ACBC opposes 13th Amendment

The All-Ceylon Buddhist Congress in a letter dated June 26, 2013 has outlined its stand on the 13th Amendment as follows:

The 13th Amendment was foisted on Sri Lanka without the consent of its people at a referendum. It is based on the spurious historical claim that the North and the East of Sri Lanka have been the traditional Tamil home land as advanced by the separatist elements. Provision has also been made for the merger of two Provincial Councils into a single administrative entity. The Amendment has also curtailed the legislative powers of the State and the executive powers of the Presidency.

The devolution of police powers will pose a serious threat to the national security while the devolution of land powers will result in the unequal sharing of national resources.

Although the 13th Amendment is based on the Indian model yet the Sri Lanka government has been deprived of most of the powers enjoyed by the Indian Centre.

Finally the 13th Amendment has strengthened the Provincial Councils having weakened the Sri Lankan State, its territorial integrity and the sovereignty of the people, it is said.