June 15, 2013, 7:15 pm

 Current developments relating to the 13th Amendment were discussed by Professor G. L. Peiris, Minister of External Affairs, at his interaction with diplomats, academics, officials and the media at the German Association for Foreign Policy in Berlin on Friday.


This was one of the events in the Minister’s official programme which included bilateral discussions with Dr. Guido Westerwelle, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Germany.




Prof. Peiris highlighted the fact that the 13th Amendment, although enacted more than a quarter of a century ago, had not been implemented by any of Sri Lanka’s governments since that time. Indeed, legislation passed by Parliament in 1990 to give effect to some key aspects of the 13th Amendment was never brought into operation at any time, he said.


With the elections contemplated for the Provincial Council of the Northern Province later this year, there is naturally a lively debate in the country on the question whether any changes, reflecting developments in Sri Lanka during the last two decades, are necessary prior to implementation on the ground. As expected, a wide variety of views has been expressed on this subject in recent weeks by varying shades of political opinion.


Minister Peiris stressed that an essential condition for implementation is an adequate level of public support. It is because of lack of the required threshold of support that different governments, guided by divergent convictions and priorities, all felt unable to implement major provisions of the 13th Amendment during the last 25 years. What is now happening in the country is that, on the eve of Provincial Council elections in the Northern Province, some critical issues are being debated in earnest with a view to ensuring broad public support.


It is with this objective in mind that some amendments have been formulated for consideration by the Cabinet of Ministers, Prof. Peiris remarked.


The Minister, in his address to the distinguished German audience, placed in perspective the approach by the Government of Sri Lanka on implementation of the LLRC proposals.


He emphasized the structured character of this process, based on priorities. Having dealt effectively with the humanitarian issues relating to the resettlement of internally displaced persons, the re-integration of ex-combatants and the challenging demining process, as well as revival of the economy of the Northern Province by means of a massive emphasis on the development of infrastructure, the political issues are now coming to the fore in a timely manner, he noted.


It is in this context that commencement of deliberations on these issues in the Parliamentary Select Committee assumes heightened importance, he said. "Since constitutional reform is a matter within the responsibility of Parliament and requires a special majority, there is no substitute for an all-inclusive Parliamentary Select Committee Process".

island.lk