13 Amendment should be removed, and replace PCs with a people friendly Regional Administration.
Posted on June 27th, 2013
By Charles.S.Perera
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Those who have a personal agenda are against the removal of the 13th Amendment.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The 13th Amendment is now an anti dated legislature. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ It was introduced for another purpose at another time.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Even at the time it was introduced into the Constitution the 13 Amendment did not serve the purpose for which it was introduced.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The India Lanka pact that introduced the 13th Amendment ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ was a failure from the start.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The IPKF with a starting force of 10000 men had 80000 men at its peak, yet it was unable to stop terrorism.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The disaster caused with the Indo Lanka pact thatƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ introduced the 13the AmendementƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ was immense. ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…- The IPKF suffered around 1,200 killed in action and several thousand wounded. The LTTE casualties are not known reliably but it is assumed that approximately 8000-11000 were killed and several thousand were injured.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ (wikipedia)
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Finally the Indian Army left without solving any of the problem they came to solve. And the aftermath was the assassination of the man who planned the interventionƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ of Indian Army in Sri Lanka which served no purpose,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ but managed to left behind the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-hatedƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ 13th Amendment which has become theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ bone of contention of every one.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The 13 Amendment was to facilitateƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the Indian army to bring the LTTE under control and establish peace.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The Indian Army left making the problem worse than it was before they came. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ In Sinhala there is a saying, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…- what is the use of the sword which was not there for the war; is itƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ toƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ cut jak fruits ( yuddeta neti kaduw kos kotantada ) ? ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ We could hence ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ask of what use is the 13th Amendment which served no purpose to end terrorism and establish peace.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The wisest possible action Sri Lanka can do with it now ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ is to just dump it and prepare another system of regional administration which suits the country.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Has the PC system organised under the 13th Amendment done any good ?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The PCs are another set of bureaucratic administrationsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ out of reach of the people.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ It has created another set of, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ a sort of Ministers and Parliamentarians.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Once elected as Provincial Council MembersƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ they become ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-panjandrumsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ of the villages and the Province.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ They get distanced from the people and act as they have special social status that require respect andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ obedience of the petty government officials and the villagers.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The incidence ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Ananda Sarath Kumara the North Western Province, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Provincial CouncillorƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ who force ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ kneeled a teacher before the pupils is an example of what becomes of the PC Members. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ He just imitated what a Minister in the Parliament did by tying a Government Official to a tree.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The Provincial Council MemberƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Sarath Kumara posed as ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ a great personality, with ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ his own henchmen acting as his security officers. He could ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ make any oneƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ stop speaking against him through fear of reprisal.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ That is how the PCs have created small time village mafias able to keep the people silent with blind acceptance of all their unscrupulous activities.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Do we want to perpetrate that system ?
The 13 Amendment introduced by India though it has served no great purpose in Sri Lanka, serves India which still to keeps the Sovereign State of Sri Lanka at bay, giving instructions from far and also calling obedience to the whims and fancies of its Chief Minister Jayalalitha. With the 13th Amendment Sri Lanka has become a ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-political laughing stockƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Any one in Tamil Nadu can dictate terms to Sri Lanka.
Vaiko of MDMK-the joker who was ready to come to Sri Lanka to fight along side PrabhakaranƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ is reported to have said, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Sri Lankan officials should not be accommodated anywhere in the countryƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ It was reportedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ that he had said that the, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…- Political parties and Tamil outfits will stage protests if the Centre continues to impart training to officials of the Sri Lankan defence forces at Defence Services Staff College at Wellington in the Nilgiris. ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-
All those insults by nincompoopsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ are because Sri Lanka is unable to decide to doƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ away with the 13th Amendment.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Whether we will remove it or not neither India nor the International community will change their attitude towards ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Sri Lanka.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
India will always play the role of the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-big brotherƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ issuing dictates and pampering anti government elements and harbour the desireƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ given the opportunity to divide Sri Lanka between the Tamils and the Sinhala just to please Tamil Nadu jokers.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ All that is because India has the handle- the 13th Amendment left behind by its erstwhile leader Rajiv Ghandhi.
Jomo KinyataƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ had once said with regard to the poverty of Kenya ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ that, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ when the British came to Kenya they had the Bible in their hands, and the KenyansƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ had the land, and when they left the KenyansƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ had the Bible in their hands and the British had the land.
