What is sacrosanct in the 13th Amendment?
Posted on June 21st, 2013
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Asada M Erpini
Every Tom, Dick and Harry talks of the 13th Amendment as if it were the panacea for all ills in Sri Lanka, including the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”the ethnic issueƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢, the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”deprivation faced by the TamilsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ and anything else that seems to be appealing to the Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and CanadaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s human rights crusaders in the political parties of the country.
If Sri Lanka desires to amend its constitution, it is the responsibility of Sri Lankan citizens to do it. A big bully that happens to be living next door does not have the God-given right to decide what is best for Sri Lankans. Sri Lanka needs to exercise its authority as a sovereign nation: get rid of the entire 13th Amendment ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” no amendments, no changes, no patchwork.
Let the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) run to New Delhi every so often to tell the Indian leaders that the Singhalam big boys keep on stealing their marbles and do not allow them to play. The Indian pundit in the Prime Minister seat and the lady from Italy will always be ready to give a patient hearing to the LTTE proxies as otherwise they would never have the prominence, the luxuries and the perceived importance that they enjoy at present.
The sad irony in the whole episode of IndiaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s professed interest in problems of Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Tamils ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” Sri Lanka also has Sinhalese people who clearly have connections to Orissa and West Bengal of India ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” is that many of the infrastructure development projects that the present-day government has carried out in northern Sri Lanka never get into the radar of the Indian leaders.
June 21st, 2013 at 3:40 pm
TNA traitors have to be either LEGALLY or ILLEGALLY grilled.
A patriotic vigilante group is badly needed in SL.
June 22nd, 2013 at 8:38 am
Lorenzo !! Slight modification~~~A patriotic Sniper vigilante group.
June 22nd, 2013 at 10:19 am
JAYAWEWA! This is something I had STRONGLY advocated in the past to PROTECT the native people of Sri Lanka from foreign predators.
Given the huge DISPARITY IN WEALTH between Sri Lankan citizens and those in developed countries, there is a DISTINCT POSSIBILITY that Sri Lankans would be converted from landowners into renters … in their own Motherland … just like the Hawaiins today.
Citizenship is MEANINGLESS if the land belongs to foreigners!
Today they would be owner-investors, tomorrow they will DEMAND citizenship as well, creating another route to citizenship dispossessing the native people!
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Sri Lanka bans sale of state or private lands to foreigners
ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
June 22, Colombo: the Sri Lankan government will prepare legislation banning the further sale of state or private land to non-citizens.
Sri Lanka President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance and Planning has forwarded a proposal to the Cabinet of Ministers seeking approval to instruct the Legal Draftsman to draft legislation to impose restrictions on transfer of lands to foreigners.
Accordion to the President’s proposal, transfer of state or private land by way of a sale, donation, gift, or by any other disposition to a person who is not a citizen of Sri Lanka will be prohibited.
Further a sale cannot be sold or transferred to a company incorporated in Sri Lanka where any foreign shareholding of such Company is 50 % or above to a Foreign Company, unless exemption is granted in terms of the proposed Act.
Under the proposed act, the state or private lands could be leased out subject to stipulations to non-citizens for a maximum period of 99 years, instead of outright sale.
The Cabinet has given its approval to the proposed legislation.
June 22nd, 2013 at 10:19 am
What is sacrosanct in the 13th amendment? that it would end the war. That is the only reason it was drawn up during the war and it failed to do so thus making it null and void. the war was ended by military force and not by the devolution of power. Now the Tamils want to continue to hold onto the 13th amendment for the sole purpose of devolving power. Since that has proved to not work during the war it would only prove to be an impediment to the unity and integrity of Sri Lanka after the war.
June 22nd, 2013 at 10:30 am
I hope these GOSL appointees to the PSC will have the BACKBONE to recommend the REPEALING of the 13th Amendment, and NOT FINE TUNING IT to please India and ENABLE the SEPARATISTS of the Tiger Nominated Agents (TNA).
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Sri Lanka appoints parliamentary committee to study the 13th Amendment issue
ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
June 22, Colombo: The Speaker of Sri Lanka’s parliament, Chamal Rajapaksa Friday appointed the members of the ruling party to the proposed parliamentary select committee (PSC) to study the issue of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.
The Speaker appointed 19 members from the ruling United People’s freedom Alliance (UPFA) and asked the opposition political parties also to name their representatives.
Irrigation & Water Resources Management Minister Nimal Siripala De Silva was appointed as the Chairman of the Committee.
