The Government is still battling as to what it should do with the 13 Amendment.
Posted on May 12th, 2013
By Charles .S.Perera
While the Government is battling as to what it should do with the 13 Amendment, the TNA and the Tamil National PeopleƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Front are busy formulating a draft proposal to address Tamil issues.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ SLMC General Secretary Ha ssan Ali opposes a 19 Amendment proposed by the government and opposes removal of the Land and Police powers proposed in the 17 Amendment. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The Government is still not sure as to what it should do and informs reducing armed forces from the North.
While the TNA is demanding, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…- voting rights be granted to Sri Lankan Tamil refugees living in camps in Tamil Nadu and facilities be set up to enable them to vote in the upcoming Northern Provincial Council election. An estimated 100,000 Sri Lankan Tamils are living as refugees in Tamil Nadu.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚, the SriƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Government has not taken any steps to resettle the Sinhala IDPs in Jaffna.
There was a report that the Sinhala IDPs have still not claimed those ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ lands in Jaffna ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ from which they were ousted by the LTTE, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ and therefore they have not been resettled
These peopleƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ probably have the fear of attacks against them by the TNA sponsored Tamil Groups, and the reducing ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ of the Army Camps will not encourage the re-settlement of these Sinhala IDPs.
The government had been putting off doing so many essential things, that should have been done in May, 2009 immediately after the elimination of the terrorists. As a result those problems that could have been nipped off in the bud, have grown up in size. The Government should be bold to take decisions, and prepare to meet the out comes later.
Whether Azath Salley has or has not called for the Muslims to rise against the government is not the main problem , the main problem is the government leaving room ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ for such situations to arise due to hesitation in taking action.
Every day TNA isƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ becoming a heavierƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ political burden, and a great nuisance to all communities. The Government is unable to stop their ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-high treasonƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ in calling for governments out side Sri, Lanka to intervene to settle internal affairs. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ A TNA Mp had said that he is prepared to defend Azath Salley, if he is chargedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ under the prevention of terrorist act.
How can Sri Lanka ever reconcile the Sinhala and Tamil Communities as long as the TNA carries out subversive activities against reconciliation ? ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ It should be either reconciliation or showing the TNA where their political ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-journeyƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ ends.
While the Government remains undecided about land and police powers, it is reported that , ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ over 1,500 hectares of government land in Kilinochchi have been allocated for the newly-resettled landless Muslim families.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚
As time goes, a greater problem for reconciliation of the Communities and taking the Country forward will ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ not be the TNA and Azath Alys, but the supposed to be democratic Opposition of Sri Lanka, the UNP led by Ranil Wickramasinghe and ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ JVP ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ led by Lal Kantha, and others like the FUTA, and ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Mercantile Union.
The UNP is prepared to join hands with the Devil himself to defeat the government by making the Tamils in Jaffna vote for TNA. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ For Ranil Wickramasinghe whether the Sri Lanka should be a one nation in a Unitary Sri Lanka or two nations in a divided Sri LankaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ is immaterial as long has he can feather hopesƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ to assure his place some day ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ to become ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the President of at least a part of Sri Lanka.
Hence the Government should soon decide which way it is going. It was reported , ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-National Organizer of the SLFP, Minister Basil Rajapaksa said yesterday that the government has still not reached finality on the longstanding proposition to repeal certain sections of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution considered obstacles to governmentƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s development initiative.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚
For how long is the government ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ going to hang on with the 13 Amendment, considering which parts of it should be kept and which parts of it should be removed.
The 13 Amendment should be removed as a whole immediately, and introduce amendments which the Government considers necessary to keep, but be certain that no land and police powers are handed over to the PCs.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The Government should also revitalise the Prevention of Terrorism Act to take into custody members of Political parties proposing special benefits to particular Communities.
After May, 2009, the political aspect of Sri Lanka ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ has taken a new dimension. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The development of the Country is for the people of Sri Lanka, therefore proposals should be for the progress and development of the people of all Communities.
Sri Lanka cannot allow any individual or group to promote special privileges by way of ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ promoting political or ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ religious loyalties to countries away from Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka has its own Law and every one has to obey its laws.