Similarly (if not exactly) the Indians came with their military power promising to settle terrorism and bring peace, but when they left after failure to settle neitherƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ terrorism nor establish peace, they left behind the 13 Amendment, which is worse than the terrorism.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The terrorism Sri Lanka settled with its own force , but the 13Amendment is still their to fulfil indirectly what the terrorist failed to do.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ And Sri Lanka appears unable to remove the distasteful Amendment .
SLMC Leader Rauff Hakeem, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ who signed a MoU with Prabhakaran, to have his own Muslim Eelam under the protection of PrabhakaranƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s TamilƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Eelam, is said to be ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ infuriated over his party’s non-inclusion in the PSC.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ He had said addressing a meeting at Maon Street, Kalmunai, on Saturday, it was important for the SLMC to have a nominee on the PSC as the 13th Amendment is all to do with minority rights. He had also accused the government of amending the 13th Amendment to suit some parties within the ruling coalition.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚
What Hakeem is up toƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ being in the Government as the Minister of Justice is any bodyƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s guess ?
In the mean time Lakshman Kiriella, is worried about the government not satisfyingƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the International Community, and says ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦. the government has promised the international community that it will provide a solution beyond the 13th amendment but has so far failed to do so. He pointed out that minority communities and their constituent parties were caught between protecting their Ministerial roles and protecting its communityƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The UNP is always at the beck and call of the International Community as the Government of President Mahinda Rajapakse is at the beck and call of India.
The Government Ministers ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ and MPs who are vehemently against the removal of the 13 th Amendment, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ have noƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ reason toƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ fight to keep the 13th Amendment other than to exercise their influence in the Administration of the Provincial Councils and preserve ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ their vote base.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
The periodical issues ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ job quotas to Provincial councils are a means to help ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ henchmen of the Provincial Councillors, leaving out the deserved eve if they have the correct qualifications.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ These abuses could ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ be stopped by changing the PC system and establishing a more progressive form of Regional Administration.
The demand of the old LSSP and the CP Ministers are not understandable other than that they prefer attachment to India, and lack ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ progressive thinking.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ They have in their mind the future of a united Sri Lanka withƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the Communal difference, when the need is to have a united Sri Lanka without Communal differences.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Other than that there is no logical reason for the LSSP and CP Parliamentarians and Ministers to yearn to keep the 13Amendment intact.
The 13 Amendment should be removed, to enable the introduction of another System of Regional Administration to integrate theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ peasants and villagers as partners in the Governance of the Country.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
It would help to reduce, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ if not stop corruption at all levels, as the villagers themselves will be able to keep watch over ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ malpractices taking place at theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ lower levels which often go unnoticed, and alert those responsible in the ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Government and awaken the government ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ from its ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ lethargy.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ It would also help dampen criminality, and would be an asset for the police to carry out their duties more efficiently.
Therefore, instead of amending the 13th Amendment in bits and pieces it should be jettisoned to clean the Constitution, which has been contaminated by this piece of IndianƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ legislation introduced into it.
June 27th, 2013 at 2:00 pm
Another System of Regional Administration?
It should be VILLAGE based.
June 27th, 2013 at 3:07 pm
JAYAWEWA! But, thousands of Buddhist Monks Rallying against the 13th Amendment is NOT ENOUGH!
Where are the TENS of MILLIONS of Sri Lankan PATRIOTS!
I URGE THE PATRIOTS to gather 10 MILLION SIGNATURES on a Petition DEMANDING the REPEAL of the 13th Amendment and DISSOLUTION of ALL Provincial Councils!
Wimal Weerawansa gathered 1 MILLION SIGNATURES in support of his Petition against the Devolution of Land & Police Powers under the 13th Amendment.
GOOD … BUT NOT GOOD ENOUGH! Stop FIDDLING and THINK BIG! THINK VICTORY!
Wimal … get together with the SLFP, the JHU, the MEP and ALL other PATRIOTS and DELIVER a PETITION with 10 MILLION SIGNATURES.
Rise Up ……. O Patriots of Mother Lanka …. Rise Up to WAGE EELAM WAR V confronting us, NOW! REPEAL the 13th Amendment, DEMOLISH the Provincial Council System, and RESTORE to Sri Lanka, our sceptered Isle, her hallowed Sovereign CROWN!
