Sampanthan calls for moderate forces to work for new Constitution

If moderate forces work together, mustering a two-thirds majority and passing a new Constitution is possible, Opposition Leader and Tamil National Alliance (TNA) leader R. Sampanthan told the visiting Norwegian State Secretary for Development Cooperation Jens Frølich Holte.

Holte met with the TNA delegation led by Sampanthan last Friday at the Office of the Opposition Leader in Parliament.

A media statement by the TNA said Sampanthan briefed the Secretary on the status of the political affairs in the country and had appreciated the support and partnership tended by the Norwegian government in the past in rebuilding Sri Lanka, especially in the area of a political solution to the national question.

Further, Sampanthan briefed the Secretary on the efforts taken to frame a new Constitution and said as representatives of the people we cannot throw away the opportunity that has come our way. He said he feared that any failure in this process will lead to further divisions among communities in the country.

“I am not ruling out the chances of having a new Constitution, but we are disappointed about the delays in the recent past in taking this process further. This government can achieve what they couldn’t achieve in the past if they are genuinely committed and have the political will do so,” Sampanthan added.

The process of framing a new Constitution has been there since 1988 and every successive government has worked on this. We cannot entertain any further delays in this matter. The draft Constitution must be presented to Parliament and debated and upon receiving a two-thirds majority, it should be approved by the people at a referendum. The people who think on racial lines are not the majority in this country, but unfortunately, they are heard more than the moderates. But if the moderate forces work together in these matters, mustering a two-thirds majority and passing a Constitution is possible, Sampanthan said.

Speaking on the release of lands in the North and East, Sampanthan said there had been progress in this regard, but things can be speedily addressed given the fact that it has been over nine years since the war came to an end. Armed forces are cultivating in these lands and the crops are sold to the very owners of these lands, which is harmful to achieving peace and reconciliation in this country.

He brought to the notice of the delegation that people in several places in the North and East are staging protests over land, persons in custody and the issue of missing persons.

The Norwegian delegation also included Ambassador to Sri Lanka Thorbjørn Gaustadsæther, Senior Advisers of the Norwegian Foreign Affairs Ministry Dagny Mjøs and Kjersti Nordskog Nes and Counsellor/Deputy Head of Mission Monica Svenskerud.

The TNA delegation included Parliamentarians M.A. Sumanthiran and Selvam Adaikalanathan.