Other ruling party members appointed to the PSC are Ministers Prof. G L Peiris, Maithripala Sirisena, W D J Seneviratne, Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, Dinesh Gunawardena, Susil Premajayantha, Douglas Devananda, A L M Athaullah, D E W Gunasekara, Rishad Bathiyutheen, Patali Champika Ranawaka, Wimal Weerawansa, Basil Rajapaksa, Lakshman Seneviratne, Vasudeva Nanayakkara, and Janaka Bandara Tennakoon Deputy Minister Muthu Sivalingam, and MP Sudarshani Fernandopulle.
Sri Lanka’s Cabinet last week decided to appoint a PSC to discuss revisions to the 13th Amendment due to the divergent views of the coalition members over the 13th Amendment.
The Cabinet was of the view that a PSC would give an opportunity for all parties to express their views on the 13th Amendment.
Meanwhile Indian media reports say India’s National Security Adviser, Shivshankar Menon will arrive in Sri Lanka on July 8 to discuss the 13th Amendment introduced to Sri Lanka’s Constitution.
However Sri Lanka says Menon will be here on an earlier scheduled visit to participate in the Trilateral Maritime Security Conference.
June 22nd, 2013 at 11:02 pm
WONDERFUL! The British Tamil Forum is one of the main Eelamist Tamil Diaspora organizations. If they don’t want Power Devolved under the 13th Amendment, then the GOSL will NEVER satisfy the Eelamist Tamil DEMANDS with it, because it is the Eelamist Tamil Diaspora that is driving the pressure brought to bear on Sri Lanka by Western countries to do devolve power.
It is JUST AS WE HAVE SAID ALL ALONG: No reasonable accommodation can be achieved with the Eelamists; they want outright secession, just as the late unlamented Velupillai Prabhakaran wanted all along. He fought when he felt powerful, and talked when he was on the ropes, but NEVER BUDGED from his goal of an INDEPENDENT EELAM STATE. So it is with the Eelamists of today.
Therefore, AT LEAST NOW, dear Mr. President, TAKE A STAND and set an EARLY DATE for a NATIONWIDE REFERENDUM to REPEAL the 13th Amendment and DISSOLVE the Provincial Council System, and LET THE SOVEREIGN PEOPLE OF Sri Lanka DECIDE the ISSUE!
The RIGHT TO ELECT one’s candidates to the National Parliament is FRANCHISE ENOUGH for any Law Abiding Citizen. Only SEPARATISTS and Provincial Council Bureaucrats with CUSHY JOBS paid by the Sri Lankan Taxpayer want Provincial Councils. GET RID OF THEM, they are a source of ABUSE & WASTE, and are a RAVE THREAT to the INTEGRITY OF THE COUNTRY. Tiny Sri Lana DOES NOT NEED another layer of EXPENSIVE & UNNECESSARY BUREAUCRACY …. it makes Sri Lanka NON_COMPETITIVE in the Global Marketplace!
NEVER …. NEVER ….. NEVER let the UNREPENTANT SEPARATISTS Control Provincial Councils, or we will have COMMUNAL WARFARE AGAIN in Sri Lanka!
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British Tamils Forum Rejects Any Political Solution Based On The 13th Amendment
ColomboTelegraph.com
June 16, 2013
“Tamils reject any political solution based on the 13th amendment – it neither addresses the root cause of the conflict nor safeguards the Tamil national interest on the island.” says the British Tamils Forum.
Issuing a statement the British Tamils Forum says it insists that any political solution to the Tamil National Question has to be conducted through an internationally mediated referendum – only this can lay the foundation for a lasting peace and satisfy the socio-political and economic aspirations of the Tamils in the island of Sri Lanka.
We publish below the statement in full;
Tamils reject any political solution based on the 13th amendment – it neither addresses the root cause of the conflict nor safeguards the Tamil national interest on the island.
The 13th Amendment to the constitution, entrenched in the unitary state-centric model, cannot address the legitimate aspirations of the Tamil speaking people in Sri Lanka.
This amendment to the constitution is not in any way a starting point, an interim or a final solution to the conflict and it prevents any lasting negotiated settlement, reached with the support of the International Community. The British Tamils Forum strongly denounces any efforts to impose this unsupported and failed political response, which was reached for the benefit and interest of two countries – India and Sri Lanka – without consulting the Tamil Nation.
The 13th Amendment has several flaws: executive power will be exercised by a Provincial Governor appointed by the President; public services in the province will be controlled by the Governor; the President has the power to dissolve the Provincial Council; the Governor is not duty bound to the advice or instructions of the Chief Minister; the executive power of the Governor is subject to the control of the President; the Provincial Council cannot access the Provincial Fund without the sanction of the Governor; power over the police and public order is retained by the President; and the Disposition of State Land is also in the hands of the President; among many others.