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Buddhist monks in Sri Lanka to rally against the 13th Amendment on July 2nd
ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
June 27, Colombo: Thousands of Buddhist monks in Sri Lanka will hold a rally in Colombo on July 2nd calling for the abolition of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.
The rally, organized by the National Movement for the Abolition of Provincial Councils (NMAPC), will be held in Maharagama.
The NMAPC has stated that 3,000-4,000 monks from all over the country would participate in the rally.
A member of the organizing committee Ven. Rajawatte Vappa Thera has openly invited the Chief Prelate of the Asgiriya Chapter of the Siam Nikaya and members of the Maha Sangha to take to the streets on July 2nd.
Ven. Vappa Thero has said the 13th Amendment should be abolished before the Northern Provincial Council election.
He has observed that it was the actions of the bhikkus that have saved the country whenever there was any disaster and the politicians.
According to Ven. Vappa Thero, some elements were trying to use the 13th Amendment to separate the country.
June 27th, 2013 at 3:13 pm
Patriots,
Let EACH OF US do what we can … EASILY!
Please keep an eye on the support building for the GOPetition to REPEAL the 13th Referendum at :
gopetition.com/petitions/an-appeal-for-the-abolition-of-the-thirteenth-amendment/signatures.html
Please sign the petition if you have not already, and help to publicize it!
June 27th, 2013 at 3:46 pm
I THINK DR. GARVIN KARUNARATNE SUGGESTED TO BRING BACK THE GOVERNMENT AGENT SYSTEM, AND THE DRO SYSTEM. GOOD IDEA.
June 27th, 2013 at 3:58 pm
Here is YET ANOTHER Outstanding Accomplishment reflecting the Humanity and Compassion of the “Evil” Sinhala Buddhists of Sri Lanka … for the Incurably Unhappy Eelamists to ponder as they wallow in their cups plotting their strategy to Dismantle Sri Lanka!
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Lanka has only tiny proportion of ‘out of school’ children – UNICEF report
DailyNews.lk
June 27, 2013
Sri Lanka has an excellent record of admissions of children aged five to 14 years to schools, following seven decades of universal free primary and secondary school education, says the ‘Country Study: Out of School Children in Sri Lanka’ report.
This ‘Out of School Children Study in Sri Lanka’ is part of the Global Initiative on Out of School Children launched by UNICEF and the UNESCO Institute for Statistics in 2010.
Its objectives are to explore currently available statistical information
on out of schoolchildren (OOSC), identify factors that contribute to exclusion from schooling, and examine existing policies effective in enhancing participation as well as the gaps in policy and in the implementation of policies and programmes.
The three main data sources used were the Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) 2006/07, the Annual School Census 2010 and the Child Activity Survey 2008/09.
According to the DHS, 2006/07, it was concluded that Sri Lanka has a relatively small proportion of out of schoolchildren -1.5 percent ofthe primary school age children and 2.0 percent of the lower secondary school age (Department of Census and Statistics, 2006), the report said.
The more recent and representative survey of Household Income and Expenditure, 2009/10 (Department of Census and Statistics, 2011) reported that 98.2 percent of boys and girls in the five to 14 age group (primary and lower secondary levels) were in school-98.6 percent in the urban sector, 98.3 percent in the rural sector and 95.6 percent in the estate sector, the report added. Those who never attended school were 1.0 percent of the age group and those who dropped out were 0.8 percent, the highest percentages were 2.0 percent and 2.3 percent in the estate sector.
Gender disparities in education have largely been eliminated in Sri Lanka as a result of the long-standing policy of free education. In fact, girls have higher retention rates than boys. By the end of the 1960s, there were more girls than boys in upper secondary grades as boys tended to dropout early to join the labour force and girls continued in schools in the context of the provision of free education.
In 2009, 57.5 percent of those enrolled in Grades 12 and 13 were girls (MOE, 2009a).
Clearly, the preponderance of coeducational schools (96.6 percent) has accelerated progress towards gender parity.
Sri Lanka has achieved the third Millennium Development Goal of eliminating disparities in enrollment in education in primary, secondary and tertiary education as a consequence of the positive social policies implemented over many decades, the report adds.
