By Charles.S.Perera

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Thomas Jefferson said , never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Some question the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-indecentƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ hurry to adoptƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  the 18^th Amendment to theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Constitution.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  The human mind is so fickle and one does not know when one would change the mind on an issue.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Therefore, itƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  is correct that the Constitutional changes are made when the government still has the two third majority. It is now or never. That perhaps explains the haste if there was any.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ It also allowsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  the President to go ahead with the appointment of the Commissions that had been postponed due to practical difficulties with the 17 th Amendment.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ More importantlyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  there isƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  the 13 Amendment to the Constitution which the President may be able to look into more closely with the two third majority he has in the Parliament.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ In 1987 the Indian Government to please the TamilNadu state intervenedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  trespassing ourƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  air space to drop foodƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  packets to the terrorists under attack by the Sri Lanka Armed Forces.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  It was after that an Indo Sri Lanka agreement was signedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  forcing JR Jayawardhana to include the 13^th Amendment to the Constitution, to allow the Indian Government to send a Peace Keeping Force, and to mergeƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  the North and Eastern provincesƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  toƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  facilitate their work.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ This was an Amendment to the Constitution which was introduced withoutƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  clearly examining the issues involved,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  and requiresƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  removal replacing it with a moreƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  acceptable legislation.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Thereafter the parliament may examine the Constitution ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ further to find out what moreƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  amendments should be made to make itƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  suitable for ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ a fast developing country.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  These are the advantage that the adoption of the 18^th Amendment brings in its train.

But Western media as much as their governments would not like toƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  see Sri Lanka asƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  a third world country develop independently,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  without their ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-colonial dictatesƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  The world has changed andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Sri Lanka has to look forward without being bound toƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  its former pseudo ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ benefactors, who instead of helping Sri Lanka to developƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  threwƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  barriers on the path of its development.

The European Union when it withdrew the GSP+ trade concessions bring in irrelevantƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  demands of adherence to their version of ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…- human rightsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ Sri Lanka has had enough. It showed, leaving no doubt ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ that Sri Lanka cannot depend on the West for its development. Hence it was forced to look for ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ other nations who have in the meantime developed far better than the West both economically and technologically, and are politically wiser and generous towards the developing countries.

This continuingƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  obstructionƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  by the countries of the West for developing countries, and the contempt with which they look at them, ridicule and false mediaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  publicity to bring discredit to our country and our politicians are forcing Sri Lanka away from its former attachment to ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ West.

With the latest political changes taking place ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ in Sri Lanka with a President who has more than a two third majority in Parliament, musteringƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  great popularity among his peopleƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  the ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ BBC and ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Associated Press have a field day.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

BBC sub-headline reads: Sri Lankan MPs have approved proposals to let President Mahinda Rajapaksa seek an unlimited number of terms, in a move critics say could lead to dictatorship.

Charles Havilland of BBC, twisting the news his way, makes the reader understandƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  with a disgusting look inƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  face thatƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-hawkishƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ President Mahinda Rajapakse wants to retain the presidency for an unlimited period of time.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  He has made the President ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ look a dictator with the slight twist in his report.

The fact is that the Parliament adopted an Amendment to its constitution, which allows any living President to contest a presidential election any number of times.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  With that legislation the Sri Lanka government does not step out of the democratic norms sacrosanct to the West, the Anglican Church and others of their ilk.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

But Havilland used theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  article ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-theƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ instead of ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-aƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ before the word ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-presidentƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ in his report and for good measureƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  added ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…- ..and boosts the powers of the head of state ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚

His reportƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  reads, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-The office of the Sri Lankan president has just become significantly more powerful. The constitutional amendments passed by MPs with a massive majority remove the limit on how many times the president can stand for election. and boosts the powers of the head of ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ state ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  (emphasis is mine)

The office of the Sri Lankan presidentƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  had always been powerful, exceptƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  that, with the 18^th AmendmentƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  he is able to ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ make things function better than he was able to with an unworkable 17^th Amendment which had beenƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  included into the Constitution before its workabilityƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  had been carefully examined.

BBCƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  had also spoken to Sarath Fonseka, the former Army CommanderƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  who had political ambitions.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  He had said that the passing of the 18^th Amendment to the Constitution is “the last nail into the coffin of democracy” and that ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…- The president is trying to take the country towards dictatorship and we will fight against it,” .ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Sarath Fonseka does not know the difference between a Dictator and an executive President.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  At least the people of Sri Lanka could be happy that he did not become the President.

Sarath Foneka has further said, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-We consider today as the day the sovereignty of the Nation was murdered. A country needs a constitution not to strengthen the President or the ministers but to protect rights of the people. The existing constitution has ample provisions for power if someone engages in politics honestly. As such, this amendment is brought to fulfil personal ambitions. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The day that the Sovereignty of Sri Lanka was murdered was the day that Sarath Fonseka gave the nominations to contest the PresidentialƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  elections.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Protecting the rights of the people is to strengthen the President and a government dedicated to the service of the people.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Sarath Fonseka has no right toƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  speak ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  political honesty of the President when he turnedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  a traitor to this country by using the war to enrich the family, and broughtƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  discredit toƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  the country whichƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  eliminated terrorism with the correct political leadership and the Armed Forces that conducted the warfare obedient to the duties expected of them..

In the meantime Ranil Wickramasingha who has lost political credibility, unable to conduct his own party ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-democraticallyƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚, makes a hue and cry that theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  adoption of the 18^th Amendment is the end of democracy in Sri Lanka.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

He says the presentation of the Bill of Amendment to the Constitution was in violation of the Constitution itself.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Wickramasinghe speaks as if the people of the country have already forgotten the very high handed method he usedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  when he was only the Prime Minister of the UNF Government, disregarding the President,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  to go behind the Parliament, to sign the CFA with the terrorist leader Prabhakaran giving the terrorists rights over theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  territories occupied by them.

He has introduced a new term the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-perpetual PresidencyƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Any one with any common sense, if not prejudiced against the President,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  may understand that the 18^th Amendment does not create a perpetual Presidency.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  ItƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  only removes the restriction on the number of timesƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  a person could contestƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  a Presidential election.

Surprisingly Mr.Weliamuna of the Transparency International had said that a PresidentƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  could be charged in a court of law when he has completed his second term of office, but the adoption of the 18^th AmendmentƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  gives the President a life long immunity. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ This is wrong as in fact the President is the loser, as before he had immunity for two terms office, butƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  the removal of the restricted term of office makes any President answerable to the law after the end of each term of office.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

In any case ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ for the people who are unbiased , andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  believe in the President Rajapakse after having observed the development taking place under his leadership, the work he continues to do for the welfare of the country and its people, adoption of the 18^th Amendment gives him the courage to continue with the projects of development he has in his mind, before he hands over the reins to some one else elected by the people to continue the work from where he has left.

The best way to keep alive the democracyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  every one in the opposition fears to loose is to bury the hatchets of discord, and join the President and the Government to work together to make a great country out of Sri Lanka. That would also help to chase away fears of dictatorship.