Dr. U Pethiyagoda has taken exception to efforts being made to evolve ‘a political solution to the ethnic problem’.

He admits that he is not a pundit and suggests that ‘pundits’ shut up. I wonder what right he has to ask others holding dissenting views to shut up.

He asks: ‘What are the examples where a community or section of our populace, by virtue of their ethnicity or race alone, are victims of a circumstance from which another or other ethnic groups are free?"

This is a question which has been answered by all the elected governments of Sri Lanka since 1956 by entering into many pacts with Tamil leaders.

Finally, a part of the answer has already been given in the 13th Amendment.

Those who are opposing a political solution should understand how we won 29 votes at the UNHRC special session, under the capable leadership of the Sri Lankan delegation well supported by the clever diplomatic work of Dr. Dayan Jayatillake, to defeat the neo-colonial western powers.

They must remember that what stood us in good stead at that forum was the government’s commitment to ‘a political solution to the ethnic problem’ and if we need that support continuously we have to handle this matter very sincerely.