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Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) Parliamentarian, Athuraliye Rathana Thera said, yesterday the government must be compelled to change its stand on the 13th Amendment to the Constitution through public mobilization.
Referring to the announcement made by Cabinet Spokesperson, Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, who confirmed on Wednesday (22) that the government would not be abolishing the 13th Amendment, and the strongly expressed views of the JHU calling for the abolishment of the same, Rathana Thera said, “We must mobilize the public to push the government toward changing their stand on the matter.” JHU National Organizer, Nishantha Sri Warnasinghe, responding to the inquiries pertaining to his party’s alliance with the government, considering the current differences of opinion regarding the 13th Amendment, said, “What Minister Yapa expressed was the stand of the government. It is our view the amendment should be abolished. This isn’t a government-JHU problem.”
Commenting further on the government’s decision to go ahead with the Northern Provincial Council (NPC) Polls in September, he said, “The government so far has not discussed any of these matters with our party.”
Minister Yapa at the Cabinet briefing pointed out that only the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) can take a decision on the 13th Amendment, echoing President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s sentiments.
Warnasinghe, when asked whether the JHU has planned to discuss the matter at the PSC, said, “Even though a PSC has been appointed, it has never been convened, with the United National Party (UNP) and the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) studiously avoiding it. If it is convened, then the problems of the North can be discussed. The reality is that it is never convened.”
The National Freedom Front (NFF), headed by Minister Wimal Weerawansa is another government party which has expressed the need to abolish the 13th Amendment. NFF Member Piyasiri Wijenayake told Ceylon Today, “We have no qualms about the NPC polls, as long as the powers granted to Provincial Councils by the 13th Amendment are removed first.”
– CT |
