Omalpe Sobhita thero staged a fast against tsunami aid sharing deal

A senior JHU leader told BBC Sandeshaya (bbcsinhala.com) that party leader Ellawala Medhananda thero is the co-signatory to the agreement with PM Rajapakse.

Parliamentary group leader Athuraliye Rathana thero said the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) presidential candidate has pledged to find a solution to the national question within the unitary structure.

JHU is not asking to scrap the controversial deal (P-TOMS) to share tsunami relief aid with the Tamil Tigers, the thero added.

However, the party says the deal should be amended to be in accordance with Sri Lanka’s constitution.

The all Buddhist monk party says the talks with the LTTE should be based upon a clear agenda including a time frame for laying down the arms.

“But we do not insist laying down arms as a pre-condition,” Rathana thero told bbcsinhala.com website.

PM Rajapakse earlier agreed for a 12-point plan with Sinhala nationalist People’s Liberation Front (JVP).

Rajapkse and leader of the opposition Ranil Wickramasinghe are the main contenders of the November’s presidential elections.

Both are yet to announce their election manifestos.