Addressing three core issues vital:
JHU hails Govt's move to introduce two changes to 13-A
by Manjula Fernando
The JHU while welcoming the Government's move to introduce two
changes to the 13th Amendment stressed that it was harmful to hold the
Northern provincial polls without addressing three more core issues in
the 'evil piece of legislation'.
Technology, Research and Atomic Energy Minister Patali Champika
Ranawaka, the General Secretary of JHU said that if a pro-LTTE party is
elected to head the Northern PC, the three Articles in the 13 - A would
help carve out a separate state which Velupillai Prabhakaran could not
achieve in a 30-year bloody conflict."Those who devolve power to
Prabhakaran's followers will be betraying the ultimate sacrifice made by
26,000 soldiers. We will not allow anyone to undermine this sacrifice,"
he said.
He tabled the three 'evils' as police and land powers and the
inadequate powers vested with the President to dissolve a Provincial
Council if and when the territorial integrity of the country is
threatened.
The JHU said it would oppose holding Provincial Council elections in
the Northern province without amending these three Articles.External
Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris was due to table a Cabinet paper on
Thursday proposing the two changes to the 13-A. Cabinet Spokesman
Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said political parties had been given a
week to submit their proposals on the changes and the final draft will
be approved next week.The changes proposed in the Cabinet paper are the
removal of powers to 'merge provinces' and facilitate the passing of
Acts on the Provincial Councils by the Government, with the consent of
the majority of provinces and a 'simple majority' in Parliament.
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