FCCISL’s peace group hails alliance between SLFP–UNP

Regional Chamber heads also hailed the move as a much awaited positive step to bring about a long lasting settlement to the conflict, while creating positive vibes among the international community and foreign investors.

The Business for Peace Initiative (BPI), under the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FCCISL), last week hailed the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the two key political parties as an essential prerequisite for peace building and economic development in the war ravaged nation.

“This is a historic event as it is the first time since independence that the two major political parties, the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and the United National Party (UNP) have come together in the interest of peace and development,” FCCISL President Nawaz Rajabdeen, currently overseas, said in a statement.

Rajabdeen is heading a study tour to South Africa, Northern Ireland and the UK with chamber heads from the North and East to study the South African and Irish peace models. “This is indeed a historic moment for our country as we have finally come together to find a sustainable solution to the war. During our study tour we saw examples to prove the effectiveness of the multi party system. We hope that this will provide a platform for all the ethnic communities to come together and become stakeholders in the peace building process,” he said.

FCCISL Secretary General Samantha Abeywickrama, also on tour, said: “before we can succeed in talking peace between warring factions the government must go to the negotiating table with everyone speaking in one voice. FCCISL together with its regional chambers have been lobbying for such a union for a considerable time,”

Regional Chamber heads also hailed the move as a much awaited positive step to bring about a long lasting settlement to the conflict, while creating positive vibes among the international community and foreign investors.

“This MoU that was signed at a critical moment when the country has plunged into a spree of violence on the brink of fresh peace negotiations, it is vital for all the voices in the South to unite and provide a lasting solution based on a long term vision, that will not change from one regime to the next,” the Ceylon National Chamber of Industry’s President A.K. Ratnarajah said.

“Too many precious lives have been destroyed in this war. Irrespective of ethnicity, cast or creed these are the valuable human assets of the country that have been wasted. I fervently hope that this new union can put a stop to this massacre soon.

Further, women have been the real suffering minority from this war due to displacement and the loss of family support. It is essential to take cohesive steps to bring normalcy to their lives,” Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Ramya Weerasekara said.

National Chamber of Exporter’s Sri Lanka Kulathunga Rajapakse said that “The MoU between the key parties will usher stability and peace that is essential for export development.”

Sri Lanka Chamber of Small Industry Aloy Jayawardena added that “the SME sector has been long suffering due to the lack of investments or government support as national wealth was ploughed into the war effort. We are positive that the MoU will be a critical step in bringing a long term settlement to the conflict, which would create a conducive environment for SMEs.”

“The business community has been stifled by the conflict for over two decades. We hope that this new union among the key political parties will help strengthen the negotiations and thereby bring a lasting solution,” Kilinochchi Chamber of Commerce President M. Ignatius said.

Vauviniya Chamber of Commerce President K.C. Svrnerrajah said that “civilian life and the business community have been badly affected by the conflict. We hope that the new MoU will lead to a solution that is supported by everyone so that we can finally have a lasting peace.”

The Business for Peace Initiative (BPI) of FCCISL is an apolitical, comprehensive national initiative to facilitate the ongoing peace process by proactively involving the private sector and the business community. The BPI was launched in March 2006 in order to bring about a cohesive, organised and sustained effort by the private sector to play an active role in the country’s peace building process.