It is certainly wise to stop elections in the North until the Governments takes a definite decision to withdraw the 13 Amendment and bring in new Amendments to the Constitution, and issue a strong warning against communal political ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ alliances ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ formed to benefit one community against another.
May 12th, 2013 at 12:36 pm
JR Jayawardana entered in to this 13th amendment with India in order to avoid a catastrophe as a result of Indira Ghandis folly of under assuming sri lanka’s capabilities. Now the conditions are not the same, bin the 13th amendment. or face an uprising in Sri Lanka, more violent than any revolution that we have faced.
May 12th, 2013 at 1:38 pm
13 amendment MUST GO!
Read this NYT report on the day 13 amendment was passed. I think this MAY BE our first LRRP operation. Premadasa’s views are good but no backbone to OPPOSE it. The idea may have been to PROVE to the world that 13 amendment CANNOT BRING PEACE by the JR govt.
“Mine Kills 25 in Sri Lanka; Autonomy Bill Passes
A bus carrying ethnic Tamils hit a land mine planted by Tamil rebels and exploded today, and all 25 passengers were killed, a military official said.
The latest violence in Sri Lanka’s ethnic conflict occurred as Parliament approved two bills to give Tamils more local autonomy, prompting violent protests by members of the ethnic Sinhalese majority. At least three people were reported injured.
The bills, which set up provincial councils in Tamil-dominated areas of the north and east, were called for in a peace accord signed July 29 to end the four-year Tamil insurgency. Many Sinhalese contend that the accord grants too many concessions to Tamils.
Hundreds of Sinhalese youths in the northern town of Polonnaruwa responded to the bills by stopping state-run buses and scrawling anti-Government slogans on them, the police said.
The police fired tear gas to disperse the crowds, and more than 95 people were arrested, reports said.
In southern Angunakolapelesa, the police opened fire to disperse a violent mob of students protesting the bills. Three people were injured, police said. The bus was blown up between the villages of Chettikulam and Parayanalankulam, about 148 miles north of Colombo, the capital.
”We feel it was meant to hit an armored vehicle or a tank of the Indian troops,” a military official said. There are 20,000 Indian troops deployed in Sri Lanka to disarm the rebels and enforce the peace accord.
The 136-to-11 vote in Parliament came after a heated three-day debate. Parliament is controlled by President Junius R. Jayewardene’s United National Party. The bills will enable the Government to create provincial councils to goven Tamil-dominated areas in the north and east. The councils will mean some autonomy to the Tamils, who have been fighting for independence.
Prime Minister Ranasinghe Premadasa said he was unsure whether the new laws would bring peace.
”If you ask me whether ethnic peace will follow with the setting up of provincial councils, my answer is that I do not know,” he said. ”I am supporting these two new laws because I am confident they are not a threat to the unitary constitution of this country.”
He said he would oppose any move to combine the Tamil-dominated Northern and multi-ethnic Eastern Provinces as stipulated in the peace pact.
”Such an amalgamation would be unfair to the Moslems and Sinhalese who live in the Eastern Province,” he said. ”They will come under the domination of the Tamils, who make up 90 percent of the northern population.””
May 12th, 2013 at 1:38 pm
That report dated November 13, 1987 by AP.
May 13th, 2013 at 2:24 am
13 amendment MUST GO!- India ( IPKF) should come !!! You modayas !!!
May 13th, 2013 at 5:03 am
The 13-A was a double impose on Sri Lanka. A brief re-cap :
(a) It was Cold War time (1946 – 1991) and India ran with her neighbor, the then Sov.Union, and JRJ went with the west.
(b) The ltte & the Tamil leaders rode on the back of the Cold War to solve Tamil Caste Wars/poverty problems. The Cold War is now over. Time to get rid of that useless piece of legislation, the 13-A, imposed on Sri Lanka under Duress by India, and therefore Null & Void. JRJ carried the resignations of his Cabinet members to Parliament to force them to sign in the 13-A. It was NOT Democratic that India forced on Sri Lanka ! for whatever reason ? – to appease a then Cold War player. THE COLD WAR IS NOW OVER. It is high time India allowed Sri Lanka to remove this useless piece of archaic legislation.
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Andy,
The minorities of Lanka should not suffer by removal of the 13-A. GoSL should give that assurance.
The Buddha said that ‘one is high born or low born according to one’s actions only’.