Due to these flaws and inadequate provisions, it has been consistently rejected by the Tamil people and political leadership at several democratic stages, in the past and at present, ever since this bilateral agreement was signed between India and Sri Lanka.
The genocidal actions – pogroms, massacres, colonisation, land dispossession – committed by the Sri Lankan state in the Tamil homelands even under the current provincial council system foreshadow the realities of life following the 13th amendment.
All those who seek a genuine solution to the Tamil question must remain vigilant against falling into the traps that have been set by the Sri Lankan state and certain external forces to impose the 13th Amendment or a watered-down version of 13th Amendment upon the Tamils.
The Sri Lankan state, through its hard-line allies and ultra nationalist forces, has initiated a political campaign encouraging hard-line views and xenophobic sentiments on the 13th Amendment, with a view to diluting the amendment even further to its interest, before thrusting it upon the Tamils. This is clearly visible to observers of contemporary southern politics.
In the contrast, certain external actors who aspire to play the role of ‘saviour’ in the Tamil-Sinhalese political arena are pushing for implementation of the 13th Amendment in its entirety, in the pretext of rescuing the Tamils in Sri Lanka.
On these grounds, the British Tamils Forum stands in solidarity with our people in our Tamil Homeland and state that any political initiatives grounded in the 13th Amendment cannot be feasible and will not create an enduring peace in Sri Lanka.
The British Tamils Forum insists that any political solution to the Tamil National Question has to be conducted through an internationally mediated referendum – only this can lay the foundation for a lasting peace and satisfy the socio-political and economic aspirations of the Tamils in the island of Sri Lanka.
June 23rd, 2013 at 3:07 am
Susantha,
Just my thoughts!!!
But I didn’t want to spell it out.
A sniper carries more ammunition than the number of 13 amendment supporters in SL.
Boy, how I LOVE to be part of it! I’m 100% sure I’m not alone.
June 23rd, 2013 at 3:11 am
Once Lalith Athulatmudali said we should even team up with the devil to kill Tamil terrorists.
I agree.
We should NOT disrupt BTF attempts to bust up 13 amendment. Kasippu Joseph loves 13 amendment while SJ Emmanuel hates it. Divide and rule.
It is heartening to see Kasippu Joseph has become a household name!
June 23rd, 2013 at 8:48 am
Hello Everybody……..I see most comments are from people abroad, and they constitute a substantial number of Sri Lankans who love our country.
Many wonder why our President HE Rajapaksha..is hesitating to put the question to an Island wide referaandum??
My feelings are either he wants to give at least some room to India to vent her anger & then see what happens. He is not a pro-active person due to many problems. Even in the Govt.party there are divisions, and goons paid by you know who, & their intent is to de-stablize Sri lanka, to get a payback from others in India & EU etc.
Another reason could be, he wants to see Commonwealth Ministers conference throough to make some announcement. Do not forget this person is well versed in political area in Sri lanka, 43 years of his life. So whether we like it or not, we have to wait.
That does not mean that we allow any member of 4-5% minority to dictate terms to the majority. We must NOT relax, THIS TYPE OF PRESURE by Sri Lanka lovers MUST CONTINUE till we achieve our objective..That is to get rid of PCs, 13 th ammendment.. & keep Lanka FREE, UNITED & a UNITARY STATE…….
I know Buddhist clergy will always support our cause, BUT Not other religious leaders, bishops, and paid lackeys who will do anything & everything to disrupt the progress lanka has made so far…GOD BLLESS – Sri Lnaka. On this POSON day………May the Noble triple GEMS protect & guard our small but corrupt paradise…..~ J
June 23rd, 2013 at 1:47 pm
jayasiri,
Thank you for your patriotic stand.
My concern is that TIME is RUNNING OUT, and there will not be ENOUGH TIME to REPEAL the 13th Amendment, or even REMOVE its FANGS that will, in time, lead to the CREATION OF A SEPARATIST BASE in the Northern Province.
ONCE the TNA gets hold of the Northern Provincial Council, it will be DOWNHILL from there for Sri Lanka; it will be impossible to ROLLBACK the 13th Amendment after that.
It BOGGLES my mind, that the CHOGM and UN-HRC meetings are held to be more IMPORTANT than the Sovereignty and Survival of Sri Lanka.
DAMN both of those meetings & REPEAL the 13th Amendment, dear Mr. President!
June 23rd, 2013 at 6:35 pm
North elections date set to 21 September 2013. Unofficial news.
2 more elections on the same day.
FOOLISH govt. giving away money and jobs to Tamils in the north hoping to get their vote. They will EAT from the govt. and VOTE for TNA!!
Mark my word.
Even the FEW UPFA seats will ALL be EPDP fellows.