May 12, 2013,
By Shamindra Ferdinando
The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) yesterday insisted that any attempt to dilute the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, in the run-up to the first Northern Provincial Council election, wouldn’t be acceptable.
Such a course of action could reverse whatever progress achieved in the national reconciliation process, TNA National List MP M. A. Sumanthiran told The Island yesterday.
Asked whether the TNA would boycott the forthcoming Northern PC polls in case the government repealed some vital sections of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, MP Sumanthiran pointed out that in spite of media reports and various statements attributed to political parties regarding possible amendments, the government hadn’t announced its final decision.
SLFP National Organiser and Economic Affairs Minister Basil Rajapaksa on Sunday said that the government hadn’t taken a final decision on longstanding proposals to repeal certain sections of the 13 Amendment.
Responding to a query, MP Sumanthiran said that any change to the 13th Amendment would be contrary to a pledge given by President Mahinda Rajapaksa to the international community, particularly India. The TNA heavyweight pointed out that several joint communiqués issued following talks between the governments of Sri Lanka and India since the conclusion of the war in May 2009 referred to the promised Northern Provincial Council election.
The MP pointed out that the second US resolution on Sri Lanka, too, specifically mentioned the Northern PC polls scheduled for September.
MP Sumanthiran said that it would be important to ensure a level
playing field in the Northern region in the run-up to the election. Instead of the much-talked about 13A Plus, the government should first hold the Northern PC polls in accordance with the 13th Amendment, he added.
An election under an amended 13th Amendment would be an exercise in futility, Sumanthiran said, noting that a decision to introduce constitutional amendments for the benefit of the government would undermine the entire national reconciliation process.
The SLFP-led UPFA is sharply divided over the proposed election with the National Freedom Front (NFF) and the Jathika Hela Urumaya strongly opposing the move. However, left parties in the government are supportive of the Northern PC polls.
The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), too, is strongly opposed to doing away with the 13th Amendment to pave the way for the 19th Amendment sans police and land powers.
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