May 13th, 2013 at 6:06 am
Fran Diaz
The minorities of Lanka should not suffer by removal of the 13-A. GoSL should give that assurance.-GoSL given assurance since 1948 to us , We both know What We got till now !!!
The minorities of Lanka should not suffer by removal of the 13-A.- we also support removal of 13A to bring IPKF back !!!
Do Modayas & Sakkiliyas learned any thinh since 1948 ? NO
The Buddha said that ‘one is high born or low born according to one’s actions only’.- this high or lower castle problm is not mother lanka as We both know Our Thamil thesiya thalivar from Vallveddi Thurai Karayar Family !
We both (Bhuddist Sinhalese & Saiva Thamilan )know Our own problm & also already have solution , now time to implement that is fully implementation of 13A & LLCR !!!
No short cut ! We both do not want Eelam war V !!!
live & let live !!!
May 13th, 2013 at 7:04 am
Andy,
A large number of Tamils have made good use of whatever facilities in FREE Education & FREE health care that GoSL offers. GoSL cannot take away Caste based mind set/binds of Tamils. That part is up to Tamils themselves to remove.
Sri Lankans & GoSL cannot solve the Caste Problems of Tamils. That mind set must be let go by Tamils themselves. Enter mainstream life in Lanka, learn the language of the land and stop looking to Tamil Nadu leaders for solutions.
Lanka offers everything to Tamils that others have in Lanka. Sector for sector, Tamils are better off in Lanka than even the Sinhala Buddhists. Andy, are you looking at the problems of Sri Lanka Tamils or Tamil Nadu Tamil Dalits/low caste ?
It was not ‘live & let live’ but ‘live & let die’ for us all under the ltte !
Noting more to say.
May 13th, 2013 at 8:12 am
Sri Lankans & GoSL cannot solve the Caste Problems of Tamils- We Lankan Tamil not have castle problm at all !!!
Tamil Nadu Tamil Dalits/low caste ?- this is not our lankan problm !!! nothink to do with lankan puthas !
It was not ‘live & let live’ but ‘live & let die’ for us all under the ltte !- Fully agrred now VP&co gone !no more ‘live & let die’ problm !
shall we live & let live !!!
unit in diversity !!!
no short cut !
fully implement 13A & LLCR – no more no less !!!
United Provicial Council of Sri Lanka !!!
May 13th, 2013 at 8:27 am
Andy,
If not a Tamil Caste problem, what is your problem ? State it, please.
May 14th, 2013 at 3:23 am
Fran Diaz
Chinhalavan pin valavukkila nikkiran !!! ( Chinhala army in back of our House) that is the problm !!!
May 14th, 2013 at 5:43 am
Andy,
So long as you say “Chinhala army in back of our House) that is the problm !!!” how can you call yourself a Lanka Putha ?
Also, while your political leaders in the TNA keep moving toward Separatism one way or another, how can the armed forces be kept away from the North ?
Also, the Northern Tamils are famous for infighting due to Caste & Separatist matters.
Your statements are so CONTRADICTORY, that I am beginning to think that you are a very confused person and perhaps your intentions are not honorable toward the country you profess to love.
May 14th, 2013 at 6:53 am
Dear Andy,
Please convince us that you truly love Lanka, UNITED & UNDIVIDED. Convince us that you are not merely using the Sinhala peoples kind hearts to eventually form a separate state called Eelam.
May 14th, 2013 at 7:27 am
Today the USA is conducting itself as if they could do anything without being challenged. This could be true, unless Russia and China join hands to protect countries like Syria under threat from US interference and manipulations. Once the USA decides a particular leader is too independent for US comfort, such leaders would be got rid of whether they comply with US aspirations or not. SriLanka is in this situation and therefore, has nothing to lose by taking bold decisions, in the interest of SriLanka, whether USA likes it or not, as they in any case have identified SriLanka is strategically located in the region and therefore, wants a US puppet to lead the nation. As such, to progress rapidly the administrative process, the Govt has to ignore US and Indian demands and instead go ahead to remove land and police powers from the Indian forced 13th amendment or in the alternative reduce the devolution unit to District level, which is more democratic and less threatening to the unitary status of SriLanka, than the PC level devolution.