The delegation to the forthcoming peace talks in Switzerland on 28,29 October 2006, has been advised by His Excellency the President to examine the report of the subcommittee of the Panel of Experts, on concerns and aspirations of the Tamil and Muslim people.

The Panel of Experts was appointed by the President together with the All Party Representatives Committee (APRC) to find a ‘home grown solution’ to solving the National question and ending the conflict in the country. The two committees have met regularly and their work has advanced considerably.

The subcommittee in its report has identified specific issues that relate to the grievances of the minorities and suggested methods of rectification.

Among the issues that have been considered carefully by the subcommittee of the Panel of Experts.

1) The difficulties that Tamil speaking people encounter in their interactions with state authorities because of the lack of implementation of the Tamil language provisions in the constitution. The absence of necessary Tamil speaking officers has aggravated the problem.

2) To ensure personal security to eliminate the fear of violence to life and property. The sub committee has taken into consideration the problems that thousands of Muslims in the Northern and Eastern provinces have encountered from about 1990 and their expulsion from these two provinces. The Tamils have expressed a lack of confidence in the Armed Services and the Police.

3) The Tamils and Muslims affected by the conflict have been living in temporary shelters and camps and efforts should be made to ensure their settlement in places of origin or to relocate or find them alternate permanent housing. The Tsunami victims in those two provinces have also been affected. Compensation to be paid to genuine landowners in High Security Zones (HSZ) and a gradual reduction in such zones on the basis of an effective and proper decommissioning exercise being carried out.

4) The acceleration of development projects in the North and East to ensure there is sufficient apportionment of funds from the Central government.

5) To ensure that land alienation under colonization schemes are effected in a just manner with special attention paid to the minorities and that priority should be given to landless persons in the district and the province.

6) Employment opportunities for the minority communities and to rectify the existing imbalance through equal opportunities employment and recruitment of staff by regional administrations.

7) The fundamental rights chapters to be further strengthened.

8) Adequate minority rights representation at the centre by the setting up of an upper house and two slots to be given to the minority community in seven key selected cabinet portfolios.

The subcommittee has made recommendations and provided guidelines for addressing these hardships, many of which can be attended to without constitutional amendments.

The Government will make every effort to address these grievances as soon as possible, using the existing legal framework.