the Prime Minister were of the clear view that only a federal solution based on the Oslo declaration could bring about a lasting solution to the ethnic issue. But today the situation is different only myself and the President are un-changed on this. Can Mahinda Rajapakse put forward a solution which is acceptable to the LTTE? Will the JVP agree to it? He asked.