05 February, 2012  |
| PM says only the parliament can create or amend the country's constitution |
Sri Lanka's prime minister has accused capitalist countries in the West of threatening resource-rich nations in Asia.
DM Jayaratne issued the warning addressing a celebration to mark the birthday of Prophet Mohamed in Ratnapura.
"There is no talk about Libya; no questions about Egypt and Iraq. They are only talking about Sri Lanka ending 30-year old war," he told the gathering in Arabic school in Batugedara.
"We should not forget how many countries in Central Asia were destroyed through similar mechanism by the capitalist countries," he added.
National question
The aim of the capitalist countries, added Mr Jayaratne, is to capture oil and other resources in these countries.
 |  It is the government that pledged to find a solution to the national question not the capitalist countries |
In an apparent remark on the proposed Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) in finding a political solution, the prime minister said it is only the parliament that can create or amend the country's constitution.
"The president does not have a right to decide anything on his own about the issues facing the country. It is the parliament that makes and breaks the constitution," he added.
Sri Lanka's major Tamil party has abstained from nominating members to the PSC awaiting the government's response to proposals on power devolution.
The main opposition United National Party (UNP), meanwhile, criticised the prime minister for pointing the finger at others.
"It is the government that pledged to find a solution to the national question not the capitalist countries," said Tissa Attanayake, MP, the secretary general of the UNP.
He told BBC Sandeshaya that other countries would not point the finger at Sri Lanka if the government come up with a solution to the Tamil grievances and implement the recommendations of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission.
"Once a proposal to implement the recommendations is put forward, the parliament can make it law," said the UNP secretary general.
