TNA going by the Thimpu Principles?

by P. Krishnaswamy

Minority political parties playing a dominant role in drafting the new constitution are hastening deliberations to present them to the Constitutional Assembly before next week.

Tamil National Alliance spokesman M.A.Sumanthiran MP

While many parties declined to divulge details of the proposals, others gave salient features, especially aspirations in respect of the communities they represent; their concerns over safeguarding democratic rights and provision for equitable political representation.

Tamil National Alliance (TNA) spokesman M.A.Sumanthiran MP, said the party’s expert team was working on the proposal, which will be given publicity on completion.

Asked about the salient features, he said the proposal will be based on the government’s proposals evolved in the past, especially the Mangala Moonesinghe proposal, former President Chandrika Kumaratunga’s proposal and President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s APRC report.

‘Not Yet Ready’

“Power-sharing arrangement for a unified North and East, under a unitary state, is the mandate that the Tamil people gave the TNA at the August 2015 elections and the party will not deviate from it,” Sumanthiran was quoted as saying at a party meeting in Kilinochchi on Thursday.

Northern Provincial Council Chief Minister (CM) and TNA dissident C.V.Wigneswaran who is working on a separate proposal could not be contacted but responded to an email and said “ Not Yet Ready”.

The TNA’s sub-committee on constitutional reform is working on the proposal and the sub-committee includes Suresh Premachandren and Tharmalingam Sitharthan, leaders of other Tamil political parties, including Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam, M.K.Sivajilingam, representatives of Tamil diaspora organisations and academics, according to party sources.

The proposal is likely to be based on the ‘Thimpu Principles’, the main feature of which would be the right of the Tamils for self-determination, according to sources. Suresh Premachandren declined to give details and said that the proposal is being formulated to be presented to the Constitutional Assembly next week and will be released to the media.

Constitutional Assembly

Former Minister and founder president of the Global Organisation of the People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) P.P.Devaraj said a proposal, under the auspices of the Ceylon Workers’ Congress (CWC) is being formulated by the Sri Lankan Indian Community Council (SLICC) and will be presented to the Constitutional Assembly next week. He said CWC leader Arumugan Thondaman was the president of SLICC.

But it is a broader organisation having the membership of business leaders, academics and prominent personalities.

The CWC and the SLICC have taken the initiative to formulate a proposal for those of Indian origin to be presented to the Constitutional Assembly.

Consultations are now in progress with a wide section of people of Indian origin, including professionals, academics and politicians. Proposals will be submitted to the SLICC next week and a final proposal will be evolved on this basis, Devaraj said.

The 13th Amendment to the constitution does not meet the aspiration of Tamils of Indian origin who are more concentrated in certain areas.

Although they are represented in the board of ministers of the Central Province, it is not so in the Western and Sabaragamuwa Provinces. Arrangements have to be made to redress this shortcoming. Special concessions must be provided in the educational sector. The proposal will be finalised before the end of the month, Devaraj said.

Leader of the three-party Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA), an alliance of the National Union of Workers (NUW), the Up-country People’s Front (UPF) and the Democratic People’s Front (DPF) and Minister of National Co-existence, Dialogue and Official Languages Mano Ganeshan said the committee appointed by the TPA is drafting a proposal for those of Indian origin living outside the North and the East.

Pluralistic character

The PPA will seek a power-sharing arrangement for Tamils of Indian origin. General Secretary of TPA’s constituent, the UPA, A.Lawrence said the report of the All Party Representative Committee headed by Prof.Tissa Vitarana and the report of the Electoral Reform Commission, chaired by Dinesh Gunawardene will be taken into consideration.

A 15-member committee including professionals, academics and experts, has been set up and the committee will meet tomorrow, January 26, he said.

What they primarily insist upon is the recognition of the pluralistic character of the country (multi- religious, multi-ethnic, multi-cultural), Lawrence said.