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.