The All Party Representatives Committee (APRC) at its 74lh meeting moved a vote of condolence on the murder of Ms. Maheswary Velautham, the representative of the Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP) in the APRC, by an LITE assassin. This act of terrorism on an innocent unarmed lawyer when she visited her sick mother in Jaffna was strongly condemned by all the members of the APRC.

Maheswary Ve1autham had represented the EPDP at the discussions of the APRC with courage and determination. She openly and clearly expressed her views and made a significant contribution to the discussions on diverse topics related to the resolution of the national question. She was committed to the solving of the ongoing conflict through a political solution within the framework of a single undivided country. She stood for the unity of all Sri Lankans, Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims, in one country with due respect for the dignity and rights of every individual. As such she played an active role in the discussions within the APRC.

At all times she stood up for the rights of the Tamil people and opposed all discrimination. She was a firm defender of human and democratic rights. Like her Party Leader, Douglas Devananda, she was firmly convinced that further devolution of power through the proper implementation of the 13th amendment to the existing Constitution would significantly improve the conditions of the Tamil people and would be a useful first step on the road to the resolution of the conflict.

At this time of the tragic loss of a fellow member of the APRC I would urge the LTTE to abandon its resort to terrorist actions in seeking its political objectives. The death of innocent civilians only increases the resistance to their struggle and delays the resolution of the conflict. Further the solution to the national question has to be a political one. It should be clear by now to the LTTE that neither the government nor the people of Sri Lanka are prepared to see the country divided. The only practical solution is one based on devolution of power within one country.

The APRC will sadly miss the enthusiastic presence of Maheswary Velautham at our discussions. The best tribute that we can pay to her is to successfully conclude our discussions as soon as possible by reaching consensus on a set of proposals that would adequately meet the needs and aspirations of the Tamil speaking people of this country while addressing the desires and concerns of the Sinhala people. I am sure that with the cooperation and support of the representatives of the various political parties this goal will be achieved before long.

On this occasion on behalf of the APRC I would extend our deepest condolences to all the members of the family of the late Maheswary Velautham, and to the members of her party, the EPDP.