June 28th, 2013 at 8:16 am
Charles Perera is quite right in that the 13A should be repealed. It was imposed on Sri Lanka, and the country has to free itself of this shackle for the reasons that
1) it does not work
2) it only breeds fiefdoms that threaten the unity of the island
3) it does not yield results for the financial investments made
4) MOST OF ALL – FOR THE SAKE OF THE COUNTRY’S OWN DIGNITY AS AN INDEPENDENT NATION!
With the Marxist and other anti-Govt. elements making the most noise to have 13A remain, the growing voices of division on this issue make it clear that the only step available for the President will be to go for a Referendum.
The people will give their decision, and that should override all other dissenting voices.
June 28th, 2013 at 10:09 am
GOVT SERVANTS ARE ENOUGH TO THE JOB. IF GOTHABAYA CAN DO WELL WHY CANT OTHER SECS:; WORK LIKE THAT..
ABOLISH P.CS. WHITE ELEPHANTS…. P.C THUGS ARE RUINING THE COUNTRY
SINHALA BUDDHISTS SHOULD SIGN A PETITION ASKING MAHINDA TO CHASE AWAY “parajitha____pra–_ rajitha. AND OTHERS
June 28th, 2013 at 11:49 am
The fact that the 13tm amendment must go is now academic as there is no reason to debate it’s existence. But what replaces it should make Sri Lanka a bonafide Buddhist nation that tolerates other faiths but does not tolerate those faiths from converting Buddhists to their faith and allows the Buddhist faith the right to convert. Centralize powers and make in treasonous for any entity that seeks outside assistance on domestic political issues.
June 29th, 2013 at 1:25 pm
India FALLS FAR BEHIND Sri Lanka in child welfare and mortality rate.
This is why India …. with its “Federal System” and “Largest Democracy” ….. PRAISED TO HIGH HEAVEN by Western Neo-Colonialists plying their own agendas, has NO Moral Authority or Experience in developing an EQUITABLE SOCIETY to PREACH Governance to Sri Lanka.
Why should Sri Lanka INFECT itself with the SAME COMMUNAL DISEASES afflicting India? Why?
NO 13th Amendment & NO Provincial Councils designed to convert Sri Lanka into a Patchwork Nation of Racist Communal Bantustans beyond the CONTROL of the National Government, so EVERY Foreign & Local Anti-National entity can RESUME its WATUSI dance.
Do Not INFLICT MORE BUREAUCRACY upon Sri Lanka. INTEGRATE Sri Lanka instead of DISINTEGRATING Sri Lanka.
Rise Up …. O Patriots of Mother Lanka …. Rise Up to REPEAL this Foreign BALL & CHAIN Shackling Mother Lanka, and RESTORE its SOVEREIGN CROWN to our hallowed sceptered resplendent Isle!
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‘India lags in reducing infant mortality rate’
By Express News Service – CHENNAI
June 29, 2013
The likes of Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have overtaken India in reducing the rate of mortality among children under the age of five (U5MR), according to a report released by UNICEF in Chennai on Friday. The ‘State of the World’s Children 2013’ ranks India at 49th place out of 195 countries in U5MR, which is a crucial indicator of health and well-being of children.
This year’s report, which is based on data from 2011, puts U5MR in India at 61 deaths out of 1,000 live births.
The U5MR for boys was 59 per 1,000 while the corresponding figure for girls was 64. The infant mortality rate, which measures mortality among children below 1 year was 47 per 1,000 live births.
The report also assessed other issues including education and marriage among children.
In terms of education among youth (15-24 years), the report points out that 88 per cent young men and 74 per cent of young women are literate.
Interestingly, net attendance ratio in secondary schools in India was as low as 59 per cent in males and 49 per cent in females in 2007-11.
At primary school level, net attendance ratio was significantly higher at 85 per cent in males and 81 in females, thus pointing at increasing school absenteeism and dropout rates at secondary level.
As per data from 2002-2011, about 12 per cent of children in India are child labourers while 18 per cent are married by the age of 15. By the age of 18, 47 per cent of India’s youth are married.
Five per cent of adolescents (aged 10-19) males and 30 per cent of adolescent females are married or in union. Out of this, 57 percentage of adolescent males justified wife beating.
Meanwhile, birth registration in India was as low as 41 per cent in 2005-11. This accounts to 59 percentage of registration in urban areas and 35 percent in rural areas.
June 29th, 2013 at 1:47 pm
The SLMC EMBRACES the Tiger Nominated Agents of the TNA, the MURDERERS of Muslims in the RECENT PAST!
The Greed for Personal Power in a Provincial Council Fiefdom in the Eastern Province drives these Communal SLMC Politicians to FORGET who killed Muslims by entire Villages in the dead of the night, slicing and dicing men, women and children in their beds, while the Defence Forces of Sri Lanka died by the thousands defending them.
The SLMC MIMICS Jayalalitha in Tamil Nadu, FORGETTING the LTTE Death Sentence against her and EMBRACING the Tamil Eelamist cause, now that the hard work eradicating the LTTE has been done by the Sri Lanka Defence Forces.
Let us MARK THEM with an INDELIBLE LABEL OF TRAITORS on their FOREHEADS and NEVER FORGET where they stood on defending and protecting our Resplendent Motherland! NEVER FORGET!
Let the GOSL recognize that this kind of Anti-National activity will INCREASE A HUNDREDFOLD if Power is Devolved to Provincial Councils under the 13th Amendment … just as India wants to advance her own hegemony.
Rise Up …. O Patriots of Mother Lanka …. Rise Up to REPEAL this Foreign BALL & CHAIN Shackling Mother Lanka, and RESTORE its SOVEREIGN CROWN to our hallowed sceptered resplendent Isle!
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TNA, SLMC map counter measures, As govt moves to curtail powers of PCs
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Island.lk
June 28, 2013
UPFA constituent, the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) and the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) are in the process of building a common front to thwart government move to curtail the powers of the provincial councils ahead of the first northern provincial council election scheduled for September.
SLMC General Secretary Hassen Ali (National List MP) and TNA National List MP M. A. Sumanthiran said that their objective was to build a coalition against those bent on diluting the 13th Amendment. They were speaking to The Island after having bilateral talks at SLMC headquarters, ‘Darussalam’ on Thursday night to decide on counter-measures.
MP Sumanthiran emphasised that the government couldn’t go back on its pledge to fully implement the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. “Since the conclusion of the conflict in May 2009, the government had promised to implement the 13th Amendment on several occasions. In fact, the government promised not only to fully implement the 13th Amendment but go beyond the provisions to pave the way for meaningful devolution.”
The TNA would speak to the likeminded political parties, civil society organisations as well as individuals to explore ways and means of countering the government move, he said.
MP Hassen Ali urged the government not to alienate minorities, but take tangible measures to win the confidence of people of all ethnicities. An irate Ali alleged that doing away with key provisions in the 13th Amendment meant that they could no longer expect the legislation to meet the aspirations of the minorities.
Asked whether the SLMC would also take up the issue with UPFA constituent, the Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP), MP Ali said that EPDP leader Douglas Devananda, too, was strongly opposed to doing away with the 13th Amendment. The SLMC was confident of forming broadest possible front against the anti-devolution forces, the MP said, adding that the high command of the party would meet on Saturday to discuss current political developments. “We are really concerned about the rapidly deteriorating situation. The government is not sensitive to concerns of the minorities.”
MP Ali said that before meeting a TNA delegation led by R. Sampanthan, the SLMC had held talks with a UNP delegation to discuss recently unveiled UNP’s draft Constitution.
Meanwhile, recent visit by a high level South African delegation fueled speculation that the SA administration was seeking a mediatory role to facilitate a dialogue between the government and the TNA.
Deputy SA Minister of International Relations and Co operation Ibrahim Ibrahim recently called on External Affairs Minister Prof. G. L. Peiris to discuss current developments and preparations for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), which will be held in Colombo in November.
The delegation also paid a courtesy call on Secretary Defence and Urban Development Gotabaya Rajapaksa. The Deputy Minister was accompanied by Roelf Meyer, Professor Ivor Jenkins, and Ahmed Seedat.
Well informed sources speculated that the SA was believed to be interested in helping the Sri Lankan government and the TNA to reach a consensus on post-war national reconciliation process. Sources pointed out that the TNA and the UK-based Global Tamil Forum (GTF) had visited SA several months back to seek assistance to kick start talks with the government.
June 30th, 2013 at 2:52 pm
We PATRIOTS of Sri Lanka AGREE that the 13th Amendment should be ABOLISHED … NOW Mr. Ravi Karunanayake, but NOT for YOUR REASONS!
Your MOTIVATION is to SOMEWAY, SOMEHOW BRING DOWN the Patriotic UPFA Government that stands between Sri Lanka and her ENEMIES INTENT on DESTROYING her. We are well AWARE that you have consulted, collaborated and plotted with ALL Anti-National Elements in Sri Lanka to that end.
If you are so CONCERNED about Sri Lanka’s Security …. why don’t you marshal together and offer the UNP’s FULL SUPPORT for ABOLISHING the 13th Amendment to the UPFA Government. Country should COME FIRST before Political Party or Personal Self!
BUT, NO! You will stand on the sidelines ACTIVELY PLOTTING with Sri Lanka’s ENEMIES to deliver her to her ENEMIES, BOUND HAND & FOOT with the 13th Amendment!
BEGONE FOOL!
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UNP challenges Govt. to abolish 13-A using two thirds majority
Don’t let tense situation develop into a catastrophe
by Zacki Jabbar
Island.lk
June 29, 2013
The UNP yesterday challenged the government to use its two thirds majority in parliament and amend or abolish the 13th Amendment without threatening to do it while allowing the tense situation to develop into a catastrophe.
Senior UNPer Ravi Karunanayake said that if the Rajapaksa regime was convinced that the 13th Amendment was redundant in the post war era, the required two thirds majority was available, even though obtained against the peoples will and in the most unethical manner, to rectify what it has termed as an historical injustice.
“If, the government is really committed as it says to diluting or scrapping devolution, do it now without looking for scapegoats and adopting time wasting exercises such as Parliamentary Select Committees. The ethnic conflict has been discussed for decades and all the issues and solutions have been identified,’’ he said.
“The only thing left to do is implementation which is not forthcoming obviously due to the lack of guts in matching words with action.’’
Karunanayake said that President Mahinda Rajapaksa, by allowing the extremist forces within his ranks to run wild, had allowed a dangerous situation to develop which could lead to a tragic loss of life and property.Having pledged 13-A Plus to India, Rajapaksa had taken Sri Lankans for a ride, by saying that the Provincial Councils would be stripped of most of their key features including the right to merge with other PCs and land and police powers, he noted.
“All we are saying is go ahead and do what you believe in, without continuing the circus until the Northern Provincial Council Election is over”, Karunanayake said. He warned that such a course of action could lead to disastrous consequences.
He noted that while contradictory statements emanated from senior ministers on a daily basis, the minority and left parties in the ruling UPFA were up in arms over the proposed amendments which had shaken the very foundation of the ruling alliance.
As for the UNP, the MP said that a new constitutional formulation pledging meaningful devolution had been unveiled. This means they opposed the dilution of the 13th Amendment.
June 30th, 2013 at 6:38 pm
Well said Ravi Karunanayake!
I’m the LAST PERSON to praise or NOT SPEAK ILL of Ravi Karunanayake (aka PAMANKADAYA aka the Tamil word for illegal boat person starting from K aka the Tamil word for a VERY LOW caste person starting with S). His conduct has been such.
BUT he has said the right thing BOLDLY. We must all PRAISE him for that.
We need MORE people like him to say this.
“If, the government is really committed as it says to diluting or scrapping devolution, do it now without looking for scapegoats and adopting time wasting exercises such as Parliamentary Select Committees. The ethnic conflict has been discussed for decades and all the issues and solutions have been identified”.
WELL SAID!
“The only thing left to do is implementation which is not forthcoming obviously due to the lack of guts in matching words with action.”
VERY WELL SAID!
“All we are saying is go ahead and do what you believe in, without continuing the circus until the Northern Provincial Council Election is over”, Karunanayake said. He warned that such a course of action could lead to disastrous consequences.”
ABSOLUTELY!
We are NOT the FANCLUB of MR, BR, GR, etc. ANYONE who does and talks for what is BEST for the country MUST get our support.
One thing I ADMIRE in VP is his UNWAVERING commitment to TAMIL ELAM.
NO LONG TERM FRIENDS.
NO LONG TERM ENEMIES.
Even if his enemies supported TE, dirty VP was with them.
Even if his friends opposed TE, dirty VP was against them.
This is how we should be towards SL.